{"sf1_id":2035318,"sf2_id":"B1Q8zV7n","title":"Chapter 11: Fox and Rabbit","author":"HeatherOBunn","words":14694,"posted_at":"2023-08-08T23:14:00.000Z","tags":["Buck","Cat","College","Cuddling","Date","Fear","Forest","Fox","Friendship","Hiking","Love","Mountain Goat","Mouse","Novel","Parents","Predator/Prey","Prejudice","Rabbit","Romance","Squirrel","Stoat","Tree","Vixen","Wolverine","attack","clinic","injury","trust"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2035318-chapter-11-fox-and-rabbit","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/B1Q8zV7n","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/71/9b/719b2862-a8a0-4052-9ecc-78e4dc601cc7","description":"#11 of Flora: A Tale from Vulpineva\n\nFlora and Pete start dating. This is the longest chapter in this novel.","content":"Chapter 11: Fox and Rabbit  \nFlora didn't get much sleep that night, tossing and turning with anxiety. After being  \nawoken by the fox three times, Cynthia asked Flora to move her to her own bed for the  \nremainder of the night. Flora started awake at the sound of her phone's alarm the next morning,  \nfeeling haggard. She quickly brushed her fur, donned her red Willowdale Pirates t-shirt, and  \nstuck her nose out in the hall: Pete wasn't waiting yet.  \n\"He's not out there,\" Flora fretted to Cynthia after closing the door. \"What if he isn't  \ncoming? I have to know how he feels!\"  \nCynthia looked concernedly up from her tiny bed where she was buttoning a black denim  \nskirt around her hips, \"It's early. We don't usually leave for another twenty minutes. Did you  \nsleep at all?\"  \n\"Some,\" Flora returned anxiously. \"But what if I scared him off? I, um, the last thing I did  \nbefore I left him last night was kiss him. Could that have been too much?\"  \n\"What kind of kiss are we talking about?\" Cynthia asked titilatedly. \"Did you use tongue?\"  \nFlora nodded nervously.  \nCynthia gasped, \"Really?! You stuck your tongue in his mouth the very first time!?\"  \n\"Wha-at? No! I, I only licked his nose!\"  \nCynthia's excitement was quelled, \"Oh. I doubt he got too upset then, unless he thought  \nit was weird. You licked his nose?\"  \n\"Was that wrong?\"  \n\"I don't know. Lots of people touch noses. I've never heard of licking it.\"  \n\"A little lap is a very common sign of affection for canids,\" Flora defended herself. She  \nfrowned worriedly, \"I suppose Pete wouldn't know that either.\"  \n\"You can explain it if he was confused. As long as you didn't say, 'You taste good,'  \nafterward, he probably wasn't too freaked out.\"  \n\"I hope not,\" Flora fretted.  \n\"I still need to use the restroom. You go too. Then we'll go get him if he hasn't shown  \nup,\" Cynthia directed.  \nFlora watched Cynthia leave then hurried down the hall to pee. Pete still wasn't waiting  \nwhen Flora returned, and she paced the room impatiently whilst she waited for Cynthia to make  \nit back from the basement bathroom. Finally, the door swung inward, and the mouse followed.  \nBut Flora didn't stop pacing.  \n\"Was he waiting?\" she asked anxiously.  \n\"It's still early,\" Cynthia replied.  \n\"Are you ready? We should go make sure he's alright!\"  \n\"I am if you grab my bag. Why wouldn't Pete be alright?\"  \nFlora grabbed her bag and Cynthia's then scooped up the mouse. \"I just want to make  \nsure,\" she explained.  \nShe hastened down the hall, through the stairwell, and down the next hall to room 328.  \nClutching Cynthia to her chest with one hand, Fora rapped on the door. It swung open to reveal  \nPete with his powder blue vest three-quarters buttoned down his white belly.  \n\"Flora? What is it?\" Pete whispered anxiously.  \n\"Eh? What that fuck? Who's pounding on what?\" the groggy voice of Pete's roommate  \nemanated from the room.  \n\"Pete, I-\"  \nPete quickly stepped through the door and shut it behind him, \"C-can we talk  \nsomewhere else?\"  \nFlora nodded, but it was difficult not to blurt out her question. She led Pete back to her  \nand Cynthia's room and set Cynthia and her things on the bed before removing the bag from  \nher back and setting it on her desk. She turned back to the confused rabbit and stared into his  \nblue eyes probingly.  \n\"Pete, um, I wanted to know, um,\" she swallowed, suddenly nervous to ask. \"Do, um, do  \nyou like me?\"  \nPete smiled at her shyly, \"I do.\"  \n\"I know you're my friend, but do you like me like, like; would you want to be my  \nboyfriend?\" she blurted the question.  \nPete's eyes widened while his ears turned red, and he quickly looked at his feet. Hands  \nbehind his back, he nervously kicked at the carpet with one furry foot, \"Would you want me to  \nbe?\" he murmured sheepishly.  \n\"Yes!\" Flora chirped emphatically. \"I want to hold you, Pete! I want us to be together!\"  \nPete looked up with a shy smile, \"I-I want that too, Flora. I just didn't think, um; I thought  \nmaybe foxes just, you know. I wasn't sure you felt the same way.\"  \n\"I do, Pete! I, I know it might seem strange, but I love you! I'm sure that's what this  \nfeeling is!\"  \nPete looked back down at his feet, still smiling shyly, \"I n-never thought I'd even have a  \nfriend like you, Flora, but, um, ever since the first time I saw you, I, uh, I knew there was s-  \nsomething different: the way my heart skipped a beat and I felt faint. I, um, I didn't understand  \nwhy you made me feel like that, but, but now I know it's because,\" he looked up bashfully.  \n\"Because I love you too. F-from the very first time I saw you, I knew I was meant for you; I just  \nthought, you know.\"  \n\"We're meant for each other then, Pete,\" Flora breathed. She stepped toward the rabbit,  \n\"Can I pick you up?\"  \nPete nodded shyly, and Flora stepped forward to grasp him under the arms and lifted  \nhim so that they were eye-to-eye. She was so elated, she hardly even noticed his weight. Pete  \nwrapped his arms around her neck, and they pressed their noses together. Then Flora pulled  \nback to give his nose a quick lick.  \n\"That's a way we foxes give the people we like a little kiss,\" Flora told him warmly.  \nPete pressed his nose against hers again, \"I guessed that's what it was,\" he murmured  \nback with tender amusement.  \nFlora set Pete down, and he wrapped his arms around her middle, pressing his nose into  \nher fur. Flora hugged him back and touched her nose between his long ears.  \n\"You two are adorable, but we're going to miss breakfast if we don't leave,\" Cynthia  \nsqueaked.  \nFlora and Pete broke apart, and both regarded the mouse embarrassedly. Flora had  \nalmost forgotten Cynthia was present. Pete ran back to his room to grab his bag, and then they  \nhurried to breakfast.  \nFlora noticed during breakfast that Pete kept stealing glances at her as if he thought she  \nmight suddenly disappear. Flora herself felt the urge to pinch herself just to make sure it was all  \nreal. She caught Pete glancing her direction again and smiled blissfully. If she could feel this  \nhappy simply eating next to someone, then they must belong together!  \nThey took Cynthia to her class then strolled through the warm September morning air  \ntogether, with Pete's left hand clasped in her right. It was still early and not between classes, so  \nthey only saw a few other students. They got some confused looks, but Flora felt like she was  \ngliding through the clouds and couldn't be bothered to notice them. After a while, they sat,  \npressed together, on one of the sun-bleached wooden benches beside the tan brick path. Flora  \nheld Pete's hand between both of her hands in her lap.  \nAfter a minute, she turned and nosed the base of his ear, \"I'm so happy, Pete,\" she  \nmurmured. \"I love you.\"  \n\"I love you too, Flora,\" he whispered. After a moment he went on, \"I don't care what  \nanyone else thinks. If anyone thinks it's wrong, they just don't understand.\"  \nFlora nuzzled his ear again, \"Don't worry about that now. We'll show them that they're  \nwrong. They'll have to see how right we are together.\"  \n\"I hope so,\" Pete murmured worriedly. \"I don't think my parents will.\"  \n\"I'm sure they want you to be happy, Pete.\"  \n\"They'll probably think it's a matter of alive or dead,\" Pete muttered darkly. \"Everything  \nthey told me about predators was wrong, but I don't know why they would have said it if they  \ndidn't believe it.\"  \n\"Let's just take things one step at a time,\" Flora soothed. \"We won't change their minds  \novernight, but eventually, they'll have to admit that you're still in one piece. Then they'll see how  \nhappy you are.\"  \nPete leaned his head against her shoulder, \"You're right, Flora. Eventually, they'll have  \nto see that you aren't how they said.\"  \nThey sat silently for a few more minutes before Flora spoke again, \"When is your writing  \nsection?\"  \n\"It's at ten.\"  \n\"Mine is in fifteen minutes, but I'll see you at lunch at eleven, okay?\"  \n\"Okay.\"  \nThey stood and slowly walked back across campus until they got to the building Flora's  \nclass was in. After a quick hug, Flora glided inside, still on clouds of bliss.  \nClass had been going for a few minutes before Flora noticed that the red foxes were  \ndirecting even more attention toward her than usual. They whispered to each other and cast  \nshocked, or even appalled, glances in her direction. Isabelle glared at her with open disgust. Dr.  \nMcLaughlin, as usual, was blind to all of it, droning on about the themes of this week's reading.  \nThey were currently studying the portrayal of foxes in fantasy. Red foxes were frequently  \ncast as benevolent wizards or, even more unimaginatively, as wise monarchs. One thing Flora  \nnoticed was that they seemed forces more for stability than for justice, which, she supposed,  \nmade sense. The book they'd read actually had a gray fox character, an affable thief, but little  \nclass time was devoted to him.  \nFlora didn't let this lack of attention to her species bother her because she felt the entire  \nclass was a waste of time, given the lack of critical analysis of the themes and stereotypes  \nportrayed. Occasionally, one of the other students tried to criticize one of these themes or  \nstereotypes, only to have the red foxes jump down their throat. Playing the part of false  \nneutrality, the professor did nothing to stop this, so the only points that were critically discussed  \nwere those less than flattering to foxes.  \nFlora was gratefully heading toward the stairs after the end of the drainingly dull class  \nwhen she caught a blur of auburn fur. A split second later, she was forcefully shoved against the  \nwall, her head bouncing painfully against the hard marble. She stared up into the snarling  \nvisage of Isabelle.  \n\"Do you think you can just sit there after flaunting it for everyone to see?!\" Isabelle  \nsnarled in rage.  \nFlora struggled to pull away, but the larger vixen gripped her shoulders tightly as she  \nheld her pressed against the wall. Her sharp claws dug into Flora's skin, and hot tears blurred  \nFlora's vision in response to the piercing pain.  \n\"I knew you were a sycophant to prey, but I never imagined you were such a  \ndegenerate!\" Isabelle growled. She spat the last word in disgust.  \n\"Leave me alone!\" Flora cried. \"I-it's none of your business! Help! Please help!\"  \nThere was a patter of paws, and then four red foxes, two tods and two vixens, seized  \nIsabelle by the arms and pulled her off of Flora. Flora crumpled to the floor with a sob of pain,  \nher head throbbing and shoulders burning. She could feel hot, sticky blood seeping into her fur  \nwhere Isabelle's claws had raked her skin.  \n\"You should be ashamed of yourself,\" someone snapped reproachfully.  \nFlora looked up and realized they were speaking to her, now recognizing one of the  \nvixens holding Isabelle as Katrina. Flora looked up at her dumbly, unsure how to respond.  \nKatrina sniffed disdainfully, and then the four red foxes led Isabelle away, speaking to her in  \nsoothing tones. After a few seconds, Flora forced herself to her feet with a wince of pain. She  \nwas going to have a nasty lump on her head, and she needed to get her shoulders cleaned up.  \nBut first she had to collect Cynthia from the study room downstairs. Flora stumbled to the  \nelevator and pushed the button for the basement.  \n\"Flora! Oh Zeus! What happened?!\" Cynthia cried as Flora limped into the study room.  \nShe grabbed her crutches and hurried over to her from the mouse-sized area.  \n\"Isabelle happened,\" Flora muttered darkly.  \n\"Are you alright?\" Cynthia squeaked in distress.  \n\"I guess so. She slammed me into the wall, and her claws scratched my shoulders. I just  \nneed to get cleaned up.\"  \n\"You need to get checked out!\" Cynthia disagreed. \"Sit down! I'll get someone to help!\"  \nTaking Cynthia's advice, Flora slumped in one of the chairs at an empty square of four  \ndesks. Cynthia returned to her seat and got busy with her phone. Five minutes later Chester  \narrived, quickly followed by Lance and Becca.  \n\"Are you alright, Flora,\" Chester yowled anxiously.  \n\"I think so,\" Flora murmured embarrassedly.  \n\"Lance, Chester, you help her walk,\" Cynthia directed. \"Do you know where the wellness  \ncenter is?\"  \n\"I do,\" Chester replied. He and the wolverine stepped up beside Flora's chair and helped  \nher to her feet, each supporting her under one arm.  \n\"I-I think I can walk by myself,\" Flora murmured embarrassedly. The bump on her head  \nwas still sore, but her daze after the attack had worn off.  \n\"Let us help you just in case,\" Lance soothed. \"We don't want you to fall and hurt  \nyourself again.\"  \nFlora didn't offer any further protest. Lance slung Flora's bag over his other shoulder,  \nand Becca gave Cynthia's things to Chester before she hefted the mouse over her shoulder like  \na sack of rice.  \n\"I think someone else should carry me!\" Cynthia protested.  \nLance briefly left Flora with Chester and gently plucked the mouse off of the stoat's  \nshoulder in one enormous hand. He returned to support Flora under her right arm. \"Alright, let's  \ngo.\"  \nThey made their way across campus as quickly as they could in the awkward  \narrangement and led Flora into the lobby of the wellness center. A great horned owl at the front  \ndesk turned their head toward them as they entered, studying them with piercing gold eyes.  \n\"Who is this? What is her medical condition?\" they probed urgently.  \n\"I'm Flora Mason. I, um, I was-\"  \n\"She was attacked!\" Chester yowled. \"She needs to see a doctor!\"  \nThe owl snatched up a phone with their wing and pecked the keypad. \"Hi Celeste, I have  \nan injured fox here who needs immediate attention.\"  \n...  \n\"Alright, I'll send her in.\" The owl hung up and swept a brown and black-flecked wing  \ntoward the hall into the back. \"Dr. Satin is through the third door on the right.\"  \n\"Thank you,\" Chester meowed.  \nThey quickly led Flora down the hall and into the exam room.  \nAn arctic fox in a white lab coat that contrasted sharply with the dark gray of her summer  \nfur waved them in, \"I'm Dr. Satin. Sit her down over there,\" she gestured to the padded  \nexamination table.  \nChester and Lance helped Flora up onto the table, and she sat on the crinkly tissue  \npaper.  \n\"Alright, I assume none of you are family, so you'll need to wait in the lobby unless she  \nneeds you with her.\"  \n\"I-I'm okay on my own,\" Flora murmured self-consciously.  \n\"We'll be waiting,\" Chester promised.  \nFlora's friends filed back out of the exam room, and the arctic fox closed the door behind  \nthem. Grabbing an otoscope, she crossed the room to the examination table and stepped up  \nonto a footstool. She was smaller than Flora, roughly two-thirds her size. She removed the  \nconical tip of the otoscope to shine the light in Flora's eyes.  \n\"Tell me what happened,\" she requested.  \n\"I, um, another student attacked me,\" Flora murmured embarrassedly. \"She shoved me  \nagainst the wall, and her claws scraped my shoulders.\"  \nThe doctor checked Flora's head, \"Any ringing in the ears? Dizziness? Nausea?  \nHeadache?\"  \n\"The lump hurts, but I don't have any of the others.\"  \n\"I don't think you have a concussion, but if you start to feel confused or experience any  \nother symptoms, I want you to come right back here, okay? Were those your friends? Can they  \nhelp you again if you need them?\"  \n\"Yes.\"  \n\"Good. Can you take off your shirt?\"  \nFlora complied, and the arctic fox examined the scratches.  \n\"They aren't very deep, fortunately, but I'd like to clean them up.\"  \nFlora nodded. The arctic fox hopped down from the stool, collected peroxide and cotton  \npads, and returned to carefully clean Flora's scratches.  \n\"Keep them clean. But if they look inflamed or start to smell funny come back, and I'll put  \nyou on antibiotics.\"  \nThe doctor completed the exam by listening to Flora's heart and lungs, taking her blood  \npressure, peering into her ears and mouth, and feeling her abdomen.  \n\"You should be okay, but don't hesitate to come back if you notice any other symptoms.  \nIs there anything else you want to ask?\"  \nFlora shook her head.  \n\"Alright, you're free to go.\"  \nFlora slipped off of the table and plodded back out to the lobby.  \nAs she exited the hallway, Pete dashed up to her, \"Flora! Are you alright?!\" he yelped.  \n\"I'll be okay,\" Flora murmured softly. \"Thanks for coming, Pete.\"  \n\"I-I had my phone on silent, or I would have left class when Cynthia texted!\" Pete replied  \nanxiously.  \nFlora stepped forward and hugged the rabbit, and after a moment he hugged her back  \ntightly.  \n\"I-I'm glad you're okay, Flora,\" he whined. \"I-I can't believe, w-why did they attack you?\"  \n\"It was Isabelle. I suppose I wasn't enough of a fox for her,\" Flora muttered grimly. \"Don't  \nworry, Pete; I won't let bullies like that tell me who I can love.\"  \n\"I-it was about me then?\" Pete whined.  \n\"It was about her being a closed-minded bigot,\" Flora returned firmly. \"It wasn't because  \nof anything you did. Maybe I was partially at fault for making her an enemy to begin with, but  \nyou didn't do anything.\"  \n\"I-it wasn't your fault either,\" Pete replied. \"I don't believe you'd do anything to deserve  \nthis.\"  \n\"Of course it wasn't Flora's fault!\" Cynthia squeaked indignantly from Lance's shoulder.  \n\"That jerk has had it out for Flora since she got here! If, if I were a wolverine instead of a mouse,  \nI'd give her something to think about!\"  \n\"If I'd been there, I would have given her something to think about anyway!\" Becca  \ndeclared. \"Like my teeth in her tail!\"  \n\"Like I say, stoats are fierce,\" Lance teased.  \n\"Please don't do anything to confront her,\" Flora begged. \"I don't want any of you to get  \nin trouble.\"  \n\"We won't,\" Chester agreed. \"But I think you should report it to campus security. She  \nshouldn't get away with something like this.\"  \n\"Will you come with me?\" Flora asked anxiously.  \nChester nodded.  \n\"Of course we will!\" Cynthia squeaked.  \nThe campus security office was next door to the wellness center, so they proceeded  \ndirectly there. A coyote and bobcat in black uniform tops were stationed at the front desk. Flora  \nwas surprised to actually see a canine on campus; she'd gotten so used to their absence.  \n\"Can we help you?\" the bobcat meowed quizzically, eyeing the large group of students  \nwith confusion.  \n\"I-I need to report an attack,\" Flora murmured nervously.  \nThe bobcat leapt up, \"What kind of attack? When?\"  \n\"We ought to take her somewhere more private before we ask her to give details,\" the  \ncoyote corrected. She glanced at Flora, \"Sorry, Frank just started last week.\"  \n\"I-I can tell you here,\" Flora murmured. \"These are my friends.\"  \n\"Alright, tell us what you can. Start with your name,\" the coyote requested calmly.  \n\"My name's Flora Mason. It, uh, it happened right after my nine o'clock class in the  \nliterary arts building. One of my classmates, my former roommate actually, attacked me. She,  \num, she shoved me against the wall until some other foxes pulled her off. My friends helped me  \nget to the wellness center.\"  \n\"Can you give me your classmate's name?\"  \n\"Isabelle Bouillier.\"  \n\"Did you know any of the other foxes?\"  \n\"One is named Katrina. I don't know the others' names, but I think they're all in the class  \nI had before.\"  \n\"What's the name of the class?\"  \n\"Vulpines in Vulpinevan literature.\"  \n\"That's a class?!\" the bobcat asked incredulously.  \n\"I told you they were particularly fox-centric,\" the coyote responded. She turned back to  \nFlora, \"Could you tell us why she attacked you?\"  \n\"I was just leaving class; I didn't even talk to her,\" Flora replied uncomfortably.  \n\"So you don't have any idea? Why did you switch rooms?\"  \n\"I, um, I think she was angry about who I like,\" Flora mumbled. \"We didn't get along  \nbecause I'm friends with prey.\"  \nThe bobcat and coyote exchanged a confused look. \"Alright, is there anything else you  \ncan tell us?\" the coyote queried.  \nFlora shook her head.  \n\"We'll do what we can,\" the coyote concluded. \"Take care and call us if she confronts  \nyou again.\"  \nFlora nodded. She led the others out of the office.  \n\"Y-you could have told them it was because you like me,\" Pete told her anxiously.  \n\"They might have agreed with her,\" Flora murmured morosely. \"At least now they'll  \ninvestigate. I doubt it will do any good though; Trevor told me she's the heiress of some rich  \nfamily.\"  \n\"Hopefully, she'll get reprimanded somehow even if she doesn't get expelled,\" Chester  \nmeowed. \"Can I get a clarification though? You two are dating now?\"  \nFlora blushed, realizing only Cynthia had been present for any of her and Pete's  \nromantic escapades. \"Er, yeah, we are.\"  \n\"Cool! I'm sorry we had to find out like this, but I want to wish you luck! I bet you're really  \nsweet together!\"  \nLance chuckled softly, \"Huhuhuh, I guess I see why I wasn't your type.\"  \n\"That has to be the fastest one-eighty in the history of dating!\" Becca piped amusedly. \"I  \nmean, he was terrified of you a few days ago!\"  \n\"I, erm, just didn't understand w-what I was feeling,\" Pete responded embarrassedly.  \nFlora slipped back past Lance and Chester and took the rabbit's right hand, squeezing it  \ngently. \"Now we both know,\" she murmured affectionately.  \nThey made their way to the cafeteria, which was bustling with students due to it being  \ncloser to noon than they usually chose to eat. They found Rosemary at a table by herself.  \n\"Where have you-all been?\" the black squirrel asked confusedly.  \n\"Didn't you get my text?\" Cynthia squeaked from Lance's sturdy shoulder.  \nRosemary yanked her phone out of its holster. \"Aw fuck, it's dead,\" she groused. \"I knew  \nI forgot to charge it yesterday.\" She looked up at them questioningly, \"What happened?\"  \n\"We'll tell you while we eat,\" Flora offered self-consciously.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \n\"And that's why we should abolish the monarchy and all of these rich fucks!\" Rosemary  \nconcluded irately when Flora had updated her. \"Can you imagine getting that upset about who  \nsomeone you don't even like dates?! Imagine being that obsessed with some absurd  \n'superiority' of foxes!\"  \n\"It's ridiculous,\" Flora agreed. \"And gross. I wish she would grow up. I don't even care if  \nI'm 'less of a fox' than her! Why would I care about that at all?\"  \n\"You're not less of a fox; you're just not a bigotted asshole!\" Rosemary declared. \"Unless  \nshe thinks those are the same thing!\" She huffed and scowled, crossing her arms. After a  \ncouple seconds, she glanced at Pete, who was seated on Flora's other side next to Chester,  \nand her scowl softened to a wry smirk. \"You know, I can still hardly believe we're even in this  \nsituation. Not from your side, Flora, but who would have thought Pete would even be sitting with  \nus a week ago?\"  \n\"I wouldn't have guessed it,\" Flora admitted. \"I just know that we're right together.  \nWhether it's fast or weird or whatever, I don't care because I know it's right.\"  \n\"I feel like I've been waiting my whole life to meet Flora,\" Pete added shyly.  \n\"It sounds like a fairy tale romance,\" Rosemary remarked amusedly. \"But if you're both  \nhappy, then I guess that doesn't matter.\"  \n\"I wish it were a fairy tale; then we'd just live 'happily ever after.' But especially after what  \nhappened this morning, we know it won't be that easy,\" Flora replied.  \n\"I'm sure it won't,\" Rosemary acknowledged. \"But you'll have your friends to support you;  \nwe're not going anywhere!\"  \nFlora smiled at the squirrel affectionately, \"I know that.\"  \nPete had organic chemistry lab after lunch. Flora walked him over in case someone with  \nthe same prejudices as Isabelle decided to target him instead. Flora was heading back outside  \nafter dropping Pete off when she bumped into Trevor on his way in.  \n\"Flora!\" the silver fox yelped concernedly. \"I heard what happened! Are you alright?\"  \n\"What did you hear?\" Flora asked nervously. Did they know what had precipitated the  \nattack? How would this fox, who'd expressed their own romantic interest in her, react to learning  \nabout her feelings for Pete?  \n\"I heard that Miss Bouillier attacked you without provocation,\" Trevor responded. \"Were  \nyou injured?\"  \n\"I'm alright,\" Flora told them. \"Did, um, you hear why she did it?\"  \nHe looked away embarrassedly, \"About you and the rabbit? Yes, I heard. I, ah, I don't  \npretend to comprehend it fully, but,\" he turned his head back to face her. \"But I'd be honored to  \ncall myself your friend. I told you you're an intriguing vixen, Flora. I'd like to get to know you  \nbetter, even if my affection isn't welcome.\"  \nFlora regarded the silver fox embarrassedly for a few seconds then nodded, \"You're still  \nwelcome to join us for lunch or dinner any time you can find a free chair.\"  \nTrevor smiled in happy relief, \"Thank you, Flora. Perhaps I'll find the time to join you this  \nevening. I'm afraid I'll be late for lab if we speak any longer. Good afternoon, Flora.\"  \n\"See you.\"  \nFlora watched the silver fox bounding toward the lab, their bushy black and silver tail  \nbouncing behind them. Maybe Trevor wasn't as annoying as she'd thought. Chester had  \nreturned Cynthia to their room, so Flora returned to her dorm to finish her homework for Friday.  \nAt six that evening, Flora, Cynthia, and Pete headed to dinner together. They were  \nchecking to see whether anyone else was present when Trevor bounded in front of them. Pete  \nquickly ducked behind Flora at the sudden appearance of the silver fox.  \n\"My apology!\" Trevor chirped embarrassedly. \"I was hoping I'd catch you. I'd like to join  \nyou for dinner if the invitation is still open.\"  \n\"Flora, does he know, um,\" Cynthia began hesitantly.  \n\"It's alright, they know,\" Flora told her. She smiled at the silver fox awkwardly, \"We're still  \nlooking to see if any of our friends are here.\"  \n\"Oh! Excuse me!\" Trevor stepped to the side.  \nFlora returned to scanning the cafeteria and spotted Rosemary at a table with Becca. \"I  \nsee them,\" she chirped. \"Follow me.\"  \nFlora led the way through the crowded dining area until Pete, apparently spotting the  \ntable himself, bounded ahead and quickly sat beside Becca. The stoat looked at him in surprise  \nbefore turning and spotting Flora. Becca waved. Flora stepped up behind the empty chair to  \nPete's right, and Trevor stepped up on her right.  \n\"Hi gals,\" Flora chirped. \"This is Trevor. They're in our group for o. chem. I told them they  \ncould sit with us. Is that okay?\"  \n\"As long as they're chill,\" Rosemary replied nonchalantly. She glanced at the chairs,  \n\"We're going to have to start sitting at a bigger table,\" she noted.  \nRosemary helped Flora get Cynthia's food, and when everyone had theirs, they returned  \nto the table. The meat station had sesame chicken whilst the vegetable station had vegan mapo  \ntofu. Flora and Cynthia got the latter along with white rice and steamed bok choy while Trevor  \ngot the chicken with rice. Pete got some bok choy and a large grass and dandelion salad with a  \nsweet balsamic vinaigrette. Trevor sat on Flora's right, leaving the only empty seat between him  \nand Rosemary.  \n\"My name's Trevor as Flora told you,\" Trevor stated to the squirrel. \"He/him or they/them  \nare acceptable.\"  \n\"I'm Rosemary, she/her or they/them,\" Rosemary replied.  \n\"Becca, she/her,\" Becca added.  \n\"Are you nonbinary too, Rosemary?\" Trevor asked genially.  \n\"Yeah, I don't really mind what people want to call me, but gender isn't a binary. I just am  \nwho I am, you know?\"  \n\"I feel similarly,\" Trevor returned. \"I don't mind how I am, but I don't really feel I'm a tod  \nparticularly.\"  \n\"You two are lucky,\" Becca groused. \"Dysphoria sucks. I can't even look at pictures of  \nme with my sisters because I'm so much taller than them! I wish I were an inch shorter.\"  \n\"You want to be smaller?!\" Cynthia squeaked in shock.  \n\"Size is relative,\" Becca returned grumpily. \"I guess if I were a miracle stoat the size of  \nLance it wouldn't mean much, but as it is, it's a reminder that I went through the wrong puberty  \nthe first time. I hate it.\"  \n\"It sounds tough,\" Trevor replied sympathetically.  \nFlora didn't know what to say. She hadn't realized Becca was trans, and she was too  \nembarrassed to mention it. Maybe that's why she always wears a skirt. Flora felt a little awkward  \nthat Becca had never mentioned it to her before, but she pushed aside these feelings. Becca  \nhad the right to just be herself without explaining herself to anyone. Flora realized that the fact  \nthe stoat had mentioned it now meant she felt comfortable enough to let her know this personal  \ninformation, and that realization helped dissolve her less pleasant emotions. Becca trusted her.  \nAmber arrived a few minutes later, taking the last seat between Rosemary and Trevor  \nand prompting more introductions. Flora was glad that Trevor was getting along with the group. I  \nguess I was a little hard on him initially. The silver fox was certainly awkward when it came to  \ncourtship, but aside from their somewhat stilted manner of speech, they didn't seem to be so  \nawkward generally. Flora turned her attention to Pete to see how he was getting on with the  \nnew predator at their table, but the rabbit looked calm, cutely munching on his salad.  \n\"You didn't get any of the mapo tofu, Pete,\" Flora noted. \"Didn't you want to try it? It's not  \nbad.\"  \nPete eyed the tan cubes of tofu in dark brown and hot pepper red sauce on Flora's plate  \ndubiously, \"What's in it?\"  \n\"Soy beans, hot pepper, ginger, and other spices. It's plant-based. Do you like spicy  \nfood?\"  \nPete nodded, \"I guess I could try it.\"  \nFlora scooped up a squishy cube on her fork and held it in front of Pete's nose, \"You can  \ntry mine!\"  \nPete stared at the cube cross-eyed with his nose twitching. Then he hesitantly opened  \nhis jaws and leaned his head forward to take fork and cube in his mouth. He pulled back from  \nthe fork and regarded Flora embarrassedly as he chewed.  \n\"Good?\" Flora asked.  \nPete nodded.  \nFlora smiled and scooped up another cube, which she ate herself. \"Mmm, it tastes even  \nbetter with a little rabbit spit,\" she teased.  \n\"I-I could have gotten my own,\" Pete stammered self-consciously.  \n\"If I was worried about catching anything, I wouldn't have offered. I assume you have  \nyour shots.\"  \nPete nodded.  \n\"And I doubt many viruses will even transmit between us.\"  \n\"I guess that's one advantage to dating outside of your order,\" Rosemary remarked  \namusedly.  \nWhen they were done, Flora took her and Cynthia's plates to the conveyer. Pete took  \nhis, and Flora waited for him to get back so that they could walk back to their dorm together.  \n\"I'd like to thank you all for allowing me to dine with you,\" Trevor spoke politely. \"I do  \nhope I'll be welcome again.\"  \n\"Sure,\" Rosemary answered. \"Anytime.\"  \nTrevor glanced at Flora uncertainly, and she smiled and nodded. Pete returned to the  \ntable, and then he, Flora, and Cynthia returned to their dorm. Pete stopped briefly at their door.  \n\"I-I'll run and get my notes!\" he squeaked.  \n\"I'll be waiting,\" Flora replied coyly.  \nPete bounded down the hall, and Flora took Cynthia into their room.  \nThe mouse plugged her earbuds into her phone and reclined in her bed, \"Don't stay up  \ntoo late before you exam tomorrow,\" she teased suggestively.  \n\"How did your physics test go?\" Flora asked embarrassedly.  \n\"Pretty good, I think. How do you feel about your bio. exam?\"  \n\"Alright. I don't think it's going to be too hard.\"  \nThey were interrupted by Pete's knock on the door. Flora let him in, and Pete quickly  \nstepped into the room and stared up at Flora with nervous excitement.  \n\"A-are you ready?\" he squeaked.  \n\"One second.\" Flora crouched by her bag and removed her own notebook, which was  \nbound with a greenish gray paperboard cover that advertised '100% recycled'. She stood and  \nset it on the desk before pulling back her chair and plopping down onto the grayish blue  \ncushion. She adjusted her green and pink skirt, which she had exchanged for her blood-spotted  \nt-shirt after lunch.  \nPete hastily stepped forward, laid his heather gray notebook beside hers, and spun  \naround so that she could pick him up. Smirking affectionately at the rabbit's eagerness, Flora  \nleaned forward and hefted him under the arms to set him in her lap. She wrapped her arms  \nacross his chest and gave him a gentle squeeze.  \n\"I like to hold you, Pete,\" she told him affectionately. \"I hope it makes you as happy as it  \nmakes me.\"  \n\"It does, Flora,\" he breathed. \"I, I wish you could hold me forever.\"  \n\"In my clutches forever, hmm?\" Flora teased. \"What a compliant bunny.\" She nosed the  \nbase of his ear. \"It really doesn't bother you at all anymore? That I'm a fox?\"  \nPete was silent for a few seconds. \"I, um, I guess there's a part of me that's just, uh, j-  \njust a little afraid,\" he admitted. \"I-I trust you,\" he added hastily. \"But, um, it's hard to get rid of  \nthe thought that, um, you know.\" He put his hand over her right hand and grasped it around the  \nside, reassuring her with a tone of conviction, \"I trust you, Flora. I feel safe with you, and even,  \num, even if I thought it was dangerous, I couldn't change how I feel. I love you.\"  \nFlora nuzzled his long, velvety ear, \"I love you too, Pete, and I understand if you get  \nanxious sometimes about being with a fox. But I'll do anything I can to help you feel safe, and I'll  \nnever do anything to hurt you.\" She glanced at the notebooks sitting idly on the desk, \"Should  \nwe try to study now?\" she asked softly.  \nPete nodded.  \nAbout an hour later, Flora laid her notebook back on the desk. She reached her arms  \ndown over Pete's shoulders to his lap, where his hands rested on his thighs. Flora slid her  \nhands over his and curled her fingers between his more delicate digits. She could feel the rise  \nand fall of his chest as she held him securely with his head tucked under her jaw. His long ears  \nbrushed her cheeks as he turned his head to nuzzle her right arm, and his fingers curled  \ntogether with hers. They sat silently in this position for a few minutes with only the sound of the  \nother's breaths and heartbeats and the warmth of their embrace to communicate their feelings  \nto each other. Flora was steeped in warm contentment, and she could feel Pete's reciprocal  \naffection and happiness radiating into her chest. She brought her left hand up to stroke Pete's  \ncheek, his fur kit-soft on the furless pads of her fingertips and palm. She ran his velvety black  \near through her hand then traced her clawed index finger down between his eyes and over his  \nfuzzy, twitchy nose.  \n\"Flora?\" Pete murmured hesitantly.  \n\"Hmm?\"  \n\"Are those your high school friends?\"  \nFlora glanced at the pictures on the back of her desk and smiled warmly, \"Yes,  \nCharlotte's the squirrel, and the rabbits are Ellie, Sam, and Olivia. You'll like them.\"  \n\"D-do you think I'll meet them?\" he asked.  \n\"Of course. You'll have to come meet my parents eventually, and you can meet them  \nthen.\"  \nPete was silent for several seconds. \"I don't think my parents would let me do that,\" he  \nmurmured apologetically. \"Not if they knew who I was going with.\"  \nFlora considered this dilemma for a couple seconds before responding, \"You're  \neighteen, aren't you, Pete?\"  \n\"Yes.\"  \n\"In a couple years, we'll both be twenty, full adults, but even now, we're old enough to  \nmake our own decisions about who we go home with.\"  \n\"I-I guess, but, um, I wouldn't want them to kick me out,\" Pete returned anxiously.  \n\"It wouldn't make much sense for them to kick you out because they thought you were  \nputting yourself in too much danger, but if they did, you could come live with me. There's lots of  \nroom since my brothers left.\"  \n\"W-would your parents be okay with that?\" he asked worriedly.  \n\"I'd convince them,\" Flora assured him.  \nPete contemplated this silently for a couple seconds. \"Do you think your friends would  \nlike me?\" he asked nervously.  \n\"I'm sure they would once they got to know you,\" Flora told him warmly.  \n\"They'd probably think I'm a coward,\" Pete murmured sadly. \"Everyone does.\"  \n\"I don't think that, Pete!\" Flora rejoined firmly. \"Look at how much progress you've made  \nin just the last few days! I think you're very brave, and I think our friends would agree.\"  \n\"I only feel safe because I'm with you,\" Pete admitted shyly.  \n\"That's still progress, Pete. There's lots of time for you to learn to feel safe on your own.  \nI'm not going anywhere.\"  \n\"I d-don't want to be a burden to you,\" he replied worriedly.  \nFlora ran his ear through her hand. \"You're not a burden. I care about you, and I want to  \nbe there for you.\" She ran a finger over his nose and smiled amusedly, \"Besides, I don't really  \nmind the idea that you need me,\" she teased. \"It just means I'll have to keep you.\"  \nPete nuzzled her arm, \"That sounds nice,\" he murmured.  \nSome minutes later, Flora glanced at the time on her phone. She set her cell on the desk  \nthen gave Pete a squeeze. \"I think it's time for me to take a shower. I'll see you in the morning,  \nalright, Pete?\"  \n\"Alright, goodnight, Flora.\"  \nFlora lifted Pete off of her lap and set him on the floor before standing herself. Pete  \nturned to face her, and she looked down at the rabbit affectionately. Flora bent down to press  \ntheir noses together then gave Pete's nose a loving lap. After a moment of hesitation, Pete  \nreturned the gesture, his warm, slimy tongue quickly brushing over her cool, damp nose. He  \nsmiled at her bashfully, and Flora smiled back warmly.  \n\"Goodnight, Pete,\" she murmured.  \nFlora stood straight and watched the black and white rabbit fondly as he left the room.  \n\"You two are really cute together,\" Cynthia squeaked.  \nFlora turned around to regard the brown and white mouse, who had removed her  \nearbuds and was grinning up at Flora with apparent titillation from her tiny bed.  \nFlora blushed, \"I'm sorry. We should find someplace more private.\"  \n\"I can find somewhere else to hang out if you two need to be alone,\" Cynthia replied. \"I  \ncan even ask Rosemary about spending the night with her if you want me to.\"  \nFlora's already warm ears flared red hot, \"I-I don't think we'll need you to do that! Not  \nanytime soon anyway!\" she yelped.  \nCynthia grinned cheekily, \"Alright, but if you need more privacy, just let me know.\"  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nPete was ready and waiting when they left their room Friday morning and joined them for  \nbreakfast as was the new norm. Class was uneventful, and Flora's biology exam was no more  \ndifficult than she'd expected. She was waiting for Pete outside of the classroom after completing  \nher test when Moxie exited the room. The swift fox stepped toward her anxiously.  \n\"Flora, I-I wanted to talk with you!\" she yelped.  \nFlora regarded the sandy-colored fox hesitantly. As far as she knew, Moxie and her  \nroommate Stella were still part of Isabelle's inner retinue. However, the swift fox was only a little  \nover half Flora's size, and her expression was nervous rather than aggressive. Flora nodded.  \n\"Let's talk somewhere we won't disturb anyone finishing the test,\" Flora suggested.  \nShe led Moxie down the hall to the side hall where she'd tried to talk to Pete on the first  \nday of class. She sat on the maroon-cushioned bench and patted the spot on her left. Moxie  \nhesitated a second then hopped up beside her.  \n\"I, um, I heard what happened with you and Isabelle,\" Moxie stated awkwardly.  \n\"Who's version?\" Flora asked tersely.  \n\"I don't agree with what Isabelle did,\" Moxie returned self-consciously. \"Or why she did it.  \nShe's wrong, and you should be with whoever you want.\"  \nFlora turned her head to regard the swift fox carefully.  \n\"I've, um, I've tried to rationalize how she's acted until now,\" Moxie admitted  \nembarrassedly. \"But I can't do that anymore. If, uh, you wouldn't mind, Stella would like to  \napologize too. She's been friends with Isabelle longer than me, but she doesn't agree with what  \nshe did either. We should have done more to make Isabelle stop before she hurt you. I'm sorry,  \nFlora.\"  \nFlora contemplated Moxie's words for a few seconds before replying, \"I don't think it was  \nreally your fault, but I accept your apology. I'm willing to listen to Stella's too.\" She regarded the  \nsandy-colored vixen another couple seconds then added, \"You're still welcome to come eat with  \nus sometime. Do you have plans for lunch?\"  \nMoxie shook her head, \"I, um, not really. You're sure it's okay?\"  \nFlora smiled softly, \"I'm sure. Let's go find out if Pete has finished his test. Then we'll  \nfetch Cynthia.\"  \nThey found Pete waiting outside of the classroom, his ears pricked anxiously as he tried  \nto locate Flora.  \nFlora waved to him and piped, \"Over here, Pete.\"  \nPete bounded toward them, but stopped a few steps away, regarding Moxie nervously.  \nWhile the swift vixen was significantly smaller than Flora, she was still two-thirds again Pete's  \nsize.  \n\"Moxie is coming with us to lunch,\" Flora explained. \"I'm sure you've seen her sitting next  \nto me in class.\"  \nPete smiled at Moxie nervously, \"H-hi.\"  \n\"Hi,\" Moxie returned awkwardly.  \nThey headed outside with Pete leading the way. Once they were on the tan brick  \nsidewalk, Moxie trotted up on Flora's right, and Pete moved to Flora's left side, carefully keeping  \nher between him and the unfamiliar fox.  \n\"Cynthia is your mouse friend, right?\" Moxie piped genially. \"I guess you're still helping  \nher get around.\"  \n\"That's right. She still has a few more weeks until her cast comes off,\" Flora replied.  \n\"She's also my roommate, if you remember.\"  \n\"Right! You get along so well with prey! I wish I knew more, but hanging out with Stella, I  \nonly really get to talk to predators.\" She laughed embarrassedly then added, \"Mostly red foxes.\"  \nMaybe it was a good thing Flora and Isabelle hadn't gotten along; otherwise, she might  \nhave had the same experience. If she'd fallen in with her roommate's friends, she probably  \nwouldn't be experiencing any of the antagonism she was now, but she also probably wouldn't  \nhave any of the friends she did. Isabelle didn't like me helping Cynthia. Even if we'd gotten  \nalong at first, it couldn't have lasted long, Flora reflected. Pete's hand bumped hers, jarring her  \nfrom her contemplation. Flora turned her attention to the rabbit and grasped his hand, giving it a  \ncomforting squeeze. I would have had to meet Pete eventually too; we're meant for each other,  \nshe thought blissfully.  \nFlora collected Cynthia, and they headed toward the cafeteria.  \n\"You met Moxie before, Cynthia,\" Flora reintroduced the fox and mouse.  \nMoxie gave Cynthia an awkward smile, \"Hi again.\"  \n\"Hi,\" Cynthia returned politely.  \n\"I invited Moxie to have lunch with us,\" Flora explained.  \nAfter a second or two, Moxie chirped, \"Can I ask you a question, Cynthia?\"  \n\"Okay.\"  \n\"What's it like being roommates with a carnivore?\" Moxie inquired curiously. \"I mean, it's  \none thing to have her carry you while you're awake, but do you have any issue sleeping so  \nclose to her?\"  \n\"I did at first,\" Cynthia admitted. \"But not anymore. We still sleep together most nights  \nthough.\"  \nMoxie blinked at Cynthia bemusedly, \"I would assume so; you're roommates. Where  \nelse would you sleep?\"  \n\"Occasionally, I sleep in my own bed,\" Cynthia replied matter-of-factly.  \nMoxie stared at the mouse in utter confusion, \"Where do you normally sleep?\"  \n\"I told you: with Flora.\"  \n\"You mean in the same bed?\" Moxie clarified disbelievingly.  \nUnable to bear holding her tongue any longer, her ears burning with embarrassment,  \nFlora cut in, \"Cynthia usually sleeps next to my neck. We like to sleep next to each other, that's  \nall!\"  \n\"It's cozy!\" Cynthia squeaked cheerfully. \"And Flora's fur is soft!\"  \nMoxie ogled the mouse, completely flabbergasted, \"I, I'm sure it is, but,\" she paused and  \nglanced up at Flora awkwardly before looking back to the mouse in Flora's hands. She  \nwhispered furtively, \"But what if she just, you know? One gulp, and you'd be gone! You wouldn't  \neven have time to wake up!\"  \nCynthia stared at the swift vixen in surprise for a couple seconds and then erupted into a  \ntitillated giggle. \"Heeheeheeheehee, oh no! I hadn't thought about that! Heeheeheehee, gulp! I'd  \nwake up in her belly wondering why I was so wet and slimy! Heeheehee!\"  \nFlora's ears burned with embarrassment again, \"I don't think I could manage that in my  \nsleep,\" she murmured self-consciously.  \nCynthia grinned up at her slyly, \"Maybe you've just been waiting until I get my cast off,\"  \nshe teased. \"You'll let me take a proper shower; then bye-bye mousie.\"  \nFlora stuck out her tongue, feeling a bit queasy, \"I wouldn't want you squirming around in  \nthere.\" She glanced at Pete, who was eyeing them all disconcertedly. \"I'm sorry, Pete,\" she  \napologized contritely. \"It's not something we usually joke about.\"  \n\"Er, I'm sorry I brought it up,\" Moxie added uncomfortably.  \n\"I know you were asking me seriously,\" Cynthia squeaked genially. \"But I just know Flora  \nwouldn't do that. Lots of bad things can happen when you're as small as me. I feel safer with  \nFlora than I do on my own.\"  \n\"I hadn't thought of it like that,\" Moxie admitted. \"You must feel lucky to have a friend like  \nher.\"  \nCynthia smiled toothily, \"Of course! Plus she's really nice! She doesn't treat me like a  \nburden even though she's been carrying me around for over four weeks.\"  \n\"You're my friend, Cynthia,\" Flora responded warmly. \"It makes me feel good to see you  \nsafe and happy. You'd never be a burden.\"  \nCynthia beamed up at her affectionately, \"I know, Flora. You're a true friend.\"  \n\"You're all very lucky,\" Moxie murmured wistfully. \"My friend Felicity and I were close like  \nthat. Stella's nice, but she and her friends all feel so unreachable. I know I'll never really be one  \nof them no matter how cordial they are to me.\"  \nFlora felt a wave of sympathy for the swift vixen. Isabelle had tried to tell Flora that her  \nprey friends would always view her as the other, but the truth was that the haughty red foxes  \nwere the ones who acted as if they were above everyone else.  \n\"Maybe this is a chance for you to meet some new friends,\" Flora replied warmly.  \nThey found they were the first of their friend group to arrive in the cafeteria. After getting  \ntheir food, they sat at a six-seat table near the center of the prey side with Pete on Flora's right  \nand Moxie on her left and Flora facing the entrance so that she could spot their friends as they  \nentered. The cafeteria was serving chili and cornbread muffins. Flora and Moxie got the chili  \nmade with ground beef, and Cynthia got the chili made with quinoa. Cynthia got hers with  \nspaghetti noodles and cheddar cheese, and Moxie got hers with sour cream whilst Flora ate  \nhers with saltine crackers. Pete had a hearty salad.  \n\"I like to watch you eat, Pete,\" Flora disclosed fondly when they had been eating  \ntogether for a few minutes. \"You look so cute, and you remind me of my friends back home.\"  \nPete paused his munching to glance at her embarrassedly before continuing, his ears a  \nbit pinker than before. After a few minutes, Rosemary arrived, followed by Amber. Flora  \nreintroduced Moxie to the black squirrel then introduced her to the fox squirrel.  \n\"Did you-all get the email from the outdoors club?\" Rosemary queried when the squirrels  \nwere both seated. \"They have a bus, and they're driving out to a wooded park this afternoon.\"  \n\"I think I did see that,\" Flora responded. \"Did you have to sign up?\"  \nRosemary shook her head, \"Just when you get on the bus to make sure everyone who  \ngoes comes back. I think there should be a lot of interesting trees to climb and trails to hike if  \nyou wanted to go.\"  \n\"I think I'd like to. We don't have anything else planned for this afternoon,\" Flora noted.  \n\"What do you think, Cynthia?\"  \n\"Sounds fun!\" Cynthia piped.  \n\"You could come too, Pete, and you, Moxie,\" Flora suggested. \"Can swift foxes climb  \ntrees?\"  \n\"Um, not really,\" Moxie answered embarrassedly.  \n\"I-I can't climb either,\" Pete added anxiously. \"B-but I'd like to go if you are, Flora.\"  \n\"Let's see who all is going,\" Flora offered. \"If you need me to, I'll stay on the ground. How  \ncomfortable do you feel with Lance? He might be going, and I know he doesn't climb.\"  \n\"I, um, I guess I'd be alright with Lance,\" Pete murmured nervously.  \n\"I know he's big, but you've seen that he's friendly,\" Flora soothed. \"But just say so, and  \nyou and I will do something else.\" She turned to Moxie, \"Are you thinking about coming?\"  \n\"Erm, I kind of need to catch up with Stella after this. Maybe another time,\" Moxie replied  \nembarrassedly.  \n\"Alright, if you want to hang out some other time, just let me know.\"  \nAfter lunch, they returned to their dorm. Flora promised Pete she'd text him before they  \nleft, and she and Cynthia worked on their homework while they waited. The bus was leaving at  \n12:45, and Flora completed a few integrals before it was time to head to the student union,  \nwhere the bus was waiting. Flora also changed out of her pale-yellow sundress and into a green  \nt-shirt, which was emblazoned with a picture of the Earth circumscribed by a pink heart.  \nThey found Chester, Lance, and Becca seated on the bus when they arrived. The seat  \nsizes decreased from front to back, so Flora and Pete sat in a pair of seats between the pair  \nLance and Chester were sharing and Becca's seat. Flora held Cynthia on her lap. Students  \ncontinued to slowly filter onto the bus, and shortly, Rosemary and Amber arrived along with  \nAlex. Alex sat in the front while Rosemary sat beside Becca and Amber in the seat in front of  \nthem. Finally, a lanky red vixen strode up the steps and motioned for the driver, a portly beaver,  \nto close the door. Flora recognized her as the professor who had administered their chemistry  \nplacement exam and realized that she must be the group's faculty advisor.  \nThe red vixen, who wore a bulging, light gray fanny pack and large, tortoiseshell  \nsunglasses, held up a scanner in one hand. \"I need to scan everybody in so that no one gets left  \nbehind when we leave,\" she declared.  \nShe stepped next to the first occupied seat and scanned the first student in. About a  \nminute later, she stepped up beside Flora's seat. Flora and Pete held out their hands, and then  \nFlora held Cynthia up so that she could be scanned in as well. The red vixen scanned Cynthia's  \nhand but then stared at the three of them enigmatically behind her dark sunglasses. Flora was  \nbeginning to feel uncomfortable when the vixen smiled cheerfully.  \n\"I remember you two,\" she chirped amiably. \"How's organic chemistry going for you?\"  \n\"Alright,\" Flora answered awkwardly.  \nThe vixen smiled pleasantly, \"That's good.\" She continued toward the back.  \n\"I thought maybe she recognized me and Pete,\" Flora murmured under her breath to  \nCynthia when the vixen was a few seats behind them.  \n\"The professors probably aren't really up on the rumors,\" Cynthia replied. \"It would be  \nweird if they gossiped with their students about other students. I suppose they gossip among  \neach other though.\"  \nOnce everyone had been scanned in, their advisor found a seat, and the driver put the  \nbus in gear and pulled out onto the street.  \nThey arrived at the park about half an hour later. The paved parking lot was adjacent to  \na small clearing with a few picnic tables and a color-coded map of the park's trails carved into  \nan information board. On the other side of the clearing was the forest. Beyond the lush  \nundergrowth at the perimeter, the dense wood was dominated by towering deciduous trees of  \nmany species, their canopies verdant in the hot September sun.  \nFlora and the other students exited the bus and crowded around the board. After a  \nminute or so, Flora was able to push close enough to the board to read it properly. The map  \nshowed a long perimeter trail, fifteen miles in length, along with a trail dividing the park up the  \nmiddle and several smaller trails connecting or looping off of these two.  \n\"I don't think we'll want to do much more than up and back the middle trail,\" Flora  \ncommented to Cynthia and Pete. \"Maybe if we start back, we can decide if we want to take any  \nof the other trails when we get to them.\"  \nShe took a picture of the map with her phone and stepped over to where Alex was  \nstanding to let other students view the map. Shortly, the rest of their group joined them.  \n\"There are loads of awesome trees here!\" Rosemary declared when they, Becca, and  \nAmber joined the others. \"Why don't we just start back until we see one we really like?\"  \nThe others agreed, and they started their leisurely hike back into the dense forest. Other  \ngroups of students started off around the perimeter or also took the middle trail, walking in front  \nof or behind their group depending on their speed.  \n\"That one looks nice,\" Amber remarked after they'd been walking about ten minutes. She  \npointed toward an ancient red oak several yards off of the path. \"It has some lower branches to  \nhelp the less skilled climbers, but it goes right up to the canopy.\"  \nRosemary contemplated the tree for a few seconds then shrugged, \"There are too many  \nnice ones for me to decide. If you like that one, let's climb it.\"  \n\"It should have acorns too,\" Amber added cheerfully. \"Tasty but not too hard on your  \nteeth and jaws.\"  \nRosemary snorted in amusement. \"That's another reason. Don't tell me you're going to  \nspend the whole time throwing shells and caps down on us.\"  \n\"I'm only going to have a couple!\" Amber rejoined indignantly. \"Don't pretend you don't  \nwant some too!\"  \n\"I'm certainly not going to turn down fresh acorns,\" Rosemary acknowledged amusedly.  \nThey made their way to the red oak. Flora got Cynthia situated in Rosemary's backpack  \nthen turned to Pete.  \n\"Will you be alright with Alex, Lance, and Becca?\" she asked.  \nPete nodded.  \n\"We'll walk back the middle and come find you on our way back,\" Alex stated  \nnonchalantly. \"Have fun climbing.\"  \nPete hopped forward and hugged Flora tightly. Flora returned the hug, and then Pete  \nfollowed the mountain goat, wolverine, and stoat back toward the path. Flora turned back  \ntoward the tree to find that Rosemary and Amber had already scrambled up. Chester was  \nwaiting, and he smiled at her cheerfully.  \n\"Let's hurry before the acorns start raining down,\" he meowed amusedly. He took a few  \nsteps back then raced at the tree and scrambled up with his retractable claws.  \nFlora watched until he made it to the squirrels' branch. Then she turned, trotted back for  \na running start, turned back, and raced up the tree after them.  \nAmber collected some acorns, shoving the elongated, capped nuts in her ample cheeks,  \nand returned to their branch. She offered a couple of the acorns to Rosemary, who accepted  \nthem. The two squirrels set about gnawing at the woody shells. Rosemary gave part of her  \nacorn meat to Cynthia. Flora watched the three rodents munching the nuts with a mixture of  \nfondness and amusement. She hadn't realized their hike would entail a mid-afternoon snack.  \n\"Do you want any?\" Amber offered her. \"I can go grab more.\"  \n\"No, thank you,\" Flora politely declined.  \n\"I'll try one!\" Chester meowed genially.  \nAmber scrabbled back up into the canopy and returned a couple minutes later with her  \ncheeks once again stuffed with acorns, perching between Flora and Chester. She deposited  \none in her hands and offered it to Chester. Chester shoved the acorn between his back teeth  \nand gnawed at the nut. Flora winced at the unpleasant sound of the cat's sharp teeth scraping  \nthe shell. After a minute, he gave up and dropped the nut back in his hand.  \n\"I can't crack it,\" he stated apologetically.  \nAmber took the acorn back, popped off the cap, and gnawed the shell with her large  \nincisors. When the hole was large enough, she extracted the meat with her fingers and dropped  \nit in Chester's pink-padded palm.  \n\"Thank you,\" he meowed gratefully. He popped the nut meat in his mouth and crunched  \nit enthusiastically, but his expression quickly soured. He gulped it down then gave his hand a  \nfew licks to help remove the flavor. \"Bitter,\" he commented. \"I don't want another, thanks.\"  \n\"They take some getting used to,\" Amber acknowledged. She returned to her spot  \nbetween Chester and Cynthia and shared the rest of the acorns with Rosemary and the mouse.  \nWhen the acorns were gone, they sat silently, enjoying the tranquil view of the sun-  \ndappled forest and the cool breeze that blew through the boughs of the trees and relieved the  \nradiating heat of the September sun.  \n\"I love trees,\" Rosemary murmured serenely after an indeterminate amount of time had  \npassed.  \nChester yawned languorously then murmured amusedly, \"I never would have guessed.  \nYou aren't a squirrel, are you?\"  \nRosemary scoffed softly. \"Funny,\" she muttered dryly.  \nFlora let out an extended yawn of her own, curling her long tongue. \"I wonder where the  \nothers are. I hope they didn't get lost,\" she remarked sleepily.  \n\"I don't think it's been that long,\" Rosemary murmured.  \nFlora checked her phone: 2:04. The bus wasn't scheduled to leave until 4:00. \"It's only  \ntwo,\" she noted.  \n\"I'm afraid if I fall asleep, I'll fall,\" Chester stated. \"Do you want to climb down and walk a  \nlittle bit, Flora? We might bump into the others.\"  \n\"Alright,\" Flora agreed. \"Do you want to come, Cynthia, or are you okay here?\"  \n\"I'm okay,\" Cynthia squeaked drowsily.  \nFlora and Chester scrambled down the tree tails first, finally dropping onto the leaf-  \nstrewn forest floor. They strolled back toward the path then turned the way the others had gone,  \nmoseying along side-by-side.  \n\"You and Pete are still getting along, I see,\" Chester remarked amiably after a few  \nminutes.  \n\"We are,\" Flora confirmed genially. \"You and Lance are too, right?\"  \n\"Yeah, he's a lot of fun. He can come across as a little intimidating or a big goofy furball  \ndepending on his mood, but he's very gentle when the need arises. It's good to be with  \nsomeone you can trust and who you know accepts you for who you are.\"  \n\"I'm glad I didn't get in the way of that,\" Flora murmured. \"Not for too long at least.\"  \nChester grinned affably, \"Don't worry. He wasn't devastated for too long,\" he joked.  \n\"Luckily, he found a kitty who was almost as pretty as the vixen who caught his eye.\"  \nFlora glanced at the beige tabby embarrassedly. As far as she was concerned, Chester  \nwas much more beautiful than she was with his sleek fur and intricate black swirls and  \nsplotches. \"Pete's still a little nervous about being with a fox,\" she disclosed. \"But we're working  \non it. He might be timid, but he's very sweet.\" She paused a moment before admitting, \"I don't  \nreally mind that he's timid because I know he trusts me.\"  \n\"He seems worlds better than before you met or even the first time he ate with us,\"  \nChester meowed. \"He's still a little high-strung but nothing like before.\"  \n\"He honestly believed you or I would eat him, so I suppose it wasn't unreasonable,\"  \nFlora remarked. \"His parents are to blame.\"  \n\"It might be rough dealing with his parents if they're that prejudiced,\" Chester meowed  \nconcernedly. \"I've never even heard of someone so extreme they just tell their kids that  \ncarnivores want to eat them, but I guess there will always be messed up bigots. I had a friend in  \nhigh school whose parents kicked him out because he was gay. It's hard to believe wackos like  \nthat still exist, but they do.\"  \n\"That's horrible!\" Flora cried. \"What did he do?!\"  \n\"He was able to move in with his grandparents. Apparently, at least one side of his family  \nwas okay.\"  \n\"People like that shouldn't be allowed to have children!\" Flora fumed. \"I told Pete that if  \nhis parents kicked him out, he could move in with me. I'm sure my parents will let him if I  \nexplain.\"  \nChester glanced at her sidelong, \"How are your parents going to react to you dating a  \nrabbit?\"  \nFlora frowned uncomfortably. She assumed it would be okay, but what if it wasn't? Her  \nparents had always encouraged her to have prey friends, but dating wasn't quite the same  \nthing. They certainly had never suggested she date prey. In fact, they've been pretty annoying  \nabout pressuring me to find another gray fox. Flora reflected that most people ultimately married  \ntheir own species, especially if they were straight and wanted kids. Whether she wanted kids  \nwas a question she wasn't ready to answer, but she obviously couldn't have them with Pete. We  \ncould always adopt. In fact, her older brother Jamie was married to a serval tom, and the couple  \nhad adopted a pair of European wildcat kittens.  \n\"My brother is married to a serval, and they have two adopted kittens,\" Flora told  \nChester. \"It isn't that different being with a rabbit.\"  \n\"In one sense, yes, but in another sense, it's completely different,\" Chester countered.  \n\"We coexist peacefully now, but a few centuries ago, we didn't. Pete might even be able to trace  \nback his ancestry to rabbits who were eaten by foxes. There's a history there that you'll have to  \nconfront, especially with his parents how they are.\"  \nFlora's stomach churned with anxiety as she considered Chester's words. Was it not  \nenough that she loved and wouldn't hurt Pete? What did it mean to confront the way her  \nspecies, along with other predators, had subjugated and slaughtered people like Pete? She had  \nbeen upset and even offended when Pete had, at first, responded to her advances with terror,  \nbut wasn't it only natural he should fear species who had eaten rabbits for countless millennia?  \nThat predators and prey could coexist at all was an even greater testament to the adaptability  \nand courage of prey than it was to the adaptability of predators.  \n\"I should have been more understanding when he was afraid,\" Flora murmured guiltily. \"I  \nonly wanted to help, but I should have tried to understand how hard it could be to overcome his  \ninstincts. I only thought of it as a wrong thing he believed, not a struggle against millions of  \nyears of evolution.\"  \n\"On the other paw, that kind of means you kicked evolution's butt,\" Chester quipped.  \nFlora turned her head to regard the cat in surprise, and he grinned roguishly.  \n\"Don't worry about it too much. The fact is you and Pete like each other, and he seems a  \nlot less nervous than before. You shouldn't feel bad about that; it's beautiful that you two can be  \ntogether!\"  \nFlora turned her head forward, smiling softly. Chester was right: it wasn't just 'okay' that  \nshe and Pete could love each other; it was something to celebrate! No longer mortal enemies,  \nmembers of their species could be friends, and they could even share romantic feelings for each  \nother. What mattered was that she loved Pete, and he loved her. They'd get through everything  \nelse, together.  \nAbout five minutes later, they crested a hill to see Alex and the others approximately a  \nhundred yards down the trail. Flora waved and bounded down the hill to meet them. She  \nskidded to a stop in front of the group and panted to catch her breath and cool down after the  \nsprint.  \n\"Is something wrong?\" Lance asked worriedly, glancing past her at Chester, who was  \nsauntering down the hill to join them.  \nFlora shook her head breathlessly. Catching her breath she added, \"No, I was just  \nwondering when we'd find you.\"  \n\"How was the tree?\" Alex asked placidly.  \n\"Nice! It was so nice Chester and I felt like we might doze off and tumble off the branch,  \nso we decided to walk until we found you.\"  \n\"I was also thinking,\" Chester meowed as he approached. \"That maybe you and I should  \nspend some time together, Lance, while we're out here in the wild wood.\"  \nThe wolverine grinned at the cat suggestively, \"What did you have in mind?\"  \n\"Let's find someplace quiet to discuss it,\" Chester replied archly.  \nLance set down Becca, who was perched on his shoulder, and he and Chester  \nmeandered away into the trees.  \nFlora watched them go, then turned to Pete, blushing shyly, \"Would you like to walk  \ntogether too, Pete?\"  \nPete smiled embarrassedly, \"Th-that sounds nice.\"  \n\"We'll meet the others at the tree, and we'll see you two back at the bus or whenever,\"  \nAlex stated nonchalantly. Xe crouched down and gently scooped Becca up onto xir shoulder.  \nThe towering mountain goat plodded away down the path with the little brown stoat holding  \ntightly to xir fluffy white neck fur.  \nFlora smiled shyly at Pete and offered her left hand. He took it, and they started back the  \nway he and the others had come. Strolling in comfortable silence, they communicated their  \ntender affection via fond glances and gentle squeezes of the other's paw. Several minutes later,  \nthey came to an intersecting path going to the left. Flora pulled out her phone to check the map.  \nShe pointed to a magenta-colored trail that formed a curvy stem and loop off of the  \nmiddle green trail, \"I think it's this one,\" she told Pete. \"Do you want to head up it? We might find  \nsomewhere nice to sit together for a while.\"  \nPete nodded, and they turned onto the narrower trail. From the plants sprouting up from  \nthe path and the fallen branches they had to scramble over or around, it was clearly less well  \nused than the central trail. Flora was hopeful that they could find a nice private spot to sit  \ntogether. However, she began to notice Pete lagging until it felt like she was pulling him along.  \nShe stopped and turned to face the rabbit concernedly.  \n\"Are you alright, Pete? If you're getting tired, we can turn back,\" she offered.  \n\"I-I'm alright,\" Pete murmured nervously. \"It's, it's just,\" he paused, looking back at her  \nembarrassedly.  \n\"You can tell me,\" Flora reassured him comfortingly.  \n\"It's just that we're alone and, um, in the woods,\" he murmured uncomfortably. \"No one  \nelse is around.\"  \n\"Are you feeling nervous about being with me?\" Flora asked sympathetically. \"I guess I  \ncan see how it feels less, erm, less 'civilized' out here. If you want to turn back, we will.\"  \nPete stared at her hesitantly for a few seconds then shook his head, \"I trust you, Flora. I,  \num, I shouldn't let myself think like that.\"  \n\"It's okay, Pete,\" Flora soothed. \"I'm sure it feels strange to be out in the wild with a fox,  \nbut I promise I won't turn feral, even if there's a full moon,\" she finished humorously.  \nPete smiled shyly and stepped up next to her again. He squeezed her hand and looked  \nup at her affectionately, \"Alright, I'm better now. Thanks, Flora.\"  \n\"You can always tell me when you feel nervous, Pete,\" she replied warmly.  \nThey continued until Flora spotted a stately beech tree with a comfortable carpet of  \nbright green moss around its trunk half a dozen steps off of the right side of the trail.  \n\"Let's sit over there for a while, Pete,\" she suggested. She led the rabbit onto the moss  \nthen sat down and leaned against the trunk. Her feet drawn halfway in, she patted the moss  \nbetween her legs, \"Let me hold you,\" she requested.  \nPete hopped up to her but hesitated embarrassedly for a moment before turning and  \ncarefully sitting between her knees. Flora wrapped her arms across his chest and pulled him in  \nclose against her belly. She lifted her right hand to caress his cheek and run his long, black ear  \nthrough her fingers. She touched her muzzle to the top of his head then gave the base of his  \nother ear a tender lap.  \n\"I love you, Pete,\" she murmured.  \n\"I-I love you too, Flora,\" he murmured bashfully.  \nFlora caressed his cheek again, \"It's nice out here, isn't it? It's peaceful. It's just you and  \nme and no one to tell us we're wrong or give us funny looks.\"  \n\"It's nice,\" Pete agreed quietly. \"I'm glad I can be here with you, Flora.\"  \nFlora brought her right arm down to hug him with both arms. \"Think about how lucky we  \nare,\" she murmured. \"A fox and a rabbit, alone in the forest, and we can just be in love. For now,  \nthat's all that matters.\"  \nPete turned his head to nuzzle her shoulder, \"I'm glad, Flora. I'd be happy anywhere with  \nyou.\"  \nFlora curled her tail around her left hip and laid the bottle brush end in Pete's lap. Light  \nbrown side down, the bushy gray and black tail stretched across his lap, tickling his white belly  \nand covering his upper thighs. Pete looked down at the fluffy tail, uncertain how to respond to  \nthe odd appendage.  \n\"You can pet it if you want, Pete,\" Flora murmured. \"Our tails are very personal to us  \nfoxes, so we only share them with people we're close to. People we trust. I know that I'm asking  \nso much more of you in trusting me, but I trust you too.\"  \nPete gently ran his hand down the black stripe to the bushy black tip. He smiled softly  \nand stroked it again. Flora flicked her tail in his lap, and he smiled wider.  \n\"I kind of wondered what it felt like,\" he divulged. \"It looks so fluffy.\" He stroked it again,  \n\"It's not as soft as I thought it would be, but it feels nice.\"  \n\"It's softer on the other side, but our fur isn't kit-soft like rabbits' fur,\" Flora  \nacknowledged. \"I guess that's another thing I get the better of; I could pet your fur for ages.\"  \nPete scooped her tail up in his hand and ran his hand down the light brown underside.  \n\"Your fur is prettier,\" he replied. He tilted his head to the side to look up at her with one blue eye  \nand smiled softly. \"You're very beautiful, Flora,\" he murmured shyly.  \n\"Thank you, Pete. I'm glad you think so,\" Flora returned lightly.  \n\"You are!\" he insisted. \"I-I may be a rabbit, but I can tell that you are!\"  \n\"If you say so, then I must be,\" Flora replied warmly. \"I'm sure I'm not as cute as you  \nare.\"  \n\"It's different from cute,\" Pete tried to explain. \"It's, it's imposing and, um, a little scary,  \nbut you're radiant, Flora, striking. Your eyes and the lines of your face, the sheen of your fur and  \nthe confident way you carry yourself, e-even your teeth.\"  \n\"My teeth?\" Flora asked amusedly. \"You like my pointy fangs?\"  \n\"Th-they're scary, but they're beautiful,\" Pete returned shyly.  \n\"I'm glad you can appreciate them,\" Flora teased. \"I'll try not to be so scary and imposing  \nthat you aren't comfortable being my boyfriend.\"  \n\"Th-that's not what I meant!\" Pete protested anxiously. \"I love how you are!\"  \n\"And I love how you are,\" Flora returned sincerely.  \n\"How's that?\" Pete asked bashfully.  \n\"You're soft and cute and a little nervous but very brave; you're my sweet bun,\" Flora  \nanswered affectionately.  \n\"I-I'm not brave,\" Pete murmured self-consciously.  \n\"You are, Pete!\" Flora asserted firmly. \"You have a lot of fear to overcome, but you've  \nfaced it very bravely. How else could you be out here in the woods, snuggled in a vixen's arms?  \nYou even told me you think my fangs are pretty.\"  \n\"I shouldn't need to be brave to be with you,\" he replied guiltily. \"You're kind, and I know  \nyou wouldn't hurt me.\"  \n\"It's alright, Pete,\" she soothed. \"You're still working on your instincts. It just takes a little  \ntime.\"  \n\"I guess so,\" he murmured. \"Thanks for being patient with me, Flora.\"  \nFlora petted his head. They sat together silently for a few minutes on the soft moss with  \nthe warm sun filtering down through the leaves and a cool breeze occasionally wafting about  \ntheir ears. The peaceful warmth brought back Flora's drowsiness, and she yawned  \nlanguorously.  \n\"If we sit any longer, I'm going to fall asleep,\" Flora commented. \"Do you want to walk  \nmore, Pete, or would you feel comfortable joining me for a nap? I'll set my phone's alarm so that  \nwe won't be late for the bus.\"  \n\"Y-you can sleep, Flora. I'll keep watch,\" Pete replied self-consciously.  \n\"If you want to,\" Flora agreed softly. \"Don't feel like you have to stay awake, but I  \nunderstand if you'd rather keep watch.\"  \nShe withdrew her phone from its hip holster and set the alarm for 3:20; it was currently  \n2:42, so it would be a short nap. She slipped her phone away, hugged Pete close, and shut her  \neyes. Holding her warm, sweet bun, she quickly sank into contented sleep.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \n\"Hey! Are you both alright?\"  \nFlora started awake, also feeling Pete jump in her arms. She stared up at their club  \nadvisor: the tall red vixen was staring down at them from behind her dark, tortoiseshell  \nsunglasses with her hands on her slender hips and her bushy, red-orange and white-tipped tail  \nthrashing behind her agitatedly.  \n\"W-we're alright,\" Flora chirped nervously.  \n\"You, rabbit, you're fine too?\" she probed skeptically.  \n\"I-I'm fine,\" Pete squeaked anxiously.  \nThe red vixen frowned, not seeming entirely convinced, \"Why don't you come with me?  \nWe should be heading back to the bus now anyway.\"  \n\"What time is it?\" Flora asked shyly. Had her alarm failed? She hoped their advisor  \nhadn't been forced to come looking for them.  \n\"A quarter after three. I think you should come with me,\" the professor replied firmly. \"I  \nwouldn't want to have to come back looking for either of you.\"  \n\"A-alright,\" Flora agreed embarrassedly.  \nShe scrambled to her feet, and Pete leapt to his feet too. Still standing close in front of  \nher, with Flora's back to the beech tree, Pete grasped her right hand.  \n\"I-I was really alright!\" he averred anxiously. \"We were only taking a nap!\"  \n\"Taking a nap?\" their advisor returned dubiously. Her dark sunglasses made it  \nimpossible to tell which one of them her eyes were probing.  \n\"That's right!\" Flora affirmed. \"I, um, I got sleepy from walking.\"  \nThe much taller vixen, who easily stood head and shoulders above Flora, regarded them  \ninscrutably for a few more seconds and then turned back toward the path. \"Follow me,\" she  \ncommanded impassively.  \nObediently, Flora and Pete followed her to the path and back the way they'd come. Once  \non the trail, Pete stepped to Flora's left and grasped her other hand tightly. Flora wasn't sure  \nwhether he was trying to comfort her or looking for reassurance from her. She squeezed his  \nhand gently.  \nIn front of them, the vixen's red-orange and white tail still thrashed agitatedly as she  \nwalked. Flora suspected she was trying to decide what she had actually interrupted. Should I tell  \nher we're dating? Flora didn't think that was necessarily a good idea. The professor probably  \nhad more self-control than Isabelle, but what would she say if she felt similarly to the other red  \nvixen? On the other hand, that might be less bad than the repercussions if she thought Flora  \nhad been thinking about eating Pete. Would she report the incident to the school?  \n\"Ma'am!\" Pete called their advisor.  \nShe halted and whipped around, causing them both to stumble to a halt and Pete to  \nduck behind Flora, to the extent that he could whilst still holding her hand.  \n\"I-I just wanted to say,\" Pete whined. \"That, um,\" he took a deep breath and stepped up  \nbeside Flora before continuing more determinedly, \"Flora and I are friends. N-nothing was going  \nto happen. I was alright.\"  \n\"Friends?\" the red vixen asked dubiously.  \n\"Sh-she's my best friend!\" Pete replied.  \nTheir advisor shrugged, \"Alright then. As long as you were okay.\"  \n\"I was,\" Pete repeated.  \nThe vixen turned back around and continued down the trail. Pete looked up at Flora  \nanxiously, and she smiled back reassuringly then leaned over to touch her nose between his  \nears.  \n\"Thanks, Pete,\" she whispered.  \nTheir friends were on the bus when they arrived. Flora and Pete found their seat, and  \nthen they waited for the final stragglers to arrive. When it appeared that everyone was back,  \ntheir advisor scanned everyone in and checked the device's screen.  \n\"Looks like everyone is here,\" she declared. \"We can go.\"  \nShe strode up from the back and sat in the seat immediately in front of Flora's, next to a  \nsomewhat surprised wildcat. She turned her head to the side to glance at Flora and Pete and  \nlooked back forward. She waved to the driver, and he shifted the bus into gear.  \nFlora and Pete spent the next half hour in awkward silence, uncertain what they could  \nsay when the professor would obviously be able to hear them. Finally, the bus pulled into the  \ndrop-off area in front of the student union, and they were able to climb off the bus and regroup  \nwith their friends.  \n\"Do you-all want to head to dinner?\" Chester meowed cheerfully. \"I really worked up an  \nappetite!\"  \nLance snorted in amusement.  \n\"It was nice to hang out with you all,\" Alex commented placidly. \"I'll see you around.\"  \n\"Come with us!\" Becca squeaked. \"We, we can all sit at your table! Or on it if we need  \nto!\"  \nThe mountain goat smiled, \"Sure, if you want to.\"  \n\"Sounds good to me!\" Chester yowled enthusiastically. \"Let's go!\"  \nThey made their way to the cafeteria, and Alex found a large-animal-sized table near the  \nback left corner of the prey side. The table only had six chairs, but since Lance was the only  \nother person large enough to use one, the chair shortage was immaterial. They did have some  \nissue helping all of the smaller animals up onto the table with their food and drinks, but  \neventually, Flora, Cynthia, Rosemary, Amber, Becca, and Chester were seated on top of the  \ntable while Lance's head poked up from one of the seats and Alex sat at the seat to his left.  \nFlora's spot at the table was between Pete and Cynthia. It occurred to her that the other  \nstudents and staff might not appreciate all of them sitting on the table, but no one mentioned it  \nor seemed perturbed.  \nThe meat station was having baked salmon, fried white fish, and roasted potatoes, and  \nthe vegetable station was having fried soy patties, roasted squash medley, and asparagus.  \nFlora had selected some of each from the vegetable station and nothing from the meat station;  \nshe wasn't fond of fish. The other carnivores got fish whilst the rodents also selected their food  \nfrom the vegetable station; although, Cynthia decided to get potatoes instead of squash. Pete  \nand Alex ate grassy salads with some asparagus on the side.  \n\"Do you ever wonder why they put vegetables in the meat station?\" Cynthia commented  \nwhen they had been eating for a few minutes. \"It says 'Meat'. Why isn't it just meat?\"  \n\"I suppose it's to encourage carnivores to eat some vegetables,\" Flora replied.  \n\"Otherwise, they would have to go through both lines.\"  \n\"That makes sense,\" Cynthia accepted.  \n\"Do carnivores need to eat plants?\" Pete asked shyly.  \n\"Some are good for us,\" Flora told him. \"Besides, gray foxes are really omnivores, even  \nif we're part of Carnivora. Personally, I think plants are tastier.\"  \n\"I guess everybody had different tastes,\" Becca commented. \"I like fruit, but it gives me a  \nstomach ache. Most vegetables are gross.\"  \n\"But, um, you still couldn't really eat grass or anything, right?\" Pete asked Flora.  \n\"That's right. I couldn't digest it like you can,\" Flora answered warmly. She poked his  \nbelly teasingly, \"I don't have your amazing little digestive system.\"  \nThe insides of Pete's ears pinkened embarrassedly. \"It's a little bit, um, rabbits have to,  \nyou know,\" he murmured self-consciously.  \n\"I know all about how bunnies process their food,\" Flora replied amiably. \"Don't worry,  \nPete. I already have lots of experience.\"  \n\"Is there something weird about it?\" Becca asked confusedly.  \nPete looked down at his salad embarrassedly, \"Um, I don't, uh-\"  \n\"I'll tell you later, Becca,\" Rosemary interrupted.  \nPete looked at the black squirrel with relief.  \nFollowing dinner, Flora, Cynthia, and Pete returned to their dorm, as usual, stopping by  \nthe girls' door.  \n\"Do you want to come in for a while, Pete?\" Flora inquired.  \n\"I, um, I have to call my mom soon,\" Pete answered awkwardly. \"We talk Friday  \nevenings after dinner.\"  \nFlora smiled understandingly, \"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then. We won't get up quite  \nso early. So sleep in, and I'll text you, okay?\"  \n\"Okay. Goodnight, Flora.\" He started to turn down the hall.  \n\"Wait, Pete!\" Flora chirped anxiously. \"Don't you want your goodnight kiss?\"  \nPete turned back smiling shyly, \"Sorry, I, um, was thinking about the call.\"  \n\"It can wait a few more seconds,\" Flora replied tenderly.  \nShe bent down--with Cynthia forgotten, cupped in her hands--and Pete stepped  \nforward to touch his nose to hers. She licked his nose, and he licked hers back.  \nFlora smiled softly as she gazed into his limpid, blue-ringed black orbs, \"Goodnight,  \nPete.\"  \nShe stood straight and watched Pete bound away down the hall then turned to scan her  \nleft hand and unlock the door. She pushed her way into the room, letting the door shut on its  \nown behind her.  \n\"What did you two do while you were off on your own?\" Cynthia squeaked titilatedly.  \nFlora looked down into her hands embarrassedly, \"We, um, we just walked and sat  \ntogether for a while. I was taking a nap, but our advisor found us.\"  \n\"Oh? She didn't catch you in the middle of anything, did she?\" Cynthia teased.  \n\"In the middle of a nap, like I said. I set my alarm, but she woke me up a few minutes  \nearly.\"  \n\"What was Pete doing while you were napping?\" Cynthia pried nosily.  \n\"He said he'd keep watch.\"  \n\"Aww, he was watching over you?\" Cynthia crooned. \"That's sweet.\"  \n\"He might have been afraid to fall asleep,\" Flora admitted. \"He was a little worried about  \nbeing out in the forest.\"  \n\"Even if he was nervous, I'm sure he was very happy,\" Cynthia sighed romantically. \"I'm  \nhappy for you, Flora.\"  \nFlora lifted Cynthia and touched her nose to the mouse's warm little head. \"I'm sure  \nyou'll find someone too if that's what you want. You're a good friend, Cynthia.\"  \nShe set Cynthia on the mouse-sized bed, but the mouse continued to beam up at her.  \n\"I'm glad we're friends, Flora,\" Cynthia piped. \"I can't imagine what this semester would  \nhave been like without you.\"  \n\"I'm glad too,\" Flora replied warmly. \"I'm grateful for every friend I've made here but  \nespecially you.\"  \nCynthia blinked up at her affectionately, \"You're special to me too.\"  \nFlora took a shower. When she was dry and back in her room, she contemplated  \ngrabbing a book but reconsidered. Pete was talking to his mother, but it had been a couple  \nweeks since Flora had talked to hers. Maybe sometime this weekend. However, Flora wasn't  \nsure what she should tell her mother about Pete. I could ask the girls back home, she  \nconsidered. Although, what will they think when I tell them I'm dating a rabbit? None of the  \nrabbits in Willowdale had shown any interest in Flora, and she'd never really considered dating  \nthem a real possibility. However, her friends here understood, so didn't that mean her friends  \nback home would too? Charlotte definitely would! Flora decided to talk to the red squirrel first in  \ncase the rabbits would be more surprised about her attraction to a member of their species. She  \ngrabbed her phone off of the desk, reclined in her bed, and texted Charlotte.  \nHey, Charlotte! How's it going?  \nAbout a minute later, Charlotte texted back, Good. How are you?  \nFine. I have something to tell you.  \nSomething exciting?  \nI have a boyfriend!  \nCharlotte texted, That's awesome!! with three hearts.  \nHis name is Pete, but here's the surprising part. He's a rabbit!  \nThere was a pause. Then Flora saw that Charlotte was typing then another pause then  \nmore typing and then, Really? He's a rabbit?  \nFlora hesitated uncomfortably then replied, Yes.  \nA rabbit-rabbit? Like our friends?  \nFlora considered how to clarify for a moment then texted, He's similar in size to Olivia,  \nblack with a white belly and nose.  \nOkay, I'm glad you met someone.  \nHave you met anyone you like? Flora asked to divert the subject somewhat.  \nYeah, her name is Ariel. She's a red squirrel.  \nFlora hesitated a few seconds before asking, Do you think it's weird I'm dating a rabbit?  \nNot really.  \nHow do you think the others will react?  \nI don't know.  \nAnxiety fluttered in Flora's belly. It doesn't bother you, does it? Do you think it will bother  \nthem?  \nIt doesn't bother me. I don't know about them. You never dated any rabbits before.  \nI didn't think about it before. I thought I would find a fox.  \nYou're still only interested in guys though?  \nFlora considered the question awkwardly for a few seconds and then replied, Yes, I'm  \npretty sure I only like guys.  \nAlright.  \nIs there a reason you asked?  \nFlora watched Charlotte typing for several seconds only to get the reply, Not really.  \nFlora was pretty sure there was something Charlotte wasn't saying, but instead of prying  \nshe asked, How are your classes going?  \nGood. Yours?  \nGood.  \nIt was good to hear from you, Flora. I'm glad you met someone you like.  \nI'm glad you met someone too.  \nIs there anything else?  \nNot unless you had something.  \nAlright, take care, Flora.  \nFlora sent, You too. with a heart.  \nCharlotte responded with another heart.  \nFlora set down her phone. That hadn't gone quite as she'd hoped; she wasn't sure she  \nwanted to tell the others now. After all, she and Pete hadn't been together a week. There was  \nno reason to risk upsetting them so soon. When I know for sure, then I'll tell them, Flora  \ndecided. Until then, she had her friends here, who she already knew supported her. Perhaps it  \nwas different because Charlotte had known her so long and never suspected she'd be attracted  \nto prey. Or maybe I've changed, Flora considered. RCV was certainly much different from  \nWillowdale, and her friends were too: they were more diverse with a wider range of  \nperspectives. Back then, I was trying to do what everyone thought was normal, but now, I've  \nbeen able to think about things differently. Flora hadn't considered that she might outgrow her  \nold friends, but if she decided she was really in love with Pete and they didn't accept that, then it  \nmight be time to go their separate ways.  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Flora: A Tale from Vulpineva","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2034652-chapter-10-group-work.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2035632-chapter-12-a-call-home.json"}}