# Land of the Free and Home of the Slaves: Chapter 3

Author: Revresbo
Tags: Dog, Jaguar, M/M, No-Yiff, Slavery, Wolf

#3 of LFHS

Author's note: I'm not a doctor and have no experience with first aid, so please forgive any and all errors in the scene to follow.&nbsp; If I ever go mainstream (doubtful), I'll take greater efforts to make it more realistic.  
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Chapter III: Canine Wounds  
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Daniel stared, open-mouthed, at the silent and ominous tableau before him.&nbsp; He didn't need to be a creation of Arthur Canon Doyle to deduce that someone had been in his house.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To say the place was a mess would be understating the situation.&nbsp; It was a disaster.&nbsp; His eyes drifted across the scene, the rest of him too shocked to move.&nbsp; The pictures on the living room wall to his left were knocked askew, and one had fallen off the wall entirely, the glass in its frame scattered across the carpet.&nbsp; The shards looked oddly beautiful as they reflected the dying light of the sun coming through the large living room window.&nbsp; One couch had been overturned, and the other looked like someone had been jumping on it.&nbsp; The formerly neat end and coffee tables were in states of disarray.&nbsp; The carpet, usually a uniform cream colour, was pockmarked by footprints.&nbsp; Whoever had been in the house hadn't removed their shoes.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daniel kicked off his own shoes, more be reflex than by conscious thought.&nbsp; He took a step forward, attention still on the carnage in the living room.&nbsp; He felt something wet on his bare paw-pad and slipped.&nbsp; His arm managed to catch the short half-wall that separated the entryway from the living room, and having steadied himself, he crouched down to investigate the cause of his near-fall.&nbsp; A glance was all that was needed to make his blood run cold.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "David?" he called.&nbsp; "Hello?"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Silence answered him as he went past the stairs to the second floor and the living room to enter the kitchen.&nbsp; It hadn't fared much better than the living room.&nbsp; A couple of plates had fallen to the floor, and the cupboards doors were open.&nbsp; The point of entry was also apparent.&nbsp; The back door's window had been shattered and the screen cut threw, giving the vandal or vandals access to the dead bolt.&nbsp; It was a double cylinder, but the key had been left inserted on the inside, mocking Daniel's security.&nbsp; He quickly proceeded through the kitchen and down the four steps to the right of the back door to enter the den.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This room had escaped the damage of the living room and kitchen for the most part, but a glace ascertained that things were missing.&nbsp; Daniel didn't pause to take inventory, but went through the den to the south wall.&nbsp; The side door and garage door were secure, and while looked in, the washroom and spare bedroom had mostly escaped notice.&nbsp; He cut back through the den and went to the already opened door leading to the basement.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The rec area also didn't show signs of violence, but several expensive items were conspicuous by their absence.&nbsp; The door to the crawl space seemed to have been ignored, and a red light blinked every couple of seconds around the corner of the stairwell, indicating the office had been left alone.&nbsp; Daniel cursed himself silently.&nbsp; It looked like his alarm system would have done more good had it been covering the exterior of the house rather than his office.&nbsp; He hurried back up to the den and u-turned at the corner at the top of the stairs.&nbsp; From there, it was another four steps up to bring him full circle back to the entryway.&nbsp; Once again, he turned 180o around the corner and headed to the second floor.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whereas the den and downstairs were still mostly clean, the upstairs showed signs of struggle.&nbsp; Claw marks had gouged the paint in the wall in a couple places, and small stains in the carpet matched the liquid on which Daniel had slipped.&nbsp; A quick inspection confirmed that the storage room and the closet had been ignored.&nbsp; The washroom door's latch had been broken, and the mirror was cracked, but Daniel still hadn't found the object of his search.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; David's bedroom stood out in that it appeared completely untouched.&nbsp; Everything was in place, and Daniel suspected whoever had broken into his house had thought nothing of value could be found in a slave's room.&nbsp; There was only one more place to look.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daniel placed his paw on the handle to his bedroom door and paused for a moment, suddenly afraid of what he might see on the other side.&nbsp; He inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and turned the knob.&nbsp; He then let the breath out, pushed open the door, and opened his eyes to take in the room.&nbsp; The blinds were drawn and the lights were off, but his feline pupils had no trouble discerning the room's features despite the dark.&nbsp; The dresser and shelves were a little more bare than usual, but it was the addition to the room that made him gasp.  
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At first glance the room appeared empty.&nbsp; The black-tiled floor probably had something to do with that.&nbsp; If one were to enter the room right then, they would probably believe they were alone until a small sigh alerted them to the room's occupant.&nbsp; Then, perhaps, they would notice the white tuft of fur on a wolfen face that was mostly obscured by a black tail.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The wolf sighed again.&nbsp; For once rather than a sigh of pain or frustration, it was simple boredom that brought his breath to his lips.&nbsp; The only benefit of "training" is that it is hard to bored when you are being beaten.&nbsp; As it was, all the wolf could do was wait to go back through the system and get auctioned off again.&nbsp; _At least I'm waiting in an auction house,_ the wolf thought.&nbsp; He was going to be transferred out of the city, an uncomfortable prospect, but his sad condition on arrival convinced the owners that he could not be sold immediately.&nbsp; Sales happened only once a week in the small community he was going to be shipped to, so they kept him to be sold on recovery.&nbsp; He expected to be sold soon, not because he was healing rapidly, but because the auction house had ways to cover up injuries.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bruises, however, did not need any special covering.&nbsp; In most cases the fur sufficed to hide them.&nbsp; This was fortunate for the furs working in the auction houses because they often added a few to the slaves before selling them.&nbsp; The wolf was still a punching bag, but it was the odd blow here and there rather than concentrated abuse.&nbsp; The times spent in the auction houses were some of the most peaceful the wolf had had in the last few years.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This particular moment was even more peaceful than usual.&nbsp; Normally, he would be in one of the slave cages, surrounded by other miserable furs.&nbsp; Instead, he was in an examination room in the infirmary, waiting for the doctor to check on his progress.&nbsp; The doctors in the auction houses, in his experience, didn't really care unless a slave was dying or going to lose a limb, but it was better than nothing.&nbsp; Once, a doctor had cared enough to keep him off the block for two weeks, much to the house's owners' displeasure.&nbsp; In order to maximize their profits, they sold slaves as quickly as possible.&nbsp; Slaves were often sold within hours of their arrival.&nbsp; The wolf had seen this doctor before and suspected that his time of sale was near.&nbsp; The doctor hadn't passed comment on any of his injuries.&nbsp; He still had a couple of broken ribs, and his tailhole was slightly sore, but he didn't have any infections or gaping wounds, so it was likely he would be spending the night in a private residence.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The door opened, revealing a harried-looking rat.&nbsp; He must have been dealing with serious injuries.&nbsp; He had looked calm and collected the last time he had checked the wolf, but this time his glasses were askew on his pointy nose, and he looked ill at ease.&nbsp; The wolf smelled something metallic and realized the rat's white coat was slightly bloodstained.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The wolf enjoyed the doctor's momentary confusion when his patient wasn't immediately apparent, but the canine decided to lift himself slowly rather than anger the doctor for wasting time.&nbsp; The rat straightened his glasses and gestured towards the bench that was the room's sole piece of furniture.&nbsp; As the wolf stood and crossed the room, he caught sight of two orderlies just outside the door.&nbsp; A lynx and a bear were clearly itching to enter, but the doctor still stood in the doorway, preventing their entry.&nbsp; They were big and looked like they worked out several times a week.&nbsp; This auction house had held the wolf before and knew of his tendency to escape.&nbsp; The wolf merely sat on the bench docilely.&nbsp; There was no way to escape from here, and he wasn't stupid enough to try.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The rat stepped further into the room and the orderlies started to crowd in behind him.&nbsp; He sensed their movement and turned with an exasperated sigh.&nbsp; The wolf watched with interest while the doctor made a cutting gesture with his hand and made to close the door on the pair.&nbsp; The lynx opened his mouth to protest, but the doctor beat him to the punch.&nbsp; "No.&nbsp; I can't concentrate with you two crowding me.&nbsp; I nearly took out that rabbit's eye when you started breathing down my neck."&nbsp; The bear made to speak, but the rat preceded him once again.&nbsp; "There's only one door out of this room.&nbsp; If he breaks out, you'll still catch him.&nbsp; Now, give me a moment of peace."&nbsp; Having finished his speech, he forcefully shut the door.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The wolf looked more closely at the rat, his respect for the doctor greatly increased.&nbsp; The brown-furred doctor turned back to face the wolf, running a hand through his greying hair.&nbsp; His green eyes looked hazy at first, but he blinked and sharpened his gaze on the lupine before him.&nbsp; "Okay.&nbsp; Let's take a look at you."  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The rat looked closely at the wolf's left ear.&nbsp; While the bite had drawn blood and hurt like hell, the wound had not been too serious and was well on its way to being completely healed.&nbsp; The doctor ran a finger over the scar.&nbsp; The ear twitched, but it was more from reflex than pain.&nbsp; The doctor let out a satisfied grunt and started working his way down.&nbsp; The wolf's muzzle earned a cursory glance as did the side of the wolf's head where the buffalo had kicked him.&nbsp; How the wolf had avoided a concussion was beyond both the canine and the doctor.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The rat gently pressed on his patient's sides.&nbsp; The wolf winced, and his ears went flat for a moment.&nbsp; The doctor sighed and continued his examination, getting the wolf to stand so he could check the lower body.&nbsp; The wolf's legs were fine, but when the rat lifted his tail, he couldn't help flicking it back down and turning quickly to face the doctor.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Running his hand through his hair again, the doctor sighed.&nbsp; "Look, buddy, that's the last thing on my mind right now.&nbsp; I'm heterosexual, and I'm so tired I couldn't if I wanted to.&nbsp; I'm just taking a look."  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The wolf turned, abashed.&nbsp; He hadn't really expected the man would try anything, but it had become ingrained in him: if they grabbed his tail, they wanted sex.&nbsp; He halfheartedly raised his tail and let the doctor lift it the rest of the way, though he shuddered as he did so.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Odd," the doctor said.&nbsp; "Have you been using that lotion twice a day?"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "What lotion?" the wolf asked, confused.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "The--"&nbsp; The rat paused, and the wolf could feel his sudden hostility.&nbsp; "You weren't given any medications since our last visit?"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I didn't know I was supposed to have any."&nbsp; The wolf was now even more confused.&nbsp; The only time he had received medicine since becoming a slave had been when one of his wounds became infected.&nbsp; Other than that, time was the only healer he had been given.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The doctor relinquished his grasp on the lupine's tail and grabbed the wolf's chart of the wall.&nbsp; He began scribbling furiously, eyes narrowed behind his glasses.&nbsp; The wolf could see the chart, but the doctor's handwriting looked like meaningless scribbles to him.&nbsp; "It's a bloody miracle anyone leaves these places alive," he grumbled.&nbsp; "Too little food, too little water, inadequate accommodations, and heaven forbid any money be spent on such _trivialities_," he spat out the word, "as medicine.&nbsp; It's no wonder they can't find any good doctors to come to these places.&nbsp; First that rabbit, now you.&nbsp; You know," he said, speaking up, "when I told the owner you'd need recovery time, he offered me a hefty sum to give you a clean bill of health.&nbsp; I had a syringe in my hand and more than half a mind to shove it right up his ass."  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The wolf was rapidly revising his opinion of those in the medical profession.&nbsp; It certainly explained a lot if the auction houses were paying doctors to release slaves for sale early.&nbsp; Any honest doctor would refuse to serve the houses, and only the bad apples would stay.&nbsp; The wolf fully understood the doctor's aggravation at being asked to lie.&nbsp; He respected honesty.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "There," the fuming rat said.&nbsp; "I'm going to check on the others I prescribed drugs for as well.&nbsp; Either you're going to get your meds, or I'm going to hold back everyone with so much as a hangnail."  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The wolf felt a little bad as the doctor stormed out of the room and one of the orderlies entered to take him back to the cages.&nbsp; He had taken the rat's silence before as indifference when it was merely having nothing to say.&nbsp; After all, the wolf couldn't provide anything for himself and was completely dependent on others to look after him.&nbsp; It was one of the things he hated about being a slave.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As he walked back to the cage he could temporarily call "his," the wolf saw many eyes looking back at him.&nbsp; Some looked at him with mild curiosity while others merely raised their heads to see if the footsteps were coming for them.&nbsp; A broad range of emotions confronted the wolf: the ones new to slavery showed mixtures of anticipation and fear; those that were being resold showed depression or resignation.&nbsp; One pair of eyes in particular jumped out at him.&nbsp; One reason they stood out was their brilliant colour.&nbsp; The sparkled a bright jade that caught the dim lighting and shone through the comparative dark.&nbsp; The primary reason, though, was the emotion the wolf could see in them.&nbsp; He could see that this slave had had a hard time.&nbsp; There was a mixture of resignation, sorrow, and pain that spoke of years of ill-treatment.&nbsp; The eyes seemed like the eyes of a youth, but they had lost their innocence.&nbsp; However, beneath all of the fatalism and despair, there was a glimmer.&nbsp; It had been so long since he had seen that glint that the wolf had passed by the slave before he recognized it.&nbsp; He scoffed silently at the feeling.&nbsp; Another master and the green-eyed slave would learn the futility of the emotion.&nbsp; The wolf had abandoned it years ago.&nbsp; It only brought pain.&nbsp; As his cage was locked with him inside, he snorted softly.&nbsp; He would not fall for its allure again.&nbsp; What use had he for fool's gold?&nbsp; Still he couldn't help but feel a little envious of those eyes and what they held.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hope.  
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Daniel didn't breathe as he took in the scene before him.&nbsp; It was as if he had suddenly forgotten how.&nbsp; It wasn't until the dark shape before him shuddered that the air started moving through his lungs again.&nbsp; He slowly stepped into the room, still slightly unable to accept what he was seeing.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "David?"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The canine was completely obscured beneath the bedsheets, which had been flung into the far corner of the room.&nbsp; The only indications that anyone was there were the smell of the Newfoundland dog and the occasional quiver of the sheets.&nbsp; Daniel approached slowly, both because he did not want to scare his slave and because he was scared himself of what he might see.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "David?" he called again, a little louder than before.&nbsp; The pile shuddered at his voice.&nbsp; "It's me.&nbsp; Daniel.&nbsp; Your master."&nbsp; He kept his tone quiet and soothing as he continued his careful advance.&nbsp; When he reached the twitching bundle, he carefully crouched down beside it and gently grabbed one edge of the sheets.&nbsp; He slowly tried to pull it back, but a black-furred paw prevented him.&nbsp; "C'mon, David," Daniel crooned.&nbsp; "Let me have a look at you."&nbsp; He slowly tried again, and this time the sheet pulled back easily.&nbsp; The sight that greeted him beneath the two sheets, he knew, would be much more difficult to pull from his memory.&nbsp; A tear rolled down his cheek as he looked on his shaking slave.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I tried to stop them," David whispered.&nbsp; "But--"&nbsp; The canine's voice broke and fresh tears rolled down well-worn paths on his cheeks.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Shh," Daniel whispered, taking the Newfie in his arms.&nbsp; The sheets still covered the lower half of David, affording the dog a little modesty.&nbsp; Daniel could see the loincloth that David usually wore had been flung into the corner as well and could all too easily guess the reason it had been removed.&nbsp; The slave wept in his master's arms while Daniel murmured, "It's all right.&nbsp; I'm here, it'll be okay."  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It was abundantly clear, however, that things were not all right.&nbsp; Even a cursory glance revealed that things had been rough for David, and Daniel was taking a closer look while he comforted the canine.&nbsp; The black fur was streaked with red in a couple of places, and one blow had swollen his left eye shut.&nbsp; Based on how David flinched, it appeared he was sore all over.&nbsp; On closer inspection the wrists appeared chafed.&nbsp; Daniel glanced over at the bed, and as he predicted, ropes were tied to the bedposts.&nbsp; He turned back to his slave and saw that the poor dog had passed out in his arms.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daniel was torn among three emotions as he looked at David.&nbsp; He felt anger at the perpetrators for their treatment of David.&nbsp; Everything they had taken could be replaced.&nbsp; Everything, except for David's innocence and sense of security.&nbsp; He felt sorrow for the pain David had gone through and the psychological scars the Newfoundland dog would carry for a long time.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However, the predominant emotion for Daniel was guilt.&nbsp; He couldn't help feeling that he could have prevented this.&nbsp; The marks in the house were fresh, and the blood downstairs still wet.&nbsp; Had he taken a cab home, perhaps he could have been home in time to stop the break-in.&nbsp; Furthermore, if he had found another slave earlier as he intended, especially one less submissive than David, the thieves might have been wary of trying to enter.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Carefully, Daniel picked up the physically and emotionally drained canine.&nbsp; Despite the occasional missed meal, the dog was a large specimen, and Daniel strained a little under his weight.&nbsp; It wasn't an excess of fat or muscle; it was merely the way David was built.&nbsp; Daniel carried David into the bathroom, awkwardly shuffling sides through the doors.&nbsp; The cracked mirror distorted their image, blending the two black-furred people into one ominous shape.&nbsp; Daniel gently lowered his slave to the floor and leaned him against a wall in a sitting position.&nbsp; He started running a bath and took a first-aid kit out of the cupboard.&nbsp; The jaguar cast a critical eye at the cuts and scrapes David had accumulated during his struggle.&nbsp; Most of the blood was dried or drying, and none of the wounds looked serious in nature.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When the bathtub had filled with warm water, Daniel once again laboriously lifted David off the ground.&nbsp; _Maybe I should start going to the gym_, the panther thought as he carefully placed himself and David into the tub.&nbsp; Once they settled without incident, Daniel slowly and carefully started cleaning the still unconscious canine, paying especial attention any place the skin had broken.&nbsp; The most time-consuming area was the dog's rump, which still bore traces of the ordeal to which David had been subjected.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After the dog's appearance was restored, Daniel just lay in the bathtub with David in his arms.&nbsp; He knew it would take a lot more time to restore the dog's confidence and good-humour.&nbsp; He was trying to think of how he could speed the process when he realized he was sitting in lukewarm water fully clothed.&nbsp; He had been so concerned about David that he hadn't even removed his tie.&nbsp; Daniel sighed and prepared to get out of the bath.&nbsp; When he shifted, David stirred.&nbsp; Feeling Daniel's arms around him, the Newfie instinctively lashed out with his arm, impacting the panther's muzzle.&nbsp; Working around the pain in his jaw, Daniel tried to soothe the slave.&nbsp; "Whoa, David, it's me, it's me!"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; David calmed at his master's voice and turned his head and torso to look at the jaguar.&nbsp; Seeing him rubbing his jaw, David apologized.&nbsp; "Sorry, Master," he said, bowing his head.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "It's okay," Daniel reassured the canine.&nbsp; "I understand."  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They held that position for a moment.&nbsp; Then, Daniel said, "Okay.&nbsp; Time to get out.&nbsp; Can you stand?"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I--I think so," came David's halting reply.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daniel pulled the plug and helped David rise and step out of the tub.&nbsp; Daniel grabbed a high-absorbency towel off the rack and gently dried off David.&nbsp; Then, he removed his sopping clothes and dried himself.&nbsp; After blow-drying both of them, Daniel lead them to David's bedroom, figuring that the master bedroom would still hold bad connotations for the dog.&nbsp; Once inside they la y on the bed with Daniel spooning David.&nbsp; The dog soon fell asleep, safe in his master's arms.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The jaguar could feel his eyelids drooping when he realized he hadn't eaten since that muffin in the break room.&nbsp; _Was that only today?_ he wondered.&nbsp; The lighthearted repartee with Catherine felt disjointed from everything that happened since coming home.&nbsp; He considered getting up but decided against it.&nbsp; He didn't have much of an appetite just then, and he wanted to be there for David.&nbsp; _I'll need to call in a few sick days,_ he thought.&nbsp; Then, he joined David in the realm of Morpheus.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/XekblQA1
Part of the series LFHS
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