FSE

Furry search engine

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The day started out normally enough for me. Explosions in the woods near by, wolves barking orders to their men, others coming back on stretchers. You know, the usual.

The castle we live in had a protective wall that didn't allow the cats to get in. Now, I'm not talking your usual house cats here. I'm talking about the lions, tigers, panthers, and a slew of others. They're our sworn enemy and they want this castle. It's the soldier's jobs to make sure that doesn't happen.

Me? I'm just your typical grunt wolf. Dark black fur and a white muzzle. That's me, boring ol' Markus. If anything sets me apart it's probably my light blue eyes. I've gotten a lot of complements from the ladies about that.

Of course, my slight belly and lack of being a warrior usually doesn't make me the most likely choice for a mate for the ladies. Not that I mind. I would rather have one of those warriors myself, if you know what I mean.

Typically I do mundane tasks such as cooking or cleaning. I steer clear of those felines. The cats aren't bigger than us, but man they can put up one hell of a fight with their magic. Yeah, the cats use magic. Not only do they have claws and can maul me to death, they can light me on fire too! I'm a lover not a fighter, although I'll admit I'm lacking in both departments at the moment.

There I go getting off subject. Anyway, the day was warmer than usual, the warrior wolves panted as they quickly moved about the castle securing the walls and making sure no enemies snuck in while the main offense battled out in the forest.

The fighting had gone on for weeks now. We weren't really sure why they wanted this castle so much. It didn't really hold any strategic value to them. That we knew of anyway. Maybe they just wanted to rub it in our face. I don't know, and frankly I don't care. I just wish they'd go away.

Today I was assigned to cook food for the warriors. They wore their armor proudly, sitting around the tables. They laughed and talked about their exploits out in the battlefield. I had to admire them, the stories they told had me shaking a bit, and they told it like it was the time of their lives. What I wouldn't do to get under the armor of one of those big, sexy...Sorry, cooking, gotta focus on that.

I was cooking a stew. I'm a fairly good cook. Probably how I got this belly of mine. The warriors love my cooking. It's about the only thing they complement me on. They don't treat me all that badly, I can deal with it. I just wish there was something I could do to stand out to one of them.

I handed a wolf some stew. He was probably a few years older than I was. His strong, muscular build was hidden behind his extremely heavy looking battle armor. It shined brilliantly in the sunlight. His grey fur was accented with white and brown on his muzzle. He was an exceptionally attractive male.

He looked up at me with his deep brown eyes and extended a paw to take the bowl from me. "Thanks," he said and went back to talking to his friends. That was about the typical reaction I got. I was used to not having people pay attention to me.

A few hours of cooking later and my shift was over. I was free to enjoy the rest of the day. If that's possible while a war is going on right outside your home. The castle grounds were large enough to explore a little and find a bit more quite of an area than the hustle and bustle of the common area.

Before I could wander off very far, a guard came into the common area saying something about how he'd caught a cat. It was pretty rare that we got prisoners. Usually the cats fought to the death. Some would call it proud, I call it crazy.

I went over to the crowd and sure enough, a snow leopard laid on the ground tied up and unconscious. He had white fur with black spots scattered over his head and neck. His muzzle remained pure white though. He wore very light armor, mostly leather with some metal plates near the chest area. I'm sure when he woke up he wouldn't be too happy to see his current situation.

"Alright, that's enough staring," the warrior said. It seems he was the one that caught and carried in the feline. I recognized him as Relos. He's one of the commanders of the wolf army, and an old friend from my childhood. We use to be really close, that is until he became a warrior. Apparently it's not cool to hang out with a wolf that can't kill everything in sight.

Relos stood easily seven feet tall. He was big, even for a warrior. He was the alpha of his group and he was strong enough to defend that rank if anyone were to challenge him for it. His battle armor covered all but his head. He never liked to wear a helmet, said it blocked his vision too much. He paid the price for that, with several small scars on his muzzle and head. Still, the ones that caused the minor scrapes had far worse fates. Aside from where the scars were, he had grey fur all over his head. He had a black stripe that went from the very tip of his black nose, between his eyes, and down the back of his head, spreading bigger as it went.

He looked around the crowd with his brilliant amber eyes. I'd never admit it to him, but he was probably the most attractive wolf I'd ever met.

My thoughts were interrupted when Relos spoke again. "Is anyone off duty currently? I'm gunna need a guard for this guy for the night. At least until I can find a replacement," he said with a commanding tone.

I hadn't even realized it when I saw that I'd raised my hand. I was eager to impress my secret crush.

Relos looked over at me and his expression softened a little. "Markus. Good to see a wolf I can trust. Alright, I'll carry this guy into a cell and chain him up. You have to stay inside with him, make sure he doesn't try anything. These cats are good at getting out of these types of situations," he said the word cats with a slight hint of disgust.

I hadn't realized what I'd just agreed to. A night with a bloodthirsty warrior ready to kill his guard. Great. "Umm, ok," I said trying to sound braver than I felt. I don't think it worked because I'm pretty sure I heard a few snickers in the crowd.

I followed Relos into a dark hallway in the castle. It was the prison. All the cells were empty. We almost never had a cat prisoner. I'm not sure if that was by their choice or ours. He was carrying the leopard on one shoulder and walked like the weight of the cat was nothing.

We eventually reached the cell in the far back of the hallway. He opened the door and brought the feline inside. He set him down surprisingly gently onto the dust covered bunk. He untied the ropes and instead shackled the prisoner's paws behind his back. A chain connected the cuffs to the wall. The cat wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"All you gotta do is watch him for tonight. I'll have someone else take over for ya after that. Don't worry too much, he's not gunna do anything," Relos said.

He then handed me a cell key. "In case things get too crazy, just get yourself out and lock the door behind ya. Run to the nearest warrior and let them know what's going on. You can't take one of these guys," he said. The words stung a little, I'll admit.

With that he walked out the door and closed it behind him. He looked at me and smiled. "Thanks Markus. It was good seeing ya again too." Then he was gone. I was all alone with the leopard, wondering what would happen when he woke up.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed while I sat on a small stool in the cell. There was no light except for the lamp that hung outside in the hallway. It burned a bright light that actually lit the small cell surprisingly well. The oil would last well through the night before it would need changing.

The cell was your typical castle prison cell. Stone block walls encompassed three of the four walls, the ceiling, and the floor. The last wall was covered in iron bars. A small hole in the stone used for a toilet sat in one corner. The castle had a form of pluming that some of the smarter wolves thought up. Don't ask me how it works, it just does, that's good enough for me.

Aside from that, there was a small bed that the leopard was laying on. Then there was the leopard himself. He was facing toward me and I could see his features much better now that I had time to look at him.

I found myself staring at his face. I don't know what to call it. I guess you could say I was fascinated by him. His muzzle was shorter and more rounded than a wolf's. He also wasn't nearly as strong as our wolves. I guess he must use magic to make him a much bigger threat because right now even I wasn't that afraid of him.

I hadn't realized I had gotten up off the stool I was on and was sort of standing over the cat. That is, until he opened his eyes. He looked directly at me, his piercing gaze made me jump back to the far wall.

He didn't react quite like I'd thought he would. If it were me, I'd be thrashing around trying to get free. Instead he just looked around the room, studying it. Then he fixed his gaze on me again. I felt his emerald green eyes look into mine. It was almost like he was digging into my mind.

"What is this place?" he said more annoyed than angry.

I was shocked. It hadn't occurred to me that he might actually be able to speak our language.

He just stared at me, waiting for me to answer his question.

"You...you're in the wolf castle. You're our prisoner," I said. I hadn't thought to lie to the cat. There didn't seem to be much reason to.

"I see," he said simply. He shook his arms and realized his paws were bound together. "Seems I'm not going anywhere."

I had slightly regained my composer now. He hadn't turned me into a pile of ash yet, so I figured it was safe. I went back to my stool and sat down. I wouldn't admit it but I had a lot of questions I wanted to ask the cat. I knew I should just sit tight and guard him until it was time to leave.

After a few minutes it was him that broke the silence. "So, wolf. Why are you stuck here with me? You gettin punished for slackin off? Your belly would suggest so," the leopard said with a grin.

That made me angrier than I should have let it. "First off, the name's Markus, and second, I'm your guard because I chose to be," I was nearly shouting.

The feline shrugged and said, "Fair enough. So what do you plan to do with me?"

"We..." I realized I had no clue.

"I see they didn't tell you. Guess that's for the best. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," he said still grinning.

"You're sure taking your imprisonment pretty well," I admitted.

He looked at me and said, "What would panicking do at a time like this? It's best to keep calm and figure out how to make the best of the situation."

This cat was way too laid back. It gave me the creeps. If I were in his position I'd be begging and crying to be let go by now.

"Well, Markus," he said, "I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Jarred. Spell caster and not a bad hand to hand fighter. If I do say so myself. Good to meet you."

"I doubt you mean that," I admitted.

He shrugged and said, "Who knows."

We were both silent for a while. Eventually I broke the silence, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"So how do you know our language? Is that a common thing among your people?" I asked.

He smiled and said, "Not too common, but my people like to know our enemy. We study you guys, learn your ways, and find your weaknesses. As you can tell, we're not exactly the strongest of creatures, so we rely on our brains to keep us alive."

I was almost sorry I'd asked. "How did you get caught then?"

He frowned for the first time since I'd seen him awake. "I made a mistake," he said and quickly changed the subject, "So. You been guarding people long?"

"Actually, you're my first," I admitted. What harm could come from it?

He smiled again. I wasn't sure what kind of thoughts were running through is mind. It made me a bit uneasy, but I tried my best not to let it show. "So what do you do here then?"

"I'm...a cook," I said. To my people, being a cook was a pretty lame job.

He was the exact opposite though. "Really now? That's interesting. What kind of things do you like to cook?" he asked, genuinely interested.

I started listing off recipes I used and was surprised to find that he was interested in them all. He would stop me and ask how some things tasted or why I used a certain ingredient. Eventually I realized I'd been rambling about it for quite a while. "Are you a cook or something?" I asked him.

"Almost every spell caster is a cook as well," he admitted. "I mean, think about it. How different is cooking from spell casting? You need the right ingredients, the right conditions, and the proper skill in order to cast a spell successfully. That should all sound pretty familiar to what you do."

I hadn't really thought about it like that. It sure made cooking sound a lot less like a lame job when I thought about it. "So you're saying I could be a spell caster?" I said partly joking, but actually very curious.

"Who knows," he said with a grin.

That answer didn't satisfy me at all, but I didn't push the subject any more. It was stupid to bring up anyway.

The cat looked me over, studying my features. It was slightly uncomfortable being under his gaze. I felt like he knew everything about me by just looking at me. Eventually he just chuckled and said, "Interesting."

Before I could ask him what he was going on about, a warrior came to the cell. "Hey," he said to me, "It's morning. I'll take over from here. Time to get some information from our little friend here," The large wolf had a wicked grin on his face and I didn't want to know what he meant by that. "You did good, you can have tomorrow off."

I walked out of the cell and as I was about to leave, I heard from behind me, "Was nice talking to you Markus. Have a good day," Jarred said.

It was strange. He sounded so sincere. It was like he didn't hold any grudge against me at all. I just ignored him and walked past the warrior.

I went to my house. It was a small building inside the walls of the castle. It was only slightly bigger than the prison cell, now that I thought about it. I flopped down on my much more comfortable bed at least. As I lay there, I couldn't help but think about the leopard. He wasn't anything like what the warriors talked about. They made the cats out to be brutal savages. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep thinking about Jarred.

I was awoken several hours later to a knock at my door. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and groggily walked over to the door. I opened it and was surprised to see Relos standing on the other side.

"Hey Markus," the wolf said. He looked frustrated.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"That damn cat. I can't put anyone on guard duty for him. He keeps freaking them out and they leave the cell running off like a scared pup. I don't know what he's doing to them," he said.

"So why are you telling me?" I asked.

"Well, you're the only one that stayed with him the whole night and didn't freak out. Maybe whatever spell he's using doesn't work on you. Or maybe he just wants a weaker guard or something," suddenly he realized what he said. "Oh, sorry Markus, I didn't mean it like that."

"No, don't worry about it," I assured him.

"Would you, maybe want to guard him at night? My men will absolutely not go near him at night. He's much easier to manage during the day," he said.

I wasn't sure what he meant by easier to manage during the day, but once again, I thought with my other head. "Sure, I'll try it," I decided.

Relos's expression softened and he smiled brightly. "Thanks a ton Markus. If you need anything, like food, or whatever, just find a warrior and tell him. He'll get whatever you want. Or he'll answer to me," Relos said happily.

I wasn't sure which was better. Having Relos's approval, or being able to boss around a warrior for once. Either way, I was glad to see the wolf so happy and to know that I'd caused it.

Relos left quickly, he was a busy guy after all. I got dressed and went down to the prison again. I walked to the last cell and saw a guard outside. Once he saw me he let out a sigh and walked over. "Here's the key. Good luck in there," he said. With that he tried his best not to run out of the prison.

I walked over to the cell, confused as to why everyone was so scared of the leopard. I fiddled with the key and opened the door, then walked inside. I looked over at the cat and almost dropped the key. His face was slightly bruised and had a cut lip. He was lying on the bed, a defiant look in his eyes. His expression softened when he saw me. "Well, if it isn't Markus," he said, his voice coarse like he hadn't had a drink since I'd last seen him.

"What...What happened to you?" I asked. My voice was shaky but I tried my best to hide it.

"Isn't it obvious?" he said with a smile, "They wanted information."

I felt sick. I guess deep down I knew this would be what would happen. He's a prisoner after all. He had no rights. It was his fate to be tortured until he told the wolves what they wanted to know, and then killed. I suddenly realized why they preferred to be killed in battle.

I didn't know what to do or say. "I'm sorry," I caught myself saying.

Jarred looked me over for a second and said, "Not like you had anything to do with it."

"I know. But I still don't think what they did is right," I said, then added, "If I leave really fast do you promos not to do anything?"

He looked confused and said, "Not much I could do anyway."

I turned and opened the cell, locked it behind me and ran down the hall. Eventually I found a warrior and said, "Hey, do you think you could get me some water and food brought to the cell I'm guarding?"

The warrior understood who I was without me even having to explain and said, "Right away sir."

I had to admit, it was nice to have a warrior call me sir. Anyway, I went back to the cell and sat on the stool. The leopard just looked at me, almost as if he was trying to figure out what I was up to without having to ask.

A few minutes later the guard came over and passed the food and water through a small hole in the bars. He didn't say anything, just turned and left as fast as he could.

When he was gone, I brought my seat much closer to Jarred. I carried the food and water with me and sat them down near by. I picked up the cup of water and brought it close to Jarred face. The leopard jerked back and looked at me puzzled.

"What're you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"You need a drink," I said simply.

"Do you know what will happen if they find out you gave me this? They would probably lock you up too Markus."

"I'd rather be locked up than have to watch you suffer," I admitted. I actually surprised myself with that.

Jarred eyed me for a minute. Maybe he was wondering if it was some sort of trick. I had no reason to be nice to him. Eventually his thirst won and he said, "Alright I guess. It's your life."

I held the cup up for him once again and he drank slowly. He tried his best not to drink it too fast, as he knew he wouldn't get more for a long time. When the cup was half empty, I pulled it away and set it on the ground.

I looked at the food. There was a bowl of stew, most likely my own from the day before and two pieces of bread. I grabbed a piece of bread and held it up for Jarred to eat. He took a small bite at first, but hunger took over and he couldn't help but eat it quickly.

I let him drink a little more, and then offered him some of the stew. It was awkward spooning food to him. It was like taking care of an infant or something. He took his first bite and his eyes lit up. When I pulled the spoon out, he said, "That's really good."

I blushed and said, "I uhh, I made it myself. It's from yesterday though. It tastes better fresh."

"Things always do," he agreed.

I kept spooning him food, until the bowl was empty. I picked up the last piece of bread and my stomach growled. I realized I hadn't eaten since the day before myself.

Jarred got a sudden guilty look on his face and said, "You eat that. You've been more than kind to me."

I tried to protest but he wouldn't allow it. Eventually I gave in and took the piece of bread. I tried to eat it slowly, make it last, but it was gone much too quickly.

Now I was sitting just inches away from the leopard. My eyes moved over his body and I realized he wasn't wearing his armor anymore. He wore some crummy clothes that were probably found in a ditch somewhere.

He noticed my gaze and said, "At least they gave me something."

I looked at his face, his ever persistent smile had returned. Even with the cut lip it was warming to see. "You really do know how to make the best of your situation," I said.

He laughed. "It's not so bad. So they beat me up a little, I've had worse. I got some good food out of it. I'd say it evened out."

I hoped, for his sake, that the "little" beating he got wasn't going to get worse.

Jarred interrupted my thoughts by saying, "You're a...strange wolf."

"Gee, thanks," I said, rolling my eyes.

"I didn't mean any disrespect," he was silent for a moment. "It's just that you didn't freak out like the other guards did and trust me, I did try it on you."

I thought about the night before and how he stared at me. I felt a little shaken up, but not to the point that I'd run out of the cell.

"That was magic?" I asked, "But how? You don't have any reagents and you couldn't cast anything with your hands tied up."

"Very simple spells don't require hand movements to cast. If you're good enough that is. And who said I don't have any reagents? Everything around you can be used for magic. You just have to know the right ingredients," he said with a grin.

I almost didn't want to ask the question, but I said, "What else could you do right now?"

He laughed. "Not much honestly. Parlor tricks at best. Nothing that could hurt you. Not that I'd want to."

I was relieved to hear that. So long as he was telling the truth, Jarred wasn't planning to kill me and escape. For now at least.

I looked at a small cut on his cheek. It was right in the center of one of his black spots. I wasn't sure why, but I reached over and touched his cheek gently. Jarred jerked his whole body back against the wall. He looked scared. I realized he had good reason to still not trust me.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking," I admitted.

The leopard looked at me with his piercing emerald eyes. It was like he was trying to read me. Like I was a puzzle that he was trying to solve.

"Please just don't touch me," he said simply.

"Yeah, sure. Sorry," I said again.

There was an awkward silence that lasted a while before it was broken by the appearance of a guard outside. "Morning sunshine," he said to Jarred. "Head on out, I'll take over for now," he said to me.

"Sure," I said. I walked toward the cell, opened the door and handed the key over to the guard. I looked back at Jarred. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what. Eventually I just gave up and left.

Back home I realized just how tired I was. I was hungry too. I scrounged up some food from my house and ate it. Once I'd finished I went straight to bed. I couldn't really sleep though. Thoughts kept running through my mind about Jarred. Mostly about how he was probably being tortured right now. Eventually I did manage to fall asleep.

I awoke with a jolt. Apparently I had been dreaming, but about what I couldn't remember. I saw that the sun was setting and I knew that I'd be summoned to guard Jarred again soon.

I decided to wash up a little down at the communal baths. I cleaned up as best I could and put on some fresh clothes. I went down to the dining hall and went to the chef for that day. Almost everyone was heading out as dinner was just ending. I grabbed a plate and asked the chef for a bit more than usual. Since he and I were somewhat friends, he agreed to give me a small bit more.

I carried the food to the prison and a guard at the entrance said, "You're just in time," he eyed my food. "Gunna eat that in front of the prisoner?" He had a mean grin.

"I...uh, yeah. Didn't have time to eat at the dining hall. Sucks to be him," I said trying to sound convincing. He bought it and let me through.

This time the guard was actually inside the cell with Jarred, but he really didn't like it. He was shivering and when he saw me, he stood up, handed me the key, and left.

I dreaded going inside and seeing how bad the leopard looked. He had a few more small cuts and bruises on his face but aside from that didn't look all that bad. I wasn't sure why but I didn't question it.

Jarred's expression was firm, cold, and even resentful, but when he saw me, it changed to the expression I'd grown use to. He grinned and his deep green eyes studied me again.

I made sure the coast was clear, locked the cell and slid my stool over to him. I sat down and held the plate of food on my lap. I could tell he wanted water far more than food though. This time I had brought my own canister of water with me. It was more than enough for the both of us for the night.

I let him drink his fill and he let out a sigh after he drank nearly a quarter of the container. I grabbed a slice of bread and held it for him to eat. He took bites off of it until it was gone. The chef had made some kind of chili. It wasn't all that great, but we both ate it. I offered him a spoonful, then took a spoonful of my own and repeated until the bowl was empty.

Finally, after we had both finished, he broke the silence and said, "I'm sorry about yesterday. It's just...I'm not sure who I can trust. For all I know, you're here to give me hope, build it up, so they can tear it down. Or maybe you're just here to get information from me. Or maybe..."

I cut him off and said, "It's alright. I know this isn't easy for you. I won't try to convince you that I'm doing this out of kindness. That's something you'll have to decide on your own."

He studied me again with his eyes. I understood why now. He was in a strange place, with strange people, who haven't exactly treated him that well. Then here I was, being nice to him. It would make anyone question their real motives.

"Thanks," he said simply. He yawned and I realized he probably hadn't been sleeping well to say the least. He rested his head on the bed and his eyes were slowly closing. He was obviously trying to fight falling asleep. Eventually he lost the fight and began to breathe heavily.

I sat and watched him sleep. He seemed peaceful. I figured he wouldn't wake up for a while.

A few hours passed and Jarred started to twitch in his sleep. I studied him, watching him dream. He moved his feet slightly, like he was trying to run but couldn't. He began to mumble. It was hard to make out what he was saying. Finally he shouted, "Derek!" and his eyes shot open.

When he realized where he was, he broke down. He started sobbing into the bed. I had no idea what to do. He was shivering and all I wanted to do was comfort him. I shakily extended a paw. I rested it on the back of his head. I felt his body tense up and for a second I thought I'd get the same reaction I did the night before. This time he slowly began to relax.

I stroked my paw soothingly over the back of his head and neck. He slowly stopped shivering as his sobs came less and less often. He tried to wipe his eyes onto the bed before turning toward me. "Damn it. It's annoying having my hands tied up like this," he said with a shaky laugh.

There was a small tear on his cheek, and I reached over and slid it off with my thumb. We locked eyes. I don't know how long it lasted, but we stared at one another. I realized that my hand was still holding his cheek and I tensed up. I pulled my arm back and said, "You...uh, you were talking in your sleep."

Once again his eyes seemed to try to read me, trying to see my thoughts. Eventually he said, "What was I saying?"

"I'm not sure about most of it. You weren't speaking loud enough. The only thing I heard was Derek."

Jarred winced when I said Derek. I looked at him, this time I was trying to figure out what he was thinking. It turns out I didn't have to.

"May as well trust him," Jarred said aloud. "Look. Remember when I told you that the reason I was caught was that I made a mistake?"

I thought about it for a minute and remembered what he was talking about. I nodded.

"Derek was a great guy. Someone I really admired a lot. Eventually, admiration turned to something more. I...I fell in love with him," Jarred said.

I tried not to sound shocked, but I couldn't help letting out a gasp. The leopard noticed and looked at me confused, then a look of understanding came to his face.

"Oh yes, I'd forgotten, your people don't take very kindly to that sort of thing. Our people are sort of the opposite. We find that even if a relationship is of the same sex, it's to be honored. It strengthens our troops in battle when two of us are fighting to protect one another. Unfortunately it can be our downfall as well. As was my case," Jarred sighed then said, "The reason I'm here is because my mate was wounded in battle. I was running to help him. I ignored all the lessons we learned. I let my need to save him get the better of me. Before I could reach him, he was struck down in battle. Then I was hit over the head and well...now I'm here."

I let what Jarred had just told me sink in. My head was spinning. It was the first time anyone had admitted to me that they were interested in the same sex. Then I hear their entire culture just accepts it like it's something to honor.

"I...I'm sorry about Derek. I really wish this stupid war would be over with. I don't even know what we're fighting over," I said. I was frustrated. There seemed to be no way for me to help Jarred. At best I was making him comfortable before he died.

"You seem to have taken me and him being together well," Jarred observed.

I froze. It was obvious that Jarred had figured out I was gay as well. "Umm...I well, I understand at least part of what you're going through," I managed to say.

"It must be difficult living here being who you are," Jarred said.

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. Where else is there to go though? This is it for me. Out there, there's nothing. I wouldn't survive a day. If your people didn't see to that, the animals out there would," I let out a sigh.

"That is a harsh situation indeed. I guess you do have some understanding of what I'm going through," Jarred decided.

Before I could respond I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I stood up and moved away from Jarred. The guard came in sight and said, "I'm here to take over."

I nodded and looked over at Jarred. I knew I shouldn't show that I'm on friendly terms with Jarred. We locked eyes and there was some sort of understanding. I walked away and he rested on his bed waiting for what the day would bring him.

Back at my home, I found myself something to eat. Having two meals a day was hard for me. I could only imagine what Jarred was going through having just one.

After eating, I dropped onto my bed and closed my eyes. It was hard to go to sleep thinking about the leopard sitting in the cell. Eventually sleep did find me.

I was dreaming that I was outside the city walls. I rarely ventured out there over the years but apparently I knew exactly where I was going. I walked for what seemed like hours before I came across a large temple. The walls were carved stone covered in vines. The ceiling was missing in some areas but for the most part, the building was whole.

I realized I wasn't alone. There were cats everywhere. Linx, tigers, lions, pumas, and various others. They were holding some sort of ceremony. In the center of the group was a single black panther laying on a pedestal. He was apparently dead. This seemed to be some sort of burial ritual.

The leader of the group came out holding a staff. The tiger wore a ceremonial kilt and various necklaces. He looked at the person, said a few words in a language I didn't understand, but then suddenly changed to mine. He said, "We honor the falling of a brave brother of our clan. Derek was a brave warrior who fought for the protection of our land."

He looked over the crowd who was in silent mourning then continued, "His mate, Jarred, is yet to be found. We fear he may be a prisoner of the wolves. In his absence, I have no choice but to put his mate's body to rest for him."

He looked at the body then held out his hands, he was casting a very powerful spell. His body began to glow a dull light blue. He said a few words and began to move his hands over Derek's body. The blue glow began to move from his body to Derek's. Finally, the glow seeped in and disappeared. It's hard to describe it, but his body did actually look at peace now.

"It has been done. May he find peace in the afterlife, and may Jarred find his way home," he said. It was the strangest thing. It seemed like he was looking directly at me when he said that.

I awoke with a start to someone knocking on my door. I opened it and saw the guard I'd seen last night. He looked terrible. He handed me the key and said, "Here, he's your problem now."

I realized I had slept in and would have to rush if I was to get food for Jarred and myself. I ran out the door and headed straight for the dining hall. I grabbed a bowl and walked over to the chef. He had some kind of soup and bread. Not the greatest meal, but since I wasn't cooking, I couldn't complain. After some pleading I managed to get a bit more soup and bread. The chef had to get rid of it that night anyway.

I walked into the long hallway that leads to Jarred cell at the end. I hoped the leopard was doing ok. I opened the cell door and stepped in. Jarred looked up. He had a new black eye, but aside from that, he didn't look in too bad of shape.

I closed the cell door and locked it. I tucked the key into my pocket then came over to sit next to Jarred. He tried not to eye my food, but I could tell he was starving.

I helped him once again, spoon feeding my friend. I was being a little more generous this time on his serving. I let him have the bigger portion of the food. I could eat again later, he couldn't.

After we had finished eating, I looked at his face. His eyes still shined their brilliant emerald green, but an ugly black eye now accompanied one of them.

"That looks painful," I said.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Jarred admitted. He seemed in fairly high spirits for his situation.

"You seem to be in a good mood today," I commented.

He grinned and said, "Thankfully the ceremony happened this morning. My mate can be at peace. I wish I could have been there, but at least he can finally rest now."

I was surprised, to say the least. If what Jarred was saying was true, my dream last night actually happened. I wasn't sure if I should say anything. He would probably think I'm crazy. I decided to build up the nerve and said, "I think I had a dream about that."

Jarred studied me again. He sat quietly for a while then finally said, "Did you see Derek?"

"Well, the tiger said that it was Derek on the pedestal. He was a panther, a very strong looking man. The tiger did some kind of spell, and well...I can't really describe it. He looked peaceful. I mean, more so than he did before," I said.

Jarred was fighting back tears. "Thank you," he said simply.

"Umm, you're welcome?" I replied.

"That means I can die without regrets," Jarred smiled.

A chill ran down my spine. I mean, I knew that this was ultimately what was going to happen. Still, it felt so final hearing Jarred talk about it. "Don't talk like that," I said, "Maybe they'll let you go once they get what they want."

Jarred laughed. "You're a kind person. But I'm afraid your fellow clansmen aren't quite so nice."

"Maybe I could convince them," I said.

Jarred suddenly had a serious look. "You can't do that. If they find out you've even been nice to me, they might punish you. It's not worth it. I'm not worth it," Jarred said.

"You are wroth it. You're a good person. You don't deserve any of this," I said. Before I even realized it, I had pulled Jarred into a hug. He tensed up again, but quickly relaxed.

I held him close, and could smell his distinct scent. Jarred wasn't protesting, and I, for some reason, didn't want to let him go. It took me a while to realize why. As I nuzzled his neck with my head I realized I had fallen for the leopard. I don't know when it happened. It was subtle. It wasn't just his looks or personality. It was just...because he was Jarred.

I pulled away from him, looking away. I felt ashamed. I knew this man's fate. I knew what would happen to him, yet it didn't change how I felt about him. "I...I'm sorry," I managed to say.

To my surprise he let out a light laugh and said, "For what? For showing affection to a person that's in desperate need of it?"

I looked up and saw the leopard's face. Only, it was much softer. Almost as if he had finally let his defenses down for the first time since he had come into this prison. He had decided to trust me fully in this very moment.

"I mean...You just lost your love, and here I am, being an idiot," I said.

Jarred smiled warmly and said, "Markus, it's said that during the ritual, the dead are given glimpses of the future. This vision always focuses on the people most important to them. If they don't like what they see, they won't accept the shaman's gift. What you saw was Derek accepting my future. Derek knows my fate, and whatever it may be, he was happy with the outcome. That's all the reason I need to accept what fate brings me."

I'm not sure if it was his soft smile, or his piercing gaze that set me off. I couldn't resist leaning in, slowly inching my muzzle closer to Jarred's. It felt so right, being just inches from his lips. He was the one that leaned in and closed the gap. Our lips met and I felt my head spin. Our tongues caressed one another's in a loving massage of passion. I slid a paw gently to the back of his head and held him close.

I had kissed some girls when I was much younger, but nothing prepared me for this. The texture of his tongue was so foreign to me, but in an intoxicating way. It slid over my own, sending shivers down my spine. I tried to suppress a moan but it stubbornly came out anyway. This seemed to make Jarred try even harder to hear it again.

The leopard slid his tongue far back into my muzzle, caressing every inch he could reach. I gasped and let out a deep moan. I was thankful we were the only two within earshot at this moment.

I slowly pulled away. I looked Jarred in the eye and nothing else mattered. No one else in the world mattered. In this moment we were all that was important in the universe. I stood and got the closer to the leopard than I ever had been.

I sat on his bed and wrapped my arms around him. I kissed his neck, causing him to purr gently. I had never heard such a sound before and it was intoxicating. I wanted to hear it more and more the more Jarred produced the sound. Gradually I was licking and nibbling on the leopard's neck. He held his head to the side allowing me all the room in the world to play with.

I slid a paw up his chest, sliding from one side to the other, then down to his navel, exploring every inch of his torso. He just continued letting out that sweet purring sound. Sometimes a gasp or moan would escape his throat as well, sending shivers down my spine.

I slowly slid my paw under his shirt and my paw touched his fur. I slid my paw up, over to one of his nipples and played with it a little while he sat back and enjoyed the sensation. Suddenly I realized that was because he had no choice in the matter. His hands were bound behind him.

I stopped and looked him in the eyes. "Are you ok with this?"

His eyes locked with mine and he kissed me deeply. That removed all doubt in my mind. I gently pushed him back onto the bed as we kissed. His hands rested behind his back, sandwiched between the bed and his body.

I lifted his shirt and exposed his naval. I slid my paw up and down it delighting in the sounds he made with every movement. I could feel my member swelling and begging to be released from its cloth prison. First I wanted to help Jarred out with that situation though.

I slid my paw down to his waistband and slowly slid his scrap of clothing off. It eventually fell to the cold stone floor. I nervously slid my paw up his thigh, to his perfect spheres between his legs and made my way to his shaft. I wrapped my paw around Jarred's fully erect member. He let out a gasp and purred deeply as I slowly stroked him. His tip was leaking pre that I used as lubricant for my stroking.

I broke our kiss and stood up. I took off my shirt and slowly stripped off my pants. My heart was racing. I had never been naked and fully aroused in front of someone before. I felt my shaft pulsing, happy to be free from its confines. My knot was already swollen, contrasting heavily against my black fur. What can I say, it was my first time.

Jarred looked at my shaft curiously. "That's different," he said looking at my knot.

I suddenly realized that he was lacking the same bulge. I blushed a little and said, "I...I hope it's ok."

He laughed and said, "I like it. Why don't you show me what you can do with it."

I didn't need to be asked twice. I went back to the leopard and laid down next to him. I licked and nibbled at his neck while my paws explored his whole body. I was no longer worried about where I could and couldn't go. Everything was open for me to explore. I slid a paw around his perfect butt, giving it a squeeze, rubbing the base of his tail and the small of his back.

I slid my paw to the front and rubbed his shaft. He let out a moan that just made me want him even more. I started licking further south, to his chest. I was lapping at one of his nipples, his shirt up to as high as it would go since it was impossible to take off. I continued down even further, licking at his navel. I felt his shaft brush against my cheek and decided it needed some attention.

I slid a paw to his balls and gently began to rub them. I moved my head toward the tip and gave it a quick lick. I had never tasted another man before, but I found the taste to my liking. I gave it another lick, then another. Eventually I was licking along the whole shaft. Jarred was gasping and moaning with every movement of my tongue.

I lifted his shaft up and licked my lips. I positioned my head right at the tip and took his member into my mouth. His scent, his taste, everything about him was perfect. I lapped at every drop of pre that he shot out as my head moved slowly up and down his shaft. He instinctively began to buck his hips in sync with my muzzle. His breathing became heavier as I moved my head faster. He couldn't hold back the moans anymore as he let out moans and purrs in an irresistible combination that drove me wild.

I knew he was getting close, but I wasn't done with him. I lifted my head off his shaft. He let out a sigh, obviously disappointed that he wouldn't be finishing right then. "Don't worry, I'll make it up to you," I said with a grin. Jarred let out a lustful growl.

I stood and positioned myself between his legs. He looked at me longingly. He wanted this just as much as I did. I looked into his eyes and he gave me a gentle nod of approval.

I licked my paw and slid it under his tail hole. Lacking lubrication would probably make this a bit more painful, but I wanted to ease that pain as best I could. The leopard had been through enough pain already.

I slowly began to push my moistened finger into his tailhole. He gasped loudly and I could feel resistance as he tried to relax. Eventually my finger made its way inside. I moved it around, reveling in every sound Jarred would make. He moaned loudly and for the first time I was thankful we were in a prison with no one around.

After I had worked my finger in and out several times, I added another. I was as gentle as I could be pushing into the leopard. I watched as pre poured out of his shaft, even more so when I slid a finger across his prostate. With that done, he was ready to take me.

I pulled my fingers out and licked my palm. I smeared the saliva all over my shaft. It mixed with my pre and made a fairly decent lubricant. I lifted his legs onto my chest and positioned my shaft at his tailhole, his thighs rubbing my belly.

I slowly pushed forward. I heard Jarred wince in pain a little bit, so I slowed down. I waited for a moment, and then continued forward. This time I was greeted with a pleasure filled moan.

I continued forward, half of my six inch shaft was now buried inside of Jarred's tailhole. I pushed until all that was left was my knot. I waited a moment for the leopard to adjust.

I slowly pulled out, hearing him gasp in pleasure. Just before I came out, I pushed myself back in. I started a slow rhythm, not only to make sure Jarred was well adjusted, but also because I didn't want this moment to end.

Instinct started to take over and I began picking up my pace. I reached down and started to stroke Jarred's shaft. It was covered in pre and well lubed. I synced up my paw with my thrusts and gradually got the hang of doing both at the same time.

Jarred let out moan after moan. His back was arched up as I pounded his tail hole. I picked up my pace even more, slamming into his back side. A light slapping sound filled the room as my shaft pistoned in and out of his tight, warm hole. My belly gently pressed against his legs.

Between moans Jarred managed to say, "Gunna...cum." Then he let out a powerful moan, almost a roar as he came. He shot his seed all over his chest and stomach, thoroughly coating his torso in his cum.

He was still moaning with every thrust into his body. "I want it...inside me," he said. I knew what he wanted. My knot demanded entrance into his hole, and Jarred wanted to let it in.

I started to push much harder than before, slamming my knot against his back side. I could feel it slowly starting to give under the pressure. It was so close, I could feel his tight hole stretching to accommodate my swollen knot.

With one final push I heard Jarred gasp as my knot entered his hole, tying us together. I thrust as best I could in the position, feeling my orgasm build in my body. I gave a few more powerful thrusts deep into the leopard's hole and let out a howl as my seed began to fill his body. I shot more than I ever had before. The feeling was incredible. Finally, I put Jarred on his side and laid down next to him. My knot keeping us close.

"Sorry," I said between breaths, "It takes a little while before I can get it out."

Jarred's paws could rub my belly now and he said, "I'm not complaining."

I nuzzled the back of his neck and gave it a playful nibble. Now I was more determined that ever. I needed to get Jarred out of here before they killed him. Even if it meant dying in the process.