A Lion's Healing Love

by Draugr & Element

Chapter 3: A Fierce Guard Dog

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

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Randall's eyes shot open as he heard those words. He felt like his whole world was shattering around him. Though his synapses were racing a million miles an hour attempting to process this horrific information, he was only able to stutter out an incoherent response.

"Wh-whaa? What!!! N-n-nooo! He...I....we...." Randall kept stammering, unable to say anything intelligible. He somehow managed to fight back a torrent of tears.

"He...he's okay?" Randall asked, fearing the worst - but using his fear to help him focus. "I need to see Master...need to...Master is...Master must be okay..." he started muttering to himself. Georgio was his world, he was an infallible indestructible being to him. The idea that he could be injured or hurt in any fashion horrified him and seemed inconceivable.

John walked over and sat beside him, petting his cheek gently. Randall was much too stunned to respond but subconsciously appreciated the affection to try to calm him.

"Shhh, I know, I know...right now all I know is that he's alive and stable but they wouldn't give me any other information until I got there in person. Now I need to know...can you keep it together enough to come with Tom and I downstairs into the cruiser and take you there? I know you want to be there but you have to keep cool, okay?"

Randall instinctively grasped onto the sleeve of the big rhinos jacket to plead to him. "Please, let's go! I need to see Master..." he said, his eyes watering as he looked up at John. "I-I'll behave, I promise..." He didn't get up off the bed yet, waiting for John to do so, but he was visibly straining, trying to fight against rushing off to see his Master and letting his "superior" make the first move. He sniffed loudly, his nose now running too.

John was just as upset as Randall was, he loved Georgio too and just knowing he got hurt was killing him. The three of them had been close since college and frankly saw one another as mates and lovers in their own way. Since he and Tom had gotten the boys, however, the three of them didn't have too many chances for a closer relationship, even though they all wanted more. A few times here and there, when the boys were out at a sleepover, or at a summer camp...but mostly, they kept it secret, knowing society had not really accepted polygamous relationships. This, at least, would give the boys a sense of normalcy, at least until they were older and could understand a little better. He'd felt a little twinge of jealousy when Georgio had bought Randall...but he couldn't help but be almost entirely happy for him, knowing he'd love the little wolf to bits, and clearly, from the sniffling he was now listening to, the wolf had reciprocal feelings.

John grabbed a tissue and handed it to Randall. Randall blew his nose and wiped up his face, trying to be strong, but he felt weaker now than ever with his master in danger. He put on a "game face" though, as best he was able and started to trot after John, just inches behind him. John smiled and admired how the clearly shaken wolf was coping. He paused and looked back at him, getting an idea that maybe he could use a pep talk.

"Calm down now, you can't have your master seeing you like a wreck yourself, grab a few of those tissues and come on." He got up and headed down stairs smiling softly at his husband explaining the situation to their boy - not all the details, but then again, they didn't know much of the details themselves.

"Start the cruiser up, hun, and lets go."

Jordan pouted and hugged Randall around the waist, nuzzling his belly. "Dad says I can't come 'till later but tell Uncle Georgio I love him and I hope he feels better okay?"

Tom just smiled and tussled Jordan's headfur. "Don't worry bud, he'll be home faster then you can say Geronimo." As rough and tough of a façade he always put on, Tom was actually the classic sweet gentle giant and certainly did not want to upset his son.

"Of course we will Jordan, you just feel better too okay?" John said with a smile and kissed his sons forehead.

"Okay...." Jordan responded, still a little put out that he couldn't go with them. He put on his best smile, however, Kana holding his shoulders as she stood behind him, giving a "game face" smile herself.

Tom left to go out and start up the cruiser, and Randall followed suit right after him, anxious to make sure his master was going to be okay. He started it up and got out to intercept the clearly worried wolf.

"Ah, Randall, you need to be careful...I know you aren't going to try anything, but we're going to a public hospital and the law is the law." Tom said, clipping a spare leash he had in the cruiser onto him.

The wolf didn't mind at all, he would put up with almost anything to see his master right now. He hesitated, however, as Tom opened the back door for him. John came out just as he leashed him and took the leash from him. He looked at the wolf curiously because even though Randall just wanted to get to the hospital immediately, he was still slightly hesitant to get in the backseat.

"Oh...yeah, I bet you don't like riding back there, do you? Alright then, I will get in first, you can sit beside me, Tom likes to drive anyways."

Randall slowly nodded and climbed in right after the rhino, who made sure his jacket was zipped up - a slave cop in the backseat did not exactly look professional. The wolf laid there curled up next to John much like a feral dog would, trying to shut out the outside world so he could brace himself for when they got to the hospital. He let out a few fearful whimpers - not fear for himself, but fear for his master.

"He's gonna be okay...right?" he asked again as they took off.

John smiled and gently pet the wolf's head as his other arm came around him to try to calm him down a little. Even though Randall was trying hard it was clear it would not take much to push him over the edge. "Now don't you worry yourself, Georgio is a tough guy, I'm sure he tried to help some poor schmuck and they whacked him or something, it's happened before, worst I bet is a concussion if anything at all, okay?"

Randall scooted in a bit closer to John, warming up a bit to the two rhinos who were helping quite a lot with his fragile state. He was in an unfamiliar situation and a scary place and the only furs around who could provide any comfort were the two rhinos. Randall felt exhausted but he couldn't even shut his eyes, he was far too worried.

The rest of the ride passed in relative silence, with only a few whimpers from the wolf to break up the monotony. Finally, after what seemed like ages to Randall, they arrived.

"Alright, we're here," Tom said, pulling into a parking space. He didn't get out of the cruiser though and instead looked back at Randall.

"Now, I know you want to see him really bad, but I need you to restrain yourself, okay? I promise you'll get to see him but you've gotta behave and take things slow."

Randall nodded silently in agreement, and looked out the window towards the hospital.

John smiled in agreement "He's right, you have to behave yourself, if you go wild we don't have any choice, not in public, especially not in uniform alright?" John waited for his husband to let them out of the back and took his leash as the three walked in. They went to the counter and were directed upstairs.

"Can you tell us anything about his condition?"

"No, I'm afraid you'll have to speak directly to the doctor about that." The rhinos nodded and the trio went to the elevator, Randall fidgeting the whole way until they stepped off and got to the right hallway.

A small badger with spectacles was standing by the door they'd been directed to. "I assume you're John and Tom correct? The pair on his emergency contact information?"

"Yes that's us."

"Well, hello, I'm Georgio's doctor, I wanted to see you before you went in so you could brace yourselves."

Johns eyebrow shot up at that, feeling quite worried. "Brace us?"

"Yes, Georgio was in an accident at work, apparently some slave he was seeing in his office managed to get lose and tore his office apart. Unfortunately, as they were subduing him, the stallion managed to hind kick him in the chest. He's got a pretty beat up and bruised chest. Nothing broken or fractured, miraculously. He's got a dislocated shoulder and a small bone fracture in his forearm from the resulting impact against the wall, but we've got him on some painkillers. He claimed he didn't need them, but we hooked them up to his IV just in case. He's very lucky. That slave was a big guy, apparently, and could have easy shattered his rib cage and killed him."

Randall bit his lip and couldn't manage to fight back tears as he heard the doctor's words. The thought of Master being hurt...Master was invulnerable, how could he be hurt? Randall wanted to just run to the door and burst it open to get to his side faster but he knew his Master would want him to be obedient while in public with John and Tom so he did his best to control himself - which, at the moment, was an exceptionally difficult task.

Tom nodded and went to the door. "Thank you, doc."

As soon as the door cracked open they could see the lion with his chest wrapped and a sling on his arm. He had an ice pack on his head for the bump on his head as well. "Hey guy -Randall?" The lion said in a very surprised tone.

Surprisingly Randall managed to hold back for a few seconds at the sight of his injured Master, but as soon as his master spoke his name, he charged forward, ripping the leash right out of John's hand and not even slowing him down. He grabbed hold of the fur on his good arm, and laid his head atop his neck, not wanting to put any weight on his chest.

"M-master...you're...you're alive..." he said, finally letting his tears flow freely.

Georgio's initial reaction was to smile at Randall's instinctual need to be at his side - but he was tugging at his arm far too hard. His happy face turned to a pained face - and a loud howl.

"OW OW OW!" Tom ran over and pulled Randall back a bit as Georgio pressed a small button and released a little more morphine he hadn't thought he would need and sighed in relief. Thankfully, being such a high profile patient had its advantages.

"S-sorry! Sorry, Master!" Randall whimpered and yelped. He padded closer and just held his paw this time, really rather preferring to wrap his arms around him.

"Ah ...better...sorry Randall, I'm bruised up everything between neck and waist, so it hurts no matter what you're hugging." He pet his cheek as he looked at him, he struggled to lean over and peck him, hoping to soothe him a bit. "Hey hey, it's alright...I'm not dead...just a little battered up, this is nothing, once an elephant sat on me and I had a broken hip, the guys here were wiping my ass for a month!" he laughed.

"Don't you dare remind me!" John shuddered and looked at Tom who just returned the gesture.

"Never and I mean never again!"

"I was so scared..." Randall said quietly, almost inaudibly, not finding any humor in the situation.

Tom leaned over and whispered something to John. "Ya know, I still can't believe that's the same wolf from just over a week ago..."

John smirked "I know he's such a sweet thing from the wild menace we were making sure didn't leave last week."

"When are they letting you come home, Georgio?" he asked, this time for everyone in the room to hear.

Georgio smiled and nudged Randall a little. "I'll be out tonight they said, about seven. Do you guys mind picking me up, I'm not exactly in driving condition."

John smiled at him and nodded "Of course not, hun, in fact, have dinner at our house tonight, we'll have it all ready for you when you get there okay?"

Georgio smiled at the offer, having figured on ordering take-out, but this was much better. "Sure, thanks for coming guys, I appreciate it." He nuzzled the wolf a little and kissed his ear. "You know you're gonna have to look after me for awhile now Randall, you feel up to it?"

"I won't let anyone near you, Master!" He said, determined not to let something like this happen again. He wanted to crawl up into the hospital bed with his master badly but couldn't see any way to do it without hurting the lion. He licked his master's face a bit, then settled back down a bit, growing less frantic now that he could see that Master was going to be okay.

Georgio smiled and patted Randall's head knowing exactly what his wolf was thinking. "You want to lay down with me? You can put your head near my crotch if you want, closest you can get without pain for a few days."

Tom walked over with a smile and scratched Randall's neck. "Didn't freak out with us once."

Georgio looked at Randall with amazement in his eyes. Knowing Randall he was surprised he did not bring bed sheets clutched to his person. "Really?! Not even in the cruiser?"

The rhino shook his head and smiled "Nope."

Meanwhile, Randall crawled up in bed with his master and rested his head on his groin, the rest of his body atop his legs. He wanted to sleep but what if somebody came back to hurt Master? He kept a watchful eye out, ready for anything. He wouldn't feel safe until they were back in Master's home.

"Quite exceptional...," Tom said, "...but I think he was just too focused on worrying about you to freak out."

Georgio nodded and pet his head. "Mmm, such a good boy...I love you Randall, don't you worry I'm not going anywhere..."

After the three visited for a few minutes the door to the room opened again, this time another slave officer, a huge elephant, came in towing what looked like an equine slave behind him. The horse was huge, from the lion's angle he looked like he was at least 6'6" and perhaps in his mid twenties. His body was ripped with amazing arms and a torso that had nice round quarter sized nipples; it showed the slave clearly worked out when he was free. Even his legs were thick and toned, though his package was covered by a standard black slave loincloth for decency reasons but it did seem very well filled out. His body was a beautiful chestnut brown and his nose, mane and tail was coal black. Georgio couldn't see his eyes from where he was, but he remembered that they were a soft sea foam green. Considering their gaze - very much downward - Georgio had to guess they were filled with a sad look about them.

The horse looked towared the ground, feeling more ashamed than anything else. After a few seconds he looked back up to speak.

"S-Sir...I-I came to-" Suddenly he got decked in the back of the head by the pachyderm officer holding his leash. Randall whimpered and covered his head with his paws, remembering all too well how that felt. He nuzzled gently into his master's groin. The closer he was to master, the further he felt from his past.

"Shut up 'till 'yer spoken to, slave!" The stallion looked down again, Georgio frowning in concern, hoping the equine hadn't been hurt.

"Now, now, officer, it's okay...now, slave, what is it? I didn't think I would see you again so soon...Zeblend...I think was your name?"

The stallion looked up blushing a little. "Y-yes sir it is...I-I...well...I was told I was suppose to be...euthanized...for my behavior...and I heard you called from the hospital stating not to, Sir, and well...I wanted to thank you...for sparing my life..."

Another smack came from the officer, and another frightened yelp from Randall. "AND?!"

"Officer! Please, that will be quite enough. You're terrifying my slave," he said, stroking Randall's back, trying to soothe the shivering canine.

"Zeblend, please continue...?"

The slave knelt and put his head to the ground. "I beg your forgiveness for hurting you sir! I was just enslaved and my family acted like I never existed as I was taken away and-and I was so angry and when you called me into the office to try to help me I lashed out! I'm so sorry Sir...please forgive me!"

At this, Randall finally realized just what exactly the horse had done. He raised up his head and let out a long, deep, threatening growl. He was so protective right now that the stallion's remorse and his master's ease with which he spoke to him wasn't even processed by his brain. Randall was just ready to strike back at a moment's notice. He pulled his lips back and bared his teeth, continuing the growl, sounding absolutely vicious and feral.

Georgio bopped him on the head, not nearly as hard as the stallion was or enough to hurt but bopped him enough to pull him out of his rage. "Randall! Temper!" Randall yelped as he got swatted, and set his head back down, discontinuing his growl - but he didn't remove his gaze from his master's assailant.

The lion coughed a little after he hollered, and that made the stallion look up in concern. "I'm sorry Sir, I didn't mean to cause all this, I'm...I was just so scared and angry and-" The lion put his paw up and looked at him as he took a sip of water from his bedside.

"It's okay, I forgive you, I was the same when I was in your position, although I did not have the strength to pull it off. Randall forgives you as well, he's my loyal slave and was very worried about me." The stallion nodded and looked at Randall, who immediately began emitting another low growl - not quite as threatening as the first, but certainly audible. This didn't seem to deter the stallion at all.

"Then I apologize to you too, for causing you such worry over your owner," Zeblend said softly.

While the stallion addressed him, he let out another low growl, not nearly as threatening as the first, but audible nonetheless.

"Don't come near my Master!" he shouted, angrily, not nearly as willing to forgive as the one he was protecting.

Georgio looked at him and bopped him again. "Randall!...he's trying to make amends, that's commendable for a fur in his situation, you should learn to forgive, he was scared and angry, not far from someone I remember a couple weeks ago or so, you know..."

Randall yelped again as he was swatted, and tried to back away a little bit. The swats didn't bother him nearly as much as they had before, for some reason - perhaps it was his overly-protective mood playing into things.

"B-but master! He hurt you! A-and you didn't even do anything!" he protested, not understanding how his master could be so quick to forgive.

Georgio rubbed his back and looked at him. "Randall....it's hard to be a slave, and accept it, I know what position he was in because I was there myself before remember? You should understand even more so then me. It's rare but sometimes families can act like you never existed and basically disown you in their hearts, in a way. It's one of the hardest things that can happen, even more painful then being branded. You were in a similar position, now think about my place, I was only trying to help and he was just upset, and lost and confused and scared....now that he has his bearings and knows what he did was bad, wouldn't you be okay to forgive him just as easy?"

"I didn't try and hurt you, though...you almost died!" Randall said. He couldn't see it, how his Master could be this...Randall didn't even know the word for it. Forgiving? Patient? Laid-back? Some combination of the terms.

He looked back at the slave, still on the floor. The wolf rested his head back on his Master and moved his arms over his master protectively, being careful not to touch anything sensitive. He could tell his master wanted him to forgive, and even though he couldn't bring himself to...how could he? He heard what the doctor had said, Master could have died! But maybe if he just said it...his master wanted it, after all.

"It's...It's...okay...just don't...don't do it again..." he managed to spit out, slowly, the words tasting like venom to him. Maybe in time he could learn to be like Master, but right now he was too infuriated and frightened over his master's close call. His eyes never left from their direct glare at the humbled slave, watching for any sudden moves - he wasn't going to let anything happen to Master.

The stallion looked down ashamed and crawled over with his head to the floor.

Randall growled once as the stallion grew closer, but then let up as he saw he wasn't trying to hurt Master again

"Please! I-I would like you to-to buy me Sir!...I...I'm a lifer and well.....I..I want to make amends...spend my life serving you to make up for what I did...even if I'm just kept in a cage to be beaten nightly, I want to try to make amends...you spared my life and I want to give you that life..." Georgio was, needless to say, shocked and looked at Randall feeling he needed some input

"What do you think?"

"He...hurt you..." the wolf stammered uselessly. Truth be told, Randall would be incredibly jealous with another slave around the house, but he didn't know how to say that to his master. He merely wrapped around him a bit more possessively, almost an instinctual response. Randall was also afraid of someone else taking his place at Master's side - he knew he was bad at times, even if he wasn't a bad wolf...and he wasn't particularly useful around the house, yet...what if this slave was better than he was...and on top of that, he'd almost killed Master! What if this was some sneaky way to get closer to Master so he could finish the job! The wolf let out another low growl deep in his throat as he thought about this, although it was almost inaudible - low enough to be felt more than heard.

John looked at the situation and held Toms hand. His mind was thinking about what was going on from Randall's perspective and if they might have to intervene. Georgio scratched Randall behind the ear and looked at the equine. "You want to devote yourself to me for the rest of your life? You were quite hostile back at the processing plant....what makes you think I would take you or that I should trust you?"

The stallion looked at him with a sad, honest look in his eyes, showing he truly meant every word "Honestly? You have no reason to, hell you shouldn't have let me out of that cage, you shouldn't have stopped them from putting the needle in me...but you did....you showed all those rumors are true that I heard about you in the slave grapevine, you're a good man and a good honest lion, a credit to your species...and being owned by you I hear is as close to free as someone can be."

"So it's freedom you want?" The lion looked at him curiously.

Zeblend shook his head as he looked up at him. "No... I don't have a life anymore, my family barely spoke to me anymore when I came out anyway, my mother didn't even look me in the eye when they took me away...all I want...is to make up the pain I caused you...that's all...you can chain me to a wall in the basement and beat me. I don't care...I just...I want to make up and be better...for....you Sir, prove I'm not a useless slave...prove that I can be happy as a slave."

Georgio's looked at him curiously thinking about that last part, and then looked at Randall for a moment and then the three slave policemen. "Please leave us with him, if you could. Tom, John, I'll see you later, guys." The elephant officer quickly advised that that such a thing was unadvisable, however, Georgio only told him to leave again.

"It's okay, my slave will protect me if he tries anything. You can wait out at the door." They left and as the door was shut, the room fell silent. The stallion did not move, Randall did not break his gaze - Georgio was the first to break up the silence. "Randall...now speak freely, what do you think?"

The stallion was actually really surprised. Apparently the rumors were true. That he was a kind master that did not want a mindless automaton.

Randall spoke lowly and quietly. He wanted to step down so that he could whisper into Master's ear so that the stallion couldn't hear, but he didn't want to risk getting up off his Master and letting a potential attacker at him.

"What if he's a better slave then me...what if he takes my place...," Randall said, his ears drooping, "...sometimes I'm bad, and I'm still...useless...around the house...and...and what if he's just trying to get close to you to finish the job! He's bigger than me...I don't know if I could fight him off...I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you..."

He whimpered a few times, not wanting to continue, but Master had asked him so he had to answer, and the silence indicated that Georgio wanted more out of him.

"...and...I want you for myself..." he said even more quietly, knowing exactly how selfish that sounded.

Georgio just kissed Randall softly with a grunt from the movement, causing the stallion to look on confused at the sight. "Randall, I love you...no one else could ever take your place in my heart or at my side...and as for that...leave the room..."

Randall looked up shocked at the command, as Georgio knew he would.

"Randall. Leave...the...room...I can get the officer to take you, don't come in until the clock on the wall outside says five minutes have gone by, and don't peek in." He wanted a moment to speak with Zeblend alone, to discuss what he had said - something he said made him very curious.

Randall's heart rate quickened and his breathing sped up at his master's request. "N-no! M-master, please! I...I can't! I...I...I...," Randall tried to say something, something that was incredibly hard for him.

"I...I won't!" he shouted. He was certain Master would die if he left his side but for a second...he'd been gone all day and look what had happened to him! And his attacker was right in the same room! He was quickly growing frantic; he couldn't leave Master's side!

Georgio held his paw and looked at him. "Randall...you love me...you trust me...I'm asking you to trust me now...I want you to do this because you love me and trust me...please...do this for me...I want to know, I want you to prove to me that you do trust me and love me enough alright?"

"I do, I do, I do...more than anything...but...but that's why I have to disobey you right now! Because I love you and because I trust you...no matter what the punishment is, I can't leave you alone in here with him! I can't lose you, no matter what it costs me..."

Randall whimpered, seeing no way out of this for him, but stalling as long as he could...for all he knew these might be the last few seconds he'd ever have with his master.

He smirked at Randall and pet his cheek. "Even if that punishment is spending a week away from me in a slave kennel while I heal up? Well, if you won't leave me alone for a moment, I guess we may have to take him home on blind faith then."

Randall's jaw dropped.

"N...n-no..." he said. "P-please...please...I don't want you to die..." He began sobbing...no matter what he did, his master would... The wolf couldn't even bring himself to think the word.

"Don't take him home with us, please, Master....I...I don't...I can't...please!" he begged.

Georgio hugged him as best he could from that position and looked at Zeblend. His eyes were filled with regret and a sadness that reminded him so much of Randall. Georgio looked back at Randall and smiled. "Randall...look at his eyes....really...really look at them...those are the same eyes of devotion you look at me with...just look at them. His eyes are full of that need for a good home, to make what was wrong with his life, right again. I won't force you to but...I want you to make this choice for me, I'll do whatever you want, I promise. I want you to make this choice for me. Do we allow him to come home with us or not?"

Randall shook his head violently, and pushed in closer to his master.

"I...I...I can't make a decision that big, Master!" he protested quietly. "That's why I have you." He made a few whining sounds of frustration. It was an easy thing to just say what he wanted when asked, but now his master was asking him to make an actual decision, with significant impact...and Randall knew his choice was in direct opposition to his Master's - and he couldn't do that, his instincts wouldn't let him. But the other option Randall was sure would result in Master's death, and he couldn't choose that either...his head spun around and hurt from trying to decide.

"Whatever you choose...I'll try to adjust..." Randall said, knowing what his master wanted. The wolf, of course, wanted just the opposite, fearing the worst from the stallion, but he would abide by his master's preference in this case. He glanced over at the stallion, and what his master said was true...he did see truth in his eyes...but...he still couldn't bring himself to trust the horse, not after what he'd done to Master. He huddled in a little more protectively around the lion's battered form.

Georgio smiled and pet his head. "Randall...I love you, but tell me what you're scared of if I were to say yes, okay? I just want to know what you're worried about. Is it just...pure jealousy? What?"

During all this, the equine just sat where he was, listening. Love? For a slave? That was so unheard of but it just solidified his choice to ask him to take him in. He really thought he didn't deserve it, frankly he felt he deserved the needle for what he did but this lion was so kind he just had to spend his life thanking him for it.

The wolf looked up at his master pleading with his eyes. "I don't want you to die..." Randall said. "I...I can't fight him off...he's bigger than me..." Randall stayed silent a couple more minutes, his master's calm presence soothing him.

"And...I don't want to choose something that you don't want, Master..."

Georgio nodded and pet him softly. "Okay....well of course I understand that, I'll have him fitted with a special anti-aggression collar that will knock him out if he acts aggressively toward me or you, so he couldn't hurt either of us. It's a special collar designed for such reasons, so you don't have to worry about fighting him. A collar like that can be activated with the snap of a finger to apply some disciplinary shocks as well so he behaves. Does that make it better for you sweetie?"

He kissed his head as he saw Randall just taking it in and considering his options.

"Well, Randall, I want your approval, and I believe you'll be jealous too right? Heh, well, he won't sleep with me, he'll take the room I set for you originally, how's that? And he'll be restrained nightly so he can't do any harm....now, what are your qualifications slave?"

The stallion put his head to the floor again. "Sir!...I...I can cook...I was a chef with my own restaurant but it bellied under and I couldn't pay the huge loans so I was enslaved instead...I can also do other domestics Sir, I lived on my own the last 3 years and I am tidy, Sir."

Georgio smirked. "So Randall do I have your approval or are there any other concerns?"

Randall shook his head violently, still catching up to the conversation.

"No...no restraints..." he said. As much as he distrusted the stallion he'd spent most of the past several years chained up or restrained, and didn't want to be responsible for doing that to another slave, no matter what they had done. Well, unless they had actually killed Master, or permanently damaged him, but Randall thought he'd be doing something far more than just chaining a slave up if they had done that...Randall ran his tongue over his teeth as he thought of what he'd do to someone who did that to Master.

The idea of the collar helped put his mind at ease, though, since Master could defend himself that way.

"And...I guess, if I still get to sleep with you..."

"Okay..." he whispered. Randall still had huge reservations about this, and a big fear of losing his master, but he wanted his choice to be the same as his master's choice, it was a slave's way of thinking. And truth be told, he wasn't all opposed to the idea anymore after Master's reassurances - just mostly opposed. And of course, if he could cook, that meant Randall wouldn't have to work so hard at that and end up fixing something absolutely horrid for his master...he still wanted to be useful around the house, this just eased up the pressure for him a little.

The lion nodded and looked at the stallion. "Slave, stand up and present yourself!" he said with a very firm authoritarian tone to his voice. The stallion instantly stood, legs spread shoulder length and arms behind his head, fingers inter locked. The moment he realized he was being bought by the lion his muzzle just had a huge smile on it. He knew his past and he was not happy but now he thought maybe he could be.

Georgio observed the stallion and was quite surprised; he was merely testing him but did not expect the position done perfectly. Most slaves did not learn the presentation position untill they were brought to auction. Clearly this equine had done his research. His eyes wandered every inch of the stallion's beautiful body but stopped at the loincloth he was wearing. From closer up his initial thought was definitely confirmed - he was packing, a clear credit to his species. His body was very well muscled and defined, the stallion's genetics combined with his care for his body. His chest and arms and legs had so much solid muscle on it but yet a nice thin layer of fat so that he did not look steroid bound. It was no wonder Randall was scared of him.

The wolf was visibly shivering at the stallion's sight. He'd fight to the death to protect his master but all those muscles...that horse was very powerful, and not someone Randall felt like he could ever have the upper hand against.

Georgio decided the stallion could have been a body builder and was nothing short of a stud in every sense of the word. "You're going to be my property for life slave, do you understand and accept that?" He nodded enthusiastically his smile still beaming.

"Yes master!"

The lion smiled and nodded softly, his paw petting Randall gently. "Good, tell the guard to come in and I'll let him know to drop you off with a message to the right person so you can come to your new home tomorrow." The stallion nodded and did as told and soon after the two left leaving the lion and wolf alone. Georgio scratched Randall behind the ear, now visibly relaxed after the equine leaving them.

"He's quite the muscled stud, I can see why you'd be jealous Randall, he is quite the physical specimen"

Randall nudged forward a bit as far as he dared not to hurt his master when he talked about the stallion's looks.

"I...I'm attractive too, though!" he said insistently, giving the "puppy dog eyes" almost unconsciously.

Georgio scratched him behind his ear and chuckled. "You are far more than attractive Randall, it doesn't even begin to describe my handsome beloved mate, your are absolutely jaw droppingly hot hehe, but you know you'll be the alpha and in charge of him, and you'll have control over that collar too and may even have to dish out a punishment I can't oversee, are you up to that my sweet alpha slave?"

Randall's tail wagged a bit as he was complimented, and he gently nuzzled his master, ever-aware of his wounds.

"Um...maybe...maybe a little later down the road I could...after I get better?" Randall suggested, a bit fearful of the idea of having so much responsibility.

Georgio only chuckled. "Well you don't have to worry about that, Randall, it would be around me untill you adjusted and I'd supervise you but you know what? I think that hunk was admiring you, might have a little crush too, hehe." He pet him softly and poked his nose. "Heh, but you're mine! You will always be number one, okay?" He gave a small grin as his mind concocted an idea. "Heh maybe we can have some fun with him if he's willing and you are...I'm open to the idea, ya know."

Randall whimpered a bit at his master's suggestive tone concerning him and the stallion, worried that he could easily overpower him, but felt considerably safer when his master emphatically said that he belonged to him. At this point he wasn't really sure about a threesome...he didn't trust the stallion at all, but he tried to think past all that...maybe if he wasn't a threat to Master...he might be able to go for something like that. Randall had always thought being spit-roasted might be kind of fun if he actually had a chance to consent - serving two masters at once! Of course right now the idea was kind of horrifying, what with his opinion of the stallion and all.

The lion relaxed and smiled as the morphine was kicking in a little more his adrenaline and motivation to reign Randall in a little from ripping him apart. "Hey Randall I think I'm gonna nap ok? You be a good little guard dog, okay? And don't leave the room or play with anything you don't know alright?"

"Yes, Master! I won't let anything happen to you!" he said, planning to stay put right on the bed.

However, only a few minutes after his master dozed off, a doctor walked into the room, looking at his clipboard. Randall bristled up and started growling, quite threateningly.

"Um...whoah there...I'm just here to check up on your owner, honest..." the tiger said, glancing at the door and wondering if he should start running.

"Easy now..." the doctor said, moving forward, and Randall still not letting up. As his hand drew close to make sure the morphine drip line was working properly, Randall lunged forward and snapped his teeth shut - around the spot where the doctor's hand had just been. He'd missed drawing blood by a fraction of a second.

"Fucking hell, you stupid little shit!" the tiger said, now thoroughly pissed. He pressed a button on the wall. "Security, get in here..." keeping an eye on the wolf, seeing that he was not going to leave the hospital bed where the lion lay.

Georgio sat straight up when heard the tiger holler, looked at Randall and then the doctor. He saw him looking at his paw.

"RANDALL!! Did you bite him?!"

Randall turned around, alert at the sound of his master's voice, and the cringed when he realized he was being scolded. He hunkered down low and folded his ears back.

"N-no, I didn't bi-ARYIIYYP!" Randall let out a sharp yelp as he was yanked by his collar, putting pressure on his windpipe and cutting him off mid-sentence. Georgio had set him over his lap, even though it was pretty painful to be exerting so much force at the moment. The lion didn't have time to try to talk the doctor down, if he didn't punish Randall immediately they might take him away, and not just from his room. He could be put down for assaulting a free fur, it wouldn't take much with Randall's behavior record. Georgio forcibly held him over his lap with his bad arm, though Randall didn't struggle more then a few seconds since he must have realized he was in for a punishment. Georgio just started spanking his rear as hard as possible, a good two dozen strokes to each cheek.

Randall had laid still, taking it...but it wasn't stopping to his surprise! Not even when a large Dane appeared in the room, paw to his holster, ready to draw a tazer. Not even when that same Dane interjected to ask what was going on - the dog waited patiently. It was considered bad manners to interrupt an owner punishing his property.

Georgio kept going and going...eventually Randall was howling in pain, trying to get away but unable to escape his master's grip. By the time he was done with the nearly fifty spanks, he was bawling - his rear hurt so bad. Though Georgio's paw was numb by now he hoped it was enough to convince both the doctor and guard he had the situation under control.

The lion looked up at him when he finished, shaking his paw to get some circulation back in it. "Just teaching my slave not to growl at a doctor, he was just protecting me but the damn thing needs to learn to behave, please don't bother taking him, he's learned his lesson, didn't you slave?" The lion snarled a little to give off the look that he was pissed.

"Y-yes...I...I learned...." Randall choked out between sobs, loud sniffs, and whimpers.

The tiger let out a loud 'huff.' "I ought to prosecute! Why the hell isn't that...thing...muzzled...or castrated, or...dead, or something!"

Georgio turned his snarl at the tiger as he spoke. "Because, clearly you don't know who I am do you? I happen to be the president of one of the largest slave shipping companies on the planet, and rowdy slaves is why I'm in here, this is my personal guard slave, he'll defend me with his life. I told the paramedics during the ambulance ride to tell you guys to come in to get sniffed and checked by him so he didn't attack you. I gave your guys fair warning but you wouldn't bother with it, you want to blame someone? Blame your buddies in the ambulance for not giving a shit about you, alright? So next time, tell him to wake me up got it?!"

Georgio gave the doctor a shoo away motion like he was some pestering child and grabbed his own arm. "Ow, god damn it, you're lucky I don't have your license taken for giving your patient unneeded stress when I was told to relax - and by you if I remember correctly, so get out of here and send in that nice vixen nurse in the hall next time, I already cleared her with him."

That had been quite an elaborate lie, but Georgio was praying it was believable enough for them both to leave him be. The lion did not know what he would do without his wolf in his life. Right now he wasn't expecting Randall to even get out of this without being neutered. If Randall had to lose his nuts to keep his life...well, that was as much as the lion dared hope for right now.

The wolf growled a bit and almost lunged at the doctor when Georgio clutched his arm, but his recent punishment was much to fresh in his mind to risk that unless his master really seemed to be in severe distress, so he sat still.

"Ugh...just control your fucking dog," was all the doctor managed to say before he stormed out of the room, muttering something, likely all sorts of unpleasant curses against the lion as the guard closed the door behind him. He was more dumbfounded it seemed then anything as he walked away clearly not wanting to get involved with that. Georgio breathed a sigh of relief, almost as dumbfounded as the doctor at the outcome. It would have been well within the doctor's rights to press charges.

Randall whimpered a bit and moved up the bed a little, licking his master's face. He winced a little when he moved as his bottom was still quite sore.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Master...I thought he was going to try and hurt you...."

Georgio looked at him as he tried to apologize and just slapped him across his face.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW STUPID THAT WAS! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY AND EUTHANIZED! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF I HADN'T BEATEN YOUR ASS JUST NOW!"

Randall yelped, jumped off the bed, and ran to a corner of the room, hiding behind one of the carts, and hugged his knees, listening to his master yell at him. He didn't understand what was going on, or why his master had hit him...he was only trying to keep anything else from happening to him. Nearly losing his master had made Randall very paranoid, although that wasn't something he was able to objectively see.

Georgio stopped because of Randall's response and just took a breath to calm down.

"I...am so...angry at you right now Randall. That was a doctor! A DOCTOR! He wouldn't have harmed me at all, do you know how stupid that was?!"

Randall didn't answer, he couldn't answer him, he just sat in the corner, unsuccessfully trying to stifle back sobs and whimpers.

Will Master even want me now? he thought, scared of all the possibilities that might entail.

Georgio suddenly stopped and realized what he was doing. Here he was, his absolute love cowering in fear because of him. He looked at his paw and felt like he had just undone all that love and trust they had for one another. It wasn't Randall's fault, really. He had no idea doctors had the code of "do no harm." It was just not something he grew up understanding and felt like slime right now. His wolf was just protecting him because he loved him and just wanted keep him safe, it was what he ordered after all. It seemed it really was his fault for not being more specific, unfortunately morphine does not always make one's mind work as it usually does but he saw it as no excuse.

"Randall...I...I'm sorry I hit you, but you did something very wrong that could have resulted in me losing you...please come here love...."

Randall whimpered in response, but he was too bound to his master to disobey simply because his own desires conflicted. He wanted to stay put, afraid of what else Master might do to him for...well, Randall still wasn't really sure what he had done wrong. If he didn't come, he would be beaten again. That much he knew very well.

He crawled over slowly, and went down on his knees beside the bed, head looking down so that if his master decided to strike him again, he at least wouldn't have to see it coming. He also was feeling so terrible at the moment that he didn't dare even risk meeting his Master's eyes...he felt like he had shamed him, somehow, although he couldn't figure out the specifics. The wolf sniffed loudly, some tears still running.

Randall couldn't ever remember feeling so confused in his life. He didn't know if Master still wanted to keep him, just how much trouble he was in, why he was in trouble, if the stallion really was his replacement...or even if Master still loved him anymore. Randall, of course, still loved his Master unconditionally, but he didn't know his master could become that angry, and having it all directed at him, when he wasn't even sure of the reason, made him confused and scared.

"...you still love me?" Randall managed to squeak out, almost afraid of the answer. His entire life had been based on conditional treatment - if he misbehaved, he got treated like shit, if he behaved...well, he'd still get treated like shit, but it usually didn't hurt as bad. It was hard to imagine a master's love being there no matter what for him, because that had simply just never been the case with anyone, a master or not for him. It wasn't an insult to his master's character, just simple ignorance of the way things worked.

Georgio smiled softly a few tears in his own eyes and he just pet his head gently. "Of course I do, I am just very angry at you Randall...you almost assaulted a doctor, you know the slave police could have come and taken you from me? But...I should not have slapped you. That was wrong, and I'm so sorry...can you forgive me?"

Randall crawled back up in bed with his master, feeling relieved that he was still loved.

"I...I didn't know he was a doctor..." Randall said, trying to explain. He couldn't ever remember being around doctors before, much less a hospital. If he had broken ribs or terrible bruises or nasty cuts, he was pretty much left to heal up on his own. "I just...when I heard you were here...I was scared...and if anything ever happened to you..." Randall trailed off. He didn't have the life experiences that most furs did to correctly judge a situation, which is why he got himself into trouble so often.

The lion nodded but just continued "Randall that doesn't change the facts...with your record you would have been neutered. Do you know that means?" Randall remained frozen. Georgio was sure he knew, but he elected to explain anyway, anything to impress on Randall how serious a situation this was.

"It means they'll cut your balls off to try and make you more compliant and submissive, and less aggressive. That's the last step before they euthanize a slave. And they don't even have to do that. They could have put you down, Randall, possibly on the spot if you resisted. I couldn't have saved you then."

He put his fingers to the bridge of his nose as he collected his thoughts. "We talked about this, people like the doctors and police or anyone else unless they are directly coming at me to hurt you or me, you cannot attack them alright? You're lucky I acted so quickly and beat your ass when I did...I love you...and absolutely every strike to your ass was like a knife in my heart but...I am very...disappointed that you didn't judge the situation better, I feel like I can't let you be even when I'm asleep. Maybe I need to think about getting a puppysitter for you. I don't want to subject Kana to that kind of behavior."

"I'll try to be better for you, Master..." he said, and really meant it. He thought he maybe understood why his Master was so angry with him, and why he had hit him - he'd almost gotten himself euthanized, and if Master still loved him, then it made sense to be angry with his slave for nearly getting himself into that situation. But hearing his Master was disappointed with him was a knife to his own heart and that he blamed himself for it made him feel even worse.

"Randall, you're lucky I don't keep you on a leash even indoors now. And don't think you're completely out of the woods on that one. I...I suppose it's my own fault. I thought you were getting a lot better but clearly I have not done a good enough job."

Randall whimpered, and nudged his nose up under his master's hand.

"It's my fault, Master," he said quietly.

Georgio scooted over so his bad arm was closer to the edge. "Come on...lay beside me, okay? You can cuddle close but no closer then my shoulder okay? And you'll be lucky if you sleep at the foot of the bed tonight, might be the floor, far side from me if you keep this behavior up." Georgio hated to scold him like this, but he had to make sure the lesson was imprinted. He couldn't lose his wolf.

Randall whimpered, feeling terrible. He didn't like the idea of sleeping at the foot of the bed, but knew he deserved it and worse. Master was right, he knew he wasn't capable of making good decisions, and that he was always to come to Master first...and he should have woken him up rather than react on his own. He realized there really was no excuse for his actions.

"Thank you, Master...for being there for me..." he said, specifically referring to the beating he'd received that had likely saved his life, but referring to all the times his master had stepped in on his behalf in the short time they'd known each other.

He moved up though by the lion, at least glad for this chance to cuddle if he wasn't going to be allowed the privileged of doing so that night.

Georgio smiled and changed his mind as he wrapped his arm around him. Even if was not completely comfortable the drugs he was on helped. "Now I'm going to sleep, you are not to leave this bed without my permission alright? If anyone enters this room at all you tell me, you wake me up no matter what alright? If you wake up and you have to go to the bathroom so bad you can't hold it until you even ask me, then you better just piss the bed, you understand?" Georgio kissed him and sighed.

"You are so fucking lucky you know that? With your record you have to be so careful...don't...ever scare me like that again, okay?"

"Yes, Master...I'm sorry..." he said, sounding very remorseful. Randall tried to drift off to sleep himself, but found himself much too scared of leaving his master unprotected to do so, and much to worried about the prospects of not being able to sleep next to Master.

His paw held his Masters as he nuzzled his bicep hoping to find more comfort in his sleeping owner but no matter how hard he tried, five words continually rang in his mind.

"I have to be better..."