A Bump in the Night 16: The Hunt

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#17 of A Bump in the Night

 

The stakes have never been higher, with the twins still on the loose, an...


The stakes have never been higher, with the twins still on the loose, and in trouble. Can Doctor Valerie defuse a dangerous situation?

So this is the end result of a difficult year of slow writing, and the awesome generosity of my fans. You helped make this happen, by reaching the 200 euros mark of my donation fund. Donations have fallen off, so please continue to donate here - https://inkbunny.net/donate.php?user_id=3176 . Another 200 euros in July and I guarantee to release my next chapter, number 17, by the end of July. Thank you so much for supporting my work and I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter.

*******

"We'd not be in this mess if you'd had a shred of decency in all this!"

The leopard spun around, teeth bared and tail lashing. "Decency? I've always done my best for the children; you know I have!"

"And look where that got us!" She sneered.

"I can't believe... Of all times, I can't believe you're acting like this." Julian tried to keep his claws sheathed, resuming his pacing.

"I want my children back! Don't you?!" The leopard curled her tail around herself.

He stopped abruptly, facing towards the window, trembling with barely checked emotions. "Alison, I can't do this now."

She stared at his back. "Julian--"

He turned around. "I don't want to hear it. I'll call if I have any news." The leopard gathered up his coat and keys, strode stiffly out the front door, and slammed it hard behind him. He didn't turn to see his wife crying.

*******

She held his paws in her own. "So tell me. Tell me what happened."

He blushed, the shame rising up again. "Well, you know... The bed thing." He grasped his tail and hugged it.

"I know, Tommy." She squeezed his paw a little tighter, looking at him earnestly.

The moment stretched out until, flustered, he continued. "Nightmares... So hard to sleep. I was so worried about you. And the bed... Mum was furious!"

She looked at him tenderly, rubbing his paw, nodding.

"D-Dad wasn't so bad... I think he understood, a little."

Katie tilted her head, remembering Dad's rage at the doctor's office. "Huh..."

Tommy hugged his tail tighter. "I've never felt so alone."

She didn't know what to say to that, and so kissed him instead.

He blinked, a little taken aback, caught in his own reverie. He squeezed her paw now. "But what about you? How was it with Aunt Susan?"

Katie shook her head. "That can wait. I want to hear about what you went through, first."

A soft smile tugged at the corners of his muzzle. "Oh. Well, let's see. I guess I got used to, um, the bed thing, eventually. I did all my own washing, in the laundry room. I missed you there." They shared a soft look. "Dad got a tutor in, so there wouldn't be a problem at school. You had the same?"

She nodded, curling her tail around herself.

"But I knew, Katie, I knew, I had to do something. I don't even... We're gonna have a cub, and I barely even know what that means, or how we're meant to feel." A paw squeeze. "All I could do was think about you, and how furious Mum and Dad had been, and how Mum can't even look at me without looking like she hates me." He blinked softly. "I don't know what we did, or what our future is, but I know I love you, and I know what Mum and Dad wanted was wrong."

Katie tried to wipe at her eyes without him seeing.

"And Peter... I guess he's growing up, huh? He saved us. Saved you."

She reached over and hugged her brother tightly. "Oh Tommy..." Katie rubbed her muzzle into his fur. "I think the thought of you kept me going. After they split us up, they took me to see a doctor. One I'd never seen before. She thought..." The leopard broke the hug, and glanced sadly at Tommy. "She thought I'd been raped. I was furious! I told her my brother would never do anything like that, I told her how we loved each other, I told her--" She caught Tommy's eye, his nervous blush, started to get one too. "I had to tell her what you and me did. She already knew, anyway. But it felt kinda good, you know?"

Tommy regarded her curiously, thinking for a moment. "Maybe she thought... Maybe she thought someone else had mated you, had raped you, and you were just covering up? What if she thought it was Dad?"

She gasped, slapping at his shoulder. "What?! Why would she even think that? Why would you? Eww..."

He shook his head, persisting. "Yeah but maybe she sees a lot of abuse, that's why she asked about the rape. Is what we did very common, Katie?"

"I, um... I don't know." Katie glanced down at her feet. "I don't think it is. Valerie said why it could be bad, though. And why people kept it a secret."

Tommy's voice took on a note of concern. "B-bad? Like Dad said?"

Katie shook her head quickly. "No, silly." She paused and placed her paw on his. "Just... You know how you can pick up stuff from your parents? Like, our fur patterns."

He looked down at his paws, grasped his spotted tail again.

She continued. "Well there's bad stuff too, maybe. And if we both had it, then the baby has twice the chance of having it. But that's just chance, you know." She squeezed his paw, stalling his concerned words. "Nobody says anything has to be wrong... Just, it's more risky. Like mating in the living room."

Tommy cringed, ears flat, but let her words sooth him. "Huh. So I guess that's why..."

"People don't do it." She nodded. "But we did. And I think... I think Valerie was trying to tell me, what we do in private, in secret, is okay, but we mustn't let this happen again." Katie patted her tummy.

The cub's eyes widened. "No more cubs... I guess. I mean, that's a good idea, right?"

Katie stared at him for a long moment. "Uh, yes? Tommy, if you think for one moment I'm ever going through this again..." She glanced down at her tummy. "Then next time, you can be the one who gets pregnant!"

He stammered, staring back, trying to work out if she was being serious or not. One of her ears twitched. Tommy blinked, and then she burst out laughing.

"Oh my gosh your face! You should see your face right now!" She pointed, gasping for breath and clutching her sides before another giggling fit swept over her.

Tommy went on staring, watching his sister keel over, laughing. An eye-twitch. Unbridled laughter suddenly bubbled up out of his mouth, and then he was smiling too, giggling with her.

"Oh Tommy!" She panted heavily. "You really thought... Who'd be the one to do it then?" She broke off, laughing harder until she found the strength to point at the dozing German Shepherd. "Him maybe? Maybe King could put his seed in you and we'll find out!" Katie fell over onto her back, giggling uncontrollably. "Oh... Oh dear. Oh silly Tommy."

He kept giggling, though not finding it quite so funny. Sudden thoughts were whirring through his head.

"Tommy? Tommy are you listening?"

"Huh? What?"

Katie rolled her eyes. "I said if you stared at King any harder, you might burn a hole in him." She poked her tongue out, then glanced down at him. "Or maybe you'll bust a hole in something else if you're not careful..."

Tommy stammered, glancing down, squirming at a sudden erection which threatened to loosen his buttons. "I, umm, I..."

Her paw touched his. She gave him a soft look. "I was just kidding, you know?" When he didn't respond, she looked at the rising colour in his ears. "Oh Tommy... What are you thinking?"

He squirmed again, trying to adjust himself. "I was just thinking. I want to see what he does. When he's with you. Or me." Tommie coughed.

Katie gave a little gasp. After a pause, she replied, "Really"

He nodded, wringing his paws, glancing away shyly. "Since you told me, I kept thinking about it. Kept imagining it. I mean everyone knows doing that with the four-leggers is wrong. But everyone knows what we do is wrong too, right?"

Katie touched a paw to his lips. "Shh. No more talking. King's a good boy. Aren't you King?" The dog's ears pricked up and his head rose. Katie stripped off her top and left it near King. Now she had the full attention of both boys. Next she unzipped the jeans; the button wasn't done up and they'd probably not fit at all in a few weeks. It was warm in the tent, and so she didn't mind freeing her tail and gently sliding them down. A moment later and she was on all fours, just in underwear, two sets of eyes watching her every move. Tommy swallowed. Katie beckoned King up from his sleeping spot.

Tommy watched as the large German Shepherd rose to his feet and quickly set about inspecting this pregnant girl. Her tail hung behind her in a gentle curve, slightly raised, and she did nothing to rebuff his advances. The dog moved with a sudden intensity, seeming to realise something was different. Starting with a lick at her muzzle, he wasted little time before coming around to sniff her rump. Her tail flicked a little higher. That proud muzzle pushed at her underwear, leaving dark wet spots with his nose, searching for the source of that scent he'd enjoyed just a few days before. But he was denied. Undeterred, he pushed his nose against it, and started to lick.

"Ack! No! You'll get them all messy... Hold on King, hold up; just give me a second." She broke the contact and gently pushed him away to a safe distance, glancing wide eyed at Tommy. He stared back, as his sister took the final plunge and pulled her underwear down and off. They landed at Tommy's feet. Katie resumed her pose, glancing back at the dog. "Okay!"

He resumed his quest immediately. No preamble; within moments the dog's long muzzle pushed under her tail and then licked. Katie gave a soft moan. He licked the leopard girl deeply from front to back, tail starting to wag as his long tongue found both her sensitive holes.

Tommy's paws clenched and his stomach gave a flip. It was quite a sight. Did he look like that when he licked her? The dog seemed to enjoy it just as much as him, if not more so. His tongue was making wet lapping sounds, and further back, he was poking out red from his sheath again. Tommy stared.

She was moaning, helpless under the onslaught, and then it happened. Both twins gasped as King put one paw up on her back, breaking the contact. A second paw, and then he was mounting her. Magnificent in profile and colour, the dog's powerful forepaws found their way around her waist and gripped tight.

Katie squeaked. "Are we, ungh, sure about this? I think... Ohhh... We don't get to change our minds half way through."

But it was already too late, and Tommy stared mutely at the unfolding scene, tugging open his jeans without looking.

Katie hung her head down; she knew it was coming, something was already bumping her back there, that something was-- The dog's stiff tip caught in her private place, and then he pushed hard. She gasped, feeling his thin penis shove easily all the way inside her in one thrust. Katie trembled; it was like before, but she'd not let it go any further. He started to thrust, and she didn't stop him. He started to thrust violently, back curved and hind paws scrabbling against the ground. Tommy gasped at what was unfolding, at Katie mutely succumbing to what the canine was doing. He was hot. Hot breath against her ears, hot furry body, hot penis in her vagina. The thrusts were staggering, his heavy balls swinging against her, his groin slapping against her rump despite the fur, threatening to unbalance her. And he was growing hotter, Katie's eyes widened. Hotter and longer; the sensation was exquisite. And the dog was squirting, now she could feel that too. Thin hot squirts, soaking her vagina, the same thin squirts she'd seen before.

King gripped her tighter with his forepaws. Every bit of the dog's penis was expanding within her, including that knot she'd seen the other day. With those fast thrusts it rocketed in and out of her, bigger each time, starting to catch. Katie cried out as a new and less pleasant sensation suddenly made itself felt. Longer and longer the dog had grown within her, and now he was poking her innermost depths. Bottoming out, it felt like, deeper than Tommy had ever gone or could ever go. She winced at the sharp pain of it, every thrust a little worse, every second that canine cock a little longer.

"Tommy, ungh, he's too long, need to stop... Ow!"

The leopard snapped out of his reverie and took his paws off his erection. Katie was edging forward, trying to escape the jackhammer thrusts, but it wasn't working. King held her tightly with his forepaws, and so cautiously, Tommy approached. With a sudden growl the dog turned and snapped at the cub, baring his teeth. Tommy gave a surprised yelp and fell backwards onto his rump.

"Tommy, do something! Help!" A note of panic entered her voice.

"I c-can't, he won't let me!" Tommy tried to approach again, and was met with the same fierce growl.

Katie whimpered at the assault, as the dog continued pummelling her deepest, most sensitive parts. It was a terrible mix of such wonderful sensations. The warm spray of dog semen deep inside, the stretching as his expanding knot rocketed in and out, and the pain of his sharp penis bottoming out. Just as tears threatened, something unexpected happened. The dog's bulbous knot popped out a final time, and then wouldn't fit into her any more. It continued to swell and expand, but now it was stuck outside her vaginal lips. King continued his desperate hunching, trying as hard as he could to get as deep as before. But his previous depths were now denied, he was no longer bottoming out, and Katie heaved a deep sigh of relief. A few moments later, that knot blew up to full size, King's tail started to flag, and he groaned. The thrusting stopped, and the squirting started in earnest. Thick squirts now, twice as hard, twice as much. Katie whimpered as the dog's renewed ejaculation hosed her vaginal walls, and she started to leak.

Tommy had forgotten his rescue mission, and had resumed stroking himself, much closer to the pair now. He stared wide eyed at the scene, this friendly dog now covering his sister, claiming her, putting his sticky deep inside. Dog sticky! Somehow he didn't mind. Somehow it was alright. King was different. Katie wouldn't want the dog instead of him, Katie wouldn't run away with the dog instead of him. It was different, and he couldn't even compete. Didn't want to compete; this really was something else. Tommy stared at the connection between the two, at that great big bulge pressed up against Katie's vagina. Was that meant to go inside her? It didn't look like it could ever fit. Didn't seem to be a problem, King was still just gripping her tight, with a spaced out expression now. Only the twitch of his dark furred balls and the steady drip-drip-drip below them indicated he was still putting out his seed.

"Umm... How long does he keep going for, Katie? Does it feel okay now?" He crept a little closer, trying to get a better view under the pair.

Katie moaned softly, wriggling in the embrace, a little overwhelmed by the whole situation. "Umm... Ten minutes maybe? Twenty? I don't know, if he didn't get 'stuck'"

Tommy swallowed. "You mean that bulge. It's meant to...?"

"Uh-huh. I found some pictures. Doggies get stuck together, until they're all done. But, um, I guess I'm glad he doesn't fit. Mmf. Mmm..." She dropped her head down again, lost to the sensations. The squirts seemed never-ending, and she hovered, not near a release, but in a spaced out bliss.

Tommy stared at the two, sat down on his rump, and gently masturbated. That dripping from his sister became a small trickle, soaking the ground. He bit his lip. Ten minutes? More?! Tommy imagined spraying into Katie for 10 minutes straight, and gave a little groan. No wonder King's balls were so big. He tried to picture it, how King felt, how Katie felt. The cub shivered. Hot squirts, again and again and again and again. He rubbed faster. He tried to imagine how she'd feel if he mated her straight after. Slipped his willy up into her slick, wet vagina, take seconds from a dog. Add his sticky to the mix, leaving her filled with dog and leopard seed. Tommy groaned and started to ejaculate. Without quite meaning to, he lost it, sending ropes of seed towards the bestial pair.

Eyes screwed tightly shut, tail flopping around behind him, he didn't notice anything until a sudden wet tongue was lapping over his squirting tip. Tommy's eyes snapped open and he froze, the big dog's muzzle in his crotch, sharp teeth just inches away, huge tongue catching every spurt of semen he put out. Katie had been pulled along for the ride, squirming and groaning, still under him. The cub kept deathly still, in his own conflicted world now; it felt so very good. But so very scary, after what had happened earlier.

Katie gave a tired chuckle. "I think King likes us both, after all. You're giving him a nice little treat there, just relax; he won't hurt you. Mmm..."

Tommy groaned at the wet raspy feel of the dog's tongue; it was rapidly becoming too much. Every drip was lapped away as he shivered and twitched, until there was nothing left. Nervously, he pushed King's head away, too sensitive to take any more. Mercifully the dog got the hint, stepped away, but stepped down from Katie too. She gasped as he moved and shifted and finally pulled out. And now came the part that was almost too good. King dropped back, swollen red penis hanging between his legs, and inspected his handiwork. A sniff, and a lick, and then he was lapping at her abused vagina in earnest. Broad strokes, getting deeper and deeper, more and more focused, till they focused purely on her opening.

It didn't take much for him to sink his tongue inside, Tommy stared transfixed again as the dog set about cleaning up all the mess he'd made. Katie squirmed though, bringing her rump down after a little while, gently fending off King.

The cub gently slipped a paw down to her vagina and probed into it. "Still feels a little funny, Tommy. I think maybe, earlier..." Katie trailed off, bringing that paw back up, staring at the bright red blood that covered it. She screamed.

*******

Valerie picked up the phone and then stopped, the receiver partway to her ear. Her heart pounded; this wasn't like her. There wasn't time for this. There wasn't time to waste. Pride came before a fall, and she had to swallow hers. The vixen began dialling, glancing round her darkened office. Everyone had gone home hours ago, herself included. A pause, some clicks, and then the ringing tone. She could always go home again later. Another click and then a male voice answered.

"Julian. Who is this?"

She took a deep breath, squeezed the phone a little tighter, then spoke. "Mr Fleck, sorry to bother you at this late hour--"

"I said who is this?" He cut her off, impatience and tiredness bleeding through his words.

"Mr Fleck, this is Doctor Shoemaker, you saw me--"

He cut her off again, "You've got some nerve. Do you have any idea what we're going through? Do you have any idea what you did? Do you have any idea how we felt, taking those hateful paternity tests? How dare y--"

She raised her voice, hackles raising too. "Mr Fleck. Mr Fleck! We havn't got the time for this. She called me."

The words died in his throat with a strangled sound. "...What?"

One paw clenched into a fist, she pleaded with the empty air above her office desk. "Katie called me on a mobile phone. She's hurt. She's with Tommy. She told me where to find her." Now, suddenly, the fennec was trembling.

A sharp intake of breath. "You've spoken to her? To them? They're okay? You know where they are?"

"Yes Mister Fleck, but--" A tinny growl crept from the phone's earpiece to the doctor's large ears, conveyed from mercifully far away.

He snarled down the line. "Well, tell me woman! Where are they? Tell me!" The leopard was shouting now.

Valerie cringed, pausing for a moment to gather herself. "I'm sorry Mister Fleck; she made me promise I wouldn't." Plastic groaned and creaked through the phone's speaker, then a sharp crack, a loud electronic squeal, and... silence. The line went dead. The fennec gently replaced the phone on its receiver, and with a tight smile, retrieved a small can of pepper spray from her desk. She sat down and waited.

*******

Tommy squeezed his sister's paw, looking down at her with some concern. King sat the other side of her, vigilant and watchful. The sun was setting on the trio, and an added chill began to suffuse the air.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon. She sounded really nice on the phone." He put on his best reassuring smile.

Katie shifted and grunted slightly, waving away her brother's sudden concerned look. "It doesn't really hurt now. And there's not really any more blood. Tommy, do you think we did the right thing?"

The cub nodded emphatically. "We have to know the baby is okay. We can't take any chances now. I won't let them take it from you. If you think Valerie can be trusted, then I do too. Dealy?"

She nodded, forcing a tight smile. "I hope she gets here soon."

*******

Squealing tyres could be heard softly in the distance, moment by moment a little nearer, a little closer. Soon they were joined by the dim roar of a car engine. Closer, closer. More and more detail could be discerned by the large pair of ears listening. Tortured screaming of valves, cylinders, pistons, all being pushed beyond any safety limits. Pained screeching of tyres nearly torn from their rims. All of this echoing off nearby buildings now, as it drew closer, closer. A final roar, the scrubbing of rubber across great tracts of tarmac, and then silence.

A loud thump, a pause, and then a louder one. Something fell off a wall in the corridor. A third thump reverberated through the building, and then there was an almighty crash of breaking glass. She'd miss that front door. Footsteps, coming through the waiting room, then she heard its inner door bang hard against the wall of her corridor. Valerie stood up, composed herself, and clasped her paws behind her back, tail out straight. The door to her office flew open, and the glass rattled loudly in its frame. The large bulk of a leopard stepped over the threshold, panting hard, his vivid amber eyes a maelstrom of emotion. His lifeblood dripping down onto the carpet.

"You're bleeding."

He ignored her, trembling with rage. "I'll ask you one more time. Where are my children?" Slick redness dripped from a paw.

Valerie stared at him, trying to decide if those predatory eyes were filled with hate or sorrow. She kept her voice even, steady. "Katie wanted me there--"

"And I belong there!"

He took a step closer, growling, the sound physically reverberating through her slim frame. She held firm, glancing at his arm. "Mr Fleck, please, you're badly hurt. Let me take a look at it." Her tail bristled.

He talked like she hadn't even spoken, "They ran away. Both of them. How do you suppose that makes a parent feel? How do you suppose that makes me feel? Can you even imagine? Do you even have children? Yes I'm hurt, I--"

"Mr Fleck, your arm, please!"

The leopard's voice began to crack. He stared off to the side, tail hung limply behind him. "I did everything for them. Do you want me to beg? Is that it? I'd beg them to come home." His gaze found her again. "What gave you the right? Who died and made you Queen?

Her ears twitched as they stood tall. "Sir, my primary concern, as a medical professional, is to my patient, You--"

"Tell me where my children are! Just tell me! Why won't you tell me?" He dropped down onto one knee and raised clasped paws, eyes red rimmed.

Valerie dropped the pepper spray and picked up her medical bag. Training kicking in, she quickly came around to where the big cat was crouched. A pause, and then she began cutting the sleeve off his shirt with a pair of medical scissors.

"Hey!" His head whirled around, as if seeing her for the first time.

"Hush now. You've got a very nasty laceration here. Some payback from our front door, no doubt." With skillful paws she finished cutting away the fabric, then set about washing the wound and suturing it. Julian sat down on his rump, a little dazed, flinching and digging his claws into the wood floor while she worked. In just a few minutes it was skillfully bandaged: the bleeding all but stopped. "I should be giving you proper stitches, but the plastic sutures should hold for now. This is no time to waste yakking, Mr Fleck."

His ears flicked around. "I don't understand, what..."

"I'm taking you to them. Your kids."

Julian blinked at her in confusion, raw emotions fighting within him. "But..."

"Sir, I phoned you as a courtesy. Tommy and Katie wanted to see me, but your place is there too. We're both going." Valerie nodded and closed up her bag, making sure everything was in place before standing up. Her shoe clinked against the can of pepper spray on the ground, and they both looked down at it.

It took a few moments for it to sink in. Julian brought his paws up to his muzzle, an appalled expression spreading over it. "You thought... You thought I was going to hurt you?"

The fennec looked uncomfortable, her professional demeanour cracked just a little. "Well... I pity the phone I called you on. And our office front door." She glanced in the direction of it.

A tear rolled down the leopard's muzzle and he held his paws out in front of him, staring down at them. Suddenly his voice was small. "I miss them. So very much. I miss them." A stifled sob.

"Then let's not be wasting a second more." She hefted the large medical bag over her shoulder, and began helping Julian up. "Come on, you big overgrown housecat." He didn't protest, and let the fennec guide him out of her office.

*******

The Fennec drove the pair of them in her compact car, ears touching the roof. She'd insisted, and he was no longer in the mood for arguing. They drove and drove, through roads and lanes that got narrower and narrower, twistier and twistier. It was dark and the car's twin headlights barely penetrated the gloom. No words passed between the pair.

The car stopped and Valerie got out, before the leopard seemed to come out of his reverie.

"Where the hell are we?" He extricated himself from the car and glanced around at the deserted parking lot, barely discernible in the dark.

"Falan woods." She opened up the boot of the car, retrieved her medical bag and a couple of torches.

Julian put one paw to his forehead. "Dammit! I should have known... They always used to come out here when they were younger. We only live a few miles away. I should have known..."

Valerie piped up cheerfully, "Should have told you: I don't know where they are. Oh they said the woods, but they didn't know, either. Or maybe they didn't want to tell me. Anyway their cellphone's dead so I suggest we get cracking. Did you bring a torch?"

He stared dumbly at her, ears flat.

"Didn't think so. Here: take this." The fennec tossed Julian her spare torch.

"I should phone my wife..." He stared down at the LED torch in his paws, fiddling with the button.

Valerie closed up the car, locked it, and switched her torch on. "You do whatever you need to do, Mr Fleck. I'm going to go and find your kids." With that she strode off into the darkness, big brush of a tail erect behind her.

"Hey wait!" He turned on the powerful torch and strode out after her. "This might take hours. These woods are huge. What's the plan?"

She paused in front of him with one paw up, giant ears swivelling for a moment. "Thought I heard something. What were you saying?" She put her paw down again and continued walking. "Oh yes. You'll be needing this." The doctor handed him her business card. "I suggest we split up, and whoever finds anything should call the other. Yes I have your number. See you back here in two hours if we lose contact or find nothing." She strode off into the night before he could respond, through the trees and down one fork of the path.

Julian stood, watching the light fade away. In a moment he was alone, under the stars, the only sounds the soft rustling of branches and leaves in the ancient trees up ahead. The car was locked and all he did have was his mobile. For better or worse he was stuck here, and this finally snapped him out of his reverie. It was time to pick up Tommy and Katie.

*******

The woods were indeed huge, and dark, and more than a little foreboding. That latter fact escaped the two adults, for more pressing concerns were at hand. Julian was at an advantage however, for even in the gloom, he remembered the area more favoured by the twins.

The leopard crept quietly along a path, predatory ears straining to hear, eyes desperate to see, nostrils flaring. There was something... He could sense something. A light twinkled in the distance; Julian extinguished his. Darkness enveloped him. And there it was, a pinprick of light, wavering unsteadily. He pocketed the torch and begun stalking through the undergrowth. Feline stealth crept into his paws, instincts of forefathers so long ago. He'd not crept through the woods like this since Caroline. So strange to have that old memory bubbling back just now. He pushed it away for now, trying to stay focused. Every leaf and branch and twig made itself felt against his pads. Every movement a symphony of silence.

He moved, as quietly as he could, towards that distant light. It grew bigger, closer, more distinct. Shapes resolved themselves. A crudely erected tent. Detritus spread around. His breath caught in his throat at the silhouette of two pairs of ears. And there, a third. Julian came down on all fours and crept closer, closer. His heart leapt! It was the twins! And that dog, that damn dog. There was no mistaking the figures now. Not more than 30 feet away now, crouched low to the ground, he could clearly see Tommy and Katie from his hiding spot. Julian prepared to get up and announce himself, when a strange movement caught his attention.

The dog was laying down, and so was one of the twins. But the other, he couldn't quite be sure which, seemed to be straddling the first twin. It was hard to really see what-- Julian gulped as he saw the unmistakable profile of his son's penis, silhouetted against the light. Sticking out, sticking up, quite obviously erect. Projected from the thin nylon screen straight into his soul. A paw gently holding it, guiding it, stroking it. Julian watched as the figure, Tommy, laid down on top of the other. Katie. He swallowed again. It was difficult to see exactly, from this distance, but it looked like... The figure on top began moving. Thrusting. The light hit them in just the right way. Julian watched as his son thrust his penis in and out of his daughter.

He should have gone up and stopped them. He should have been appalled. He should have been surprised. The leopard stifled a grunt as he found his own erection unzipped, in his paw. Painful and hot. A thousand buried memories threatened to resurface and he shoved them down. He was helpless. As his children rutted in the woods before his eyes, Julian crouched on the ground and rubbed himself fiercely. Helpless dread suffused his soul as he watched. He was appalled, and he couldn't stop. Their twin outlines moved together against the light, movements no cubs should make. Curling tails and paws, flat ears, intimate and gentle. He'd known for a long time, hadn't he? He could lie to himself all he liked, but he'd seen it. Seen them. Seen this before. He'd blocked it out.

But there was no blocking it out now, and no way to undo what had been done. It was far too late, the damage was done, and whether they mated or not made no difference. Not any more. He chewed his lip and rubbed himself faster, shivering at the futility of it all. The harm was already done. This was just... Julian stifled a gasp. Their movements were slowing. Tommy's tail was curling up. Their bodies pushed together, a groan echoed out across the woods, and then the cub's tail began to flag. Julian trembled violently. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, exactly what was happening.

Julian hunched over and started spraying his seed against the ground, long tail up high. Eyes screwed shut, stifling all the noise he wanted to cry out, images of his rutting children filling his mind. He imagined Tommy's seed spraying deep inside Katie. He was helpless. The leopard crouched and shook for a long time, eventually exhausting himself, eventually finishing his anguished release. He began to button himself up, wiping away a tear.

A voice beside him in the darkness. "Quiet out here, isn't it Mister Fleck?"