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Broken Home

Chapter One

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

26th April 2023

All Rights Reserved

An old grey wolf sat at a rough timber table - obviously hand-crafted. His tail poked through the back of the equally crude wooden chair and slowly wagged from side to side, as if it had a mind of its own. Hesitantly he pecked at the laptop keyboard, as he set about writing his memoirs – his mind on what he was doing, not what was currently happening outside.

“I am - “ He sighed and tapped the backspace key, then started again. “I was a soldier. Trained for years, to fight another’s war for them. Expendable. An asset, nothing more. Not a person – just a serial number and an expendable asset. Let me assure you, in the last great war, a lot of we 'assets' were expended by Generals and others – for what? We've had peace now for forty years... What was it for? What was – any – of it for? I wish I kne...”

One ear flicked as he heard a sound from outside – close outside. With a sub-vocal growl from his throat, he snatched up the double-barrelled shotgun he kept near his front door. “You bloody thieves!” He snarled as he tore the log cabin door open. “I swear – I'll nail your tails to the front door! See if I don't...”

As he stepped on the porch, he could smell deer – and worse – the scent of trampled vegetables from his beloved garden. A few stragglers looked up, their ears pricking forwards before their tails snapped upright and they scattered, making frightened bleats and grunts which alerted the others.

“Go on, get!”

He roared, then raised the shotgun to his shoulder, pointing it skywards, and squeezed both barrels. A deafening bang split the morning air, birds screaming and taking to the sky, the deer bleating and fleeing in all directions. Their lustrous white tails raised in warning as they bounded and cleared the log fence on the edge of the property.

With a sigh, Alexander growled, his grey-flecked muzzle wrinkling back in a snarl as he cracked the shotgun and pulled two smoking cartridges out, cordite smoke puffing from the open barrel, making the grizzled wolf's eyes water and nostrils twitch painfully.

“Go on, get! You got a whole forest to eat, you don't need my garden! God damned deer!”

Resting the open shotgun over the crook of one furred arm, Alexander grumbled and went to check on his vegetables. Some had been ravaged by the deer; eaten down to the stem. Others had a bite or two taken out of them and more had been trampled into mush. With a heavy sigh, he looked over his garden and then shook his head.

“Give me strength, I don't ask for much, just a nice crop to take to the markets, I live on my own and try to be self-sufficient...”

A weak, bleating cry came from the direction of the back of the house. One of his ears flicked back and he lifted his nostrils to the sky, but the wind was blowing in the opposite direction. Again that cry rang out, sounding to his predator's ears like the perfect prey – scared, hurt and – above all else – weak.

Snapping the shotgun closed and resting it on his shoulder, Alexander marched around the side of the house then the back before he stopped, staring wide-eyed. A young deer had tried to clear the fence and gotten itself stuck. Its front cloven hooves barely touched the ground, the hind ones snagged the top rail and held its rump up off the ground a good three or more feet.

With a snarl, Alexander marched to the nearby willow tree and tore a thin, whip-like branch off. Curling his left fist, he stripped the leaves off the branch, then slashed it through the air, listening to the swish. “I'm going to tan that tail of yours and gods help me if I catch you or any of your friends...”

As he advanced, his furred fingers curling tighter and tighter, he heard the deer squeal in genuine fright – its struggles growing as it fought to free itself. “I swear, when I get done with you...”

He paused, arm back ready to strike before the terrified deer's tail twitched, and it bleated in fright, its whole body trembling from ankle to tail tip. Something stayed in Alexander's paw just as he stared into the wide, terrified eyes of the deer. He saw something in those eyes, some deep, soulful, and sorrowful look, almost as if it knew it had done the wrong thing and was trying to ask for forgiveness.

“Alright_–_” Alexander growled, as he looked at the trembling deer. “This can go one of two ways... You don't kick – I won't turn you into a lovely stew. Now, stand still!” With a frightened bleat, the deer twitched nervously as Alexander reached out and gently touched the back of the left shin.

“Easy...” Carefully, he wrapped his furred fingers around the ankle and then paused, before he frowned and looked at the other ankle nearby. “No, this won't work, that won't work at all, I'd accidentally end up hurting you more than_–_”

Twisting its head back, the frightened deer gazed back at him without even twitching a single whisker on its muzzle, its eyes wide and fearful. As Alexander reached up, the deer visibly flinched and dropped its head, almost like it was afraid of what was coming.

“I… now that was interesting...” Alexander murmured to himself, as he ever so gently placed his paw on the back of the deer's rump and gave a careful caress. Feeling the trembling of the muscles and watching the pelt ripple. Alexander frowned, “Easy young one, I won't hurt you.”

Whether his words or his touch, the timid deer slowly turned his head back, glancing side-eyed at the fearsome predator who stood behind it. It was helpless – it knew it. Any second this wolf, who was not a wolf would...

A convulsive shiver ran through its body from nose to tail and it bleated loud and long in pure cervine terror.

“Hey! Stop that, I haven't hurt you! Now, come on – quit it! I'm not going to hurt you! I know you're scared little one and...” Alexander's nostrils flared as he caught a scent – subtle and alluring – one he'd almost forgotten. His primal mind, conjured up images of a doe, gasping and struggling, powerful fangs at her throat, cutting off her air, the taste of blood and flesh...

STOP IT – Alexander told himself mentally. I'm not some mindless, ancestral savage! Another thought came through his mind. That is the scent of a Doe – you know it – but it...not a Doe either...

Placing a paw lightly on the deer's tail, feeling the poor thing whimper and tremble, Alexander gently moved the tail and looked – really looked – and he shook his head and quickly let the tail go.

“You does don't have antlers or...” Timidly, the deer whimpered again and of its own accord, hung its head almost in shame and guilt – moving its back legs as awkwardly as it could, giving the old wolf the fright of his life... Pressed hard against the top log – was a sheath and just near the curve of the pale groin was, obviously, a set of furred testicles.

“A...what the hell are you?” Alexander gasped, slumping back to rest on his buttocks, his muzzle hanging open. “A...” You know what you saw old man – His mind taunted him. Its neither a Buck – or – a Doe, is it? Its a hermaphrodite deer. “No, that's not–” Alexander's exhalation rushed from him, as he shook his head and looked again. With a frantic bleat and a weak struggle, the deer got its right leg between the first and second rail – with a squeal, it panicked and twisted it, then there was a soft crack and the deer shrieked in pain and terror.

“No, stop!” Alexander snapped sharply. “You foolish deer! you've – no, I know that sound... Oh Gods, what am I going to do with you– you've broken... It'd be a kindness to just...” Placing his right paw on his hip, he began to grip the antler handle of the razor sharp knife. As he started to extract it the deer went limp and seemingly lifeless, surrendering itself. It very slowly lifted its head, awaiting the end it knew would be coming.

“What the hell–” Alexander gasped, staring. “You... you know what–” Its furred lips quivering, the broken leg excruciating in its intense pain, the deer lifted its head and neck higher, then swallowed and rolled its tear filled eyes back to look at him, almost as if begging for him to put it out of its misery.

“No, I won't do that young one… I couldn't! Please, I know you're hurt, and scared and... Just – please? Trust me? Just for a moment.” Its tears starting to trickle down its furred cheeks, the Deer looked back, then it gave the barest of ear flicks. Quickly, Alexander dropped the knife back into its sheath as he walked away – hearing the panicked cries behind him.

“I know what I'm doing! If I try to lift you up, you'll get even more hurt – now, please, as I said, trust me...” Looking at his hand made fence, Alexander pulled and tugged, his powerful biceps flexing as he managed to pull the top rail out of the fence. Gripping it tight, he lowered it to the ground, then walked over to the other one.

“Alright, please little one, I beg of you, don't try to run. I'm going to place this down on the ground – slowly – right...now.” As carefully as he could, Alexander lowered the fence, watching the shaking deer slowly lowered to the ground. When its four hooves touched the ground, the deer squealed and took a quick leap forwards, before it shrieked as the broken leg twisted and went helpless.

“Gods damn you, you stupid, silly deer!” Alexander's temper exploded, before he rushed over and grabbed the hysterical deer by the antlers and wrestled it to the ground, ending up having to lay in a scissor type hold to hold it down. It squealed and struggled for twenty minutes, then when it realised it couldn't escape, with a sobbing whimper, it lay its head down and surrendered to the inevitable. It's terrified heart pounded against its ribcage and its body was soon slick with sweat. Scents of fear and pain filled Alexander's nose – scents he cared not one bit to remember.

“Now, please… stop it–” Alexander spoke quietly. “I will need to pick you up, but first, I want you to be as calm as you can... I don't want to hurt you. Please, I want to help you – I know a Veterinarian.” With a whimper, the deer swallowed and Alexander ever so carefully pulled himself off it, keeping its head held down by the antlers. Expecting it to try anything – he knelt on the ground, then cautiously lifted his paw.

“Good, very good!” Alexander huffed softly, then as he reached out, the deer flinched and squeezed its eyes tightly shut. Gently, Alexander stroked the deer's slick neck, his paw pads sliding down, feeling a surprisingly deep indentation in the fur about mid-way down the neck.

“What... that's–” Carefully, he placed two fingers there, then three, before he frowned, the deer helplessly quivering under his touch – as if remembering something extremely painful from it.

“A collar? No...these – look at the fur! How its been rubbed down so much, not a collar...not a dog collar or something...” His mind cast itself back to the Great War – prisoners like himself, shackled with iron, choking collars around their–

“Oh, you poor, poor thing...” Alexander moaned, then his anger threatened to explode from within him. “What cruel, sadistic–” Fighting his anger, Alexander shuddered and breathed out, placing his paw lightly on the trembling cervine's shoulder.

“Alright, easy...I'll try to be as gentle as I can and–” Bracing himself, Alexander slipped a paw under the deer's front legs, around the wet chest, then nervously reached under the hind legs.

“I..um...” Alexander laughed nervously, then his fingers brushed over something he was absolutely sure shouldn't be there. Is that an udder...and teats? Snatching his hand back, Alexander crouched even lower, putting his muzzle on the ground to look between sheath and scrotum. His eyes took in what his fingers assured him he'd felt.

“Oh...oh...” Alexander gasped, then looked away. “I'm sorry, but... I don't want to hurt you, or stress you little one, but I got to carry you...and...” Fearfully the deer swallowed a lump in its throat and trembled, before Alexander's strong forearms reached under and lifted it, holding the surprisingly lighter than expected deer close to his chest. It quivered, its four legs hanging limply. It made no attempt to struggle or kick, even though its broken leg must be hurting it terribly. As quickly, but as carefully as well, Alexander made his way back to his cottage and carried the deer inside – he expected it to freak out, to struggle and scream and fight – it merely took a quick look around, then squeezed its eyes closed and bleated in pain.

“I know, I know...” Alexander murmured sweet words, wondering why he bothered. This was a feral deer – a very rare feral deer – but a feral deer nonetheless. It should have been struck dead just from the pain of the leg, let alone being brought inside someone's house!

“Where can I put you...” Alexander murmured, then looked at his bed. Taking a step towards it, the Deer's eyes went wide and it squealed, beginning to tremble violently.

“Woah, hey, easy!” Alexander gasped, barely able to hold it. “Alright, alright – not...there.” Why are you so afraid of the bed... Alexander pondered, then felt nausea rise up his gullet, until he wrinkled his dewlaps and swallowed the bitterness that followed. No, no, they...wouldn't have...would they? Turning away, he walked over to the old, dilapidated couch, then very carefully lay the deer down, feeling its quiet acquiescence, yet smelling its extreme pain and fear.

“Okay, okay, now...let's see... I don't have any painkillers I can give you, I'm not a veterinarian...he's at least three quarters of an hour away... There's got to be something I can do for... Wait! I got an idea, its one you're not going to like, I'll like it even less–” Quickly, Alexander ran over to the fireplace, grabbing two long sticks he used to light the fire, then snapping them. Rushing back across his cabin, he began digging through an old military pack, at last, finding two five-foot lengths of rawhide that were flexible and thin enough to plait or use as an emergency splint. Turning back to the quivering and panting deer, Alexander sighed quietly, then knelt down and gently stroked the flank. Each touch made the deer twitch, almost as if it were expecting to be beaten, not shown kindness and mercy.

“Those cruel bastards...” Alexander growled quietly. “What did they do to you... You were obviously abused – that collar around your neck – did they have you chained up? Did they...no, you can't answer my questions – can you.” With a tremble, the deer turned its head away, looking in the opposite direction and visibly trembling, before it did the unexpected; it fearfully lifted its broken leg up as high as it could, the lower part just below the knee making an unnatural grinding sound. Alexander winced, then pet the deer again, before he ever so gently slipped his fingers under the leg and lifted it so it was more or less straight. He wasn't surprised when the deer screamed – then mercifully – fainted.

*

“Alexander, I hear you got yourself an unexpected house guest - “ Laughed Richard, as he climbed out of his van and shook the wolf's paw. “A most interesting – house guest...”

Alexander sighed and shook his head. “I've seen plenty of deer – plenty – I've...look, I'd like to stay and shoot the shit, but that poor thing is in agony, so...”

“Oh, sure, right – absolutely!”

*

Alexander did what he could to help, as Richard shuddered and ever so gently applied a plaster cast over the broken leg. “It doesn't look really broken, like put this poor thing to sleep, broken – but – yeah... you said it looks like someone–”

Alexander felt his dewlaps curling back, he couldn't help it. “Those bastards–”

“Woah, hey, easy my friend, easy!” Richard gasped suddenly. “Alright, I'll just...” Quickly, he produced a small vial and a syringe with a fine gauge needle. “I'd prefer to do this at the clinic, so we'll go...two milligrams should work.”

Gently pinching the deer's scruff, he slid the needle home and depressed the plunger, the anesthetic quickly putting the deer into a deep sleep. “He..her..gods – what do you call a hermaphrodite deer? Well, anyway – he'll sleep for a good eight hours or so... Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to do a quick once-over. I promise, I won't hurt him!”

Alexander shuddered and nodded, walking away and sitting on the wooden chair, resting his head in his paws.

“I didn't need this, I just didn't...”

Richard gave the deer a thorough examination, including in ways that made Alexander shudder and turn his head away. After two hours, Richard shuddered and drew out another needle and syringe, then a third and a vial.

“I thought -” Alexander asked.

“You don't want to know - “ Richard shuddered. “No, you...don't – first injection is a broad spectrum antibiotic, it'll help boost it's – sorry – his – overall immune system. Second, is a specific high dosage of a hormonal stabilizer.”

“It'll...what?” Alexander asked, confusion showing on his muzzle.

“Well, I can't begin to imagine what this poor deer suffered – I just won't… I can't verify it just by observation and examination, but I suspect he definitely wasn't a...pet...no, I won't tell you, as much as I respect our friendship, there are things I just will not say... Trust me, just...trust me... you don't want to know.”

Alexander's tail tucked between his legs and a low, whimpering whine escaped his throat as he looked from his friend, then to the unconscious deer. “If I ever found them...I swear–” Alexander growled suddenly, his fear turning to white-hot anger within him in seconds. “What did they do to her...” Alexander peeled his gloves off, then walked over into the small kitchen and began boiling a kettle. “You'll want this cup of tea.” Richard sighed quietly.

TO BE CONTINUED...