{"sf1_id":212385,"sf2_id":"Rm0QOdvn","title":"Love's Shadow Part 3","author":"Korrado-Xan","words":6007,"posted_at":"2011-01-12T08:08:00.000Z","tags":["Feline","Gay","M/M","School","Skunk","Tiger","romanc","slice of life"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/212385-love-s-shadow-part-3","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/Rm0QOdvn","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/57/07/57076603-d2f4-44c3-a2eb-51931c4c4255","description":"#3 of Love's Shadow","content":"\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\nLove's Shadow prt.3 - c. Grey K. 1997\n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n- Love's Shadow part III,\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n* * *\n\\\u003e Patrick looked almost frightened again, toying restlessly\n\nwith his walking-stick. Jace girded himself against rejection quickly,\n\n\"It's all right, no big thing. If you're not ready for that yet I\n\nunderstand., You and I just met, I'll survive if you say no.\" Patrick\n\nregarded Jace earnestly, looking into the skunk's emerald eyes as he\n\nthought. Jace felt a thrill as Patrick's golden gaze surveyed his face\n\nardently. The young feline bit his lip slightly, then stood and smiled\n\nat the skunk, \"No. I think I would like to go somewhere else and talk.\n\nYes, I would like to.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace stood beside his new friend, ready to catch him again if\n\nneed arose, \"You're OK to walk now?, You think you can make it down\n\nthe stairs?\" Patrick moved experimentally, \"I guess we'll find out\n\nwon't we?\" Jace nodded motioning for Patrick to walk alongside him,\n\n\"Can you manage your pack or would you like me to carry it?\" The\n\nfeline's eyes widened a little and he smiled, \"Oh, I think I can\n\nmanage all right by myself for now, Thank-you., Besides I think I\n\nshould get to know you better before I let you carry my books for me,\n\npeople might get to talking.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace etiolated a little. He felt slightly dizzy at the dip in\n\nblood-pressure to his face, hoping the feline hadn't seen how pale his\n\nears had gone. He chuckled politely at the joke and saw Patrick grin\n\nslightly as he adjusted the straps of his bag over one shoulder, then\n\nthe other. \"Got it?\" Jace inquired seeing Patrick nod.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; With help from Jace the two made it down to the third floor\n\nwhere the skunk's pack and coat still sat along side the forgotten\n\nbook. Jace started to pull on his coat and pack, stopping and\n\nregarding Patrick sharply, \"I just realized, I didn't see whether or\n\nnot you had a coat or jacket with you. It's cold out.\" Patrick looked\n\n\u0026nbsp;embarrassed, \"It, uh, wasn't too bad out when I left the dorms this\n\nmorning. I didn't think I'd need one. Jace straightened, \"Oh, OK. Well,\n\nwe can always stop by your dorm room on the way to where-ever we\n\ndecide to go.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick spoke a little louder than he intended to, \"NO!, Uh,\n\noh, n-n-no. That's all right I'm fine, really. It's just my dorm-mate\n\nwill be in this time of day, I try not to be around when he's there.\n\nHe's some sports god around here, some jock, doesn't really care for\n\nthose of us that are, uh, athletics impaired.\" Jace steadied Patrick\n\nwith a hand, \"I know the type, real pricks.\" Under his breath the\n\nskunk added, \"Probably some bigoted, scum-ball, ass-hole no doubt.\"\n\n\"What?\" Jace looked at Patrick, gods, the feline morph had good ears.\n\n\"Hmm?, Nothing, that's fine. We don't have to stop by your place at\n\nall, what-ever you say.\" His new feline friend nodded gratefully,\n\n\"Thank-you.\" \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace finished collecting his things, slinging his pack over\n\none shoulder and hefting his book in his free hand. Patrick squinted,\n\ntrying to make out the title, \"What does that say?\" Jace angled the\n\nbook out to Patrick, who read the title aloud, \"The Mechanics of\n\nInter-Tidal Saline Pool Eco-Systems'., Biology?\" Jace nodded at his\n\nfriend, \"Uh-Huh, verging on Zoology and Marine Biology.\" The feline\n\nnodded nonchalantly, trying not to look too skeptical, \"Interesting.\"\n\nJace laughed, seeing Patrick's ears dip slightly, \"You don't sound\n\nconvinced of that. What's your idea of a good time?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He was regarded by the glowing yellow eyes once more, \"Me?,\n\nShakespeare, a warm fire and something by Handel playing on the\n\nstereo. Bad huh?\" Jace saw that the feline had seemed half ready for\n\nhim to laugh and the grey morph seemed genuinely surprised that he\n\nhadn't. He raised an eyebrow at Patrick, \"Handel is OK, I prefer\n\nBach or Vivaldi myself. What's your favorite play?\" Patrick shrugged,\n\n\"I'm somewhat torn between 2, I love MacBeth as one of his best\n\ntragedies but I like Much Ado About Nothing if I need a comedy.\" The\n\nskunk smiled at him evidently agreeing.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The two were making some-what slow but steady progress down\n\nthe stairs, Patrick leaning on his cane, the railing and occasionally\n\nJace to help keep as much of his weight as possible off his knee as\n\nhe could. Jace slowed to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, allowing\n\nthem both a rest for a few moments. Patrick was breathing heavily from\n\nthe exertion, ears and nose looking slightly flushed. Jace noticed that\n\nthere was a little perspiration on the feline's face and forehead,\n\nmaking the silvery hair limp and stick together in tufts against his\n\nface and neck. The skunk withdrew a solid black kerchief from his coat\n\npocket, proffering it to the sweating cat, \"Need this?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick took the cloth nodding gratefully, \"They really need to\n\nput a general access elevator in this place, Damn.\" Jace noticed that\n\nhis feline friend had shifted away slightly as he swabbed at his\n\nface with the handkerchief. He had turned the right side of his face\n\naway from the skunk as he moved the hair away from his face to dry\n\nhis brow. As Jace watched Patrick finished drying his face and\n\nreadjusted his hair back to it's original position, once again\n\nhiding his eye and cheek. The skunk glanced away quickly as Patrick\n\nturned back, returning the kerchief. \"Thank-you.\" He smiled warmly,\n\nstill not able to penetrate the curtain of hair once again over\n\nPatrick's cheek, deciding not to pry just yet.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Filing things away in his brain for later Jace pondered his\n\nnew friend to himself, 'Seems I'm not the only one with secrets\n\naround here.' The skunk thought silently, continuing to keep pace\n\nwith Patrick into the library lobby. He caught the feline's eye,\n\n\"Just need to check this real quick. Come on.\" Jace struck out for\n\nthe front desk with Patrick in tow, knowing full well that his\n\nlibrarian friend would be there. He was correct and the big woman\n\nlooked up at the approaching figures.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace saw the librarian eyes brighten, her habitually present\n\nsmile widening even more, \"Well, seems you beat me to things.\" Jace\n\nsmiled at Patrick's puzzled expression, \"Hi, Mrs. Dewitt.\" Patrick\n\nused his free hand to wave hesitantly at the librarian. Mrs. Dewitt\n\nreached across the counter ruffling the hair on Patrick's head, the\n\nleft side of his head Jace noticed. The large woman's hand never\n\nstrayed near the tenaciously covered right side of Patrick's face.\n\nThe skunk's sensitive ears caught a faint purr emanating from his\n\nfeline friend's chest as the librarian scratched one of his grey\n\nfurred ears. \"Hi honey. How is your day so far?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick smiled, shooting a reticent glance at the skunk,\n\n\"Getting better I think.\" \"Good, good.\" The stout woman turned to\n\nregard Jace, \"So did you...,\" \"Find my book?, Yep, right here!\"\n\nJace cut off the librarian in mid-sentence. He ignored the odd look\n\nfrom Patrick and brandished the book at the big woman, holding her\n\ngaze. Mrs. Dewitt nodded slowly and took the hard-cover book from\n\nJace's sable furred hand. The two of them stepped further down the\n\ncheck desk, leaving Patrick to peruse a small shelf of new paper-back\n\nnovels.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The librarian spoke in a low voice, \"So, it looks like you've\n\nmet with Patrick.\" Jace nodded, \"Uh-Huh, he seems nice.\" The\n\nlibrarian nodded holding Jace's gaze stoically, \"Good, I'm glad you\n\nthink so., But remember the boy has quirks, be patient, don't push\n\nhim., He's better when he's relaxed and comfortable.\" Jace looked\n\nconfused at the librarian's tone, \"OK, I'll go easy on him, don't\n\nworry.\" Mrs. Dewitt nodded, patting the skunk's furred cheek, \"I know\n\nyou will., I think you could find a good friend here if you play your\n\ncards right.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Mmm.\" Jace couldn't shake the feeling that the portly woman\n\nknew more than she was saying as he turned to look at Patrick. He\n\nsaw the feline gazing austerely across the lobby and out the main\n\ndoors, \"We'll see.\" \"I know he's not like other people., But don't\n\nbe afraid of that, you're not like other people either, it may work\n\nout for the better for the both of you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace turned back looking at the librarian, his ears pivoting\n\nback slightly as a sudden thought struck him, \"Wait a minute!?, You\n\nmake it sound like we're going on some sort of date....,\" He lowered\n\nhis voice an bit, \"This isn't one of your set-ups is it?, I don't even\n\nknow him., He, he may not even be ga..AHHHHH!, Uh, .....mmm, INTERESTED\n\nIN the same things as ME.\" Mrs. Dewitt cut Jace off with a wave of her\n\nhand, \"I know, here's your book, now go on he's waiting for you. Oh,\n\nand Jace, be nice, don't hurt him, he's been through quite enough. Say\n\ngood-bye to him for me, I'll see you two later.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The stocky woman walked away, leaving Jace to fume silently as\n\nhe gazed at the book in his hands and at the waiting feline. Sighing\n\nin consternation and slipping the book into his pack Jace rejoined\n\nPatrick, attempting to angle his path to come from the side of the\n\nfeline rather than from behind. It sort of worked. Patrick still\n\njumped at the motion in the periphery of his field of vision, but\n\nrelaxed seeing it was only Jace. \"Ready?\" Patrick nodded falling in\n\nstride next to Jace.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; As the two reached the doors another pair of students walked\n\nin, both female, one a black rabbit, the other a tawny colored vixen.\n\nJace looked up at the pair, greeting them with a nod of his head as\n\nthey passed, seeing both of them smile back at he and Patrick. The\n\nfox lingered at the door, holding it open for Jace's outstretched\n\narm. \"Thank-you.\" Jace looked at the vixen, smiling warmly as Patrick\n\nshot past him out the door, head down, nearly stepping on the skunk's\n\nbushy tail. Jace jerked it out of the way just in time, grinning a\n\nlittle wider at the fox, hoping to smooth over the feline's hasty\n\nexit. He felt the vixen's tail brush across his thigh as he stepped\n\noutside, hearing a light giggle from the fox's lapin companion as\n\nthe door whispered shut.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace blinked at the grey haze that still hung thickly over-\n\nhead. He spotted Patrick standing at the edge of the covered con-\n\ncourse. \"You OK?\" Jace saw Patrick nod tensely shifting his gaze up\n\nfrom the damp concrete, \"Yeah, I guess so, sorry. You must get that a\n\nlot, huh?\" Jace felt puzzled as to what his feline friend was talking\n\nabout, \"What?, Oh!, The two females?, Sometimes, but not often.\n\nUsually only if they're new or don't know me from around.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace knew he got looks from both sexes and most species now\n\nand again. He tried not to dress too suggestively when he was on\n\ncampus, trying to discourage blatant stares and whispered comments as\n\nmuch as was possible. He usually settled on plain clothes, generally\n\njeans and unobtrusive shirts most of the time. Jace really didn't see\n\nwhat turned people on so much about him, he was pretty much average\n\nfor his breed. He had seen larger, more muscular and more engaging\n\nmembers of his species right there on campus.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace was an average height, but slightly under weight for his\n\nfive foot eleven inches, Jace had always been that way for some reason.\n\nNot that he was close to having ribs showing. Under the ministrations\n\nof his mother and then Thomas, Jace had always tried to eat well. Thin\n\nwasn't quite the right word, more like slender, lithe. Jace had a\n\nrunner's or gymnast's physique, compact and lean with tight muscles\n\nvisible under his ebon fur.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He regarded the soft drizzle falling once again as he stood\n\nnext to Patrick, \"My car is in the south parking lot. This way.\"\n\nPatrick nodded, following the skunk under the walkway. The covered\n\npath allowed the two to stay dry for most of their journey but\n\nstopped as the buildings gave way to the lawns and open paths\n\nsurrounding the main parking lot on the south side of campus. Jace\n\nsaw the mist settling on Patrick's hair and fur, making it glisten\n\nas it hung limply around the feline's face, neck and arms, \"It's not\n\ntoo much farther.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The two were crossing into the periphery of the large parking\n\nlot, Jace's car was on the edge of the lot near the main street. Jace\n\nwas focused mainly on helping Patrick reach the car before he was\n\ntotally soaked or tired out from the walk. He was keeping a careful\n\neye on his feline companion, helping him over the rough or slick\n\nareas to keep him from slipping and falling. Jace helped Patrick to\n\nskirt the center of the parking lot where a large puddle dominated\n\nthe scene.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Gradually, over the years, the asphalt of the parking lot had\n\nsettled slightly, creating a shallow basin where rain-water could\n\ncollect, forming a miniature lake of sorts. Nearly ten feet across at\n\nthe widest and the better part of two inches at it's deepest the water\n\nposed something of an obstacle in the two new friend's path. Jace had\n\na peculiar feeling as he helped Patrick traverse the massive puddle.\n\nHe didn't hear the truck's engine till it was too late. Jace gasped,\n\ntrying to shield Patrick as best he could as the small electric blue\n\npick-up truck sped through the rain filled depression as fast as it\n\ncould. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The rapid spin of the truck's tires threw an icy sheet of\n\nwater up over the two of them. Jace regained some of his senses after\n\nthe polar deluge, hearing shouts of laughter coming from the cab of\n\nthe truck as it sped by. One of the unknown assailants could be heard\n\nas he shouted at the soaked figures. Jace could barely make out what\n\nthe person was yelling but it didn't take much imagination to realize\n\nthe context, \"Fucking Freaks!, Some gimp feline and that fucking\n\nfaggot skunk!\" Jace shook his head, feeling a seething heat rushing\n\nthrough his face and ears. He drooped a little as he, moved to help\n\nPatrick.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The feline had fallen hard, jarring his hip, and was struggling\n\nto get to his feet from the wet concrete. Jace pulled Patrick upright,\n\nhearing him cough and spit, panting from the shock of the icy deluge\n\nand the fall. Jace felt Patrick tremble, his clothes and fur were\n\nsoaked and clung wetly to the feline's unprotected body. Jace's coat\n\nwas positively dripping but had saved the skunk from the brunt of the\n\nfreezing splash. Jace felt rage building in his chest at seeing his\n\nsoaked friend gasping and trembling from the cold and wind.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He punched his pack fiercely, \"GODDAMN IT!!!!, FUCKING, NO\n\nGOOD ASS-HOLES!!!, Why can't they just leave people alone?!, Fucking\n\nshit-heads, I hope they burn in Hell!!!\" The skunk calmed slightly\n\nat feeling Patrick's shaking hand on his arm, \"It's OK, I'll be fine,\n\nreally. I-I'm used to things like that.\" Jace looked at the feline\n\nstill slightly angry, \"No, it's not OK!, They weren't aiming for you,\n\nthey were gunning for me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"W-w-why?\" Patrick was shaking earnestly, teeth chattering,\n\nslightly interrupting his speech. The skunk pressed a finger to the\n\nfeline's lips, quieting him, \"Don't talk, if you keep talking while\n\nyour teeth are chattering you could shred your tongue or lips.\" Jace\n\nhad once seen a leopard bite his own lip when he had been talking\n\nwhile eating, even such a little thing had required a few stitches.\n\nAny morph with carnivorous anatomy of the mouth was in danger should\n\nthey bite their lips or tongue. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick nodded falling silent as Jace opened the passenger\n\nside door of his older model mustang, the skunk helped him to sit and\n\nclosed the door. This provided some relief, but little more than\n\nshelter from further moisture and the biting breeze. Jace pulled off\n\nhis drenched coat, tossing it into the back seat as he lowered himself\n\ninto the driver's seat. He looked over at Patrick, seeing the feline's\n\nhead resting back against the head-rest, eyes closed. He was still\n\nshaking slightly, breathing in shuddery pants.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace was worried at the pale color seeping into Patrick's nose\n\nand ears, both were freezing cold to the touch. Jace patted the\n\nfeline on the cheek, \"Hey, Pat, stay awake..., No napping, it's not\n\ngood for you.\" He was worried that the feline was slipping into some\n\nhypothermic slumber from the dousing. Gritting his teeth Jace started\n\nthe car, cranking the heater up as high as it could go and aiming the\n\nvents at Patrick. This seemed to rouse the feline slightly after a\n\nfew moments.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace was still worried at the poor state of Patrick's being,\n\nhe was afraid perhaps hitting his head earlier paired with his double\n\nfalls and the icy inundation had caused some type of black-out,\n\n\"Change of plans. Let's go, come on, stay with me.\" Patrick's eyes\n\nfluttered slightly at Jace's words and he looked at the skunk,\n\n\"Anywhere w-w-warm and dry will d-do.\" Jace nodded, \"We'll go to\n\nmy place. Hang tight for a minute, it's not far.\" Patrick's voice\n\nquavered as he sat shaking in the passengers seat, \"F-fine by m-me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace's apartment complex was only about a mile and a half from\n\ncampus. A small complex compared to some, only about 40 units on two\n\nlevels, arranged in a U shape around a central court, huge brick\n\ngrill and pool. Jace liked the complex, it was secure and he was\n\nfamiliar with most of his neighbors, knowing a lot of them on a first\n\nname basis. He often had coffee or a conversation with his next door\n\nneighbors or the couple below him. Most of the complexes residents\n\nwere a little older than he was but only one or two individuals he\n\nknew of topped 40. It seemed the older individuals avoided him more\n\nthan the people nearer his own age.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; His next door neighbor did know of a few of the people on the\n\nopposite side of the complex that had some strong opinions about him\n\nand the company he kept. He knew the individual on his other side as\n\nwell, a 28-ish female feline that had something of a habit of touching\n\n(nearly groping) him constantly while they talked. But lascivious\n\nadvances aside Jace liked her well enough. It was fairly obvious she\n\nliked him, or at least parts of him. A lot. She had gotten in a good\n\ngoose to his crotch as they had passed on the stairs the day before.\n\nDespite all her earnest but misplaced carnal overtures, she kept him\n\nappraised of any rampant rumors.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; For a laugh one day the skunk had taken his shirt off while she\n\nwas over for coffee. Just to see how the feline would react. Jace was\n\namazed that she hadn't shut up for over an hour. It seemed to the\n\nskunk that the more aroused she got the faster she talked. He had to\n\nadmit the feline would make an interesting, if not distracting, bed\n\npartner. When he had finally buttoned his shirt back up the skunk\n\nknew more about his neighbors than he really wanted to. As for the\n\nrumors, Jace really didn't care one way or the other what a few\n\npin-heads had to say, but it's best to stay informed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;His apartment had originally been Thomas' before he had\n\nmoved, Jace had lived there with his brother for several years\n\nbefore assuming it from Thomas. His brother had offered the free\n\nbedroom in the apartment after things at home had taken a southern\n\nturn. Jace still saw his mother often, she and his genial human step-\n\nfather lived about twenty minutes away and his mother's medical\n\npractice was on the far side of town. His father now lived on the\n\neast coast somewhere near Washington DC, he thought.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The two of them hadn't spoken since Jace had staggered out of\n\nthe house and made his way to Thomas' apartment. His father still\n\nhadn't apologized for the round-house blow that had sent Jace to the\n\nfloor, seeing stars and choking on blood from his nose. That had been\n\nover four years past. Jace still to this day didn't know why his\n\nfather had hit him, he hadn't shouted or intentionally started the\n\nfight. His father was the one who had started the topic and who had\n\nstruck his own son.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It wasn't Jace's fault, he was who he was, there wasn't much he\n\ncould do about it. His mother had been much more accepting of her son\n\nand his brother had gone ballistic. The normally affable older skunk\n\nhad raged and shouted at the top of his voice on the phone with their\n\nfather at seeing the drying blood and swelling on his younger\n\nbrother's face. Jace had never seen Thomas like that before, his\n\nnormally even-tempered and controlled older brother had yelled and\n\nranted at their father.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He had used every florid word and vulgar description Jace\n\nhad ever heard and then some. Finally slamming the phone down and\n\ntending to his younger brother's wounds as best he could with help\n\nfrom a neighbor who happened to be a nurse. Jace had always felt\n\nclose to Thomas as brothers should but that day he had seen first\n\nhand how much his brother loved and wanted to protect him. The\n\nseparation and divorce hadn't been long in coming after the hitting\n\nincident. After seeing and tending to his injuries Jace's mother\n\nhad said she didn't want to live married to someone who could send\n\nhis own son crashing to the floor broken and bleeding for telling\n\nthe truth.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace had taken the apartment over when his brother had moved\n\na little over a year ago, letting out the spare room to Gary, his\n\nhuman friend. Jace knew the super very well, the complex actually\n\nbelonged to one of his aunts, so rent and repairs had never been a\n\nproblem for either he or Thomas. Jace pulled into his spot in the\n\nparking area and got out of the car, trying to heft Patrick's\n\nshivering form from the passengers seat. Jace's worry was renewed\n\nat Patrick's state, the feline was still wet, shivering profusely in\n\nhis clothes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The grey feline was barely awake, struggling to regain his\n\nsenses against the numbing cold that permeated his body. Jace could\n\nbarely hear Patrick, \"I'm alright, just give me a minute.\" Jace looked\n\naround anxiously, finally spotting what he was looking for and looked\n\nback down at Patrick, pushing the feline back down into the seat,\n\n\"Hold still, I'll be right back.\" Jace shut the door once again, then\n\ndashed across the parking lot to the main gate near the mail-boxes,\n\n\"William!!!, Wil!, Yo, Stripes!!!\" Jace shouted as he ran, seeing\n\nthe familiar shape hesitate and turn back from the gate.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; William, the complex manager and super/handyman paused and\n\nwatched as Jace skidded to a halt in front of him panting. Jace\n\nlooked up into William's face, he had to. William was a tiger morph,\n\nhuge and heavily muscled, standing a full head and then some taller\n\nthan his own near 6 foot. Jace had known the older morph since\n\nThomas had introduced them shortly after he had moved in with his\n\nbrother. Despite the age difference, he was 19 and William nearly\n\n26, Jace still considered the tiger one of his closest friends and\n\nconfidantes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The two of them had even been involved with each other briefly,\n\nbut Jace had found William to be too physically rough for his tastes.\n\nMore than once Jace had been forced to go to see his doctor after\n\nspending the night with the massive tiger. The bites, scratches,\n\nsprains and pulled muscles, some often in awkward places, were\n\npainful (not to mention slightly embarrassing) and had worn quickly\n\non the young skunk. So the two of them had parted ways amiably,\n\nWilliam to find someone more his size and resilience, and Jace\n\nsomeone less ferocious in bed than a full grown tiger. Jace had to\n\nadmit the sex had been astounding, but his insurance premiums had\n\nsuffered from the frequent medical visits.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; William grinned at Jace, \"What's up Little Brother?\" Jace\n\nregained his breath slightly, \"Hey William ., Would you mind lending\n\nme a hand for a sec?\" The tiger's ears twitched a little, \"What?,\n\nNow you want me and my body for something., I thought all I was\n\ngood for was roughing you up in bed...\" Jace sighed, rolling his\n\neyes, the huge tiger teased him now and then on the terms of their\n\nbreak-up, \"Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a wimp compared to you, the striped\n\nbrick wall., This is serious, I need your help.\" The striped feline\n\ndraped a huge arm across Jace's shoulders, pulling the skunk close\n\nto his chest and gesturing, \"Lead the way Little Brother.\" He\n\npaused, holding Jace back a moment, \"By the way, Why are you wet?,\n\nDo I even want to know..?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace laughed bitterly, \"Ha, ha., It's a long story, come on.\"\n\nHe led the massive tiger to his car, opening the side door. A low\n\nrumbling purr that had been resonating in the tiger's chest stopped\n\ncold as he spoke, \"Jace, what happened?\" Patrick stirred a bit,\n\nweakly at the new voice, letting his head sink back down to the head\n\nrest after a moment. \"There was an 'circumstance' at the campus\n\nparking lot., Some ass-holes drenched us peeling through a puddle.\"\n\nThe tiger turned his head to regard Jace, \"I assume you two know\n\neach other?\" Jace nodded, \"Yeah, this is Patrick Lauren., Would you\n\nmind at all Wil, I don't think he can make it up the stairs in the\n\nshape he's in.\" \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; William patted Jace's shoulder as he leaned down, \"No problem\n\nLittle Bro.\" Jace watched William reach into the car, withdrawing\n\nPatrick's slack form and holding the feline in his arms surprisingly\n\ngently despite his bulk. The skunk looked up into William's face,\n\n\"You've got him?\" The tiger's sleek head nodded, \"Yeah, quickest and\n\neasiest this way.\" he paused, \"Light, Little One here needs to eat.,\n\nSkinny for his size, like you. Need to put something under his fur,\n\nfill him out a little.\" Jace hadn't noticed it earlier but he saw\n\nthat William was right, lying there in the huge tiger's arms Patrick\n\nlooked like a kitten.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The smaller feline was lean, and looked ill-fed, his slender\n\nbody was rangy, verging on skinny. Patrick was semi-alert in\n\nWilliam's arms, struggling slightly in protest against the tiger's\n\nunfamiliar touch. \"Peace Little One, I won't hurt you... Just relax.\"\n\nWilliam started toward the gate as Jace fetched the packs and\n\nPatrick's cane from the car. The two of them passed through the court-\n\nyard as more cold rain began to fall from the leaden sky.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace dug his keys from his pocket, opening the apartment door\n\nfor William. \"I put him down on the sofa, OK?\" Jace nodded at the\n\ntiger's question, putting down the packs next to the front door and\n\nkeeping Patrick's cane in his hand. William looked over his shoulder,\n\nspying the walking-stick in Jace's grasp, \"That his?\" The skunk\n\nnodded at William, seeing the massive tiger turn back to Patrick,\n\nsmoothing the smaller feline's hair over his head, \"Little One here\n\nisn't\\_ healthy.....\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace wondered why his tiger friend had trailed off. Looking\n\nup he saw that William, not knowing, had pushed the hair up and\n\naway from Patrick's face, fully exposing it. Jace heard William\n\nbreathe something in his native language. Being part Siberian Tiger\n\nand having been brought here to the states with his parents when he\n\nwas only ten, William spoke an off-shoot Russian dialect. Jace knew\n\nthat although the massive tiger spoke near perfect, albeight slightly\n\naccented English he also spoke Russian and several other minor\n\ndialects fluently. From the tone and inflection in his voice Jace\n\nassumed what-ever William had said had probably been a rather ornate\n\ncurse.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The tiger hissed softly, \"The Little One here has had a rough\n\nlife., What makes a mark like that?\" Jace sighed as he leaned on\n\nWilliam's broad shoulders looking at Patrick's now exposed face,\n\n\"Looks like scarring from a burn most likely, maybe a heavy scalding,\n\nnear or boiling water perhaps.\" What looked like a slightly odd colored\n\npatch of fur against Patrick's cheek and face was on closer inspection\n\nactually scar tissue that showed through his silky coat.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace now understood why Patrick had been so adamant about\n\nkeeping his face covered, the scarring covered a moderate portion\n\nof the feline's upper face and cheek, where the dark keloided tissue\n\nshowed through his fur. In respect for Patrick's feelings Jace\n\nrestored the silvery hair back to it's original position, over the\n\nfeline's face. Patrick was stirring gently, the color creeping back\n\ninto his ears and lips as his body temperature rose again. Jace was\n\nglad he had left the heat on when he had left for classes that\n\nmorning.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The massive tiger shook his head, \"Ill-fed, battered, scarred.,\n\nWhat more can God to to this young-one?\" Jace spoke bitterly, \"I\n\nsomehow doubt it was God that did that.\" William rose slowly putting\n\na huge hand on Jace's shoulder, \"Let me know how the little one does.,\n\nGet him dried out and keep him warm., You don't want to mess with\n\nhypothermia in weather like this., It can be a real bitch., Trust me,\n\nwhere I come from this is beach weather, but still not to be toyed\n\nwith.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace nodded at the tiger, sidling up close and putting his arms\n\naround William embracing him warmly. \"Thanks.\" Jace felt the silky\n\nstriped fur under his hands, smelling the tiger's familiar scent, and\n\ncouldn't resist himself. As he embraced William, Jace allowed a hand\n\nto stray down the tiger's back, seeking out his tail and rubbing it's\n\nbase as he had done when they were curled in bed together. William\n\nstiffened, looking down at Jace, \"Hey!, Careful how far you take this\n\nhug, I might hold you to it.\" Jace grinned, knowing that William wasn't\n\nkidding. He hesitantly released the tiger's tail, noticing with an even\n\nwider smile that William was forced to re-adjust the front of his jeans\n\nbefore ambling out the door.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace missed his older lover but he knew that an on and off\n\nrelationship wouldn't really fly with the tiger, normally it was all\n\nor nothing with William. The skunk knew he likely wouldn't survive all\n\nso he had settled on being intimate friends with the massive feline.\n\nJace looked out the door after William for a few moments then turned\n\nback to see Patrick blinking groggily at him from the sofa. He helped\n\nthe feline to sit up slowly against the cushions.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Where are we ?, I guess I must have blacked out for a few\n\nminutes.\" Patrick looked confused, Jace guessed he probably didn't\n\nremember much after being hit by the freezing wave of water in the\n\nparking lot, \"We're at my place, I brought you back here after you\n\nstarted to space in and out from the cold.\" Jace settled himself in\n\nthe arm-chair next to the coffee table, giving Patrick his space on the\n\nsofa to recover. The grey furred feline relaxed back on the sofa, \"It's\n\nnice in here.\" The temperature in the apartment was pleasant and mild,\n\nnot hot but not cold enough to chill one.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick gazed about at his surroundings, brilliant eyes soaking\n\nthings up as he looked around, \"Nice.\" \"Thank-you, I try.\" Jace gave a\n\nlimited tour from his seat in the living room area, \"Living-room here.,\n\nKitchen there behind that little dividing wall., The bedrooms and\n\nbathrooms are down that way.\" Jace pointed to the small hall-way that\n\nopened off between the living-room and kitchen. Patrick was nodding as\n\nJace ticked off the rooms and features, \"Must be expensive.\" Jace\n\nlooked slightly embarrassed, \"Uh, not really., My aunt owns the complex,\n\nmy rent is pretty much controlled and fairly low.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh!\" Jace felt a familiar weight land on the back of the\n\narm-chair, seeing Patrick jump slightly, \"Sorry, I should have warned\n\nyou about Cherokee.\" The skunk felt a long tail whip against his neck\n\nand small paws rest on his shoulder. Reaching around he seized the\n\nSiamese house-cat perched on the back of the chair. Holding Cherokee\n\nin his lap Jace looked at Patrick, \"You don't mind house-cats do you?\"\n\nHe felt a little foolish asking but felt better seeing the feline morph\n\nshake his head, \"No, that would be kind of prejudiced of me wouldn't\n\nit?, I'd feel like I were rejecting some ancient ancestor of mine if\n\nI did.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jace laughed, nodding and releasing the cat to wander toward\n\nPatrick. \"Where did you come up with Cherokee?\" Patrick stroked the\n\ncat tentatively, making the Siamese settle down on the cushions to be\n\npetted. Jace looked at the cat, \"Kind of a long story, actually. The\n\nmask colouring around her face and eyes there looks something\n\nlike a common ceremonial paint pattern used by some of the Cherokee\n\nand Cheyenne tribes., They would put paint around their eyes and faces\n\nlike that before dance ceremonies or battles., It was actually my\n\nbrother that suggested the name, it kind of stuck.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick gazed toward the hallway, \"Is that who lives here\n\nbesides you?, Your brother?, I heard you say bedrooms.\" \"Oh, no.,\n\nMy brother moved out about a year ago., He lives and goes to school\n\nin Washington state now., I did have a roommate up until last semester,\n\nbut he moved back home and I'm alone now., Actually I'm looking for a\n\nnew mate, ROOM-mate, ROOMMATE, ahem, roommate .\" Jace grinned way too\n\nbroadly, wanting nothing more than to find a wall to beat his head\n\nagainst at that exact moment, \"Haven't found any takers though!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Patrick looked thoughtfully at Jace as the skunk calmed down\n\nagain. \"My brother's name is Thomas, there's a picture right there on\n\nthe table next to the lamp.\" Jace watched as the gold eyed feline peered\n\nat the photo, \"That's your brother?, I thought it was you, the two of you\n\ncould be twins.\" Jace smiled, \"We get that a lot., There are some\n\ndifferences though, his hair is longer and has more black in it than mine\n\ndoes., His eyes are a lighter green, oh, and he has that little white\n\nmark on his fore-head above his muzzle, I don't.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The grey feline nodded, looking back and forth between Jace and\n\nthe photo, \"Mmm, I see now, subtle differences., Handsome though, uhm,\n\nthat is, you're both handsome, I mean.\" \"Thank-you.\" Jace heard a soft\n\nrasping noise, looking down to see Cherokee slowly grooming the fur on\n\nPatrick's hand. Jace laughed, seeing the feline morph's ears flush\n\nslightly, \"She does have a point, would you like to take a shower?,\n\nGet some of the dirt and wet off you...?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n* * *\n\\\u003eend part III\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Love\\'s Shadow","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/212381-love-s-shadow-part-2.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/212386-love-s-shadow-part-4.json"}}