{"sf1_id":152018,"sf2_id":"qmyR3EnB","title":"When Whitetails Cry","author":"Cederwyn Whitefurr","words":11310,"posted_at":"2010-06-07T09:34:00.000Z","tags":["Apocalyptic","Dark","Fawn","M/F"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/152018-when-whitetails-cry","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/qmyR3EnB","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/3b/e4/3be482e0-f9f2-4f39-8d07-1d1bcbba70f2","description":"When Whitetail's Cry\n\n\n© Cederwyn Whitefurr (aka - Anthony Wain)\n...","content":"When Whitetail's Cry\n\n© Cederwyn Whitefurr  \nAugust 2002  \nAll Rights Reserved.\n\nSobbing, kneeling at the edge of a freshly overturned plot, the Whitetail fawn bravely  \nbit back her tears, her golden hair shimmering in the afternoon sunlight, the white  \ndappling on her back glinting - but it was the tear that slowly tracked its way down  \nher muzzle, that caught the light and sent a sparkle of gold shimmering from it, as she  \nknelt on the wet grass and lay a single rose on the freshly turned earth...beside this  \nnew plot, were two others, only recently had the flowers wilted on them.\n\nAs she raised her tear-streaked muzzle to the sky, her brown eyes filled with sadness,  \nas she watched the blood-red sky - as fire streaked down from the heavens....\n\n\\*\n\nKatelyn was the only offspring of Galen and Alexis Swifthoof; a well loved and  \nrespected pair of Whitetail deer, who lived on Carnelian Street, in the glistening city  \nof Talla'doon. She walked with her mother, holding the older Whitetail's paw as she  \nlicked at her melting ice cream, the sticky stuff dribbling down the cone and soaking  \nthrough the white fur on her paw. Laughing, her mother leant down and with the  \ninnocence of childhood, the young Katelyn smiled and held up her ice cream to her  \nmother.\n\nWith a soft, infectious laugh, Alexis took a quick lick of the ice cream, and Katelyn  \ngiggled.\n\n\"My sweet, loving fawn - \" Alexis whispered. \"Truly - we were blessed with you.\"\n\nLooking up at her mother, not understanding, but detecting the subtle tinges of pain in  \nher mothers voice and the faint tremor that ran through her paw, Katelyn squeezed her  \nmother's paw softly in compassion. With a gentle smile, Alexis licked her daughter's  \nsticky muzzle and smiled down at her, but that smile never touched the sad, mournful  \neyes of the elder Whitetail.\n\nThey spent the day shopping, and generally enjoying the early spring day, hearing the  \nbirds whirling and singing, the scents and sights of the city once again coming to life  \nafter the cold, wet winter. Katelyn was filled with a fawns enthusiasm, always  \nenjoying being outdoors, but mindful to stay close to her mother. Even a full day  \nshopping and walking did little to wear down the enthusiasm of the young fawn, who  \nfound beauty in the myriad of life around her, and marvelled at the huge skyscrapers  \nthat reached towards the pale blue sky. Slowly, as the sun began to slide inexorably  \ntowards the west, and it touched the distant snow capped peaks, drowsiness began to  \nseize Katelyn, and she delicately covered her muzzle with a paw and blinked.\n\nKatelyn smiled softly, as her mother glanced down at her, and then she held her paws  \nup to her. Alexis smiled, then crouched down and picked up her daughter, holding  \nher in her arms and cradling the young fawn, as she playfully stroked her daughters  \nsticky muzzle.\n\n\"You young lady - need a bath. What will your father say?\" Alexis whispered, as  \nshe tickled her daughters belly softly.\n\nKatelyn giggled and squealed softly at the tickle, murring and snuggling in to her  \nmothers embrace, then within moments, was sleeping the sleep of the innocent.  \nAlexis smiled and cradled her daughter in her arms, as she resumed her walk home,  \npassing pleasantries with humans and anthro's alike, everyone feeling invigorated  \nwith the clear, warm day.\n\nWhen they got home, the sun was slipping quickly behind the distant mountains, and  \nAlexis slowly turned her head, watching as the sunset spread across the sky, tinging it  \ngold, before slowly shading down through the colours to red, then darker again,  \nbefore the sun disappeared altogether, leaving the sky tinged an orange-red.\n\n\\*\n\nThat evening, Alexis bathed and dressed her daughter then put her to bed, whence  \nKatelyn mumbled sleepily, and murred as her mother gave her a gentle lick on the  \ncheek.\n\n\"Sleep my daughter - \" Alexis breathed, gently caressing the young fawn's cheek.\n\nKatelyn murred again, then rolled over and snuggled in to her deer plush, a contented  \nsmile touching the corners of her lips. Alexis watched her daughter for a few more  \nminutes, then quietly crept from the room and eased the door partially closed.\n\n\"Is she asleep?\" Asked a powerfully built, well antlered male Whitetail, as he leant  \nagainst the edge of the hallway wall, his suit jacket draped over an arm, his long  \nsleeved shirt loosened and tie unbound.\n\n\"Yes my mate - our daughter sleeps the sleep of the innocent. How is it - that we  \nadults can not sleep so easily?\" Alexis whispered, as she leant up on her hoof-tips  \nand licked her husband's cheek lovingly.\n\n\"I have wondered that myself my dear Alexis - truly I have.\" Galen replied, as he  \nreturned his mate's lick with a gentle nuzzling. \"Somewhere - between being a fawn  \n- and adulthood - we loose our innocence.\"\n\nAlexis sniffled softly, then dabbed her furred paw against her eyes, then blinked and  \nlooked at the tear that glistened there. Galen sighed and held his mate tight, as she  \nsuddenly burst in to tears, her paws clenched in fists as she beat them against his  \nchest.\n\n\"Why Galen? Why did I miscarry our son?\" Alexis wept, as she vented her rage and  \nmisery against him.\n\n\"My dear, beautiful Doe - \" Galen croaked, his own voice growing husky as he felt  \nthe bitter sting of his own tears, but bravely bit them back. \"Only the Great Mother  \nknows - \"\n\n\"Why?\" Wailed the Doe, as her rage broke like a cracking dam, and the tears coursed  \ndown her snout. \"Was I such a bad mother? Did I do drugs? Did I smoke? NO!\"\n\nGently moving down the hallway, Galen sighed softly, as he hugged his smaller mate  \ngently against his side, wishing with all his heart he could take away her pain, to  \nexplain how he felt - but the hurt was too knew - the stoniness of the male species too  \nstrong - for him to break down and cry, sobbing like a fawn whose favourite toy had  \nbeen broken in a fit of temper.\n\nHe led her out on to the back porch, where he sat her down, then retreated back  \ninside, returning with two large brandy snifters, and glass straws. Handing one to her,  \nhe watched his paws quaking with his suppressed feelings of pain and anger.  \nGratefully, she took the drink from him, holding it in her own shaking paws, her  \nsobbing having broken too a low, heart-wrenching whimper.\n\n\"Alexis - \" He began, as he knelt before her, taking her paw in both of his own,  \nsqueezing it softly. \"My love - it was not your fault - please do not blame yourself  \nfor what happened. Whilst I can not lie to you my mate - I can only speak the truth,  \nand as such - I can not feel as you do. I can not understand the feeling you felt - to  \nfeel the life within your womb, to feel it grow inside you - no, that is something I can  \nnot feel, but I can feel the hurt...the anger and the suffering - of our combined loss.  \nIf I were able - I would cry for you my love - I would move the earth for you, I  \nwould drag the stars from the firmament above - if I could understand your pain. I  \nfear I can not. We were blessed with Katelyn - and in that I give thanks to the Great  \nMother for the gift of an offspring...and I am humble before her, for her most  \nprecious gift.\"\n\nAlexis sobbed quietly, as she blinked her deep brown eyes, trying bravely to bite back  \nthe tears that were squeezed from those liquid brown depths, her long eyelashes  \ndrooping, before she shuddered and her eyes closed...and she slept....\n\nHolding his mates paws in his own, Galen remained kneeling, as his eyes swept  \nupwards to the heavens, and for the first time ever - the tears slowly rolled down his  \ncheeks...\n\n\\*\n\nThat night - as the world went about its business - on the far side of the moon, a  \nmassive chunk of nickel, iron, ice and other elements streaked silently through the  \ncoldness of space. It measured over thirty kilometres in diameter, its mass beyond  \nscale, as it felt the gravitic attraction of Terra, aligning itself with the insignificant  \ngreen/brown world - it intensified its speed and hurtled downwards - inexorable,  \nunstoppable - and buried deep within its frozen heart - lay the destruction of an  \nunstoppable virus....\n\nLong ago - over a bitter and protracted feud between the earth alliance and the lunar  \ncolonies - the sensors and radio-telescopes that would have detected this denizen of  \ndestruction years ago, as it broke away from the main asteroid belt orbiting between  \nMars and Jupiter - they would have been forewarned of its progress....\n\nNow the dusty control rooms lay empty, papers strewn throughout and the consoles  \ndark, silent and uncaring - but one remained active - sending a faint, barely audible  \nbeep of alarm to controllers - that would no longer be sent scrambling for  \nconfirmation - the console repeating its strident cry for attention - then there was a  \nsoft sizzle and a gout of smoke and flames, the warble dying amidst the shorting out  \nscanner.\n\nTerra had no warning....\n\n\\*\n\nJust as the massive asteroid punched through the upper atmosphere, its arrival was  \nannounced with a shattering explosion of vaporised and displaced atmosphere, that  \nbroke the asteroid into smaller chunks - many which hurtled down, unable to stop the  \nunrelenting pull of gravity...yet many other chunks were reflected backwards towards  \nspace - being ensnared by the gravitational pull and orbiting terra in slowly decaying  \norbits....\n\n\\*\n\nAll across Europe, millions and millions stared up at the sky, hearing the end of life  \nas they knew it - as the largest chunk of the asteroid struck - the force of it sending  \nshocks all around the world, as billions o tonnes of rock, dust and debris was thrown  \ninto the upper atmosphere, as the asteroid punched through the shallow mantle of  \nTerra's crust - and magna burst to the surface, spewing volcanic ash upwards in a  \nmassive fountain, as the world spasmed in its seeming death throes, entire continents  \nshifted, and even the poles themselves were skewed out of alignment, as the world  \nwas twisted slightly off its axis.\n\nSpanning the earth, the effects of the hit were felt - all across Terra, cities were  \nbrought to their knees, mountains levelled and seas drained, as new mountain ranges  \nhumped and pushed, stretching their new spines up towards the darkening sky.  \nBillions died in that holocaust - as worldwide, the effects continued to spread ever  \noutwards, like ripples from a rock thrown into the pond....\n\nTidal waves hundreds of feet high wiped whole cities from the face of Terra,  \nvolcanoes that had lain dormant for millions of years erupted in an orgy of violence  \nand upheaval...and massive earthquakes ripped the fragile skin of Terra  \napart...seemingly without ending....\n\n\\*\n\nGalen shrieked, as he felt the house buck and writhe around him and his sleeping  \nmate, as glass shattered and things toppled to the floor.\n\n\"Alexis!\" Galen screamed. \"ALEXIS!\"\n\nA faint, then growing louder scream of pure childish terror began to peal forth as  \nGalen staggered from the bed, dodging falling plaster from the roof above, and falling  \nbookcases and stands, as he stumbled through the haze of dust, then was thrown  \nagainst the wall as the house broke neatly down its spine, the wooden floorboards  \npopping and ripping like rotted silk beneath his hooves. Leaping across the widening  \nfissure, Galen felt the splintering timber rip a gash up his left leg - and the explosion  \nof pain leant him the strength he needed.\n\nBreaking down the door of Katelyn's bedroom, Galen saw the fawn cringing in the  \ncorner of her bed, the ceiling above her splintering and the floor below bucking in its  \nconvulsions, the carpet lumping and rippling.\n\n\"Katelyn - please my love - please - come to daddy....\" Galen yelled above the  \ncrash as the house tore itself apart. \"Come on baby - \"\n\nGalen crouched, holding out his paws to her, all too aware of how he looked, the  \nblood that gushed from his torn leg and ran down in to the carpet. Katelyn was beside  \nherself in mindless, primal terror, eyes wide and unseeing....\n\n\"Katelyn - come to daddy - come on....\" Galen shrieked, as he snapped his gaze up  \nat the ceiling, from which sickening groans were coming.\n\nKatelyn flicked an ear, and tentatively crept closer, then froze as the fear overcome  \nher.\n\n\"Come to me - you bitch of a fawn!\" Galen screamed in sudden rage. \"If I have to  \ncome over there - I'll tan your tail off you!\"\n\nPausing only a second longer, Katelyn burst in to a terrified peal and fled to her  \nfather, burying her muzzle against his chest, her convulsions tearing her apart, and he  \ncould feel her heart thundering in her chest. With a sickening roar - the roof of their  \nhome collapsed - burying them under a mountain of dust, debris and broken timbers -  \nbut Galen threw himself over his fawn at the last second - shielding her small, fragile  \nbody....\n\n\\*\n\nNext day...\n\n\\*\n\nAll across the city was death, destruction and anarchy. Massive fires engulfed entire  \nblocks; skyscrapers had burst apart like rotten watermelons. Gangs of looters helped  \nthemselves to whatever they wished, as the sheer scale of the destruction  \noverwhelmed emergency service vehicles. Even with the assistance of the Armed  \nForces - and the fear of aftershocks, there was little that could be done.\n\nHospitals had been completely overwhelmed with the injured, unable to cope - and  \nas the search for survivors began, many rescuers were killed or maimed, as unstable  \nbuildings collapsed. Bodies were dragged from the wreckage and stacked like  \ncordwood on the rubble-strewn streets, and every now and again, loud explosions of  \nrupturing gas pipes roared. Roads were completely gone - vanished into massive  \nsinkholes, or buckled and twisted in to un-usability.\n\nMany were standing around in the streets - completely stunned by the shock of what  \nhad happened, but still more, threw themselves into the gangs of looters - or taking an  \nopposite side, dug with hands and paws, to try and find survivors of the tragedy,  \nunmindful of any personal risk to themselves.\n\nWhere just twenty-four hours ago - Talla'doon had been a vibrant, living city, it was  \nnow a burning, broken shell - its spine snapped the people that were its lifeblood,  \nreeling in a state of communal shock and disbelief.\n\nIt started out as a low, groaning of the very crust beneath their feet - something that  \nwas felt more in the bones, rather than heard - but as it grew, rising in power and  \nstrength, like some massive long buried behemoth beneath the crust of the earth, panic  \ngripped the city, as the ground began to convulse and tear once again - the first of  \nmany aftershocks humping and thrusting against the city above it, tearing down  \nalready crumbling buildings, as the quake grew and roared, flexing its inexorable  \nmuscles beneath the thin crust, as it thrummed through the underlying bedrock and  \nreached its uncaring claws out, seemingly revelling in its newfound freedom, but as  \nquickly as it came, the great beast settled back in to a fitful slumber, as dust, and  \ndebris rained down, echoed by the dull crump of falling buildings - and slowly -  \nsilence descended like a blanket over the city...even the cries of the wounded fell  \nsilent...\n\nAll eyes that could snapped heavenwards, as there came a wailing shriek, like the  \nlegions of hell tearing apart the sky - and people ran and screamed in mindless panic,  \nas white hot blazes of near molten rock sizzled from the sky, smashing the once great  \ncity and countryside with complete disregard. A skyscraper took a direct hit from one  \nof the falling meteorites and exploded - sending shards of white-hot steel, glass and  \nconcrete spraying in all directions, turning the small, almost insignificant specks of  \nanthro and human alike - on to their final judgement....\n\nMore and more meteorites pounded the city and environs, some as small as a  \nbaseball, others as large as a reasonable sized city-bus, tearing its way through  \ndowntown. Within the hour of the meteorite storm, the death and casualties  \noutclassed the number of dead from the quake the night before....\n\nWhen it finally abated - a heavy silence descended back over the city, as both anthro  \nand human alike - glanced at each other, complete overwhelmed by what was  \nhappening. Never in their lives had they been witness to such indiscriminate  \ndestruction and carnage - and for a time itself, time seemed to stand still, as they  \nstared blankly at the swaying buildings and debris that rained down...then came the  \nwhite ash-like powder that fell from the sky....\n\n\\*\n\nGalen gurgled, as he twitched and groaned, consciousness returning slowly to him -  \nbringing with it the agony of his broken left arm, the paw limp and useless, the  \nforearm bone having torn through the flesh and muscle at the wrist, and three broken  \nribs.\n\nI'm alive - His fevered brain reported to the rest of him, as it done a quick self-  \nanalysis. I...Katelyn!\n\nClawing the smouldering debris off himself, he tried to move - and found his legs  \ncrushed beneath a massive wooden supporting beam - just below his hips. He felt  \nnothing - and slowly came to realise - that from the upper thighs down - his legs  \nwere filled with the toxins that would kill him instantly, should the beam be moved....\n\nWeakly, he rolled his eyes down, and saw the huddled form of the fawn beneath him,  \na deep cut across her neck, the dried blood forming a temporary bandage. With his  \none good paw, he softly stroked her cheek, as the tears began to well in his eyes.\n\n\"Katelyn - \" He gurgled, blood flecking his muzzle. \"Katelyn - please...say  \nsomething....\"\n\n\"Over here - \" Came a loud cry.\n\nUnable to see from where he lay trapped, Galen tried to cry out, but his heart filled  \nwith hope, but only a choking rasp came from his lungs, as he coughed up blood.  \nThere came the crunching of heavy boots, and then to Galen's ecstasy, Katelyn  \ngurgled, then as she grew stronger, her loud, ear-piercing screams rang forth, and  \nunashamedly, Galen wept for his daughter....\n\nFrom over the peak of the fallen debris, a squad of soldiers appeared, dressed in  \ndirty, blood spattered fatigues, and they instantly began heaving away rubbish and  \nbroken beams, trying to free the two trapped deer below.\n\n\"It...it is too late...for me.\" Galen sobbed, as he stared up at them, feeling his lungs  \nflooding with blood. \"My...my legs are crushed...and if you...move the  \nbeam...you'll kill me....\"\n\n\"Sir - try not to speak - \" Grunted a young corporal. \"We've got emergency medic-  \nvac teams on-site -\n\nGurgling, Galen stared at the epaulettes of the corporal, and he closed his eyes  \nwearily, then opened them again - the strength needed to do it nearly draining him  \ncompletely.\n\n\"Corporal - I was a Medic in the great war of '82...son - trust me...I know when a  \npatient...can not be saved....\"\n\nSeeing a grim determination in the young officers eyes, Galen smiled and gently laid  \nhis paw on the officer's hand.\n\n\"Son - there are...others - \" Galen rasped. \"My...my daughter...please - she's been  \nhurt...\"\n\n\"Sir - I...I can not just leave you here. I...I've got orders - \" Growled the soldier, his  \njaw tightening.\n\nGalen cried out, as they pushed heavy crowbars beneath the beam and gently pried at  \nit. Swiftly, the Corporal knelt and he unzipped his small kit and began filling a  \nhypodermic needle. Before Galen could object, the Corporal grabbed him by the  \nscruff of the neck and plunged the needle in, the powerful morphine instantly  \nspreading its cooling sensations through the agonized buck.\n\n\"Prick - \" Galen gasped, as he weakly grabbed the Corporal's sleeve.\n\nMore soldiers arrived, and the Corporal tightly tornequetted the buck's upper thighs,  \ntrying to minimalize the blood flow, as others paused, then carefully lifted the beam.  \nGalen screamed in unimagined agony, feeling the crushed bones rubbing and grinding  \nagainst each other, then the horrible sensation of the toxins rushing through his  \nbloodstream, and then he began bucking and convulsing uncontrollably, as his organs  \nsuccumb to the toxins.\n\nBeing held by a young female solder, who wept unashamedly, watching Galen die,  \nthe young soldier cradled the shrieking young fawn's head to her breast and tried to  \ncover her eyes, turning away from the grisly scene. Katelyn wept and fought her  \nrescuer, reaching out with her paw for her father, who gave a final explosive  \nconvulsion, then slumped on to the ground. With a tear trickling down his eyes, the  \nyoung Corporal slowly closed the eyes of the dead Galen, and then he and his squad  \nrose, and saluted the fallen soldier.\n\n\\*\n\nHovering above the ruined city, the camera-man on his harness leaned out of the  \nhelicopter, his eyes wide and camera rolling on, chewing up film as he stared  \nincredulously at the city-wide destruction; the looting, the search for survivors - and  \nas the pilot in the front seat fought the bucking chopper, the camera-man continued to  \nstare down at the carnage below him...\n\nNeither him nor the pilot saw the metal flagpole, as a building exploded from within,  \nsending the flagpole searing up through the sky. Screaming like a missile from hell -  \nthe flagpole ripped through the thin skin of the helicopter's tail, shearing it off with  \nease.\n\n\"FUCK\" Swore the chopper pilot.\n\nThe stick going dead in his hand, console warning lights flashing red, the AWS  \nshowing its warning lights burning like eyes, as a loud, scream of tortured metal came  \nfrom above them, the human pilot felt his years as an air force chopper pilot instantly  \nkick itself in, as a calm, almost cold rationality settled over him in the blink of an eye.  \nHe snapped off the throttles; he had no time to look at the gauges, as he hit the  \nemergency fuel cut off switch. To his horror, he watched as the controls to the  \nengines refused to respond. More and more warning lights blazed on the panel, while  \nthe pilot stared at the tachometer, watching the needle searing its way up well past the  \nnine thousand mark, and right into the red-zone. Believing he had stopped the power  \nfeed to the engines, he remained calm and collective -and grinned...\n\nThe grin was wiped off his face as the tachometer continued its inexorable climb, the  \nchopper shaking itself like a dog with palsy, as the engines shrieked in mechanical  \nrage, pushed to their absolute tolerances. Sparks and flames erupted from the top of  \nthe helicopter, as bearings melted and oil seals disintegrated, the oil vaporizing as the  \npowerful pistons of the suddenly unloaded engine overheated, then exploded like  \ngrenades.\n\nWhite hot shrapnel from the disintegrating pistons shredded the engine of the  \nchopper, and there was a shriek of bearings and steel, as there came the sickening  \nfeeling of the main rotors shearing off - a split second later, as they toppled down,  \nthey exploded in to pieces of red hot shrapnel that went sizzling through the through  \nthe cabin, piercing into the fuel tanks, igniting the vapors within....\n\nThose on the ground heard the explosion, as the flagpole cut through the helicopter  \nlike a hot knife through butter - and in a burst of white-flames, the wreckage  \nplummeted from the sky...\n\n\\*\n\nBack in the deserted television station, monitors flickered and some sparked and  \nsmoked, here and there lay the unmoving bodies of the dead, as the satellite link-up  \nfrizzled with static, as the camera feed from the helicopter - now a smoking pile of  \nwreckage - blinked and frizzled on the big screen, replaying the last minutes of the  \nfootage endlessly, before with a last cough of exploding capacitors and diodes, the  \nscreen blinked, the picture retracting in to a narrowing dot - down in to infinity....\n\n\\*\n\nA week later -\n\n\\*\n\nMassive army tents were set up in the central park and in the outskirts of the city, as  \nthe wash of humanity and anthro's alike, struggled amidst the disease and filth of the  \ntent cities, as the realization of what had happened slowly hit. Rumours flew like  \ncrows, as everything was discussed in low, hollow tones - everything from some act  \nof the God's, through too World War III. Amidst the death, destruction and horror,  \nslowly, stories emerged of incredible joy and jubilation, as people were pulled from  \nthe wreckage of the city, still alive after all hope had been given up - and families  \nwere reunited with missing loved ones.\n\nYet for all the happy stories - there were a thousand sad one - and Katelyn's was  \namongst them....\n\nSitting huddled into a foetal position on the narrow army cot; Katelyn had lapsed into  \na near catatonic state, after witnessing her father's death. Sitting beside her, the  \nyoung female human who had rescued her, reached out and lightly stroked the Fawn's  \nshoulder. Katelyn flinched and curled up tighter, her expression completely blank,  \neyes flat and lifeless.\n\nWith a sigh, the woman shook her head, all but giving up trying to reach the  \nyoungster who lay curled up on the cot. This young fawn had to be force-fed, and  \nthat in and of itself was a task this young woman enjoyed. A soft cough from the  \ntents entrance snapped her out of her gloomy feelings, and she blinked at a white  \ncoated human standing there, two armed soldiers with rifles held at the ready standing  \nbehind him.\n\n\"Lieutenant Jamie?\" Spoke the man, as he glanced down at his battered metal  \nclipboard.\n\n\"Do I know you?\" Spoke the woman, instinctively snapping her gaze to the two-  \narmed soldiers, then standing, shielding the fawn from their gaze.\n\n\"No - I'm Doctor Greijj - come to check on the...creature.\" He spoke politely, but  \nshe detected the chill in his voice, the obvious distaste he held for anthropomorphic  \ncreatures.\n\nLt. Jamie bristled. \"Doctor - she is not a...creature...but a living, breathing person,  \nwith feelings, rights and thoughts of her own. She is not an...animal...that you would  \nlook down your nose at.\"\n\nStepping into the tent uninvited, the Doctor took the aggressive stance, staring down  \nthe Lieutenant, who did not flinch a muscle, likewise standing her ground.\n\n\"Lieutenant - we can do this the easy way - or the hard way. My own...feelings...  \nfor these...creatures...in no way affect my duties that I must do. Now - you may  \nwait outside like a good girl - or I shall have my escorts drag you out. Do you  \nunderstand me?\"\n\nDrawing herself up straight, Lt. Jamie glared at the Doctor. \"I do not have too - \"\n\nSnorting, the Doctor glared at her. \"Lieutenant - this is a direct order from your  \nsuperiors. Now - you may wait outside by your own choice, or I can order you out,  \nby force if necessary.\"\n\nGlancing back smugly at the two armed grunts behind him, he slowly turned back to  \nlook at the seething Lieutenant, who bristled with outrage.\n\n\"You harm a single piece of fur on her body - \" Lt. Jamie growled venomously as  \nshe pushed her way past the Doctor. \"And I will have you swinging by your ankles  \nfrom a skyscraper ruin....\"\n\nSmugly, the Doctor laughed, his voice cruel and vindictive. \"Lt. - You have your  \norders. I would rather we do this peacefully - but if you insist - \"\n\nLt. Jamie savagely pushed past the two troopers and stood glowering outside, her  \nback to the tent entrance. At the rustle of the tent-flap, Lt. Jamie stifled her sob, and  \nhurriedly blanked her expression, as she stared impassively at the other tents and  \nassorted humans and anthro's alike, that were trying to find loved ones or their  \nassigned billets.\n\nThere was a commotion from inside, followed by the pealing shrieks of the fawn, and  \nLt. Jamie gripped her hands into fists, as she struggled not to disobey orders, but there  \nwas a startled curse and a loud slap, followed by the screams dying into a broken,  \nheart wrenching sobbing from the fawn.\n\n\"Fuck orders - \" Lt. Jamie growled, as she executed a sharp turn on her heel and tore  \nopen the tent flap.\n\nWith a single sweep of her eyes, Lt. Jamie had built a complete picture of what had  \nhappened - having hurt the fawn, the fawn had retaliated with pure, primal animal  \ninstinct - and bitten down hard on the Doctor's hand. As he raised his hand to strike  \nthe fawn across the snout again, Lt. Jamie grabbed his wrist in a painful grasp.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So - you like beating children Doctor?\" Lt. Jamie seethed. \"Why not try me on for  \nsize - or isn't your ego up to a real fight? You'd prefer to beat a terrified, hurting and  \norphaned fawn? My - what a big man you are....\"\n\nWincing, the Doctor glared at Lt. Jamie. \"I could have your ass slung in jail for this  \n- \"\n\n\"You could - but then again - I offer you this choice. Lay a hand on her again - and  \nI'll break your arm in three places. Do I make myself clear Doctor? Also - leave  \nnow - and never come near her or me again - and I will not report this to my  \nsuperiors.\" Lt. Jamie spoke softly, her grip tightening perceptibly, squeezing the  \nnerves and joints painfully.\n\nLetting the chastised Doctor go, Lt. Jamie threw him a mocking salute, as he  \ngrumbled and rubbed his numb arm, restoring feeling to it.\n\n\"Oh - and doctor? I'll have her ID tag sent to me when you've done it - and I will  \nhave it double checked - I give you my word.\"\n\nGrowling under his breath, the doctor stormed out, and Lt. Jamie turned and knelt  \nbeside the cot, then blinked as the young Whitetail fawn shied away from her, eyes  \nwide in terror. Sighing, Lt. Jamie held out a hand soothingly.\n\n\"Come on little one - please? I won't hurt you - I'm not a bad person. I want to  \nhelp you...please?\"\n\nKatelyn's gaze remained cold and distant, and she shirked away, and Lt. Jamie  \nsighed and nodded softly.\n\n\"I understand little one - I won't force you to like me...it'll take time for you to trust  \nme.\" Lt. Jamie spoke soothingly.\n\nCovering the shivering fawn with a dark army blanket, Lt. Jamie sighed again, and  \nthen looked down as the fawn snuggled into the blanket, her eyes gleaming from the  \ndarkness beneath the blanket, and she caught the faint shimmering of tears in those  \ndeep, haunted eyes.\n\n\\*\n\nAcross the globe, it spread, its invisible tendrils reaching out, borne by the high  \natmospheric jet stream winds, the deadly plague reached all over the world. As the  \ndust that contained the plague grew heavy with condensation, it slowly began to fall,  \ncasting its pall over the torn, sundered earth below it.\n\nIt was unstoppable, incurable, and inherently fatal to everything it met...and above  \nall else - it was totally remorseless....\n\n\\*\n\nIn the first encounters with the deadly virus, it was thought to be a case of dipheria -  \nand across the city, Talla'doon residents were ordered to stay within their makeshift  \ncamps, as armed soldiers, dressed in environmental suits and masks, called for those  \nwho felt even the slightest signs, to come forwards. Rumours flew, that it couldn't be  \nDipheria - that disease had been cured centuries before, yet as the illness spread, so  \ndid the panic amongst the refugees.\n\nThose who showed the signs were loaded into transports and taken to a secure, self-  \ncontained area, where they were housed and treated for the effects of dipheria - but as  \nthey first came in They first came in ones and twos, then a day later - in tens and  \ntwenties - then hundreds.... Their worst fears were confirmed...this was something  \nnew - something far more deadly... Patients soon overwhelmed the meagre medical  \nresources that remained.\n\nSymptoms started as a dry, hacking cough, and within hours, patients were in comas,  \nscabrous, oozing sores erupting over their bodies, but what was worse - was when a  \nbody was autopsied in hopes of understanding this new disease - they were horrified  \nto find the patients organs...liquefying. It spread like a prairie fire, uncontrolled and  \nunforgiving, as it'd wipe out an entire family, and leave one alive - it did not  \ndiscriminate. Old, young, healthy or sick, animal, anthropomorphic or human - none  \nwere spared its ravages.\n\nBodies were soon overflowing the capabilities to be buried, and massive slit trenches  \nwere gouged in the earth, and the bodies - often by the truckload - were dumped,  \nwhilst impassionate Army troops stood by, and using powerful flamethrowers, began  \nto cremate the dead. Even this effort proved to be too much, as more and more died  \nfrom the new threat - and their bodies were often left where they fell - as even the  \nsoldiers in their protective suits - began to cough and wheeze....\n\n\\*\n\nIn less than two weeks after the asteroid's impact - the virus had found a new world -  \none suited to its tastes...and an almost limitless source of food for itself.\n\n\\*\n\nIn Camp Niner-Zulu-Charlie, on the far side of the wreckage that had been  \nTalla'doon, in another refugee camp, a wounded doe lay, drifting in and out of  \nconsciousness. She had been pulled from the wreckage of her shattered home four  \ndays ago - barely alive, filthy, starving and her wounds grievous - but not considered  \nlife threatening, heard the coughs and low cries of the dying all around her.\n\nA young army private came to her side, and he knelt, his vulpine muzzle mostly  \nhidden by a thick rubber muzzle-mask. He held her paw in his own-gloved one, then  \nfelt her pulse. His frowns indicating his concentration, he yelped as she cracked open  \nher eyes, the blazing intensity within them startling him.\n\n\"Doctor Karis - she...she's conscious sir...\" Came the flat, filtered voice of the  \nvulpine.\n\nQuickly, an army medic wearing a protective suit and mask approached, brushing  \naside the startled fox as he knelt beside the doe, who blinked her heavy eyes and  \nweakly squeezed the doctors hand. Soothingly, the human doctor pet her paw, and  \nhelp a sip-tube to her muzzle, giving her a small bit of water.\n\n\"Shhh - do not try to speak - you've been badly hurt.\" Spoke the doctor, his voice  \nlikewise flat, emotionless, and faintly raspy behind the mask's filters. \"We have your  \nID - so there is no need to worry...just rest and try to hang on.\"\n\nAlexis summoned all her strength, and pulled a small holograph from her bloodied  \npocket, and it fell from her nerveless grasp, as she gurgled and slumped back in to  \nunconsciousness. Retrieving the fallen holograph, the doctor glanced at it, and then  \nshowed it to the Private.\n\n\"This must be her daughter - and husband. Have you seen either of them? They  \nmust have been in that house...\" Asked the doctor.\n\n\"Sorry sir - \" Replied the Private. \"I'm not logistics sir - but I can get someone who  \nmay know...\"\n\n\"Do it.\" Came the flat reply. \"Hurry Private.\"\n\nNodding, the private saluted and ran as fast as his bulky suit would let him, returning  \nshortly with a haggard, pale human male, who deigned the use of suit and mask,  \ninstantly earning the ire of the Doctor.\n\n\"You dare go unprotected - \" Rasped the doctor.\n\n\"I dare - \" Replied the man. \"Doctor - you're already dead.... I've come from a  \nrescue site - army personnel and others, wearing masks and suits are already showing  \nsigns - they - the masks and suits...aren't working.\"\n\n\"Rubbish - \" Retorted the Doctor. \"This is obviously a divergent strain of dipheria  \nwe are dealing with here - \"\n\n\"I'll leave you up to your delusions Doctor - \" Grunted the man, as he rubbed his  \nstubbly chin, the sound harsh and rasping. \"What I do know - is I helped carry six  \nmen, who collapsed - showing signs of the virus. Their suits and masks have been  \nchecked and checked again - and...are...not...breeched.\"\n\nSnorting, the doctor checked the suit seals and glared at the man before him.\n\n\"Doctor - honestly? These...suits...are useless. This is no standard virus, I'll stake  \nmy life on that.\" Growled the man quietly. \"We have teams scouring the city for  \nsurvivors still - thousands of buildings have been searched for survivors - yet for  \nevery miracle we create - we...we can't rescue everyone...no matter how we tried.  \nMany buildings have completely collapsed - and the S\u0026R rescuers - we've already  \nlost six teams....\"\n\n\"Sixty men? Then your teams are incompetent - \" Laughed the doctor, masking his  \nshock with a show of bravado.\n\n\"Oh - I'm not worried - they were not mine - Doctor. They were suited Army  \ntroops - your men. I've lost my share - but every single person who has come in to  \ncontact with the virus....\" With a shudder, the man left it unsaid.\n\n\"Everyone?\" Stammered the doctor, his face paling.\n\n\"Oh - some have...started to recover...but it is fatal doctor - and your precious suit  \ncan not save you - or anyone else.\" Sighed the man. \"I do not profess to know what  \nthis virus is - but it can and does get inside your suit.\"\n\nTurning away, the man headed for the door, then he paused and looked back over his  \nshoulder. \"You're wasting your time on that Doe Doctor - she is going to die...and  \nyou too probably.\"\n\nRushing back in, the Private nearly collided with the man who roughly shoved the  \nstartled Fox aside, as he strode out.\n\nStumbling, the Fox Private yelped and tripped, then stared at the departing human  \nand rose to his feet, and then unconsciously dusted off his suit, his gloved paws  \ninstinctively checking for tears. \"Doctor - we...we found her! We found the...\"\n\nBlinking back his tears, the Doctor hung his head, and then slowly closed the eyelids  \nof the Doe, as he nodded once. On the cot, the Doe lay still....\n\n\\*\n\nBack at the other camp, Lt. Jamie lay down on the cot beside the fitfully sleeping  \nfawn, and she sighed softly. Her throat ached and her eyes were watering, as she  \nsipped some bottled water, then coughed. With a shudder, she snuggled in beside the  \nfawn, pulling the blankets up around them. Gently, she stroked the fawn's cheek,  \neliciting a low moan from the fawn, which wriggled in close against her and went  \nback to sleep.\n\n\\*\n\nContent, the virus continued to spread, borne by the currents, the water, even by the  \nsimplest of methods...it propagated and spread with reckless abandon. Food - so  \nmuch food! It'd never known such abundance - it was peripherally aware some were  \nnot food - but it paid little attention to those. Food was food - from the smallest  \nmicrobe, to the warm-bloods that it so craved...some had tried to find a cure - but it  \nwas unstoppable. They had merely slowed it down - some had even found a way to  \nhurt it - but those races had long been cleansed. This silent killer had cleansed  \nbillions of worlds - always hungry - always searching - always feeding...it hungered  \n- and on this insignificant ball - it had found paradise....\n\n\\*\n\nLt. Jamie woke with a sharp, strangling cough tearing at her throat. Her entire body  \nfelt like it was being consumed with fire, and she fell from the cot, choking and  \nretching.\n\nOh dear god - Lt. Jamie moaned silently. It's got me too - how could I be so stupid.\n\nFumbling blindly, she knocked the small cot-side stool over, the water bottles  \nslopping their contents into the dirt of the floor, Lt. Jamie rasped and clawed her way  \nto the tent entrance, where she collapsed shuddering and groaning. A passing pair of  \nhumans found her, then instinctively turned and bolted.\n\nThey're already dead - Lt. Jamie's fevered thoughts shook her to her core. We're all  \ndead -\n\nFrom the cot came an incredibly loud, and almost glass shattering shrieking. As Lt.  \nJamie struggled to pull herself back around to the fawn, she felt the cooling shadow of  \nsomething fall over her fevered body. Rolling her eyes upwards she stared up at the  \nsuited figure of a wolf that stood rigidly at attention, but his eyes betrayed his  \nconcern. Quickly, he turned and barked his orders, the short, sharp snap of his words  \nsending troopers scurrying. Kneeling, the wolf looked down at the stricken woman,  \nand then placed his gloved paw against her wrist.\n\nHe's one of ours - Lt. Jamie's mind reeled. I know it - he's going too...\n\nThere was the sharp hiss of an air-hypo against her neck, and Lt. Jamie shuddered,  \nand then went limp....\n\n\\*\n\nA week later -\n\n\\*\n\nLt. Jamie gurgled and cracked her eyelids open, then gasped as the bright sunlight  \nstreaming in the plastic window seared her eyes. There was a soft whisper of robes,  \nand a cool cloth was placed on her brow.\n\n\"Shh - \" Came a soft voice, as a furred paw stroked her cheek. \"Rest now Lieutenant  \n- you're out of danger.\"\n\nSummoning her fickle strength, Lt. Jamie tried to sit up, but the paw grasped her  \nshoulder and pushed her firmly down.\n\n\"I...the fawn - \" Lt. Jamie wept suddenly, the hot tears springing from her eyes.\n\n\"The subject you speak of is being well cared for - now lie still.\" Came the feminine  \ngrowl.\n\n\"She...she's not a - \" Lt. Jamie mumbled, feeling her consciousness slipping.\n\n\"Forgive me Lieutenant - \" Spoke the female voice again, as it stroked her cheek  \nsoftly. \"I...its been hell. Please - believe me - when I say she is well cared for - and  \nis resting peacefully. You need to rest.\"\n\nBlinking away her tears, Lt. Jamie fought off the paw and sat up, then instantly  \nregretted it. As she fought the nausea and blinding headache that flashed across her  \neyes, she felt the warm furred paw grasp her shoulder, and with desperation, Lt. Jamie  \ngrasped it and twisted, feeling the slender paw break, and hearing the sharp inhalation  \nof pain. Focussing her eyes, Lt. Jamie watched as the white robed female anthro  \nGazelle whirled away, clutching her broken wrist.\n\n\"Oh dear god - I...I'm so sorry...\" Lt. Jamie wept.\n\nHer long, tubular ears pasted flat in pain, the Gazelle slowly glanced back over her  \nshoulder, the tears on her cheeks tracking their way through her brown muzzle stripe.\n\n\"I...I should have...expected that Lieutenant - it...it is alright - you were  \nscared...and hurting. I...I'll get this fixed right away....\"\n\n\"What - what is your name - please...I...I am so sorry...\" Lt. Jamie wept.\n\nFlicking an ear, and nursing her broken wrist, the Gazelle smiled shyly, the edges of  \nher lips turning up. \"I'm...Aleisha - do not worry Lieutenant - I will not report you.  \nIt was a natural reaction - I was...careless.\"\n\n\"Aleisha - \" Lt. Jamie sniffled. \"I thought - \"\n\n\"You do not have the plague Lieutenant - you were suffering from a bad fever -  \nnothing more.\" Aleisha spoke, her resolve starting to crumble as the broken paw  \nthrobbed intolerably.\n\n\"How many - \" Lt. Jamie asked.\n\n\"How many?\" Aleisha echoed, her eyes turning away as she swallowed and bit a  \nfurred knuckle as the tears welled in her eyes. \"The camp...is nearly empty - in camp  \nDelta-five - yours - there have been over thirty-five thousand confirmed dead...\"\n\n\"That's not too - \" Lt. Jamie whispered, as she done a quick assessment.\n\n\"Lieutenant - that was yesterdays figures....\" Sobbed the Gazelle, as she turned and  \nfled the room.\n\nRealisation slowly spread across Lt. Jamie's face, and the blood drained from her  \nface, as her eyes widened in horror.\n\n\"Thirty five thousand dead - in...twenty-four...hours.\"\n\n\\*\n\nKatelyn lay huddled in a large tent, curled up into a protective ball, as other orphans  \nplayed with the delicious innocence of childhood. Anthro's and humans alike, not  \nknowing the hate and bigotry, which most adult humans, and a fair share of anthro's  \nhad for each other.\n\nAs the young Gazelle entered, her eyes sweeping across the room, she giggled as the  \nchildren swamped her - all of the children - bar one, and that instantly caught her  \nattention. Giving many of the children a friendly lick on the cheek and a quick hug,  \nshe set them a new game, which they fell too with raucous abandon. Carefully, she  \npicked her away through the teeming throng, and knelt down beside the shivering  \nWhitetail fawn, her wide eyes compassionate and paws folded in her lap.\n\n\"Hello little one - \" Spoke Aleisha. \"You're frightened - aren't you? Its alright -  \nthese others won't hurt you sweetie.\"\n\nSeeing the look in the fawn's eyes, Aleisha blinked, flicking her long ears.\n\nShe understands the common tongue of man - Aleisha thought to herself. Yet seems  \nunable - or unwilling - to speak it.\n\nSwitching dialects to the soft grunts, growls and other guttural sounding noises  \ncommon to the deer people, Aleisha blinked as she saw the light of comprehension in  \nthe fawn's eyes, instantly replaced with the blank, emotionless stare, but a subtle shift  \nof the fawn's scent sending a shiver up Aleisha's spine.\n\nShe understands - but is so...withdrawn - Aleisha sighed softly. How can I reach  \nher? This fawn has obviously been through hell.\n\nAleisha gently held out her newly healed paw, palm up, holding it near Katelyn's  \nnose, allowing the fawn to inhale her scent, hoping it would help calm her.\n\n\"Little one - \" Aleisha whispered softly, in the grunting, barking cough of the deer.\n\nKatelyn made no sign of acknowledgement, but her ear involuntarily twitched,  \nshowing she was listening.\n\n\"Little one - do you know what happened to your mother?\" Aleisha murmured  \nsoftly, watching intently for a reaction.\n\nNo visible sign of acknowledgement.\n\n\"Your fath...\" Aleisha began.\n\nKatelyn suddenly shrieked and her small paws began beating the young gazelle, who  \nsquealed and instinctively slapped the fawn across the snout, then gasped and grabbed  \nthe shrieking fawn and pulled her tight against herself, cradling the whitetail tightly  \nand gently rocking her, stroking her ears soothingly.\n\n\"Oh little one - I'm so sorry....\" Aleisha wept, rocking the fawn. \" I did not mean to  \nhurt you so -\"\n\nHer fight draining from her, Katelyn stopped fighting against the Gazelle and burst in  \nto exhausted, choking sobs, her nervous energy that had fuelled her sluicing from her  \nin waves. Holding the sobbing fawn tightly, Aleisha shivered, feeling the over-tensed  \nmuscles loosening. Katelyn wept - out of pure, innocent childish terror...but the tears  \nwere also cleansing, helping her to slowly release the horrors locked in her mind.\n\nStill rocking the young whitetail, Aleisha began murmuring a soft crooning, that her  \nmother had used on her, when she was a fawn, and she smiled, as the fawn shivered in  \nher arms, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier, before they closed completely and  \nshe slept - truly slept - for the first time since her world had come crashing down  \naround her ears. Quietly, Aleisha rose, holding the sleeping fawn in her arms and she  \ncarried her out of the tent, and to her own, where she lay the fawn on a cot, then  \nsnuggled in next to her. Katelyn shivered and cried out in her sleep, then nuzzled  \nsoftly against the gazelle's breasts, eliciting a short, sudden gasp of pleasure from  \nAleisha, who smiled and nuzzled the fawn's ears tenderly, drawing her back in to a  \ndeep, restful sleep.\n\n\\*\n\nNext morning, Katelyn woke, and rubbed sleep from her eyes, as she shivered and  \nlooked around at the empty tent. Beside the cot was a bowl of warm milk and without  \nhesitation, the fawn grabbed it and drank it down, the milk dribbling from her muzzle\n\n\"Hello little one - \" Came the soft voice of Aleisha. \"Ah - you found the milk I left  \nfor you.\"\n\nDropping the empty bowl that thumped on the floor, Katelyn squealed and cringed  \nback, the expression of fear coming over her, as she stared at the Gazelle, who gazed  \nback passionately, holding a small box in her paws - and something in the box made  \nit move.\n\n\"I have a bit of a problem - \" Aleisha whispered soothingly to the fawn, as she  \napproached and knelt, placing the box on the floor.\n\nCuriosity overcoming her, Katelyn sniffled and looked at the Gazelle, then at the box,  \nfrom which came a mewling cry. Aleisha smiled, noticing the sound elicited a look of  \nconfusion in the fawn's eyes, but also one of growing curiosity. Aleisha opened the  \nbox, the pulled out a small ball of fur, and held it in her paws, holding it out to the  \nfawn, which shrank away from it, eyes widening.\n\n\"This is a kitten - she was lost and hurt like you were - \" Aleisha spoke. \"She lost  \nher...parents too. I cannot look after her - she is too much for me. I was wondering  \n- would you like to be her mother? It's a big responsibility - caring for a  \nkitten...you've got to keep them warm, love them, play with them, look after them,  \nkeep them warm - \"\n\nAs if by cue, the kitten opened its eyes, the bright green eyes locking with those of  \nthe fawn, and Aleisha held her breath, as kitten and fawn stared at each other.  \nKatelyn shivered and nervously reached out a paw to touch the kitten, then snatched it  \nback as the kitten sneezed. Aleisha bit back her giggles, and then soothed the crying  \nfawn.\n\n\"Hey - come on - \" Aleisha whispered, as she sat beside the fawn and lightly stroked  \nher ears. \"This kitten didn't mean to frighten you - she is cold - and needs a big,  \nbrave fawn like you to care for her, and warm her up - here....\"\n\nBefore Katelyn could blink, Aleisha dropped the kitten in to Katelyn's lap, whence  \nthe kitten instantly began purring, rubbing itself against Katelyn's fur. Blinking,  \nKatelyn looked at the Gazelle, then at the kitten, then back at the Gazelle.\n\n\"Pet her - like this - \" Aleisha spoke softly, as she ran her paw softly over the  \nkitten's fur, and the kitten purred louder. \"Do not be afraid of that sound little one -  \nthat means the kitten is happy.\"\n\n\"Katelyn - \" Whispered the fawn, almost silently.\n\nAleisha blinked. \"What?\"\n\n\"My...name...is Katelyn.\" Quavered the voice of the fawn, as she hesitantly touched  \nthe kitten with her paw.\n\nOverjoyed with the fawn coming out of her self-imposed catatonia, Aleisha nearly  \nsquealed with joy, but bit it down harshly.\n\n\"Katelyn? I think that's a lovely name, for a young fawn.\" Aleisha smiled, and  \nslipped her arm around the fawn's shoulders. \"My name is Aleisha - and this kitten is  \nyour responsibility now - you've got to promise me Katelyn, you will take very good  \ncare of her.\"\n\n\"I...I promise.\" Katelyn nodded, and for the first time since before her world  \ncollapsed around her ears - Katelyn actually smiled.\n\nGiving Katelyn a quick hug, Aleisha rose and looked at the fawn and kitten, which  \nwere bonding quickly - almost as if they were meant for each other.\n\n\"I'll be back Katelyn - I need to get you some clean clothes, and some food. Stay  \nhere and look after your kitten okay?\" Aleisha spoke softly, but her voice touched  \nwith warning.\n\nNodding, Katelyn looked up at Aleisha, and she paused, as a faint smile touched her  \nfurred lips. \"Aleisha - thank...you.\"\n\nAleisha moved through the camp, which now - was frighteningly close to empty.  \nMany of those who remained, were now caring for the sick and the dying, or on burial  \ndetail - burying those who had died. All through the camp there was the underlying  \nfear of death - and the smell of the unsanitary conditions assaulted the Gazelle's  \nsensitive nose. Going to the master-at-arm's in charge of the meagre food stores,  \nAleisha waited patiently in line, having been given a chit for her assigned quota. A  \nyoung female otter standing before her, holding the paw of her young kit, whimpered  \nand covered her muzzle with a webbed paw, as she coughed dryly into a  \nhandkerchief. As Aleisha tried not to notice how others shied away from the otter,  \nshe did see the bright flecks of blood on the handkerchief, and her blood ran cold in  \nher veins.\n\nHow many more must die - Aleisha thought to herself, as she wiped away a tear from  \nher eyes. Already - we have lost so many...\n\n\"Next - \" Called the cold, emotionless voice of the soldier.\n\nMoving forwards, the otter female suddenly burst in to tears and grabbed the lapel of  \nthe soldier.\n\n\"Please - please sir - you must let me have more food...I have a child for the love of  \nthe God's...\" She wailed, sinking to her knees and grovelling pitifully.\n\n\"Ma'am - \" Spoke the soldier, his voice cold - unfeeling. \"I sympathise - I truly do,  \nbut we must carefully ration our supplies - \"\n\n\"Supplies? What supplies?\" Shrieked the otter in hysteria. \"Thousands - do you  \nhear me? Thousands are dead - and you call for rationing?\"\n\nWith a sigh, the master-at-arms looked at the Otter coldly. \"Ma'am - you have  \nalready been assigned your allotted quota of food and water.\"\n\nSobbing, the Mustalid clung to the officer, begging him for mercy. \"Please - \"\n\nDispassionately, the officer tore her paws from his uniform and stared down at her,  \nthe slow boil of his rage showing in the widening of his nostrils and the colour  \nflooding his face.\n\n\"Ma'am - my patience wears thin. You are stricken with the plague - do not try to  \ndeny it. Yes - thousands have died - around the world, millions are dead - and  \nbillions may well die! Now - you will not receive a single more grain of food - as  \nyou'll be dead in hours. Guards - get her out of my sight!\"\n\n\"No - please!\" Shrieked the otter. \"I'm not sick...I'm not!\"\n\nAs two burly human soldiers dragged her away, she fought and bit out at them, her  \nsharp teeth sinking in to one of their hands. He snarled and swore like a sailor, then  \nsavagely cuffed her across the cheek, slamming her to the ground. Aleisha bit her  \npaw to stop herself crying out in horror. They roughly dragged her from the tent, the  \nbroken, sobbing Otter hanging limply between them, the one on the right dragging the  \ncrying and struggling otter kit with him.\n\n\\*\n\nFrom outside, came the sounds of a scuffle, and a startled curse, followed by the  \nshort, sharp thunder of a gunshot, then a second later, another one and the high  \npitched squealing of an otter-child.\n\n\"What...mommy...what are you doing...no...no mommy...I'll be...\" Came the  \nterrified squeal - that was silenced by the loud explosion of the gunshot.\n\nInside the tent, Aleisha burst into tears, as the female Otter came staggering back in,  \nher muzzle wrinkled in rage, her smock bloodied and one of the troopers' heavy pistol  \nin both paws, but her inexperience showed, as she shook, trying to aim it.\n\n\"Guards!\" Screamed the Master-at-arms. \"Guards!\"\n\n\"They're...dead...\" Giggled the otter, her eyes burning with the madness that had  \nseized her. \"Dead...all dead...hahahahahaha....\"\n\nJust as she snapped her paws up, there came a deafening roar of what sounded to the  \nterrified Gazelle like a thunderclap beside her ears, which sent her to her knees.  \nShrieking and her ears, as they rang with the explosive roar. Vaguely, she stared at  \nthe otter that blinked and looked down at her filthy smock, and then touched the  \nspreading wet stain there. As the pistol clattered from her nerveless paws, she stared  \nat the white-faced Master-at-arms, who held a pistol at his side, the scent of burned  \ncordite drifting from the still smoking barrel.\n\nJust as two guards came running, the Master-at-arm's stared at the crumpling otter,  \nthen at the two MP's, snapped a sharp salute - and before anyone could move to stop  \nhim - snapped the gun up to his temple and pulled the trigger....\n\n\\*\n\nIt was the beginning of the end - rumours began to spread faster and faster, that there  \nwas some top-secret government project - and the plague had escaped from a secure  \nweapons research facility. Other rumours came about, as the hungry, starving and  \nsickly survivors began to whisper amongst themselves, how the Army was stockpiling  \nmassive stores of pure food and water, saving it for the 'chosen ones' - who had been  \nsealed in secret bunkers beneath the earth, immune from any retribution and living the  \nlife of luxury, whilst the survivors topside scavenged for scraps. Rebellion grew  \nquickly - and it knew no bounds...\n\n\\*\n\nIn tears, Aleisha fled back to where she had left Katelyn, then started hurriedly  \nstuffing her meagre possessions into an old backpack. Sensing the gazelle's fear,  \nKatelyn began to cry, clutching her kitten tightly.\n\n\"Katelyn - we must go - now.\" Aleisha sobbed. \"Please my fawn - we must run -  \nfar away!\"\n\n\"Why - I thought - \" Katelyn wept, eyes wide in terror.\n\n\"There is no time to explain - \" Aleisha growled sharply, the tears coursing down her  \nmuzzle. \"Please - put your kitten in her box - we have got to go!\"\n\nKatelyn bit back her tears and obeyed, the short, sharp order from the Gazelle  \ncompelling her to obey. Pausing, she looked up and tugged on Aleisha's skirt.\n\n\"Aleisha - what...what's that?\" Katelyn sniffled, her whole body trembling as she  \nheard the distant rumble.\n\n\"Oh no - they wouldn't...\" Aleisha gasped. \"They wouldn't dare....\"\n\n\\*\n\nAn angry mob, cold, muddied, hungry and thirsty, swarmed the perimeter fences of  \nthe camp, clinging to the chain-wire and screaming their outrage. On the other side of  \nthe fence, army officers gave orders to their troops - who looked at each other and  \nloaded their automatic rifles. A dozen armoured transports hovered nearby, their  \nheavy calibre dual-machine guns cocked and loaded.\n\n\"For the love of the Great Mother - \" Someone screamed. \"You've got to save us!\"\n\n\"This is General Praken!\" Came a stern, yet muffled voice over a megaphone. \"We  \nare doing all that we can - go back to your tents...we are bringing in more supplies -  \ngo back to your tents - or we will be forced to make you.\"\n\n\"We do not have to do anything you say!\" Shrieked another. \"We know you are  \ntaking the best supplies - and shipping them underground to the secure bunkers! We  \nknow - and you're leaving us here to die like dog's!\"\n\n\"This is General Praken - I assure you - that we are doing no such thing! All  \navailable supplies are being rationed as we speak - until we can bring in more! Our  \nsupplies are limited, we have lost the ability to transport bulk-supplies in, and we ask  \nfor your patience and understanding!\"\n\n\"Do not lie to us!\" More than one cried. \"We know!\"\n\n\"You know nothing!\" Shot back the General. \"This is a state of martial law - as such  \n- you are now subjected to the orders of the armed forces - now - move back.\"\n\n\\*\n\nIt happened in the blink of an eye - crushing forwards, the sheer volume of people,  \nwith nothing left to lose, rushed the steel wire fences, and they fell under the  \nswarming throng. A soldier panicked - and he opened fire on the stampeding mob -  \nwith tragic consequences. Thousands surged into the fray, trampling and crushing  \nthose who fell, as the cry went up - and the army tried to pull their troops back - then  \ndropped all pretences and opened fire....\n\nHundreds fell - either dead or dying - yet thousands more swarmed the troopers, who  \nflailed away with their weapons, using them like clubs, as the irrational mob swarmed  \ninto and over the vehicles and troops, killing all in their path.\n\nHeavy machine guns weaved across the swarming throng, ripping humans and anthro  \napart, as the death and carnage grew in to terrifying heights....\n\n\\*\n\nAleisha slipped nervously from the tent, hearing the explosive gunfire and seeing  \nflames sweeping through the tent city, she hurriedly snatched up Katelyn and fled as  \nfast as her hooves would carry her, heading in the opposite direction - back towards  \nthe ruins of Talla'doon city. Hearing Katelyn's sobs, Aleisha wept as well - knowing  \nthat from this moment on - their entire survival depended on Aleisha...\n\n\\*\n\nTwo days later\n\n\\*\n\nAleisha lay under a ragged blanket, coughing and shuddering, as Katelyn lay  \nsnuggled beside her, clutching her kitten. Hearing the soft breathing of the fawn,  \nAleisha dragged herself from the damp, dusty floor on which she lay, her throat  \nfeeling as if someone had poured razors and broken glass down it. Shuddering with  \nchills she could not stop, Aleisha picked up the battered canteen and shook it weakly,  \nhearing only a very faint sloshing sound from within it.\n\n\"Need...water...\" Aleisha gurgled to herself, the fever consuming her, making her  \nsenses reel and waver.\n\nStumbling into the pre-dawn light, Aleisha tripped and felt the sharp broken concrete  \nand steel gash her leg - and in that instant of agony, she snapped back to  \nrationalisation of the world around her - a dark, dreary and ruined city. Armed gangs  \nhad taken over entire city blocks, and raged too and fro, fighting for food and water -  \nboth of which were in scant supply. Water could be found - but much of it was filthy,  \nand contaminated with ash, dust and debris - but it was still water. Food was the  \nhardest thing to find, but soon - soon neither of them would need food anymore - as  \nAleisha had found a way to end both their suffering....\n\nFilling a rusty can from a puddle, Aleisha returned to their ruined shelter, then  \nweakly shook the fawn awake.\n\n\"Katelyn - wake up...little one.\" Aleisha rasped, each word sending agony through  \nher throat.\n\n\"Who...what?\" Katelyn whispered sleepily, as her eyes cracked open and she looked  \nup at Aleisha.\n\nAleisha smiled sickly, and dropped a dozen brightly coloured capsules into Katelyn's  \npaw, then emptied the last of the canteens water into a bowl, as she swallowed her  \nown tablets, pouring some water into her paw and washing them down.\n\n\"These...will help you sleep little one - \" Aleisha coughed softly. \"You do not need  \nto be afraid anymore - \"\n\nSuspiciously, Katelyn looked at the tablets, and then Aleisha sighed and grasped the  \nfawn's muzzle, forcing it open as she tipped the tablets in, then began vigorously  \nrubbing Katelyn's throat. Instinctively, Katelyn swallowed them, then began  \ncoughing and choking, the hot, salty tears coursing down her snout, as Aleisha held  \nher tightly.\n\n\"Quiet little one...I...I'm sorry...for what I done...but sleep now...sleep little one,  \nlook - your kitten is sleeping - \" Aleisha gurgled, and then coughed weakly.\n\nKatelyn looked down and seen her kitten lying still, too still - Aleisha knew the kitten  \nhad passed away, but didn't dare tell Katelyn.\n\n\"She - she's not moving - \" Katelyn suddenly burst into braying sobs. \"My kitten!\"\n\n\"She is sleeping now - \" Aleisha murmured, as she rocked the sobbing fawn. \"She  \nwill never feel pain again little one - as we will not - she is...sleeping.\"\n\nLying down, Aleisha cuddled the fawn tightly, as Katelyn sobbed heartbrokenly, but  \nwith the innocence of childhood, she believed the lie that Aleisha had told her.  \nNuzzling in against the Gazelle, Katelyn let her heavy eyes droop, and then she  \ndozed. Aleisha smiled weakly, feeling the powerful drugs already affecting her, and  \nshe let her own eyes slowly slip closed....\n\nAleisha was dead within minutes...\n\n\\*\n\nKatelyn woke suddenly - then struggled from the limp grasp of Aleisha's body, as  \nshe scrabbled across the floor, her muzzle wrinkled in dismay and sickness - before  \nshe collapsed and began convulsing, the sickening retching feeling as it were surely  \ngoing to tear her apart. Again and again her stomach heaved - then there was a  \nsudden final convulsion and she expelled the contents of her stomach, which  \ncontinued to heave and writhe within her.\n\nBlackness swept over the convulsing fawn and she surrendered to it - feeling her  \ntortured body relax and grow quiet, as she slipped into the soothing darkness....\n\n\\*\n\nKatelyn woke the next day, her body frozen and covered in a chilling coat of water,  \nas above her, the rain tumbled down, the boom and crack of thunder and lightning  \nroaring, yet the fawn felt no fear at the storm - her eyes wide, she slowly rose and  \ninstinctively shivered, sending the water rippling from her pelt as she rubbed her eyes  \nand clopped slowly over to the cot where Aleisha's lifeless body lay peacefully.  \nBlinking, Katelyn felt the stinging tears, as she stroked her paw across Aleisha's cold  \ncheek.\n\n\"Sleep now - mother.\" Katelyn whispered softly, as the tears began to slide down  \nher cheeks. \"You sleep now - \"\n\n\\*\n\nSpending the day sheltering in the ruins, Katelyn cuddled her limp, lifeless kitten, her  \ntears long since having dried - and no more were left to fall. As the storm moved off,  \nKatelyn crept from hiding and moved like a wraith through the quiet city, picking her  \nway over the debris and destruction, as she made her way into the remains of the city  \npark.\n\nWhere it was once a thing of beauty - it was now a ruined, torn apart wreck. Statues  \nhad been shriven from their mountings, trees had been uprooted and the lake itself  \nwas now a muddied, stinking bog - littered with corpses and refuse - the water having  \nvanished into a fissure that had opened beneath it.\n\nA single rosebush remained of the once magnificent gardens and Katelyn broke the  \ntired, withered flower, and laid it in the box she carried - the box that contained her  \ndead kitten. Slowly, she sank to her knees, feeling the cold, uncaring loam beneath  \nthem, as she began to dig - her paws moving mechanically, as she scraped at the earth  \nrelentlessly - the tears once again coursing down her muzzle.\n\n\\*\n\nSobbing, her body slick with mud, Katelyn kneeled at the edge of the freshly dug  \ngrave, as she bravely bit back her tears. Her golden hair shimmering in the afternoon  \nsunlight, the white dappling on her back glinting - but it was the tear that slowly  \ntracked its way down her muzzle, that caught the light and sent a sparkle of gold  \nshimmering from it, as she knelt on the wet grass and lay a single, withered rose on  \nthe freshly turned earth...beside this new plot, were two others, only recently had they  \nhad more wilted flowers on them.\n\nAs she raised her tear-streaked muzzle to the sky, her brown eyes filled with sadness,  \nas she watched the blood-red sky - as fire streaked down from the heavens....\n\nAt last - Katelyn understood what they meant....\n\nEND  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n  \n\n"}