PAW I - Jackass - Part 3
#3 of PAW I - Jackass
A loose parody on the SAW series as a group of friends find themselves being held accountable for their jerkiness on Halloween Night, their only hope being the one friend who was slightly nicer.
DISCLAIMER: This story is loosely based off the SAW film series, all likenesses and copyrighted material belong to the respected owners (including the main character who belongs to canine80 (Xaie)). The completed story contains forced, feral animal transformation, Male Nudity, M/M sex and kidnap, if these are not your tastes please close this file else sit back and enjoy!!!
The sound of his former friend's brays followed him down the passage as he shuffled on, his boots seemed to grow tighter with every step he took.
He couldn't get the image of Adam out of his mind, or how he had just given into influence of the machine.
His mutated cock throbbed as the memories resurfaced.
"No...I can't think of that" he grunted to himself, wincing slightly as he continued on down the passage.
_ _
A crackle echoed around the passage.
"zzzzzzzzzzz.....Such a shame.....zzzzzzzz"
Xaie felt a rush of anger and attempted to quicken his pace.
"....zzzz....one down....zzzz...three remain.....zzzzz..."
Xaie's long ears quivered in anger.
"Don't rise to it" he thought, his teeth gritted, "Don't let him get to you"
".....zzzz......and you.....zzzzz.....half your time gone.....zzzzz.....your inner jackass is already showing....zzzzz..."
"Shut up" he muttered, his pace quickening more as he spotted a door loom out of the darkness ahead.
".....zzzz......did you enjoy our little toy....zzzzz....."
Xaie's cock throbbed and swelled.
"Shut up" he said, his voice thick with anger.
The voice crackled with laughter, the passage resonating with it.
"...zzzz...seems like you did...zzzzz...well....zzzzz...you may be joining Adam sooner than...."
"SHUT THE FUCK AWWWWWHEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAW!"
Xaie punched the wall, his anger spilling out as he brayed.
"....zzzz...temper temper.....zzzz...."
The voice chuckled as Xaie winced in pain, his hand now aching as much as his feet.
"Fuck you" he grumbled.
He reached the door and, feeling a sense of foreboding, turned the handle.
_ _
The room beyond was dark, the dim light from the passage providing the only illumination.
Xaie squinted as he stepped inside.
"Hello" he called, "anyone heeee..."
He clapped his hands to his mouth, trying to repress the bray.
The door closed with an echoing clunk and Xaie felt a shiver run up his spine as he heard the familiar mechanical lock grind into place.
_ _
The voice suddenly echoed out of the dark silence.
"....zzzz....awwww poor jackass......zzzzz....why not take a short break......zzzzz.....have a drink...zzzz....."
_ _
Lights suddenly blazed in the room.
Xaie blinked furiously as he was once again dazzled by the lights.
The new room was slightly smaller than the previous rooms, a large wooden counter stood against one wall and a door with a large mechanical lock next to it.
As he approached, he realised the counter had a long metal trough set into it.
Looking up he saw a large mirror on the wall behind it.
His eyes widened as he was suddenly able to see what had happened to him.
His ears were now full donkey ears, coated in deep brown fur, they twitched and moved without him controlling them.
He also saw that his nose had flattened somewhat, his nostrils flaring wider.
"No...." he whimpered, the shock filling him as he raised a trembling hand to feel his nose.
A crackle caused his ears to swivel forward as a television emerged from a hatch in the ceiling in front of the mirror.
"........zzzzzz......So Xaie...zzzz....Whats your preference.....zzzzz....beer perhaps....zzzzzzzz....I believe that was also the favourite of a friend of yours.....zzzzzzzz.....recognize him......zzzzzz...."
There was a click and part of the mirror became transparent.
Xaie drew a sharp breath as he saw in the room beyond, laying unconscious on an old sofa.
He dove onto the counter and began to frantically pound his fists on the mirror.
"CHARLES!"
He yelled at the top of his voice but his friend didn't move.
The voice laughed.
".....zzzzz.....He can't hear you Xaie.....zzzz...."
_ _
Xaie ignored the voice and continued pounding on the mirror.
"CHARLES!! WAKE UP!! PLEASE HEAR MEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!"
He suddenly buckled and fell off the counter as he felt a slight burning in his chest.
"Haaaaaaaawheeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw"
Falling to his knees he clasped his hands over his mouth, trying to repress the sudden fit of brays.
"......zzzz.....Your brays seem a little dry......zzzzzzzzz....How about that drink....zzzzz...."
There was a clunk and Xaie looked up to see a panel in the wall next to the counter slide open.
Getting to his feet, he watched as a large pipe slowly emerged, positioned directly over the trough.
There was a gentle rushing noise before a stream of amber liquid suddenly flowed from the pipe filling the trough.
Xaie looked down at the liquid as his nostrils flared, filled with the acrid scent of hops.
".........zzzz.......Enjoy....zzzzzzzz....it's quite a unique brew.......zzzzz....."
The crackling voice caused the anger inside Xaie to surge again.
Removing his hands from his mouth he glared up at the television.
"WHY WOULD I WANT A DRINK!" he yelled, "I WANT YOU TO LET MEEEEEEEEE....."
He paused, gulped and continued.
_"..m..Me and my...MY FRIENDS....OUT OF HEREHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWW!"
He swore loudly, pounding the counter._
The voice crackled and sputtered with vindictive laughter.
"...zzzzz....Well the only way out is to continue...zzzzz...and to do that you must unlock the door.....zzzz..."
Xaie looked around at the large mechanical lock on the door next to the counter.
".....zzzzz.....the lock has a sensor.....zzzz.....which detects the amount left in the trough......zzzzz....so to continue onwards.....zzzzz......you must consume everything in the trough...zzzzz...."
_ _
Xaie looked up at the television, his mouth slightly open.
"Drink it all and the door will open" he said slowly, feeling that this couldn't be all there was to it.
The cold red eyes gazed back at him.
"......zzzzz......Empty the trough and the door will open....zzzzz....It must be drunk.....zzzzz...."
Xaie smirked derisively.
"Or else whaaaaaaaaaaaaawt"
His smile faded into a snarl as he cursed himself for braying.
The image flicker slightly.
".....zzzz....attempt to cheat.....zzzzz.....and your friend shall pay....zzzzz....."
_ _
Xaie felt a cold shiver run up his spine and he looked through the mirror at Charles who now was beginning to stir slightly.
"Uggghhhh...Ohh......Man" he moaned, cradling his head in his hands, "What the 'ell did I drink last night"
Xaie reached across the counter and began hammering on the glass.
"CHARLES" He yelled, "CHARLES CAN YOU HERE MEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW!!"
He brayed loudly but didn't care.
Charles sat up and suddenly looked straight at the window.
"CHAAAAAAAAAWLES" brayed Xaie, a rush of hope filling him as his friend got to his feet and moved towards the window.
He paused in front of the window and began to pull faces.
"Damn....I look like I need a drink"
He turned away.
_ _
Xaie felt a heavy lump fall into his stomach as his ears drooped.
He couldn't see him.
"...zzzzz....One way mirror Xaie....zzzzzz...."
The voice cackled with laughter.
"....zzzzz....Remember time is ticking.....zzzzz......the faster you drink.....zzzz......the faster you and Charles get free.....zzzzz..."
The image flickered and his timer reappeared.
Fifty minutes remaining.
He looked through the window at Charles who was now wandering around the room.
"Where d'fuck am I" he moaned, examining a wooden counter behind the sofa. "Oi can I getta drink here"
Xaie bowed his head and grimaced.
"Damn" he muttered, his eyes moving to the trough.
His tail twitched as considered what drinking the beer would do to him, but he knew he had little choice.
Taking a deep breath, he dipped his hands into the trough and cupped the amber liquid.
Trembling, he raised his hands to his mouth.
He closed his eyes and with a whimper, took a sip of the beer.
_ _
The bitter taste rippled across his tongue and made his throat tingle as he drank.
Slowly he tilted his hands back, allowing the rest of the beer to flow down his throat.
He lowered his hands and licked his lips and savouring the strangely sweeter aftertaste.
He coughed, as the aftertaste hit his throat.
"....zzzzzzz.....It has a bit of a kick....zzzzzz.....don't you agree....zzzzz....."
Xaie glared at the screen as he cupped another handful of beer.
As he lifted it to his mouth he paused.
A grinding noise caused his ears to swivel and he looked round at the locked door behind him.
The noise was coming from the lock which he could see was slowly turning before suddenly stopping.
"The lock turns as the basin empties" he thought, his eyes widening.
He looked down at hands still cupping the beer.
"What if I?"
He moved his hands away from the trough holding it above the ground.
A loud buzzing caused him to freeze and his captor appeared on the television.
"zzzzzz......Tut...zzzzz......tut.....zzzzzz I said it must be.....zzzz...drunk.....zzzzzz"
The red eyes seemed t pierce him with malice.
"......zzzzz....if you don't....zzzzzzz....drink....zzzzz.....the door remains closed....zzzzzz..."
_ _
Xaie gulped, his tail moving between his legs and his ears drooping as fear clenched him.
"Damn" he grunted bringing his hands to his face and drinking it down.
He heard the lock grinding behind him as he licked the remnants from his hands.
He paused, his tongue passing over his lips.
They felt different.
He turned back to the mirror and his eyes widened as he saw his lips begin to darken his nostrils flaring as they widened further.
The scent of the beer burned as his senses as his new nostrils took in the air.
Xaie couldn't take it
"Oh Gaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwd" he brayed, placing his hands on the counter to support himself.
He looked down at the deep brown liquid, a mixture of fear, anger and repulsion battling for control in his mind.
There was another buzz and Xaie looked up at the screen.
His timer had reappeared.
Forty five minutes remaining.
Xaie felt the similar cold feeling of dread he had felt when he stood before that machine.
He had the choice of waiting out the time in this cell and turning into a donkey, or drinking the beer and turning into a donkey.
There was no way out.
"Fuck...." He whimpered, before plunging his face into the trough.
_ _
He took great gulps, trying to drink as much as he could while ignoring his mouth and throat burning from the strength of the alcohol.
Distantly he heard the lock creaking amongst the gulping and splashing he was making.
After a moment he pulled his head up out of the through, gasping violently.
His grip on the counter increased as a sudden rush hit his head and he swayed.
He moved his legs to strengthen his stance when there was a loud tearing noise.
He looked down.
His stomach clenched as saw his boots, or what remained of them.
His feet had torn through the fabric and he watched in horror as his toes began to fuse, the nail stretching and darkening.
"No..." he whimpered watching as the nail consumed what had been his toes.
A moment later he was looking down at a pair of solid black hooves sticking out the end of his boots.
"I...I..have...hooves" he whimpered feeling his eyes burn with tears.
He shook his leg, watching as the remaining fabric of his boots tore apart revealing what had once been his feet.
Tentatively, he lowered his new hoof to the floor, feeling a cold shiver as he heard it click onto the stone flaw.
His knees trembled as he readjusted himself on his new hooves, he grunted as his legs tensed and he watched his ankles shift, pulling themselves up into an equine stature.
The tears fell as he looked down at his now completely equine legs, his entire naked lower body had turned into that of an anthro donkey.
_ _
A crackle drove his attention off his fading humanity.
".....zzzzz.....Nice hooves Jackasss....zzzzzz...." the voice sniggered.
Xaie seized one of his ruined boots and hurled it at the screen, causing it to crack
The voice crackled with mirth as Xaie looked on furiously
"...zzz....temper....temper......zzzzz...." the voice cackled.
"SHUT UP" Xaie yelled, grabbing the other boot, "JUST SHUT AAAAAAWWWWPPPPHEEEHAAAAAAAAWWWW"
He brayed loudly and the boot fell from his hands as he suddenly felt them tense up and go numb.
He held his hands up as the voice crackled.
"...zzzzz....you should know by now.....zzzzz...Xaie....zzzzz...act like a jackass....zzzz....you become a jackass....zzzzz...."
Xaie was speechless as he watched his fingernails darken before his fingers suddenly began to fuse, his little and ring fingers on both hands becoming one as well as his index and middle finger.
He stared in disbelieving horror at his hands which now had three large fingers each, he flexed them, feeling the strange loss.
"HEHAAAAAAAWWWWHEEEEEHAAAAAAWWWWW" he brayed furiously, leaning back over the counter.
The voice crackled again.
"....zzzzz.....poor little jackass...zzzzz...do you want to give up...zzzzz....just stay here and let your time run out...zzzz..."
Xaie felt his ears fall back, he taunting not truly reaching him.
"....zzzz.....Adam lost.....zzzzz....Charles trapped.......zzzzzz....who knows whats happening to....zzzz...Bill....zzzzz...or Drake...zzzz...."
Xaie looked up through the mirror.
_ _
Charles was storming around the room beyond, throwing himself at the wall, determined to find a way out.
"LET ME OUTTA HERE YOU FUCKIN' ASSHOLES" he yelled, turning away from Xaie to bang his fists furiously on the counter.
_ _
"....zzzzz..... Just forty minutes left.....zzzz....and it will all be over....zzzz.....jackasss.....zzzzz....."
_ _
The voice crackled off and his timer reappeared on the cracked screen.
"All be over" thought Xaie, his eyes still on his inhuman hands.
He pondered his situation
He was half human.
Half donkey.
A freak.
He could just stay here and transform completely.
Let go.
Be a fucking beast and let that bastard win.
_ _
"Let him win" he whispered to himself, a cold anger filling him.
He couldn't let them win, not after all they had done to him.
Gripping the counter he steadied himself on his hooves, his ears up and alert as he looked down at the quarter filled trough.
"HEEEEEHAAAAWWW" He brayed before dipping his face into the trough.
He drank deep, the bitter alcohol stinging his throat, the grinding of the lock egging him on.
His nose grazed the bottom of the trough.
He was almost there.
He was going to beat that jackass.
He took a deep breath and moved forwards to drink the last gulp.
_ _
There was a loud clunk.
And he suddenly sputtered as his head was doused in fluid.
"WHAHAAAAAWWWWW" he brayed, flying backwards and falling to the ground.
He shook his head spraying the ground around him with whatever had hit him.
An acrid smell hit his wide nostrils and his eyes snapped open.
Looking up, he watched as more of the beer was pouring from the tap in great, forceful bursts.
A screeching noise filled his ears and he looked around in horror.
The mechanical lock was slowly turning back and with a loud clunk, set back into its start position.
Xaie froze, his mouth open in horror.
"What the hell" he muttered, "WHAT THE HELL!"
He attempted to get to his hooves but his knees buckled.
"FAAAAAAAWWWK" he brayed, crawling forwards and grabbing the side of the counter and pulling himself up.
_ _
Steadying himself he saw that the tap was still pumping out beer into the trough to the point that it was nearly overflowing.
He looked up at the cracked screen into the red eyes of his captor.
"WHAAAAAAWWWWT IS THIS!!" He yelled, slamming his mutated hands on the counter.
The voice crackled.
"....zzzzz....it seems your friend found something.....zzzz....what a temper he has...zzzzzzz...."
_ _
Xaie looked into the mirror.
Charles was standing at the counter and was viciously pulling a large lever, a broken panel lay on the floor next to him.
"WHY DA FUCK AIN'T THIS WORKIN'?" He yelled as he yanked the lever, "WHERES THE BOOZE!"
Xaie watched, his heart sinking as with each pull, the tap pumped another load into the trough.
He shook with anger.
"Charles....what the hell" he growled, his hands trembling with rage.
He let out a yell and began pounding the mirror.
"CHAAAAAAAAAWWWWWLES STAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWP" he brayed
He knew he couldn't hear him but he continued slamming the mirror.
The red eyes glowed and the voice crackled with laughter as the trough spilled over, spattering around Xaie's hooves.
_ _
"....zzzzzz....well well...zzzzz....you'll never finish it now....zzzz....guess we should have disabled that....zzzzz..."
The voice buzzed and crackled.
".....never mind...zzzz....we'll give you a life line...zzzz...."
_ _
There was a loud clunk and Xaie turned to see a panel open in the wall, revealing a lever.
The voice crackled again.
"....zzzzz....pull this lever.....zzzz....and the door will unlock....zzzz....."
Xaie felt a rush of relief.
He was saved.
He reached out and seized the lever and looked into the red eyes.
"That's awwwwlll its gonna do right?" he said, a heavy suspicion rising in his mind.
The eyes glared at him.
"....zzzzz......it will shut off the pipe to your room......zzzz.....nothing more.....zzzzz....."
Xaie felt a sense of foreboding but he couldn't waste anymore time.
He took a deep breath and then yanked the lever down.
_ _
There was a clunk and Xaie let out a sigh of relief as the pipe dribbled to stop.
"Thank heavens" Xaie thought, slumping over the counter as he heard the lock behind him click and the door creak open.
"ABOUT FUCKIN' TIME!"
Xaie's ears perked to attention as he felt a heavy weight drop into his stomach.
"No.." he whimpered, raising his head slowly to look through the mirror.
_ _
Charles was facing away from the mirror, bent over the counter in his room taking gulps of an amber liquid that was now pouring from a tap in the wall.
Xaie felt numb as he watched his friend cup handfuls of the liquid, shoving it greedily into his mouth.
"God this stuff is amazing" he gasped between mouthfuls.
Xaie stared, his mouth quivering as his friend indulged in the beer.
His eyes then widened in horror as he spotted something strange.
A lump was forming in the back of his friend's jeans.
Just above his ass.
"NO!" Xaie yelled, horrified.
He jumped onto the counter and began pummelling the mirror with all his might.
"STAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWP" he brayed, tears beginning to fall as dread filled him.
This was his fault, all his fault.
_ _
Charles was oblivious to Xaie's attempts to reach him and continued to take great mouthfuls of the beer.
"Oi" he yelled, "I dunno who you are, but where d'ya get this stuff, its haaaaaawwwwsome"
He froze and coughed.
"What da 'ell was that" he said loudly, rubbing his throat, not noticing the tanned hair that was beginning to grow thickly across his arms.
He looked back down at the trough, the taste still strong in his mouth.
"Oh well" he shrugged, bending over the trough, "Don't care as long as I can keep drinkin' this for nottin'"
He dunked his face into the beer, taking deep, gratifying gulps.
He didn't care that being hunched over like this was making his back hurt a little, this stuff was too good.
He arched his back in an attempt to make the pose more comfortable.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPP
The tearing noise made him pull his head out of the beer.
"SHIT!" he cried, "Did I just?"
He was about to turn around when he felt the pain in his back vanish.
"Ahhh" he groaned in relif, a wide grin spreading across his face, revealing large block-like teeth.
"Thaaawwwts better" he groaned, not hearing the bray as he dipped his face back into the trough.
_ _
Beyond the glass Xaie was panicking.
His friend had just sprouted a tail, a long, tan furred tail.
"CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWLES" he brayed at the top of his voice, his mutated hands pressed against the mirror.
His voice could not reach him.
He punched the mirror, tears streaming down his cheeks.
The crackling behind him did nothing to improve his mood.
".....zzzzz.....well it had to go somewhere....zzzzz.....he'll be just like Adam soon.......zzzz....."
_ _
Xaie turned away from the mirror to glare up at his captor.
"YOU NEVER SAID IT WOULD GO TO CHARLES" he yelled, "WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS"
The voice crackled and buzzed.
_ _
"...zzzzz....well he did start it Xaie.....zzzzz.....he brought it on himself.....zzzzzz....that pump was behind a locked panel....zzzzz....he broke it and pulled it......zzzzz....don't you think he deserves this....zzzzz...."
_ _
Xaie looked back through the mirror.
Charles was still drinking.
He watched as his ears suddenly began to grow, his jeans also becoming tighter as his ass began to swell, his tail wagging merrily behind him.
"....zzzzz...Go on Xaie....zzzzz...leave him....zzzzz.....he won't be a jerk much longer....zzzzz....only a dumb jackass.....zzzzz......"
Xaie look back at the screen, his timer he only had thirty five minutes left.
"HEEEEHAAAAAWWWWWW"
The bray caused Xaie to look through the mirror.
_ _
Charles gripped the counter hard.
"Fuck" he groaned, holding his throat "What d'fuck is hap'nin to me"
He let out a grunting moan as a loud ripping noise filled the room as the seams on his jeans finally gave way.
"AhhhhhAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW" he brayed, the spoiled fabric falling to the floor.
He looked back and his face contorted with horror.
His jeans and boxers had shredded apart to reveal what had once been his ass but now was a swelling mound of muscle that was covered in light tanned hair.
His eyes widened as he watched the tail swishing behind it.
"Wha...Whaaa" he gasped, he could barely move from shock.
"WHAT D'FUCK IS HAAAAAAWWWWWWPNNING"
He grasped his mouth in horror, hearing the bray at last.
He turned around and his expression became even more horrified as he saw himself in the mirror.
His donkey ears bent back in shock as he saw his darkening nose and his styled brown hair receding into what would soon be his mane.
He staggered forwards, his shoes beginning to strain with each step as his feet began to change.
He reached the mirror as his face began to push forwards into a muzzle.
_ _
On the other side of the mirror, Xaie watched on helplessly.
"HELP!" Charles bellowed, turning this way and that, looking for something or someone.
"SOMEBODY 'ELP MEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAWWWWWW"
He attempted to take another step but his knees shuddered and he tripped, hitting the floor with a loud smack.
"P...PLEEEEEAAAAWWWWW" he pleaded, attempting to push himself up and wincing as he felt his back stiffen.
There was a cracking and a popping sound as Charles' spine realigned and he let out a yell of pain as he attempted to stand, only to find that he was now locked on all fours.
"NO PLEASE" he cried, tears streaming from his eyes, "I..I'LLNEVER DRINK AGAIN, I PROMEEEEHAAAAAAAWWWWW"
His brays became louder, his shirt now beginning to strain as his chest barrelled out and his shoulders shifted to accommodate his new stance.
Looking down, he watched on as his fingers began to fuse, the nail spreading until it coated his hand, the feeling numbing before in moments, he realised he was now standing on hooves.
With a loud rip, his shirt tore from his body, leaving him stood naked, his body now almost completely equine.
"NAAAWWWHEEEHAAAAAAWWW" he brayed, hysterically.
He began to try and move around, staggering awkwardly on his new hooves.
Attempting to look back, he saw his legs had also altered, his feet were now like his hands.
Solid, black hooves.
He felt a strange swelling between his legs and his eyes widened.
"No, not that" he thought, "Please god not that"
He attempted to look between his legs as he felt his cock twinge, his balls swelling and the skin turning a leathery black as a sheath began to form, enveloping his cock
"HAAAAAAAAWHEEEHHAAAAAWWWWWW"
The feeling of pleasure racked him but he was too much fear to give into it.
He felt the weight of the sheath beneath him grow as his cock swelled within it, he last remaining bit of his humanity slipping away.
"HEEEEHAAAWWWWHEEEEHAAAAWWW"
He bucked his legs wildly, knocking the sofa over as he bounded around the room.
"This cant' be happening" he thought, "IT CANT!"
_ _
He couldn't speak any more.
He grunted and brayed as his neck began to swell and lengthen out until at last with a final crack.
It was done.
He stopped bucking his legs as he panted and grunted.
He looked into the mirror, staring at the tan furred jackass that stared back, the green eyes now a deep brown.
He stood there, immobolized by shock and horror at what he had become.
A spattering noise and a rich scent suddenly filled his wide nostrils.
He turned.
_ _
Beer was pouring out of the tap into the trough.
The scent was intoxicating.
He trotted over and stood before the counter.
It was exactly the right height for him to drink from.
He moved the tip of his muzzle over the trough.
"God that smells wonderful" he thought, his mind beginning to fog, "s..surely one more sip"
He dipped his muzzle into the beer and took long deep draughts, feeling it warm his new body.
His mind fogged, his humanity slipping away with each sip, until...
"HEEEHAAAAAWWWWW"
The donkey shook its head as it finished its drink, turning and staggering slowly and aimlessly around the room.
_ _
Xaie watched on as his friend slipped away.
He couldn't do anything.
Slowly he slipped back off the counter and turned away from the mirror to look at the door, not wanting to look at another lost friend.
He sobbed silently, stood with his hand on the door frame of the passage onward.
_ _
"...zzzzz....half an hour remaining....zzzzz.....better hurry up.....zzzz...Jackass....zzzzz....."
_ _
Xaie didn't respond but began to take slow steps, his hooves echoing on the wall as he held the wall to steady himself.
"I can't lose another"
That was the only thing he could think of as he took each clopping step.
His tail swayed slowly behind him as he stepped onward.
_ _
"I won't let him win" he muttered under his breath, "I swear I won't"