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Ravi and Tanay

Bidding Mia a backward wave 'G-bye', Ravi headed across the aisle towards the electric doors that lead from the E.R.'s private entry.

The female chinchilla had known and worked with Ravi for a few years, and Mia knew him well enough to understand why he had taken it upon himself to pay this young male a personal call. She also knew it wasn't something Ravi would readily share with others. It wasn't unusual for nurses and attending physicians to become close friends. Some even became lovers. Mia smiled as she shook her head slowly. Alas for herself and any other, Ravi's heart and mind seemed to be focused on his work, first and foremost. The long hours of their jobs kept outside relationships a rarity, but only Mia knew something of Ravi's past, and she kept that confidence close.

Watching the rabbit depart, she chuckled a soft, "Good luck hun."

Automatically keeping to the right as the two panels began to open, the left hesitated; a 'Trap' for the unwary or inattentive, but one that Ravi had long since grown accustomed to avoiding. He should know. It was from his own haste that the door was first battered and damaged, while steering a gurney through it during his internship. He'd smashed it, and his hand, into the metal edge when it didn't move fast enough for his momentum to clear! Not realizing it, he rubbed the back of his hand against his hip, the painful injury and now hidden scars that crisscrossed his knuckles another testament to not looking where he was going.

His ears swiveled quickly back-and-forth; a clear indication of his anxiety to any who knew him. His tail tuft, too, flicked, but the hospital scrub gown and light outer jacket hid that, especially as he was walking in such a brisk, ground-eating pace. Now outside, his long lapine legs stretched into a familiar motion. The corded muscles of his lower limbs flexed and shifted with ease, a reflection of the many years of his youth spent traversing the countryside still evident in his middle-years. He couldn't indulge in his long strides while inside the hospital, or most buildings for that matter.

Eyes gleaming as his pupils widened to the darkness outside, his nostrils twitched as he inhaled the myriad scents that surrounded the hospital's grounds. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the facility, and the sharp chemical odors within, he breathed a sigh of appreciation at the rich, pungent aromas of freshly mown grass, and the tangle of different foliage that the light breeze carried to him. It was quite late, and the street lamps cast pools of illumination across the ground. Ravi's sensitive hearing could detect the high pitched calls of the flitting bats as they wheeled and dove, catching insects that were drawn to the beacons of light.

His mind turned fast, thinking about the young Fox, his obviously negligent 'Father', and his apparently violent 'Boyfriend'. Such a complex weave the canine's life had found itself in! As the doctor's strides carried him towards the bus stop, he barely noticed the rapid clicking sound his toenails made as they brushed against the concrete sidewalk. Though most kept theirs closely trimmed, Ravi had something of a vanity regarding them, and preferred they stayed in their naturally long, sharp-tipped state. Thankfully, he never wore stockings or shoes, which would have been quickly shredded!

Reaching the empty bench inside the covered bus stop, he turned, and as he lowered his body, positioned his legs underneath himself, folded and tucked in a very familiar 'Lotus' pose. Leaning back into a sturdy glass pane, a soft exhale formed a cloud of condensation in front of his face. The season was changing, and it still caught him a bit off guard when the cold nights first appeared. With his elbows resting lightly on his knees, the medical travel kit nested 'tween his folded legs offered his forearms a ready perch. As his fingertips tapped idly against the red, dyed nylon, he let his thoughts wander back through the long years while he waited for the bus to arrive.

He was at the end of a 36 hour shift, and now that the steady demands of the E.R. were behind him, exhaustion caught him up. Closing his eyes, his head lay back against the stout pane of glass, and before he knew it, he was asleep and dreaming of his own past...

*******

He grew up in northern India, within the State of Uttar Pradesh. His family had left their mountain home generations prior, seeking a better life and education for their many children in the city of Agra. At that time, the great Taj Mahal was being built. Though his many-times-great, Paternal Buck had made a manageable living tending to his crops and other various medicinal herbs, it was his 'Extended-Great', Maternal Doe's skill at pottery that gave the family their introduction to the work being done at the ornate building.

The Family settled in, and made a comfortable living. The Does passed on the skills of working clay to younger generations, and the Bucks maintained the crops and herbal farming, importing the cured medicinals to the big city.

As a young male, Ravi had been quite boisterous. Being a rabbit, he was prone to running about with great exuberance. 'Bounder' was one nickname his friends had given him; 'Hopping mischief', was another that many of the neighbor elders had labeled him with! When he found himself in trouble, which was often, he would frequently serve his penance by helping spin the old pottery foot-wheel that his mother would use to mold her beautiful jars and vases, cups and bowls. Many hours were spent kick, kick, kicking the heavy, thick, stone base. Its circular shape turning in a mesmerizing manner, he would watch her throw a lump of wet clay onto the middle of the 'Table', and as he got it going to the proper speed, slowly mold and form it into shapes that were a sheer delight to see.

In between his mother's creations, Ravi would dip his fingertips onto the spinning surface, creating swirls and erratic patterns in the watery slip that covered the mobile table. Later, after she'd made the requisite pieces, he would be allowed to return to his play, or chores, but only after thoroughly scrubbing his hands free of the tacky clay that he'd gotten all over himself. With most of the energy depleted from his youthful body, he would be mindful of his manners. At least, for awhile!

It was 'Market Day'. Ravi's mother, lovingly called 'Palash' by his Father, after the pretty flower that grew in the region, had assigned Ravi the important chore of going to the market and buying fresh produce for the family. With the coins jingling in one pocket of his shorts, the growing-up-fast rabbit felt like he was a king, heading out to take care of his Family in such an important role.

Turning the corner of a stone-worked house, he came upon a trio of older boys harassing a younger Dhole male. They'd been pushing and shoving him, demanding money the obviously poor canine did not have, as his torn and threadbare clothing easily attested. Suffering a bloody nose, he was holding one hand gingerly, where one of the larger boys had stomped on it as he tried to lift himself up from the cluttered and messy alleyway ground. The young, and much smaller kit, was crying and trying to huddle against the wall of the house, tail tucked tight between his legs and trembling with fear.

The three larger boys weren't looking around, obviously intent on pursuing their torment. Ravi didn't need to ask 'Why' they were doing what was being done. They had a history of this behavior for as long as Ravi had been walking, and every other child in the vicinity knew to avoid them.

This Dhole was a stranger, which made him an easy target.

Or so they thought!

As the largest boy raised a fist and stepped towards the crying Fox, Ravi found himself launching his own body forward, and before he realized what he was doing, he crashed into the larger form with a bone-jarring impact of flesh against the hard wall! The older boy uttered a high-pitched shriek, which only later, much later, Ravi and the young Dhole would imitate (soon to be followed by the rest of the neighbor children who'd also suffered the cruelty of this boy and his gang), causing much laughter and foot-thumping humor! For now, however, the air was forced from his lungs, leaving him dazed as well as helpless. Ravi quickly picked himself up, and as he turned, discovered that he still had two opponents to deal with.

Angry opponents!

Being the youngest of his siblings, Ravi was not immune to being pounced and bullied by his older and bigger brothers and sisters. That was in good fun, usually, but it revealed a temper in Ravi that sometimes got away from him. This was especially true if he saw someone he cared about, or someone who was obviously unable to defend themselves, being hurt or threatened.

One of the hobbies many older boys, and quite a few adult males would pursue in the evening hours, (after their day's work was finished and they had some time and energy to spend), was practicing various forms of martial arts. A favorite, called 'Malla-yuddha' was often viewed by younger boys with more than a little bit of envy. It was strictly forbidden to fight using those punches and kicks, however. Such things could easily lead to severe injury, and even death. No child made the error of being caught having 'Practiced' them in a fight with another, or if they did, they never repeated that mistake twice! Throws, and wrestling weren't as frowned upon. Being the smallest, and most often picked-upon by his sibs, Ravi, when he could find the time, would spend hours practicing; imagining himself thwarting evil demons or bandits, in the vacant courtyard of his families' home. His siblings knew of this, and though they would often banter and tease him about the sessions, they knew that he wasn't a cruel brother, and would never, ever, deliberately hurt someone if he could avoid it.

But three against one, and another child already battered, threw this prohibition clear out of Ravi's mind as the other two advanced. From their angry expressions, and fists, the young rabbit knew he was about to get pummeled in a manner he'd never before experienced. Plus, HE was carrying money, and he wouldn't suffer the shame of having it stolen from him, nor his Family, especially by the likes of these bullies!

One ear flitted back as he heard the little Dhole whimper, and as the bigger of the two older boys snickered, the rabbit's vision narrowed. Both ears pinned flat against the back of his skull, and his lips curled back, baring the prominent incisors as a feral 'Growl' rose up from his throat. He'd never before uttered such a challenge or rebuke, and it caused the other two boys to halt for a moment.

That was all that Ravi needed. Leaping up, the rabbit extended his left foot with a sharp, forward strike, twisting his entire body as he angled his limb. A jaw-popping *CRACK* echoed from the small alleyway, followed by a lumpy 'Huff!' as that boy fell in an ignoble heap! Knocked unconscious, he was moaning in pain as his hands cradled his broken jaw.

Dropping down, Ravi continued the spin, but this time pivoted on his left foot. The calloused balls of his toe-pads offered easy purchase against the matted earth as his right leg now rose, snapping out straight. The strike was more luck than skill, but it was very effective.

Caught totally by surprise, and unable to shield himself in time, the third boy cried-out as Ravi's toenails raked across the side of his face. Forced backwards by the impact, he rebounded off the wall of the opposite house, and then ran crying and screaming, clutching his bleeding face in his quest to escape more of Ravi's 'Justice'. The young rabbit straightened upright, bouncing in place and shivering with the intensity of emotions and the flood of adrenaline that was coursing through his body like fire...

The boy that was first knocked down, slowly regained his feet. Clutching his stomach as he took one look at Ravi, then another at his still-prone companion, he quickly backed away from the Rabbit, a look of abject fear on his face. Ravi grinned, then stamped one of his feet against the ground by way of letting him know there was more for the giving, if he wanted it?

The commotion had a beneficial effect, at the least. Neighbors began to peer from their windows and doorways', wondering what was happening!? As inquisitive calls overwhelmed the fading cries of the one boy, Ravi's ears perked back up and swiveled forward, catching the comments that came from house to house.

As he began to calm, his vision shifted from a reddish hue, to the normal colors, and as his breathing slowed, he finally realized what had happened; what he had done. Looking down at the other boy, still unconscious but moaning, Ravi's elated smile faded. He began to mutter, the words stumbling over his attempt to apologize for committing such violence, even against those that perhaps deserved it.

An inquiry was made, of course. The beaten up Dhole was questioned by the local Constable, treated for his injuries, and then timidly stood before the Triumvirate to testify as to what had happened. Named 'Tanay', the outwardly shy Dhole gave defense for Ravi's actions, supported by the evidence, and the eye witnesses that finally arrived. The young street thugs would serve some time repairing roads and performing other civic duties till their sentence was fulfilled. The one with the broken jaw would mend, but the other, with the injured face, would never see out of his ruined eye again, and bear the deep scars of Ravi's toenails for all time.

Ravi knew that what he'd done was necessary; both to protect himself and Tanay, but he still felt ashamed. He didn't appreciate the new nickname, 'Kicker', that his old friends put on him, and he soon quit playing with them. His new-found friend, however, always had a way of making Ravi smile. Ravi's Name meant: 'Sun', and Tanays': 'Son'. A tight bond soon formed between the two.

Tanay had no family to speak of. Abandoned by his mother, he'd run away from an orphanage, but was having a very tough time eking out his survival on the streets. He was practically starving when Ravi found him being harassed by the bullies. With good food and some clean clothes, he soon filled out and was quite a striking young canid, once his fur was clean and groomed!

His parents could tell that Ravi was sincere in his contrition, but fretted over his becoming a near recluse. After some months, it was thought that what the young Buck needed were new surroundings and a chance to start over. They decided that he would be sent to his ancestral home, to live with relatives; a move that would have a profound impact on his adult life.

It took much pleading, but in the end Ravi's parents and relatives agreed to let Tanay accompany the young rabbit. The traditional 'Caste' system was something everyone who was raised in India lived under, and with Tanay being an 'Orphan', and an unclaimed one at that, it took some doing to have him live with Ravi's prominent relations.

The only role Tanay could find in these new surroundings, was that as a 'Servant-in-training'. The young Dhole, appreciative of his better standard of living, tried to keep a positive outlook on his new duties, and find self-worth by performing them to the best of his abilities, but it was difficult for Tanay to accept that lot in life.

Ravi didn't understand what was happening to his friend, inside. Raised under a multitude of backgrounds, and educated, the rabbit never gave much thought about society as a whole. What child does, unless it hails from the dredges? Ravi's time revolved around learning the nurturing and agricultural management of his Uncles lands. His 'History' as a fighter also saw him tutored under the guidance of Elders whose station followed that path.

Some years passed, and life fell into a comfortable rhythm. Many were the days when Ravi would return to his new home, sweaty and exhausted. Shedding his clothing, he would bathe in the tub prepared for him by Tanay, appreciating the canine's ministrations with an easy smile and conversation. A deep, intimate closeness developed between the two young males.

Stepping into his spacious, private room, after an intense day of training, Ravi huffed as he rubbed his sore shoulder, "Oh, but Layak means to throw me through the floor, I am certain!?" The wrestling tutor, a hulking Red Panda whose muzzle, while flecked with gray, could still overwhelm anyone else in the region with hardly any effort, was something of a personal gripe for Ravi. Though he was learning, albeit slowly, trying to fend off or overpower someone who outweighed him three times over was hardly 'Fair' in the lapine's mind! Wrestling was not one of Ravi's highlights when it came to the martial arts!

His words were met with a soft chuckle. Perking his ears towards the source, his brown eyes lifted and a smile appeared on his face as he eyed Tanay standing by the readied tub. The wispy vapor-strands rising from the hot water were enticing, but not nearly so much as the naked Dhole. Idly shaking the now empty pitcher of scented oil he had added to the bath water, Tanay gave Ravi a look as he rubbed the tip of his finger against the rim of the pitcher. Lifting his extended digit up, the gleaming coating of oil could be seen, and as he crooked the finger to his friend, he smirked and then quipped, "Well, if you'd just learn to roll, instead of hitting the floor like a sack of wet grain, perhaps you would not suffer so much?"

Ravi just snorted, shaking his head as he began to remove his loose-fitting clothing.

Tanay walked over to aid his sore friend. 'Tsk, tsk, tsk'ing', he picked up the discarded bits of cloth, listening as the lapine groaned and complained. Tanay could tell by the movements of Ravi's arms and legs that the rabbit was truly aching.

Dropping the dirty garments into a nearby basket, Tanay walked up and stood behind Ravi. Laying his hands on the taller male's shoulders, he gave them a quick rub. Lifting his head, he rubbed his nose into the back of Ravi's neck, churring softly, "Well, let's see you cleaned up, and perhaps I can help get your mind off of your shoulder?"

As he spoke, the Dhole's hands trailed down, fingertips curling as they raked through the rabbit's sweat-dampened fur. Tanay loved the smell of his friend after working out, and he knew that Ravi was aware of it; the other male was not trying to climb into the tub too quickly!

The short years of living in the country had performed a remarkable change in both of them. Each had grown by inches. Ravi was taller, and while strong, quite lithe. Although Tanay had filled out by a fair margin, he wasn't particularly stout, and he had a distinctly feminine figure. Ravi worked hard in his training, and his muscles had built up quite strikingly. Tanay had finally shed the look of being famished, and was a very handsome young male. This fact wasn't lost on Ravi. He loved teasing his friend about the way the other young serving girls tittered, and gave the male canid what they thought were coy looks, often whispering to themselves after he had passed by. Ravi wasn't sure, but Tanay seemed oblivious to their antics?

Ravi leaned back, into the Dhole's firm touch, lifting his head as he murred, "Wellll, that sounds like an invitation?" The rabbit's tail-tuft flicked against Tanay's stomach, causing the canine to utter a playful giggle.

Tanay knew that his friend was teasing him, but he wasn't about to deny it! Adding in a jesting tone of voice, Ravi chuckled, "Though I think both Elina and Fulmala might be jealous of your attentions towards me?"

Tanay gave an almost rude snort, then tilted his head and opened his mouth as he clamped his teeth into Ravi's scruff, soft growling noises rising from his throat. Outwardly shy, the Dhole's manner changed markedly when he was alone with Ravi. He took on a more dominant attitude, though he was always careful not to take things too far! His hands traced down the sore male's sides, then hips, finally shifting forward. Placing his palms flat against the lapine's body, he began to rub tenderly against the other male's nethers, fingertips tickling at the silky-soft pouch that was hanging between Ravi's legs... He began to give the rabbit's hide a few playful nips, then let go of Ravi's neck, licking the area before replying, "Well, those two would give the Sun itself a trying time?" A play on the meaning of Ravi's name, he volleyed back at the lapine, "'sides, seems you're the one who's always horny?!"

Ravi was already starting to groan, but when Tanay's hands slid over his sheath, rubbing against the tip of his growing erection, the rabbit gave a slow, deliberate thrust forward, into the other male's palms... "Ohhhh, yes... I can see where THIS is going!" All thoughts of the two girls flew from his mind as he turned to face Tanay, applying his own hands to the Dhole's body. He leaned his head down and kissed the canine deeply, then nibbled down the side of the shivering Dhole's neck. With barely restrained passion, he began to knead Tanay's malehood, walking backwards towards the steaming tub of bathwater, pulling the unresisting Dhole along with him...

Their shared bath lasted long enough to require TWO refills of hot water, and still, once they'd dried off and climbed into Ravi's large bed, they continued their loving for some hours... Each had the full measure of their species' innate sex drive, and the added bonus of youthful stamina.

When their lust was finally sated, Tanay was laying firm against Ravi's back. The lapine's legs were raised till his knees were almost touching his chest. Resting on their sides, the Dhole's arms were wrapped tight 'round his friend's waist, hands idly tracing random patterns through the rabbit's sticky tummy-fur. The air in the room was thick with the rich, mingled aromas of their love-making, but neither seemed to notice, or care! That was one of the reasons they burned incense after their indoor trystings, after all.

Nibbling at one of Ravi's sensitive ear tips, Tanay chortled, "Looks like we're going to need another bath?"

Ravi laughed, softly, eyes closed as he lounged in the wonderful afterglow of their coupling. In retaliation, he squeezed Tanay's buried knot with his body, making the other male gasp. Opening one eye, he peered back over his shoulder, all concerns about it being sore long forgotten, and quipped, "Well, whenever you are done, perhaps we can?"

Ravi loved being mated by Tanay. The two youths had left nothing out of their explorations into sex, finding the pleasures of the body equally stimulating to their interests. Same-sex pairings were publicly frowned upon, but so long as they were careful, and kept such liaisons private, no one would say or do anything about it. It was practically a given that young males (and females!), would explore and discover things with their own gender; at least till they grew up and were married-off to raise families of their own.

Hearing the soft 'Tick, tick, tick' of the ornate wall clock, and the almost simultaneous rumblings of their bellies, Ravi and Tanay chortled. The rabbit slowly straightened his legs, his filed toenails making a soft, yet abrasive sound against the sturdy cotton bedding. The movement caused Tanay's knot to tug mischievously, and oh-so-delightfully, against the rabbit's anal ring. Rolling his eye, he smirked and groused, "If you do not calm down, we are both going to be late for supper?" Indeed, the sun had almost set, casting bands of shadow against the far wall as the day's last rays passed through the opened bamboo slates of Ravi's bedroom windows.

Tanay wrapped his legs around Ravi's, holding the rabbit tight to his own body as he gave a few playful humping motions before finally ceasing. He was totally spent, and knew it wouldn't take much longer for his knot to soften enough to safely pull from his partner's body. He gave a soft sigh as his hands ceased their rubbing at Ravi's semen-spattered abdomen. Feeling his lover's last climax was sheer bliss. As the Dhole's knotted member was clenched and 'Milked' by Ravi's body, they both shared their evening's final nexus in conjoined euphoria! Raising one hand, Tanay spread his fingers, eying the pearlescent strands of the other male's essence through the sunlight with a contented smile.

Bringing his digits to his mouth, he suckled each in turn, then nuzzled the back of Ravi's neck as he sighed, then said in a too plain voice, "Ravi, you know that I love you..."

Ravi's ears perked, and he gave Tanay's lower hand a loving squeeze, reaching back with his other to pat the Dhole's hip as he nodded and replied, "Tanay, you know I love you, too!"

The Dhole sighed, again, and Ravi could tell that something was bothering his friend, and yes, lover. Giving Tanay's hip a quick scritch, the rabbit asked, "What is this about, then?" The Dhole wasn't one given over to being verbally affectionate, though he certainly made up for that by his physical enthusiasm! Ravi began to turn his body, uttering a soft "Uuuunnnnhhh!" as the canine's knot was pulled free from the rabbit's well-pleasured butt.

Shifting around till he was facing Tanay, Ravi took the others' hands in his, giving them another affectionate squeeze before lifting and licking them, removing the last traces of his semen from Tanay's fingers and palms. They often cleaned one another in this fashion, and it was something of an after-mating ritual that each enjoyed.

As his tongue danced over Tanay's fingers, Ravi asked, "What is troubling you?"

Tanay watched as his 'Savior', for that was very much how the Dhole looked at the rabbit, bathed his fingers and hands before answering in a low voice, "Ravi, I don't like it here."

Those words caused the lapine's ears to stand straight up, the pink, finely veined tissues showing clearly with the sun behind them. Ravi's brown eyes blinked, and he shifted his body up, then draped his leg over the canine's as he straddled his companion. Sitting on Tanay's upper thighs, he took one of his hands from the Dhole's, gently wrapping it around the other male's softening member. Rubbing the concave space behind the tapered glans with the pad of his thumb, he offered a wry grin and asked, "Already, you are getting tired of me?"

Tanay knew that Ravi hadn't been intimate with anyone before him. Unfortunately, Tanay couldn't make the same claim, He had suffered abuse under his mother's various 'Boyfriends', and again at the orphanage she dumped him off at. His own brown eyes met Ravi's, blinking back tears as he feared to admit his true thoughts, but knowing he had to. The last thing he wanted was for Ravi to ever feel that he didn't love him!

He stuttered, gulped once, then said, "R-Ravi, I'm afraid..."

Ravi was stunned, but did his best to hide the reaction. He never imagined that Tanay might not like living here, with him. Seeing the tears begin to well up in Tanay's eyes, he leaned down and gave each of the Dhole's closed eyelids a soft kiss, then asked, "Son of my Sun, Love of my Heart, Soul, and Body, what is troubling you?" He could feel Tanay trembling underneath him as the canid struggled to hold back his roiling emotions...

Ravi ordered their suppers delivered to his room. Though the girls that brought the wheeled cart well knew the two males often enjoyed each others company, they also were wise enough than to comment openly about it. Knocking at the door, they had departed before Ravi opened it. Pulling the cart inside, he made sure the latch was secured, and then returned to the bed where the quietly weeping Dhole was snuffling.

Tanay was curled up, tail tucked 'tween his legs, hands wringing the fluffy end. A childhood habit he'd never outgrown, especially when stressed. Ravi found it endearing, but it also troubled him. The only time Tanay did it was when he was truly upset about something, or had suffered a particularly bad nightmare.

They talked all through the night...

Tanay knew that his station in this life would never advance. He would be a servant till his dying days, and consider himself fortunate to ever find a woman who would marry him, much less have children by him. To be honest, Tanay didn't really want to marry. A woman, at least. The idea of living his life with Ravi was very appealing, but he also knew that the rabbit would one day leave this house, and start his own. Though he wanted Ravi to be happy, sharing him with another, even a wife, wasn't something the young Dhole was certain he could endure.

But there was also something else that was worrying the young canid immensely.

Tanay had dreams of living a better life, of course. Every servant did. With Ravi's Uncle being rich, Tanay had many opportunities to see other people enjoying a far grander existence. He wanted that, too. He wanted to wear nice clothes, travel, and see new places. Most of all, he didn't want to live the rest of his life 'Attending' to others wishes, or whims. He wanted only to take care of Ravi and himself.

Ravi's Uncle, Gudakesha, was a prosperous and well respected land owner, farmer, and merchant. His wife augmented the Families' holdings by continuing the work of making pottery, which commanded a good price throughout the region. In his dealings with others, Gudakesha often held formal parties at his large manse. One of Tanay's many skills involved the serving and fetching for those who were invited to these affairs. Unfortunately, some of the males who visited often looked at the young, somewhat effeminately built, but handsome Dhole in ways that made the canine very uncomfortable. He was too familiar with such looks...

Being a servant, he had little by way of rights, and there was almost nothing he could refuse a guest.

One in particular, a large and very prestigious Black-Buck Named Sabal, was quite fond of rubbing Tanay's back and even rump, when he thought no one would see. He had begun to whisper things into the shy canine's ears, his hand groping and squeezing places that were in no way platonic. At the last party, he'd even nipped one of Tanay's ears, bringing blood! It was all the poor Dhole could do not to cry out, but he still dropped the goblet and glasses of wine he was carrying, dashing off in pretense to clean up the mess. After seeing the distraught young male barge into the kitchen, clutching his bleeding ear, the cook had one of the young serving girls tend to the mopping up, and kept Tanay away from the other guests for the remainder of that night.

The more Ravi heard his friend share, the angrier he became. There was little he could do, truth be told. He was not the master of the house, and his Uncle was extremely vain about his standing in the community. He was particularly stubborn where all things caste were involved. Ravi knew that so long as Tanay wasn't really harmed, Gudakesha likely wouldn't bother to risk Sabal's wrath, and subsequent loss of business, by confronting the large Buck over the trivial matter of tupping one of the servants.

It was anything but trivial to Ravi and Tanay, however!

The two began to make plans. Each knew the danger of just running away without any money, or the means to earn it. Neither wanted to become 'Harijan', or 'Untouchable', the lowest of the low in society. As they began considering their options, it was soon apparent that Ravi stood the single best chance for each of them to escape, and share a safe and happy life.

Time was their greatest adversary, however. Ravi was years away from attaining his own farm, or in gaining enough experience to become a professional fighter. Though he was naturally skilled in the martial arts, it brought him no personal satisfaction, and it wasn't a life the rabbit wanted to pursue. Being able to defend himself, or others, is what kept him at it. He didn't take delight or satisfaction by inflicting pain, unlike many of the opponents he sparred with.

For the time being, it was decided that, with the Cook's help and support, Tanay would be kept hidden during any party where Sabal would be in attendance. There was plenty for the young male to do in the background, after all.

Thinking they had it worked out, each fell asleep in the others arms. They did not rouse until late in the morning, and then only at the insistent knocking on Ravi's door. One of the older woman servants was sent to bring Tanay to the kitchens, and wasn't happy about a certain young Dhole neglecting his duties. The promise of a waiting switch should they be neglected any longer gave Tanay all the incentive he needed to quickly dress, and hurry off!

They managed quite well for some months, taking time to wander about the countryside; picnicking and swimming in the chilly rivers that cascaded down from the nearby Himalayas. There was never any problem about warming up after such forays!

During their outside jaunts, Tanay would share more of his dreams and aspirations with Ravi; about the things they could do, once 'Free'. Tanay wanted to study art, perhaps become a sculpturer even! He was always fiddling with discarded pieces of clay, and even Chandrika, Gudakesha's wife, had taken note of the young male's skills.

Ignorant in their youth and innocence, they hardly knew what the Fates had in store for them...

One evening, after coming back from a supper held at another land owner's estate, Ravi found that his bath was empty, and the comfortable churidar and kurta evening clothes had not been laid out. Quite unusual, to say the least! Taking off his woven head-piece, called a taqiyah, he set it on an empty wall peg. Shedding his formal, embroidered outer blouse, or sherwani, he was careful about hanging it up to minimize any wrinkling. Ravi called-out for the Dhole, then repeated the summons as he began to look through the large home.

Searching the common rooms first, Ravi began to feel apprehensive. It wasn't normal for Tanay to be absent; especially when the arrival of the carriage that brought Ravi back from the evening's festivities clearly announced that the young canine's services would soon be needed.

When he asked, the kindly cook and polite helpers didn't know where Tanay was, so Ravi stepped outside. Eyes taking-in the high walls that surrounded his Uncle's manor, then the stables, and finally the storage sheds, his long ears swiveled to-and-fro, listening with the innate sense of his species for any uncommon sounds. Hearing the usual noises coming from the first two, the rabbit headed for the darkened, quiet area where the sacks and tools of agriculture were stored. Stumbling over something, he paused and reached down, picking-up a torn dhoti. The scent that rose from the loose-fitting leggings clearly marked them as Tanay's, but what truly alarmed Ravi was the added smell of urine, rank with a layer of fear!?

It brought Ravi right back to that day in the alley, when he first met Tanay, and he remembered what the poor male had been enduring... Dropping the soiled cloth, Ravi bounded towards the partly opened doorway of the first storage unit, calling out his friend's name as he yanked the doors wide.

There, cast in the faint moonlight that filled the opened entry, he found the Fox. Lying huddled over sacks filled with grain, his hands tied fast to a stout post, the young Dhole was hunched, his tail curled tightly into his rump, but unable to hide the complete mess that coated his backside. Eyes shut tight, trembling, tiny whimpers of pain rose from his blooded throat. Ravi stood there, aghast, in complete shock.

His friend, his lover, had been brutally raped!

Everyone who was 'Of Age', knew about such things, of course. Living in the congested streets of a big city, even children heard rumors, soon found to be true, and took heed to the strong advice about traveling alone, or into unknown areas without an adult or trusted guide.

But here, within his Uncle's home!?

Ravi stepped forward, then knelt down as he uttered Tanay's name again, softly. The Dhole almost seemed to hear, one bitten and torn ear quivering forward, than lying flat against his skull again. When the rabbit laid one hand gently on the canid's shoulder, the bound male flinched, uttering a muffled cry of terror... This close, and with his eyes now adjusted to the dim interior, Ravi could see that a shorn ball of coarse hemp-sack had been rammed into Tanay's maw. Stiff bailing wire had been wrapped 'round and 'round his friend's muzzle, clamping it down tight... Ravi could see the weal's of blood forming, where the metal had begun to tear into the tender flesh at the bridge of Tanay's nose, and he looked about frantically for something with which to cut it off!

Things became a blur as Ravi sought in vain for a cutting tool! This part of the storage area was mostly for bags of grain ready for shipment, and he could not see anything that would cut through the metal wire. One hand dropping to his side, the rabbit bit back a curse of self rebuke and surprise, as he felt and finally remembered the ornamental kuftghiri dagger sheathed to his waist belt. It wouldn't help with the wire, but the rope binding Tanay's wrists to the post wouldn't stand up to it!

Yanking the blade free, Ravi leaned forward, and began to cut with all his strength. Tanay continued to struggle feebly, his breathing a tortuous, wet, raspy indrawn breath, followed by a spray of snot and blood as the Dhole struggled to exhale. Ravi knew that his friend was in severe distress! Sawing at the rope, Ravi discovered it was actually a woven Prana belt, the tasseled style often worn by young girls or unmarried women in the village. Ravi was sure that he wouldn't be long in cutting through it. He'd developed a keen eye and touch when it came to sharpening edged weapons, and even the Elder Weapons' Master, Ekagrah, had nothing but praise for the young male's skill in that area.

As the last coil parted, the strands fell away from the pillar, but were still tied 'round Tanay's wrists. The Dhole's body sagged, and would have fallen backwards onto the ground, had Ravi not dropped the knife and grasped at the canine's clenched hands!

Tanay mewled, feeling the contact, and it broke Ravi's heart to see and hear his poor friend utter such a noise! Shifting his body, he clasped Tanay's limp form, then stood, slowly. There was no disguising the reek of expressed stool, mingled with the sharp odor of fresh blood. Another, of the rapist's seed, battled for dominance in Ravi's twitching nostrils.

Underlying the rank aromas that surrounded Tanay, and the storage room, another Scent was noticed. Musky, it was one that Ravi knew. There was no doubt in the rabbit's mind that it came from the one who had done this to his companion.

Hefting Tanay's form up into his arms, Ravi nearly stumbled until he managed to stand upright. Both he and the Dhole had grown and put on weight over the past years of country living. It was only Ravi's more extensive physical training that gave the lapine the ability to carry the dead-weight of his friend, once his balance was gained. Making straight for the back entry of the manse, he kicked in the door, crying out to the cook and the helpers that were in attendance to bring hot water, clean towels, and the village Healer, in that order!

He hardly noticed the shocked expressions of the Staff, but they could tell by what they'd seen and the intense look of anger on Ravi's face, that they'd better not dawdle at his commands! The rabbit hardly noticed their flurry of activity as he side-stepped through the heavy, beaded curtain that lead into the hallway, and then into the dining room proper.

Tanay mumbled, tried to cough, and then gagged. Ravi peered down at his friend, seeing his eyes wide-open and bloodshot, rolling over in his head. Calling out for something to cut metal with, he halted at the stout wood table of the dining area. Laying the canine onto it, Ravi didn't care about the mess that was being smeared onto the eating surface. He leaned over his lover's body, hands reaching to clasp Tanay's head. In the brighter light, he pried Tanay's face down with one hand beneath his neck, the other pulling as carefully as he could at the bloody muzzle; eying the cruelly wrapped wire holding the Dhole's maw closed. He realized that he was watching his friend suffocate right in front of his eyes!

Tanay's body began to twitch, thrashing weakly as his efforts to draw fresh breath were met only with the wad of thick sacking wedged hard into his throat. Feeling something tear into his palm, Ravi turned Tanay's head, gazing down at the tightly wound ends of wire. 'There!' That's where it was joined! The ends of the wire had been cut, sheered clean and offered no free ends with which grasp. Heedless of the damage to his own skin, the rabbit pinched the twisted wire 'tween his thumb and finger pads, and began trying to untwist them as fast as he could.

Tanay's body hunched, and with a sickening, perverse sound, Ravi could feel, then hear the Dhole's body evacuate still more bloody stool. The substances that geysered from the raped canine's posterior was far more crimson than Ravi thought could be possible, and it splashed across the end of the wooden table in a grotesque manner. As the foul, mingled aromas rose up to invade his flared nostrils, the Dhole's body continued to feebly twitch, and then began to convulse! Ravi's eyes widened in horror as he felt, then saw a spray of urine and semen jet from the other male's loins, spattering his left arm as he tried to keep his beloved friend still!

Crying, now, the blood from his torn thumb and finger-pads was making the untwisting of the wire impossible. Frantic, the rabbit bent his head down, using his incisors to bite at the stubborn wire! Twisting his head quickly, again and again, He could feel the metal strands shearing, till enough of them were parted that he could grab them with each hand. Yanking at the wire, he finally managed to pull it away from Tanay's muzzle. Ravi didn't notice, or feel, the flecks of blood that flew from his mouth as he cried out for Tanay to hold on! Stuffing his fingers into the canines' maw, he hooked, and then pulled the wadded sacking from his friend's airway...

Tanay didn't move.

The Dhole did not utter a sound.

His body lay there, head lolling to the side with eyes that were already glossing over in death's final embrace.

Ravi lost his mind.

The Staff halted their movements as a high-pitched wail of anguish echoed through the manor...

*******

*BEEP, BEEP*

Awaking with a jerk, Ravi's eyes flashed open wide, nostrils flared as he struggled to hold back an echo of that tormented memory! A loud hiss of air brakes being applied followed the image of the city bus as it came to a halt in front of the covered bench. When the doors opened, the driver nodded and gave Ravi a friendly smile. He was more than used to finding medical staff asleep at the bench, and didn't think Ravi's momentary confusion to be amiss.

Catching his breath, the rabbit slowly unfolded his legs, then stood. Grasping the emergency duffel in one hand, he ran his other across his face, then took a few deep breaths to steady his nerves.

Showing the driver his bus pass, Ravi continued down the well-lit aisle, taking the seat at the very back. He was still shaken by the vivid dream, the flood of memories and anguish causing him to wipe at his eyes.

A low murmur escaped his mouth as he took a slow breath, then exhaled, "Ohhhhh, Tanay...." Closing his eyes, the weary rabbit laid his head back into the cushioned seat's head rest, and before he realized, was again fast asleep...

*******

Ravi awoke some days later, in a strange room. The smell and appearance marked it as a medical building of some sort. When he tried to raise one hand to his nose, to rub at the irritating tube that was inserted up one nasal passage, and securely taped to the side of his face, he discovered that he was bound, hands and legs, to the elevated bed. He could hear soft voices, and the occasional sound of distress coming from other rooms, but it took his sedated mind awhile before he connected all the pieces of the puzzle into a cohesive picture.

He learned that the house servants had had to pry Tanay's body from Ravi's arms. The rabbit kept crying out to his friend, his lover, to wake up, to just wake up! When they were finally pulled apart, he took one last look at the dead canine's corpse, then leapt away with a howl of rage! One of the younger serving girls, another lapine, followed as he dashed to the storage shed and retrieved his dagger. Halting at the image of Ravi wielding the sharpened steel, the girl shrieked and fled back into the manse, screaming to the cook and the gods themselves to save her!

Ravi didn't remember much about what happened, after that... He had run across the countryside, leaping over low, stout stone walls that separated different pastures, gardens, and properties. He had but one goal in mind: to plunge his dagger into Sabal's dark heart, to see the Black-Buck exhale his last breath into Ravi's face!

He didn't manage his revenge, however. Entering the next village, he lost his footing on the smooth stones that lined the road as he turned a corner. Skidding into the lane, all he could remember was the blinding light of oncoming headlights, and the long wail of a car's horn as it, "BBBBEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeped!" in alarm!

Ravi almost died right there. Months passed as his bones knitted and healed. The many deep bruises and cuts scabbed over and mended. Once he proved that he was cognizant, and regained his senses, he was finally unbound and allowed to take short, assisted walks through the tiny hospital facility and grounds.

He met a number of doctors during his stay, and as his physical wounds healed, they began to dwindle off till there was but one left who constantly visited him.

A Psychiatrist, called Nathan, he was a Pronghorn Buck. He hailed from America, working as a Missionary and traveling with his wife through India during a years-long tenure to help the poor and indigent.

Ravi hated him on sight.

At least, at first.

Nathan always spoke in a soft, friendly tone, and never frowned or seemed to get mad, even when Ravi shouted and screamed at him.

As news of Sabal's crime trickled back to Ravi, the lapine grew more frustrated by the lack of legal consequences the cruel Buck was enduring. It seemed that being rich, and knowing the right people, was all that the evil cervine needed to escape any form of justice!?

There was an official investigation, and quite a bit of money was passed around to keep the rumors of a murder being done at his Uncle's estate out of the public's notice. All of the kitchen staff were shuttled off to other places; the farther, the better.

It was discovered by the cut Prana belt, and additional physical evidence, that Sabal had bribed the gate guard, gaining secret entry onto the grounds. He'd also managed to blackmail one of the maids into leaving a handwritten note on Ravi's bed, asking the young Dhole to venture outside for a liaison. Tanay never suspected the trap.

Sabal had easily overpowered the smaller male, dragging him into the darkened storage unit and binding him to the post before raping him over and over. The Black-Buck had a particularly perverse sexual deviancy, and he liked to savage his 'Partner', which accounted for Tanay's torn neck and ear... The antlered male was also very well endowed. The furious, intense rutting, and his extreme length, had rent Tanay's insides. It was that, more than the tight wire binding his muzzle shut, which had killed the young Dhole.

Tanay's body was cremated, per Tradition. His ashes were placed in a ceremonial urn, hand-crafted by Fulmala herself. It was said her tears kept the clay wet as she formed it...

Nathan and Ravi began to take longer walks together, outside of the hospital grounds. The Pronghorn loved physical exercise as much as the rabbit, and when Ravi could manage it, they began to jog into the countryside. The physical activity helped keep Ravi's body exhausted, but his mind took a lot more work before the feelings of hatred and the thoughts of visiting his retribution on Sabal slowly started to ease.

It helped, when he learned that Sabal's wife had poisoned the Buck, and that it was rumored he died screaming in agony.

It helped.

A little.

One afternoon, almost a year after Tanay's death, Ravi and Nathan were taking a break beneath a thick stand of bamboo, having taken a quick swim in the nearby stream to cool off and wash away the sweat of their miles-long run. Nathan was an astute observer of behavior, and he could tell by the way Ravi's ears would twitch, nostrils quivering and hands clenching, that his patient, and fast-becoming-friend, was revisiting some bad thoughts.

Toweling off his face with his shed t-shirt, Nathan laid the damp cloth over his shoulder, sitting cross-legged beside Ravi with an easy grace. Smiling, he asked in his usual manner, "Penny for your thoughts, Rabbit?"

Ravi twitched, then turned his face towards the Doctor. Eyes blinking slowly, focusing on the present, the lapine took a slow breath in, then exhaled, "More like a Pound?" Referring to the old English standard of currency, the two would barter words and phrases, a habit that often had them chuckling at the silliness of different cultures, and the myriad meanings one word might have in them?

Ravi pulled his own shirt back over his naked torso. He didn't like to swim clothed, and had rinsed it in the stream. The wettened garment clung to his own muscular body in what might have been an attractive manner, if the Doctor had that orientation. Ravi was ignorant of the fact, his mind never dwelling on the idea of being attractive towards another male.

Not after Tanay...

Nathan didn't prod. That wasn't his way. He'd open a door, but knew it was the patient that had to step into, then through it. It was a creed he'd followed most of his career, and one that never seemed to fail. Plucking at some tall grass, he nibbled at the clutch, both ears perked towards Ravi as he waited for him to talk, if he wanted to.

Ravi had grown used to this. Once, early in his healing, he had refused to say a single word after the inquiry was made. That lasted for days, but Nathan never tried to make him talk. Ravi had decided then, that he liked the Doctor, in spite of his first impressions.

Looking up into the sky, his ears lifted and swiveled as they caught the raucous cry of a bird in distress. He could see a Great Crested Grebe rising and diving, wheeling around a specific area under a nearby tree. Without a word, Ravi stood up and slowly approached. The bird screeched at him, trying to drive him off, but Ravi knew it wouldn't actually attack him. Minding his steps, he slowly approached the gnarled trunk of the old tree, but kept looking up till he noticed a nest.

Getting down onto all fours, the rabbit parted the long grass, continuing to search for what he thought had the mature bird so upset. Finally, huddled and trying its best to not attract attention, he found the fallen nestling. Cupping the shivering avian in his palms, the lapine slowly stood up. Eyeing the pretty stripes that adorned the fledgling's head, he couldn't help but think of Tanay's own markings, and how very handsome they were.

He could hear Nathan's soft tread as the Pronghorn approached. The adult bird continued its efforts, but now that there were two of them, it kept further away as it dove and turned.

Ravi looked at the doctor, then the bird, and then the nest.

Taking a deep, quavering breath, he asked, "N-Nathan, can you hoist me up, t-t-to return this bird to its home?"

Nathan had noticed the wettened trails that adorned Ravi's face as the rabbit's eyes blinked fast. He didn't comment about them, but only nodded, then walked around till he was behind Ravi. Kneeling down, he carefully poked his head through Ravi's parted legs, minding his horns as they raked against the lapine's hide. Grasping Ravi's shins, the Pronghorn grunted as he stood. Ravi had regained most of his weight after the long months of recuperation, and Nathan was happy he kept himself fit enough to manage the feat of lifting the younger male!

Ravi raised his arms, and with great care, opened his palms as he set the bird down onto the nest. It was apparently the only one there, and Ravi thought its siblings must have already flown away? Giving Nathan's head a gentle squeeze with his thighs, the Doctor stepped back, then turned away, still carrying Ravi till they were a good distance from the tree. Setting him back onto his own feet, they both watched as the adult lit onto the branch that held the nest, then hop-hop-hopped sideways till it could rub beaks with its offspring.

Ravi wiped his eyes, then finally replied to Nathan's earlier question, "Nathan... I don't like it here."

Ravi had met with his parents during the months he spent at hospital. His Father visited less, and Ravi could sense an unease grow between him and his Sire. His mother finally admitted that Ravikiran, whom Ravi was Named after, was having some difficulty accepting both his son's sexual activities, and the turmoil surrounding Tanay's murder. Being respected in the public's eye was all-important to those in the upper Castes, and losing face was something to be avoided at all costs. Ravikiran loved his son, of course, and Ravi knew that. But his mother had begun to ask Ravi questions about him moving away, pursuing another life and making something of himself.

Continuing to watch the united birds chitter and tweet at one another, Ravi turned to look at Nathan and stated, "I want to become a Healer, and I want to leave India, perhaps move to America, and find a new life..." Ravi thought to himself as he uttered those words, 'That is what Tanay always wanted to do: move to America.'

Ravi would sometimes hear others say how he might be running away from things. Others would say that he was running toward them. Ravi preferred to look at it in the latter manner. It was very painful seeing the familiar things around him that Tanay had commented on, or that they had shared; be it a meal, spice, bit of vegetation or scenery. Feeling the distance grow in his immediate family was also quite distressing, even though they did their best to hide it.

Nathan understood most of this, and didn't try to talk Ravi out of it. With his help, he managed to get Ravi into the first years of his medical training in India, and then aided him through the Visa process that brought him to the States, and then gain his American Citizenship.

Becoming a Doctor was, of course, the most challenging thing Ravi had ever managed. The many years of scholastic study, followed by even more intense hands-on care, soon had the rabbit's mind and thoughts focused solely on his new pursuit. The work left him exhausted by the end of each long day, but always with a deep sense of fulfillment for having accomplished something that truly made a difference in other people's lives. He discovered, after a fashion, that he was content.

Sometimes, however, when he'd come home, worn thin and depleted physically, mentally, and spiritually from the day's work, he would look at, and often cradle the urn that held Tanay's ashes. Fastened 'round the rim of the curved and wax-sealed lid, a tiny Prana belt held a clay figurine the Dhole had crafted. It was of Ravi and Tanay, standing brow-to-brow, hands entwined, eyes closed. Together. There were many times when his hands would wipe spattered teardrops from the fired clay...

Feeling the bus lurch to another halt, Ravi opened his eyes, surprised that he'd dozed off again. Normally he never slept in a moving vehicle. Ravi glanced down at his closely cut and smoothly-filed fingernails, a soft smile appearing on his face as he chuckled, "No chance of any clay sticking to them now, I suppose?" Reflecting on his childhood, he had a sincere appreciation for the ethics that hard work and dedication could bring to a person's life.

Within his family, a great deal of attention was given to show the love and support a parent should have for their children. In return, the children were taught to respect their Elders, and learned proper obedience by their examples.

Something this Jacob, apparently never knew?

Ravi sighed.

Being an E.R. Doctor these past few years had opened his eyes to many things he thought he'd left behind when he moved from India to the United States. The 'Land of Opportunity' it may be: and WAS, for many. But it didn't mean there still weren't the poor and destitute needing help and medical services, even if the fabled 'Streets of gold' might be in better shape than the dirt lanes Ravi grew up in, personally.

There were many sad, and unfortunate things Ravi could not cure, or prevent.

But if he had a say in it, helping this young Fox would be one of them!?