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"Genetically Inclined"

A story by TJ Folf

Dedicated lovingly to the inspiration and caring heart of my good friend Jon, who happens to love four-legged animals as much as I do.

www.furaffinity.com/user/tjfolf http://tj-folf.livejournal.com/

Yiffstar username: Aenzi

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Ako came crashing to the ground painfully, all four of his legs becoming tangled in a tree root. Leaves and twigs piled up around him as he slid across moist forest loam. He gave a plaintive whine as pain cascaded through his body. Through blurred vision he could see a rabbit skip away through the underbrush, and into the thick forest. Again. He'd lost four other small creatures the same way that afternoon. In rapid succession.

The small silver fox rolled over onto his feet, and began to stand. But then his head hurt, and he thought better of it. He didn't think he'd hit his head flipping over the tree root, but then, he couldn't really be sure. There were so many trees around him, he didn't know what he might have hit. Damn...maybe hunting simply wasn't Ako's forte. But he had to find something he could do! The commune was nice to him, but he seriously doubted that they'd just let him live there out of the kindness of the hearts for long. He wanted to something useful, to ensure that he'd keep a roof over his head.

The problem was that Ako couldn't manage to do much of anything.

He wasn't a bipedal, so he couldn't process the food the commune used. He couldn't be a sentry because he simply wasn't big enough to fend any sort of creature off. He'd be a weakness to the commune. So he was trying his paw at hunting. And nearly killing himself in the process.

Ako thought he would have been an ideal hunter. He was a silver fox by definition, but it was his belly and chest that were silver; his head and back were actually black. It should have rendered him nearly impossible to see, but the rodents of this area kept catching on. What was it? Was he not being quiet enough?

Suddenly a voice came from behind him. "Ah...Ako. I was wondering who it was that made all the racket."

Ako turned his head to see a young, slim red vixen appear from around the same tree that tripped him with its roots.

Ako rubbed his head. "Don't rub it in, Sannah. This is the fifth time today."

The vixen sat down next to him. "Well, how to you go about it?"

Ako blinked. "I just try to sneak close enough to an animal that, when I charge, it doesn't have time to get away."

Sannah cocked her head. "Did you make sure to come against the wind?"

"Against the wind?"

Sannah grinned in a very female-ish fashion which always irritated the silver fox. "Ako, has anyone ever shown you how to hunt?"

"Well, no..." he said.

"How do you think I learned? Guess and check?" she said, giggling.

There was a rustling in the same underbrush that the rabbit had escaped through. Ako raised his head hopefully, his ears pricked forward. Surely with two foxes, one of them would be bound to catch it. The rabbit indeed reappeared through the same gap it had left...followed immediately by the muzzle that held the dead creature. A lanky coyote stepped free of the shrub and into the small clearing, looking at the foxes quizzically. First at Sannah, with her glittering eyes, then to Ako, strewn on the ground. Ako closed his eyes with a groan. Not him. Ako didn't want to be seen like this. Not by him and especially not with Sannah around.

The coyote set down the rabbit next to a large tree trunk. "Are you alright?" he asked Ako.

"Oh, hi, Trick...yeah, yeah I'm fine," he said. "I think."

He looked away from Ako and over to the red vixen.

"Sannah, can you do me a favor? Run back and tell Darron that I went out hunting. I forgot to tell him I was leaving. He should know he's on shift."

"Oh...sure. See you later then!" Sannah said, flashing Trick a coquettish grin. She trotted off, disappearing into the bushes.

The coyote waited a few moments to ensure that she was gone, then sat next to the small fox's prone form. "Ako, you're not on hunting patrol." he said gently. "You don't have to work."

"I want to do something." Ako said. "I'm afraid that I'll be kicked out."

The coyote rolled his eyes, chuckling softly. "You won't be kicked out." he said. "I promise. We don't kick people out unless they do something wrong. And you haven't done anything wrong."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. You've got a job." Ako said, looking up.

The coyote smiled as he turned to leave. "Come on, fox, I'll take you back."

"Um, Trick?" Ako said.

"Hm?"

"Can you help me up?"

The coyote laughed and turned back toward the fox. He moved to Ako's side, then slipped his muzzle under the fox's torso and lifted. "Come on, up you go."

Ako awkwardly managed to get his paws beneath him with the help of Trick's leverage. He took a few steps, and shook himself to straighten his fur. He instantly regretted it. A sharp ripple shot through his back, and he only hoped that Trick couldn't see his entire body shudder with pain. Ako had fallen much harder than he first presumed. He turned to look at Trick, his tail trembling between his legs.

"Um, thanks." he said.

Trick moved next to the fox's smaller form. "Are you sure you're alright? It looks like you took quite a spill back there."

Ako looked back to the place where he had laid only a moment before. The fox could mask his hurts, but he couldn't hide the pile of leaves his slide had accumulated. Ako looked at his paws. "Looks like I still got something to learn about chasing."

Trick smiled. "Don't worry, you got time. You're not all that old." he said, giving the fox a nuzzle.

Ako shied away from the coyote's touch. "Yeah." he said half-heartedly. "Here, I'll carry the rabbit for you."

The fox seized the rabbit in his jaws, and started to walk away. Slowly, the coyote began to follow, watching the fox with concern, a frown upon his face. They walked in silence. Ako was grateful for the task of carrying the rabbit. Trick didn't say anything, because Ako was unable to reply. No conversation was necessary.

Trick really was an impressive specimen of a coyote. He wasn't any taller than the average, but he was slightly longer, and lean and strong in build. Quick and silent, the ideal hunter. Ako sighed around the rabbit. He was jealous of what Trick had.

Their trip was as brief as it was silent. No one tarried out in the forest for long. It was really considered unsafe to do anything of the sort, straying from civilization. The processors only needed a little protein to supplement the materials they could grow in the greenhouses, which is why Trick's job was to hunt. But so little hunting was done that there was game to be found only a few kilometers away from the complex, sometimes even closer than that. There was no need go far.

As the pair walked onward, the forest abruptly ceased, an artificial absence of trees dominating this place. Some years ago, someone had cut down all the trees in a wide circle around this area. Since then, the underbrush had began to reclaim the lost land. The shrubs and bushes had grown up to well over Ako's head, with only small paths cut through for travel. They cleared the brush, and their destination became readily apparent, towering above them.

Home.

The first thing that one would see was a large metal-sided building, vines covering every inch of its weathered surface. The edifice itself was over 100 feet tall, and it still looked impressive to a fox that stood just a tiny fraction of that off the ground. Most of the creatures living here slept in that building, the main dormitories. Trick led the way into the main thoroughfare, the street mostly empty at midday. Creatures around this place were a blend of diurnal and nocturnal, so the commune functioned partly during the day and partly at night, to cause the least discomfort to all concerned.

The street was once paved long ago, but now it was simply a well-compacted dirt path. Along either side there were more than 50 buildings, of vary sizes. A few of them were supplemental sleeping quarters, but every other building had a specific function, providing something for the good of everyone living in this place.

Not every creature here walked on four legs. In fact, most of the people living there didn't. Some of the buildings here were devoted to making clothing and boots for those that wore such things. Five of them were greenhouses, the roofs transformed into glass flats, growing food for everyone who worked here. But one building was set aside to provide meat for the commune, supplementing what they could grow in the green houses with enough protein to keep them all healthy. It was toward this building that Ako and Trick walked toward.

The entire complex had been an outpost for one of the large citadels over a hundred years ago. Much like the larger cities, it was completely uniform. The construction of every building was identical. Excluding the larger sleeping building and the greenhouses, all the buildings had floors that were 400 feet by 400 feet.

The fox and coyote walked off the main thoroughfare, into an alley. The fox was still carrying the rabbit. Doors to every building lined the sides of the small walkway. Before Trick had the chance to show Ako which door they were bound for, one of them opened. A smiling muzzle appeared around the doorway, followed by a face. It was a kindly face; vulpine, with black markings around the side of the muzzle, with golden eyes. Then a red fox stepped out into the alleyway. A red fox that stood on two paws.

The fox was bipedal, as most were here. Those on four paws were welcome to live in the complex, but they were a minority. The red fox stood perhaps four feet tall, wearing a plain tunic and a heavy leather apron, both of which were covered in blood.

"Trick!" the biped said in an amiable voice. "How'd you make it back so quickly, Trick? You weren't even gone a half hour."

"I had help." Trick said, pointing to Ako.

"Oh, Ako! Hello there, it's a pleasure to see you!" the red fox said, then his voice became mildly reproachful. "You need to come by more often, I haven't seen you in a month. Where have you been?"

Ako, muffled by a rabbit, merely shrugged.

The red fox smiled at Ako's speech impediment, and turned back to Trick. "I was hoping you'd come back soon. I'm close to having a full larder for the first time in three years!"

"Really? Which larder?" Trick asked.

The fox grinned. "You know, the one in back."

"What's the code on that one?"

"Oh, it's..." he stopped, and then he laughed. "You almost had me that time, Trick! You're not allowed in there! We'd all starve if I let you in for just five minutes."

The coyote sat down with a smile. "Don't worry, Dakota, I'll get you one of these days."

The fox winked at Trick. "You probably will at that. Did you bring me something?"

Trick motioned for Ako to come forward. The silver fox obediently dropped the rabbit at Dakota's feet.

"Ooh, Rabbit! We haven't had rabbit in a few weeks. This will be a nice change of pace." he said. "Thank you, Ako."

"Oh...don't mention it," he said. "If you don't mind, Trick, I think I'm gonna go and try to sleep. I don't really feel very well."

"Alright," Trick said, frowning with concern. "Take it easy, alright?"

"Yeah" Ako said hesitantly. Without ever looking at Trick, he left down the alleyway.

Trick disappeared around a corner. Dakota bent down to retrieve the rabbit. "Trick, what's going on? A few weeks ago, I never talked with you unless Ako was with you. He followed you everywhere."

"We followed each other everywhere. We're just that good of friends." Trick said.

"But I haven't seen Ako with you in weeks. What happened?"

"I don't know." The coyote said, staring down the empty alleyway. "One day everything was normal and the next he wouldn't talk to me. And he's been going out of his way to avoid me. I've seen him dodging off whenever he sees me...he thinks I'm not looking."

"Do you remember what day he stopped talking to you?" Dakota asked, leaning against a wall. "What happened around then?"

"Oh, I don't remember." Trick said. "I've never really thought about it."

"Maybe you should." Dakota said. "And maybe you should try to talk to him about it."

The coyote sighed. "I've been hoping he'd talk to me first."

Dakota nodded. "Well, Ako is an emotional little guy. But I'm sure you'll figure it out." he said. "I'm afraid I need to get back to work. I've got mouths to feed."

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you later." Trick said.

"I'm sure!"

Dakota stepped back into his building, returning to his daily routine, leaving Trick an empty alleyway and a full mind. What had been going on the day that Ako stopped talking to him? It was a path of thinking that Trick had never considered. But now, after all these weeks, he wondered how he could have missed it. As he thought, Trick began to walk back to his room.

He remembered it was something they had done together, but what it was eluded him. It was something that was very special to Trick, something he'd invited Ako to do. He remembered he'd been excited about it. Bah, he was never going to remember! He might as well go out on his run just to...

Trick stopped dead. His run! That's what they'd been doing. Trick had invited Ako out on his run. Every few days Trick went out and ran a few miles through the forest. It kept him in top shape, and it relaxed him. It was something he loved to do, and he asked Ako to tag along. Ako had only too happily accepted.

Trick remembered how surprised he'd been. The silver fox didn't have any trouble keeping up with the larger coyote. In fact, Trick had been forced to stretch his legs a little to keep in stride with the small black fox. Of course, they had to slow down whenever Ako was traversing uneven ground. The fox never was sure-footed.

Why in the world would Ako cease to speak with him after that day? They'd spent the entire day in the forest, romping with one another, chasing each other's tails. It had been the most fun that Trick had had since he was a pup! And Ako had been enjoying himself, too. He'd been grinning ear to ear the whole time.

Trick emerged from the alley and trotted across the main road. He'd had enough guessing. It was time for a face to face. He set off in search of a certain silver fox.

* * *

Luminance was a wonderful thing, Ako decided. Without it, he wouldn't be soaking in hot water as he was now.

Ako lay in a large pool, more than 10 meters across. The entire pool was heated by the complex's luminant system Luminance had replaced electricity in the world a great many years ago, sometime around the birth of the new genetic era. Ako didn't know much about how luminance worked, only that it didn't focus on electrons as electricity did, but photons from light. It was far more efficient than electricity, for which the little fox was grateful. The entire complex could run off the few solar panels on the roof of the energy building, and Ako could have his hot bath.

The pool was the males' communal bathing pool, and where Ako came to clean himself. The steaming bath water was too hot to be comfortable, but the excess heat was working wonders on the vulpine's battered body. Ako shifted himself in the shallow pool to a more comfortable position, wincing as he did so. That last fall had taken a lot out of him. There's only so much beating a small body can take, and the fox had taken too much.

He did want to learn how to hunt. The commune here had saved Ako's life a year ago. He'd been freezing to death in the cold of winter, and nearly dead from starvation. It was Dakota, the silver fox remembered, that had dragged him into a hollow tree, tried to get him back up to temperature, and then later returned to bring him to the complex. He felt he owed the commune his life, and he wanted to earn his keep. But in reality, he had a greater reason to fear being banished from this place. It was the same reason he couldn't talk to Trick. Not if he wanted to stay alive.

Ako hated the world. He truly believed in his heart that long ago this world had been a nice place to live, but that was before the advent of the genetic age. Ako had managed to find a visual file on it once in a digital library, far away from where he was now. After the human genome was completed, another global research effort began in the field of genetics. They wanted to be able to fix problems in the human genetic strand at will, so they set out to make a new species. Something that would be malleable enough to accept such changes. They created hundreds of test subjects, mixing human DNA with that of foxes, coyotes, wolves, dogs, lions, cougars, bears...anything and everything that they thought might have a scrap of more highly evolved DNA. They wanted a creature with perfect health, and the ability to see, hear, and smell as well as any of the other creatures.

That was over 300 years ago. The humans so polluted their own genetic pool that few of them even existed anymore. These 'test subjects' ceased being tests, and now they ruled the earth. Now the world was the way it was now.

Ako, Trick, and everyone here were a product of the genetic purification process. Their ancestors were blended with human DNA to create the creatures that they were now. Foxes and coyotes with the ability to think and reason, speak and dictate.

Nothing was simple in the world any longer. Genetic purity was the rule. The higher class kept highly guarded 'citadels' all across the world. They were careful to limit their numbers, so as not to encourage overpopulation, which was bad for genetics. If you wanted into one of the citadels, you had to undergo an advanced genetic screening. If you weren't completely perfect, you weren't allowed in. Children born in the citadels underwent a genetic screening at birth. If a child was genetically malformed, it was destroyed. Children were tested again at the age of 10. If any genetic problems had occurred over early development, you were banished.

So people like Ako came to be. He was almost perfect, with just a small genetic blemish. And so he was a misfit. As they all were at the commune. They were misfits, freaks, genetically unclean and unworthy.

And Ako's genetic malformation was readily apparent when he thought of Trick.

Ako raised from the pool and shook himself, the room temperature now feeling frigid in comparison with the overtly heated pool. He began to walk to one of the small drying tubes, open circular devices designed with those that had fur in mind. They kept one warm while one's fur dried out. Ako trotted up stairs to floor after floor of rows of what looked like padded pipes, open on either end and only about three feet long. They were large enough in diameter for one of the larger bipeds to fit inside, and more than large enough for a diminutive silver fox.

He sighed as a sore body lay on the thick red padding, and instantly he was warmed by the artificial heating. These devices were a luxury that he enjoyed often. But as always anytime he was still, his thoughts flitted to the elusive Trick. He'd been trying his best to avoid the coyote, but it was as if he followed him around. Everywhere, in everything he was doing, he would see Trick walk by. It was like the coyote had his paw in everything the complex did. He was everywhere!

Ever since that day. The day that the coyote had taken Ako out to run the forest with him. It was so obvious, after that. Ako felt stupid for not noticing it before. The coyote didn't suddenly become beautiful that day. Ako had just never taken the time to think about how much he appreciated the Trick's appearance. Or the way he smiled. Or the way he spoke. Or...anything!

Everyone here had some sort of genetic defect, but not one so glaring as this. Creatures outside of society were more tolerant of individual's blemishes, but there were still things that would turn people against you. People couldn't help hating genetic flaws, it was bred into their very genetic core to hate imperfection. Imperfection impeded survival, and survival was what it was all about out here.

And Ako was so very imperfect. There was no way that anyone in the commune would forgive homosexuality. Not even Trick, or Dakota, as kind as they were. Even they would be disgusted. And Ako would be banished from the commune, just as he had been from Citadel 57.

Ako didn't think he could take that again.

The fox was distracted as a small group of creatures walked in. Ako peeked off the edge of his drying tube, looking several floors below him to the bathing pool.

"...don't even know how you can lift so much! I've been at it as long as you." a voice echoed up to Ako. "I tell you Muff, it's depressing."

"Hey, sometimes it's not how much you work out. Sometimes it's just genetics. You shouldn't worry about it." another voice said.

"Hey, I'm a wolf, too. Genetics shouldn't have that much to do with it."

"You two should just be grateful the complex has room for something as trivial as a gym." a third voice chimed in.

Three creatures entered the bathing room, coming in Ako's view. All three were bipeds. There were two wolves, and a German Shepard. There was no chance that the three of them had seen Ako as they walked in, as high as he was. He cared little for their presence, and the fox was about to go back to his brooding, but then...

"Hey, I might be able to lift more than you, Skipper, but I don't look as good. I want abs like yours." one wolf said.

"What, abs like these?" The other wolf immediately removed his shirt, casting it to the side. He grinned, rubbing a paw over a well-toned midsection covered with soft white fur. "Yeah, these are pretty nice."

Ako privately agreed.

"That they are, but your legs don't look like this."

And the pants came off. And Ako's eyes widened.

Gods! The silver fox had never seen a canine or vulpine or any species with such a large sheath. The wolf's actual penis must be gargantuan. Ako tried desperately not to think of all the things he'd like to do with that wolf's body, because he knew in reality he'd never really be able to. The wolf named Muff soon lost his shirt as well.

"See? Complete package. Overall much better." he said with a grin.

The one they called Skipper removed his own pants. "Oh, look at this, though. I don't think I do too shabby." he returned Muff's grin.

"Hey! Lovebirds!" the German Shepard called, himself already neck deep in the pool. "You two asses gonna get in? We still got work to do after this, yanno!"

Both Muff and Skipper laughed. "You starting to feel left out, Alan?"

"No, but I'll be pissed if I have to do all the tune-ups by myself!"

The two wolves continued to poke fun at Alan, but they got into the pool obediently, and began to clean themselves. Ako was veritably trembling. He knew Skipper. The wolf was the smallest of the three creatures below, but he was head of the luminance crew. He was in charge of all the wiring across the whole complex. The biped wolf frequently took extra time to eat with him. He even knew Muff and Alan, at least they spoke enough to know each other's names.

But he had ever seen any of them before unclothed. It was always a shock to see someone you've known for a long period of time without clothes for the first time, but it was even a bigger shock when you found that individual sexually attractive. Ako very much preferred four-legged males, but he now knew that clothing, as silly as he found the prospect of wearing it, could add a wonderful mystery to a creature.

And Skipper! Ako didn't think he'd ever be able to look the wolf in the eye again. Not without blushing.

Ako now curled up in his drying tube, nursing heavy arousal that he knew he'd never ever be allowed to truly satisfy. It was an altogether miserable fox that began to drift to sleep, dreaming of terrible social atrocities committed in the name of sweet love...

* * *

It might have been an hour later. It might have only been a few minutes. Ako wasn't quite sure how long he'd been asleep before he was so rudely awakened. He was too terrified to try to contemplate it. No sooner was he awake then he found himself falling through air.

Someone forcibly rolled Ako out of his trying tube. He rolled across the scaffolding, crying out in alarm. His heart jumped to his throat as he felt himself begin to fall. Ako managed to hook one foreleg around one of the support beams at the edge of the scaffolding, and his fall halted. Scrambling madly, Ako managed to lift a leg onto the ledge, and he rolled awkwardly back onto it. For a moment he simply lay, breathing heavily to try to slow the hammering of his heart. Ako had been on small pole of metal away from falling to his death. And then, a harsh, yipping laughter echoed around the room.

Ako looked up, his entire body shaking, to see a black-backed Jackal, rolling on the ground laughing. Ako knew this jackal well, as he was twice as nasty as Ako could ever force himself to be. He'd nearly hurt people before, but this was by far the worst.

Ako managed to stand up, very unsteadily. "Dammit, Skiff! You nearly killed me! If I had fallen..."

"Oh, come on! You held on just fine." the jackal said, now standing on all four legs, leering at Ako. "It's just so hilarious how you squeal when you're scared!"

Ako bristled. "Like you wouldn't scream if you almost fell to your death!" he growled.

Skiff the jackal seemed to find Ako's growl only that much more amusing. But Ako hadn't really expected to be able to daunt the larger canine. Skiff had been using Ako as his main source of amusement since the day Ako had arrived at the complex. And Ako, being smaller and frequently alone, never really could do anything against him. But Ako had had just about enough.

"Skiff, if you try to prank me just one more time, I swear, I'm going to..."

The jackal laughed his high, yipping laugh. "You're going to what? You can't do anything to me, and you know it." he said. "That's why we get along so well together."

Something in his tone of voice chilled Ako to the core.

"I might not be able to." Ako said softly, afraid. "But I can tell people who can."

"Like who?" Skiff jeered.

"Me."

The jackal spun around to find himself looking up at a terribly tall bipedal wolf, standing unclothed and angry, his fur dripping wet.

"Skipper..." Ako sighed in relief.

Skiff gave a loud bark of alarm, and tried desperately to dash for the stairs, but Skipper grabbed the jackal by the scruff of the neck, and raised him to eye level.

"Boo." the wolf growled, then he looked to Ako. "You alright, buddy?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ako said. "He just gave me a scare."

Skipper turned his attention back to the jackal he held in a single hand. "You interrupted my bath. You ought to learn quickly that interrupting my bath is something very unhealthy to do."

Skiff squirmed in the air. "Owowow! Put me down! That hurts!"

The wolf only grabbed the jackal's scruff more tightly. "If I ever hear from Ako that you've bothered him again, I will personally report you to the overseer, and recommend that you're ejected, and then you can tell the vultures how funny you are, and see what they think."

For the first time Ako had ever seen, Skiff looked genuinely afraid. "Y-you can't do that! The overseer is a secret! No one is supposed to know which on of us he is!"

"No one except the heads of staff, brickhead!" Skipper said, giving the jackal a little shake. "I'm the head of the luminance staff! I know exactly who he is, and he values my opinions of people! You'd do well to try to get on my good side."

The jackal quailed. Skipper dropped him contemptuously to the ground.

"Now get out of my sight, before I really lose my temper!"

Skiff scrambled across the scaffolding, and out of sight. Skipper kneeled next to Ako. "Don't worry about him, buddy. The overseer already knows about him and what he's been doing to you. I think he's gonna get in big trouble this time."

The fox didn't answer. He merely sat, leaning against the wall, breathing heavily.

Skipper looked at Ako with concern. "Really, are you alright? Me and the guys saw you almost fall as we were getting out of the pool."

"I'm...I'm still shaking." Ako said. He had more than one fear plaguing his mind. Not only were his nerves still uncollected from his brush with 75 foot fall, but he was now sitting next to Skipper, who was not only incredibly attractive and forbidden to Ako simultaneously, but also completely naked.

"I'm not surprised, man. I would be, too." Skipper said, running a friendly paw over Ako's shoulders. Ako trembled. "You probably should go get some rest. Try and sleep it off."

"Yeah." Ako said. "Yeah, good idea."

Ako turned to leave and Skipper stood to return to his interrupted bathing routine. But Ako paused. "Hey, Skipper?"

The wolf turned back around. "Yeah?"

"If I had actually fallen..."

"Don't worry." Skipper said with a wink. "I would have caught you. I was standing right beneath where you were when I saw."

Ako have a little smile to himself. "Thank you. That makes me feel better."

Skipper returned his smile. "Take it easy, man."

"I'll try." Ako said. And then the fox hurried off, hoping that the wolf could not see the obvious display of arousal that the fox was sporting.

* * *

Ako was very thankful that his body seemed to have calmed itself down somewhat when he very nearly collided with Trick.

Ako was heading down the main road towards the dormitories very fast, his heart still beating fit to burst. He was intent on getting to the lobby, hiding in a corner, and trying not to talk to anyone for a very long time. He was hoping not to run into anyone he knew, because he didn't feel like trying to explain his state right now. But he quite literally ran into Trick.

"Whoa there, Ako!" Trick said with a smile. "Where's the fire?"

"Sorry, I'm just..." Ako stuttered, trying desperately not to meet the coyote's entrancing blue eyes. "I'm just...sorry."

The coyote looked at Ako with concern, his eyes glancing over the foxes trembling form. "Ako is something the matter? You look terrible."

"I--I just," Ako began again. "Please, I just don't wanna talk about it. I'm gonna go try to get some sleep."

Ako moved to slip by Trick, but the coyote stopped him with a paw. "Ako, please tell me what's going on."

Ako shook his head, and tried to leave again. But Trick put both of his forelegs on Ako's shoulders, and held him in place.

"Ako, stop running from me." he said, a faint hint of a growl in his voice. "You're shaking. I can feel it. What happened to you?"

Ako tried to avoid looking at him. "Trick, this..."

"Ako, tell me what happened." said Trick. His voice was quiet, but his tone cut right through the small fox, making him tremble that much more violently.

"Trick, you're scaring me." Ako whispered.

Instantly, Trick looked taken aback. His expression softened into slight guilt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." he said softly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm concerned about you, and I want to know what's happened to you."

Ako closed his eyes. "Skiff jumped me, while I was dozing in a drying tube. I was on the third floor of tubes, and," Ako swallowed. "I nearly fell off the scaffolding. I just managed to hold onto the edge."

Trick blinked. "Dear gods..."

Ako shook his head. "It just gave me a bad scare is all."

Trick growled. "I think I'm going to have a word with that jackal. Several in fact."

Ako sighed. "Don't get too mad at him. He just wanted to startle me, I don't think he meant to really hurt me."

Trick pulled the little fox closer to him, and gave him a small nuzzle. "I'm glad you're alright. I don't know what I would have done if you were hurt."

Ako's entire being froze at that tiny touch of the coyote's muzzle to his shoulder. That single small gesture was all at once everything that Ako had ever dreamed of and his most terrible nightmare. He hot, but cold inside, and it was as if his stomach had been replaced with butterflies. Something inside him screamed desperately. Reach out and touch him! He's right there! Touch him! Kiss him! Love him!

I can't! Ako cried back at himself. If he got kicked out of the complex, he'd die. There would be no way he could survive out on his own. So he couldn't be with Trick. And he knew that in reality Trick didn't really want him. Not like that. He doubted there was anyone else in the world that had this particular genetic defect. Trick was just being friendly. Pack instincts were evident in most canines now, even those that didn't run in packs. Trick was just trying to comfort Ako.

And Ako couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey, Ako, why don't you stay in my room tonight?" Trick said.

"I can't." the fox said.

"Why not? You can have your own spot, I've got more than one." he said. "And Skiff won't be able to bother you there."

"Trick, let me go."

Trick blinked. "What's the matter?"

"Let me go." said Ako more firmly.

"But..."

And without warning Ako tore out of the coyote's grasp and ran, at a fox's fastest pace, towards the dormitories. He needed to be away.

"Ako! Wait!" Trick called. But there was no chance that Ako would listen to him. The fox continued to run like a creature possessed.

Ako ran for long while. Away from the main street. Far from the complex. Away from the sounds and bustles of daily life. Away from Trick.

The silver fox only stopped when a stream blocked his path, at least four kilometers from the complex. Ako's breath came in ragged gasps, and he skidded to halt in front of the water, and immersed his face into the stream, drinking greedily. Then he unceremoniously collapsed to the ground, grateful for the quiet around him.

He would have to go back, he knew that. He had debated leaving in his mind several times. But it just wouldn't work. He couldn't fend for himself, that much was certain. And, as much as today had been a truly horrible day, he'd come to think of the commune as his home. And no matter how much distress it might cause him, or how miserable it might make him, he didn't really want to leave Trick behind.

It was an altogether weary and heart sore fox that lay out in the wilderness, so very alone. Today had been a terrible day. But at the end of every day, the sun went down. And that sun would rise again, bringing with it new chances and opportunities. He looked up to the horizon, the setting sun painting the sky a myriad of red and pink tones. The night would be warm and clear. At least, warm enough that the fox needn't worry about harm. Ako gave a sigh, and wiped his eyes clear of tears.

He would sleep out here tonight. Trick would be unable to find him, and no one else would dare venture out this far. He had water and some small cover from the trees. It would be better than facing everyone if he returned to the commune. Ako moved to the base of a large tree, and he curled himself up in a gap in the roots. It was moderately uncomfortable, but he'd be able to bear it.

The air grew cool as the sun dipped farther and farther behind the trees. Ako wrapped his long tail around himself, and closed his eyes. It was several hours before the small fox could calm his mind enough to sleep, and by the time he managed to doze off, the forest had grown frigid. And tear-dampened fur invited the cold.

But there was no one around to see a black fox shiver.

* * *

The rabbit was not more than 30 yards away from the little black fox. But Ako didn't rush in. He was downwind of the little creature, and he paused to consider. The previous day he'd lost several prospective targets by simply charging them. He'd have to try something a little less obvious.

A few hours ago, the day had dawned cool and misty. Ako had slept long past the dawn, and his fur had been soaked in dew. He'd been thoroughly chilled for an hour until the sun had risen properly. Now the sun had completely dried Ako's fur, and he was once again trying to gain some security that he would not lose his place at the commune. And so he was staring at a rabbit, closer than he'd been three times before.

30 yards seemed close, Ako knew, but that was more than enough space for the rabbit to hear him and escape. He would need to get closer. He was half crouched, his tail was still. He barely dared to breathe, he was so close.

He watched the rabbit's movements with a careful eye. The rabbit grazed and nibbled on a patch of grass, unaware of Ako's presence. But that pair of tall ears was constantly swiveling. If the fox moved now, he'd undoubtedly be heard. Ako puzzled what to do. He'd seen rabbits get caught before. Trick did it all the time. They weren't invincible. So what was the secret?

Then the rabbit dipped its head for another bite of grass, and when he rose, his ears were laid back nonchalantly. Ako's heart leapt, and he made his move. He scurried forward, moving from tree to tree. He skidded to halt as the rabbit's ears rose once again. Ako froze. Had the rabbit heard him?

But no...the rabbit was listening to something else.

Voices came echoing through the forest, and the rabbit wasted no time in hastily departing the scene. Ako cursed inwardly. He'd been so close! The fox glared angrily in the direction of the noise. When he found out who it was that had dashed his efforts once again, he was going to have a few choice words with them.

But then Ako recognized the voices, moving through the woods. Or rather, he recognized the loudest one.

"I don't know what I was thinking, alright?!?" he was saying. "I just didn't know...well," But he never finished was he was going to say.

It was Skiff, the black-backed jackal.

"Surely you can't expect to nearly kill a creature and get away with it, Skiff?" asked a voice that Ako did not recognize.

"We might be outside society, but there are still rules." came another voice. Ako was not familiar with this person, either.

"I'm not saying what I did wasn't wrong!" Skiff growled. "But he doesn't have any place talking to me about it! He shouldn't be able to just rail on me about how to do things he couldn't do himself!"

The voices suddenly stopped moving.

"I'm gonna take care of this." Skiff said vehemently. "I'm gonna take care of this right now."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to fix that Trick right." said Skiff. "Maybe if he has a little more trouble walking, he won't be so inclined to run his mouth when he ought to keep it shut. Or maybe we'll just get rid of him altogether."

There was a silence. Ako's heart beat uncomfortably. Skiff had nearly killed Ako only yesterday, and he hadn't seemed very upset about it. But did he really mean it? Were they going to try to hurt Trick? But the silence was suddenly broken.

"Well? If you're going to say things like that, you'd better have a way to do it." one of the others said. He sounded interested.

"Yeah." said the other.

Ako's breath caught in his chest. He couldn't just wait here! This was Trick they were talking about!

The fox leapt out from where he was hiding, and dashed toward the voices. He swept through a small honeysuckle and found himself in a clearing, and Skiff was right in front of him. The jackal spun, and his face turned sour when he saw Ako.

"You damn fox! What the hell are you doing here?" Skiff hissed.

Ako noticed that the two other voices that he'd heard belonged to a wolf and a cougar, both male and much larger than himself. But he stood his ground.

"I could ask you the same thing!" he said.

"Haven't you got me in enough trouble already? Get away from me!" Skiff said.

Ako narrowed his eyes. "No. You're going to try to hurt Trick, aren't you?"

"What's it to you, squeaky?" asked the wolf, baring his teeth.

"Trick's my friend!" Ako said, trying to keep his eyes on all three figures at once. "If you want to get him, you'll have to get me first!"

Even as he said it, he realized how much of an idiot he was. The three larger animals circled around him. His back was blocked by a rather large oak tree, and every other direction was blocked by a large and angry quadruped.

"Oooh, listening in on us?" said the mountain lion. "Clever foxy."

The wolf grinned. "Yeah, we're planning on trashing your coyote friend. He's starting to bother us."

"Listen." said Skiff. "You can't do anything to stop us. Why don't you just go off in the forest and play, like a good little fox?" For some reason, the jackal didn't sound very threatening.

"Oh come now, Skiff, he's made a proper request." the mountain lion said. "He would like us to go through him first, before he break the coyote. Sounds perfectly fair to me."

The wolf laughed, obviously enjoying the prospect of this.

"Be smart." Skiff said. "Why don't you just leave while you got the chance?"

"No, no! Let him stay, Skiff." The cougar said. "Let's tell him exactly what we're going to do!"

"Yes, we have hefty plans for his precious coyote."

"You see," said the cougar. "I had planned to break each one of his legs, very slowly. I love the feel of bones snapping..."

"Leave him alone!"

Ako leapt at the cougar, his teeth bared. The mountain lion grinned, and raised a mighty paw. He slapped Ako from the air like one would swat a fly. Ako crashed heavily into a tree, and fell to the ground, not moving.

Skiff looked at the still fox, horrified. "What the hell are you doing?"

The cougar raised an eyebrow. "What's with you? The fox was pissing me off. He was begging for it."

"I just wanted to scare him off! I didn't want to hurt him!" he said, still staring dumbstruck at the unmoving form of Ako.

"Get a grip!" the wolf said. "The fox was in our way. Now he isn't in our way. End of story. Deal with it!"

Skiff gave Ako one last terrified look. "Come on, let's get out of here! We don't have much time..."

The three figured sped off through the forest. Ako clung to consciousness, if only barely. His entire body was seething with pain, and the edges of his vision had begun to darken. He shook his head, trying to hang on to whatever he had left. He had to follow them! Ako had no idea what Skiff was up to, but he knew that the other two meant business.

They weren't part of the commune, so the sentries wouldn't let them by...but if they were with Skiff, they might be able to avoid the guards altogether.

Ako hauled himself to his feet, staggering wildly. He shook his head once more and then he took off, as fast as his paws could carry him. He felt dizzy and sick from his last collision, but he couldn't stop. Trick! he kept screaming to himself. You've got to get to Trick!

Faster and faster he ran. He was dizzy, disoriented. He couldn't even be sure that he was going in the right direction. The commune. Skiff. Trick. He needed to get to Trick!

The trees started to blend together as his breath became labored. He could run faster than this. What was the matter with him? His entire side ached from his recent contact with a tree truck, and sharp pain jabbed at him from every direction. He tried to push his body, moving as fast as he could, all the while desperately searching for either some tree or rock he recognized or some sign that he was still on Skiff's trail.

His body felt like it was floating in water, his limbs heavy, every inch of him begging him to stop, to breathe. But he couldn't. Trick! Please!

And then, very suddenly, the ground beneath Ako was no longer beneath him.

The fox fell heavily and rolled down a steep embankment. He threw out all of his paws, but he couldn't stop himself. Then he stopped all too quickly. He'd come to rest at the bottom on the embankment, crashing head first into something very hard. His head struck rock.

Trick. he tried to cry, but nothing about the fox was working as it should. Don't hurt him...

And then it was dark.

* * *

Ako was slightly aware of himself. He didn't know where he was, nor could he feel anything. And that was nice. It was wonderful to be here, but not have to feel all the repercussions of being here. Those grew quite tiresome after a while.

The fox was vaguely aware of having been very upset about something, but he couldn't remember what it was in the slightest. He was alright with that. It was nice not to remember. He didn't want to feel worried. He didn't want to feel at all. His mind was blissfully blank. And that was nice. To not feel anything. To be here without having to feel being here. It was wonderful.

"Ako?" a voice echoed through his head.

No. he said firmly in return. Go away. I'm not here.

He pretended to not be there. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to feel. He just wanted to float here. Maybe if he tried hard enough he could fall back asleep.

"Ako..."

Leave me alone. he said. He didn't want to get up. He just wanted to float here. Maybe if he tried hard enough he could fall back asleep. He pretended not to be there.

"Alright, Ako. Time to get up." the voice said more firmly. "I see your ears twitching at me. Don't pretend you can't hear me."

"Tri...ck...?"

"Yeah, it's me, you silly fox." he said, an odd note of gentleness in his voice that Ako had not heard before.

Ako groaned as pain flooded his body. He ached everywhere. The fox felt as if he'd gotten caught at the wrong end of a buffalo stampede. "Oooh...what happened?"

"I don't know, Ako." the coyote said. "Looks like you ran right off this rock outcrop. I found your tracks at the top. I don't know what you were running from, though."

"Running..."

"Yeah. I was hoping you could tell me, actually." Trick said.

"Running...running?!?" Ako said, then he desperately tried to stand, but failed to manage it. "Skiff! Skiff is coming to hurt you! I was running to warn you!"

"Hey, hey! Relax, little guy." Trick said. "Now what's this all about?"

"Skiff was talking with a wolf and a mountain lion. I didn't recognize either of them. But they were plotting something. Skiff was really, really mad about something you said to him. He didn't think you should be allowed to talk to him like that." Ako said, not pausing even to breathe. "Then they planned to do something to you. They said something about making you not able to walk or getting rid of you completely. I was hiding while I listened to this and I jumped out and tried to stop them...but I..."

"Shhhh." Trick hushed him. Ako's voice had grown louder and louder until he was practically shouting. "Don't worry. Skiff didn't get me."

"Huh?" Ako said. "How did you--"

"You've been out here longer than I thought. A few hours ago, Skiff tried to sneak up on me, but he did a pretty terrible job of it." Trick said. "I caught him. And don't worry, he was alone." he added, seeing Ako's face.

"But...the other two..."

"...never made into the complex." Trick finished for him with a smile. "The sentries caught them. I know the guys you're talking about, they've been trying to become members of the commune for years, but the overseer won't let them in."

"Oh..." Ako said. "So...nothing happened?"

"Nothing bad happened, no." Trick said, still smiling. "But thank you for trying to come to my rescue. I might have actually needed it."

Ako heaved a sigh and laid his head on the ground. "I hurt." he said.

Trick gave him a gentle nuzzle. "I imagine you do."

Ako's entire body, even in its state, reacted to the small touch of Trick's muzzle. Nothing had changed, Ako lamented. His problem was still as big as ever.

"Come on, fox." Trick said. "Can you walk? I want to get you back to the commune."

"I'm not sure," Ako said. "Can you help me up?"

Trick grinned. "I dunno, I had to help you up yesterday. You promise I won't have to do it tomorrow, too?"

Even as miserable as he felt, Ako laughed. "No promises." he said.

Ako tried to rise again, and as he did, Trick put his muzzle underneath the fox and lifted. The fox tried to put his weight on all four paws, but as he did, searing pain burned up his front right leg, causing him to nearly collapse. He cried out in pain.

"No, come on!" Trick said. "You gotta stand."

Ako lifted the injured leg, and stood on the other three, breathing heavily. Trick quickly straightened himself. "Alright, what's hurt?"

Ako blinked tears of pain from his eyes. "I think my front leg is broken."

"Alright, we can work around that. Do the rest of your legs feel alright?" Trick asked.

"Yeah...yeah I think so." he said.

"Alright, now we're gonna walk back. I want you to lean on me."

Ako gave a small whine. "I...I think I'm alright on my own." he said, knowing that he was anything but alright.

Trick gave him a very sympathetic look. "Listen, whatever it makes you feel doesn't matter right now, alright?" he said. "You're minus a leg, buddy. You gotta lean on me."

Ako closed his eyes, and tried to ignore the familiar feeling that his stomach had been misplaced as he leaned against the coyote's much larger body. It felt better than anything he'd dreamed about. But this wasn't how he wanted it. Nothing about this was how he wanted it.

"Good boy." Trick said, flashing the fox an encouraging smile. "Now, we're gonna walk back, nice and slow. You with me?"

Ako nodded half-heartedly.

"Alright then, one step at a time."

The walk was agonizingly slow, especially for a creature like Ako who was used to moving moderately fast all the time. He limped very heavily, his injured paw not holding any weight. And walking next to Trick made it considerably harder. So very much harder.

They were probably miles from the complex, and Ako wasn't moving at any sort of pace. They'd be at this for an hour, if not longer. And Ako hurt so bad. But the way that his fur felt rubbing up against Trick's...it sent tingles down his spine.

He couldn't take this tension anymore. He had to explain to Trick the way he was, and why he couldn't be near him like this. He couldn't guarantee that Trick would accept him. Trick might even refuse to ever talk to him again. But he knew that the coyote was kind enough not to tell anyone else. Perhaps it would even be better if they never talked again. Yes, maybe that would be best.

"Trick?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I...need to tell you something."

Trick shook his head. "You ought to wait until we get back. You're groggy from being knocked out." he said. "I can hear it in the way you're talking. I don't want you to say anything you wouldn't say normally."

"I'm...groggy?"

Trick laughed. "Can you hear yourself slurring your words?"

"...no." Ako said.

"Just wait 'till I get you some pain medication, alright? I think you'll thank me later." he said with a smile.

They walked on, and Ako just tried to pay attention to putting his paws on the ground, but it was hard. His side hurt more than he thought it should. His entire midriff was filled with a penetrating, dull ache. But there was sharp pain etching his skin just beneath his fur. It was most distracting. In order to walk on three legs, Ako was required to do an awkward hop-skip every third step. It jarred his body, only causing him more pain.

He tolerated this for quite a long while in silence. But he was finally forced to speak.

"Trick." he said.

"Yeah?" said the coyote.

"Say something."

"What?" he asked, confused. "What do you want me to say?"

"Anything. I just," Ako said, fumbling. "I hurt. Really bad. Can we just talk about something?"

"Oh, I see." Trick said, for one of his rare times at a loss for words. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Anything, please..." Ako said.

The coyote thought a moment before speaking. "Why did you run away from me last night?"

Ako smiled weakly. "You told me I wasn't allowed to say until I got back."

"Oh," Trick said. "Is that what you were going to tell me about?"

"Yeah, that and other things." Ako said.

Trick sighed. "You scared me last night, Ako. When you ran away." he said. "I didn't like that. I don't like being scared."

Ako gave a little whine. "I'm sorry, but I had to."

"I assumed as much. Otherwise you wouldn't have done it." he said. "But I was afraid that I'd hurt you or something."

"No, no. It wasn't you. It was me." Ako said, feeling his heart sink. "It's always been me. My entire life."

Trick looked at the pitiful fox, his own face full of emotion. "We all feel like that, sometime in our life." he said. "But it's better if you don't have to feel that way alone."

"I don't want to." Ako said. "I'm not sure if I have a choice."

"Just...just try not to worry about that." Trick said awkwardly. "It'll all seem better tomorrow, I promise."

Ako sighed, casting his gaze to the ground. "I just don't see how it can be..."

"I promise." Trick said more firmly, trying to smile at the fox.

Ako was confused, but dropped the subject.

Trick kept up a stream of small talk the rest of the way, ensuring that Ako would have something to think about besides how badly his body had been beaten. It seemed like an hour more that they walked, but it was probably more along the lines of 30 minutes. And then finally the complex came into view in the distance. Ako gave a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank you," he said, as if grateful to the complex for appearing in so timely a fashion. "I don't think I'd have been able to walk much further."

"There you are!" came a silky, feminine voice. "Where have you two been? Half the complex is out if its mind with worry! We've been..."

But Sannah stopped the moment she came into full view. The red fox held a paw to her muzzle. "Ako...what happened to you? You're hurt!"

Ako regarded her wearily. "It's a long story."

She came up to Ako, who was still not steady on his feet, leaning against Trick. She lifted a petite paw and wiped blood from the side of his face. Her paw came away from his fur, stained red. He blinked.

"Am I bleeding?"

"No, but you were. I think the cut has stopped bleeding, this blood is partially dry. I can't see, you're fur is too dark." she said.

"Sannah?" Trick asked. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure." Sannah said instantly.

"Can you run back to the meat building and get Dakota for me? Tell him to bring his first aid bag. I think that'll be quicker than trying to find the healer." Trick said. "Tell him to meet us outside the dormitories."

Sannah gave a brief nod and she darted off toward the main thoroughfare.

Trick urged Ako back up onto his feet. "Come on, fox, just a little farther."

Ako later couldn't have described if it was his mind or his body that simply refused to walk any farther. But suddenly Trick's voice seemed very far away. Ako slumped against him. It was very comfortable.

"Ako?"

Very comfortable indeed. He could sleep here. He was laying against Trick's side, and the coyote's body would no doubt keep him very warm. And it was Trick. He'd always wanted to sleep next to Trick. Ako let out a contented sigh, and closed his...

Eyes! Those bright blue eyes of Trick's were staring into his. Trick was holding Ako's head, forcing the fox to look at him. "Ako, listen to me. Are you listening?"

Ako nodded.

"I know you're tired, but we got a little ways left to go, alright? I need you to walk with me."

Ako nodded once more, then shook his head, trying to wake himself up. "I'm sorry, I'm alright now. I phased out."

Trick gave him a friendly nudge. "That's alright, just walk."

And with a little physical negotiation, Trick managed to get the fox moving again.

"Come on, one foot in front of the other." Trick urged him with a smile. "We're almost there."

And for once, Ako returned Trick's smile wholeheartedly. He was glad he was back. He was looking forward to a soft place to lie.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity of a day, he finally stepped onto the soft dust of the main road. Trick steered him over to the entrance to the dormitories, where both Sannah and Dakota were waiting for them, the biped fox leaning against the side of the tall building. In the biped's arms there was a black bag, the contents distending the soft sides.

Dakota immediately got to both feet and moved over to Ako's side, smiling. "Whew! You did take a beating, didn't you, Ako?" he said.

Ako smiled ruefully. "Quite literally."

Dakota knelt in front of the much smaller Ako. "Alright, how'd you hurt your leg?"

"I'm not sure." Ako said. "I fell down a real steep hill,"

Trick raised an eyebrow. "A small cliff would be a better description, Ako."

Dakota nodded. "Alright, I'd like a little better place to look you over." he said. "I need someplace for you to lie down."

"Take him to my room." Trick said. "He'll be spending the night there, anyway."

Ako very visibly lost his composure. Dakota raised an eyebrow.

"Spending the night there?" Dakota asked.

"Yes, I want to keep my eye on him, and I want to keep him away from Skiff." Trick said. "I've got two sleeping nooks in my room. He can have one."

"Alright." Dakota nodded. Then he looked down to Ako, who somehow managed to look pale beneath black fur.

"I...I don't think I should sleep in Trick's room." he said, his voice shaking. "I mean, I'm fine in the lobby..."

"You're staying in my room." Trick said firmly. "Skiff can't get you there."

"But..."

"Don't worry." Trick said, grinning. "I don't bite."

Ako inwardly cried. But he couldn't help thinking, Would you if I asked really nice?

"I'm gonna pick you up, Ako, don't freak out." Dakota said. "I don't want you walking 'till I can figure out what's wrong with that leg."

Dakota slipped the handles of his bag over his arm, then easily picked up Ako as if he weighed nothing at all. Ako briefly heard Trick thanking Sannah and saying that they wouldn't be needing her help any longer.

Ako was breathing very hard. He'd just wait for them to be alone, then explain to Trick like he'd be planning all along. Yes, that would be best. Everything would be fine. Well...as fine as it could be.

The trip up to Trick's room blurred by. Quite so, for Ako was having trouble focusing his eyes. Instead of his entire body aching as it had before, the pain now came in great throbbing waves. And he felt so inexorably tired! It was as if he'd walked for days, not for hours.

A door opened, and a door closed. And Trick's room slid into focus. It was larger than most of the rooms that Ako had seen belonging to others. It was about 15 feet by 15 feet, and the floor was covered in a thick carpet of some sort, dyed a faded blue. The carpet itself looked like it was comfortable enough to sleep on, but there were two rings, much like the drying tubes, set into the wall and covered in blankets and pillows. Every room belonging to a quadruped was equipped with one of these sleeping nooks. Trick's room, unusually, had two. Despite the sleeping nooks, there was a pile of blankets and pillows in the near corner of the room, across from the nooks, that looked as if it had seen more use than the sleeping areas themselves.

The room was beautiful. Ako just wished he could see it under other terms.

"Here set him on the bed in the corner there." Trick said.

"Okay," Dakota said, setting him on the blankets as gently as possible. He took a rag from his bag which was wet with something that didn't feel like water. He gently bathed the side of Ako's head, and the rag came away red with blood. "Hmm...you're lucky, this was shallow and closed up just fine. Not more than a bruise and a scratch. Alright, Ako, I'm gonna take a look at your leg here. I promise I'll be careful."

Ako's mind was torn between worrying about his leg and fretting over Trick. In the few moments he had to chose which to pay attention to, his mind chose Trick. The coyote stood a few feet away, so as to not interfere with Dakota's work. He was stiff, not relaxed, as he stood watching Ako impassively. But his eyes gave him away. Those blue eyes were shimmering, glittering their inward thoughts. Ako blinked nervously. He knew the coyote at least this well; he knew Trick was up to something.

Ako was utterly terrified. What in fate's name was Trick doing to him? This was ridiculo--

A piercing, high-pitched cry of pain richocheted through the room. Ako's thought's blurred as he cried out, yipping and whining as pain painted his leg all the way up into his chest.

Dakota was forced to hold him down with both paws as Ako reflexively tried to kick the fox away. "Hey! Hey..." he said loudly over the fox's cries. "I'm sorry! I had to feel the bone..."

"Ako!" said Trick sharply.

Ako immediately froze, his chest heaving. Trick padded over to his side. "Relax, it was an accident. Dakota didn't mean to hurt you."

Ako gave a little whine, but he looked up at the biped fox apologetically. "I'm sorry, Dakota, but that just...oh, dammit..." he said, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Yeah, I know," Dakota said, still looking at the leg that had caused the trouble. "Wasn't your fault."

Trick looked up at Dakota, who was now reaching for the small bag that he had carried in addition to Ako into the room. "What do you think?"

"He didn't break it, though if it hurts that much I think it was a narrow thing." Dakota said. "He's definitely fractured it, though. Probably a compression fracture if it hurts that bad. I'd put a brace on it, but those hamper you quadrupeds so much. I just want him to stay off it for at least a week, then I'll look at him again."

"Alright, that's easy enough. He can stay in here for as long as he needs to." Trick said.

"Well...I'd like him to stay mostly resting for two or three days. If he wants to move around, he'll just have to manage on three legs." Dakota said, reaching into his bag. "I'll need you to tell me if he's sore, I've got some meds I can give him. Hrmph, almost out of needles. I need to get Alan to make me some more. He's so much better at it than I am..."

Dakota pulled from his bag a covered needle and a small bottle. He opened the needle and filled the syringe from the bottle to the allotted dose. Then he turned to Ako.

"Here, little guy. This is called Morphine, you might have heard of it. But this should keep you comfortable until morning." Dakota explained, lifting up the scruff of his neck. "Alright, one, two, three, in..."

Ako felt the needle slide under his skin and he gave a small growl at the unpleasant sensation. But the moment was over as quickly as it began. Dakota re-covered the needle and threw it into his bag, closing it. The bipedal fox stood. "Try to get some sleep, Ako. Trick will take care of anything you might need."

And with that, Dakota left, closing the door behind him.

For a few moments, Trick did not look at Ako, but instead just idly watched the closed door, as if expecting something to come through it. The seconds stretched into minutes, and still silence prevailed. Ako began to feel distinctly awkward.

"Trick...?"

"How you feeling?" he said, finally turning to look at the fox.

"I still hurt, but it's nice to be laying down." he said. "But Trick, I've been wanting to talk to you."

Trick moved closer to Ako and sat down. "Yes, I was hoping you had." he said. "Go ahead."

"Well, what it is...I mean," he said, his words suddenly failing him as his tongue seemed to refuse to cooperate. "I wanted...oh, wow."

A blissful feeling flooded Ako's entire body, and the world seemed to slow down. Half numb, half tingling, but all pleasurable, the feeling penetrated every part of him. All pain in his body floated away and he was filled with a half floating sensation. He allowed his eyes to slide closed. "Oooh, what happened?"

Trick laughed. "I'd say your morphine kicked in."

Ako shook his head and tried to clear the drug-induced fog. "Man...I don't have time for this." he said. He awkwardly pulled himself up to a sitting position using only his good leg. Trick immediately moved to help.

"Hey, buddy, take it easy! You're not real steady on your feet..."

"This can't wait." Ako said firmly. He sat on his haunches for a moment, then leaned himself in the corner of the room. He was grateful to have walls on both sides of him to keep him steady. "I need to tell you something."

Trick looked at him through concerned blue eyes. Ako deliberately looked away. He couldn't even try to speak while looking at those eyes. He was in love with those eyes.

"I...I've been wanting to talk to you for a very long time. And," Ako said haltingly. "I...I don't really know where to start."

Trick's tail wagged slowly, thoughtfully as he looked at the fox. "Let me try for you. You're attracted to males, you don't really understand why, and you have feelings for me?"

A cold, hollow feeling filled Ako's chest as silence conquered the room. Ako was certain his life was over. He finally turned his gaze to meet Trick's.

"H-how...How did you know?"

Trick smiled. "You're not that good at hiding it." he said. "It took me a while to figure it out, but I was pretty sure I was right, after yesterday."

Ako tried to think rationally, and he tried to be calm as he spoke. But he utterly failed, and it all came out in a rush. "You won't tell the overseer, will you? Or anyone. Anyone might tell the overseer. I realize I'm a freak, alright? I don't care anymore. But I don't wanna leave here!" Ako said, leaning forward to Trick, unsteady on only three legs.

"I love it here, I've got a warm place to sleep and food. I know I can't have you. I know you don't want me. There's no one that wants me. Not like that. But I can't take wandering again! I only had to do it once and I almost died. I can't hunt, I can't even..."

"Whoa, whoa! Slow down." Trick said, waving a paw. "The overseer? What in the world are you talking about?"

"If the overseer finds out I'll be ejected!!!" Ako cried piteously. "I can't survive by myself! You know I can't!"

"Wait, wait!"

Ako paused at the look of dismay on Trick's face. "You--You think you'll be kicked out because you like males?"

Ako looked up. "Won't I?"

"Oh, Ako, no!" Trick said. "No no no no....that's not how it is here!"

"Huh?"

"That's why you haven't been talking to me. No wonder." Trick said, more to himself than to Ako. "I'd have been terrified, too. Who wouldn't?"

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"No one's kicking you out, Ako."

"What? How?

"Really, Ako. You're not going anywhere." Trick said "And there's something else."

Ako's mind was blurring with emotion. "M-more? What?"

Ako couldn't have accurately described how it happened. But it happened. Both of Trick's paws were around the little fox, pulling him into a strong, but gentle embrace. Trick's haunches were pressed up against Ako's. He could feel the heat from Trick's body pulsing through his fur. And he could feel Trick's own girth pressed against his own fur.

"Trick...Trick wait! What--!!"

The coyote pressed the much smaller fox up against the corner of the room. There was no where for him to run.

"I'm so sorry I kept you waiting, Ako."

And then Trick kissed him.

Kissing was a habitual action that even the four-legged creatures had inherited from their altered genetic structure. Their bits of human DNA showed through in this respect. All the creatures walking and talking on this earth used kissing as a display of affection. And Trick was a professional.

He wrapped his muzzle around the smaller fox's before Ako had even just a moment to resist. And as the fox gasped in surprise, the coyote pressed his advantage. He sucked gently, letting his tongue graze over Ako's teeth. The fox never once tried to resist. His breath came in small gasps through his nose, his whiskers were flared forward, and his ears laid back. He lifted his one good paw and placed it on Trick's chest, not pushing, not resisting, but just placing it there. And it one odd, surreal moment of clarity, Ako noticed...

...he could feel Trick's heart beating beneath his paw.

The moment lasted for an eternity, just a few moments longer. Then the kiss broke. Feeling rushed back into Ako. He grabbed a few hasty breaths. And then he saw Trick move back in for a second kiss. It was the hardest thing he'd ever so desperately wanted to do in his life to push the coyote away.

"Trick! Trick, please, talk to me!" Ako said, still holding off a now puzzled coyote.

"What's the matter?" he asked, his arms still wrapped around the back of the frightened fox.

"What's happening? A few hours ago I was afraid I was gonna be evicted for my genetic defect, and now...dammit..."

"Hush, honey, hush and listen to me." Trick said, tightening his grip around the much smaller creature. Ako quieted himself, but his heart melted at the sound of Trick calling him 'honey'.

"You have a genetic defect, this is true. And I suppose you're right, every single citadel in the world, and most communes, would eject you for your problem. But this is the only commune that is different. The overseer created this commune specifically for people with the homosexual genetic pattern, because he himself and his friends weren't allowed anywhere else." Trick said. "They discovered this outpost and remade it into what it is today. We allow the scattered few heteros in, but most everyone here has the same genetic defect in their genome."

Ako's world was abruptly a place he didn't know. "Most...everyone?"

Trick smiled. "You're not alone, Ako. We're all right here, with you." he said. "Dakota ran your genetic profile right after you arrived here. The overseer knows that you have this defect. That's why he's so firm that you stay. He doesn't want you to leave."

"The Overseer...Not alone? Who?" Ako grasped at the thought. "Who else is there?!?"

Trick looked to the ceiling in thought. "Geez, almost everyone. Muff, Alan, Dakota of course. Sannah's only into other females, Skipper too..."

"Everyone?!?" Ako asked incredulously.

Trick actually laughed out loud. "You know why Skiff picks on you so much?" Trick asked, grinning. "He likes you!"

"Li...likes me?!?" Ako said. "He almost killed me!"

"You'll have to forgive him, he's an idiot. He doesn't know any other way to get your attention. If I wasn't so sure that he'd die on his own we'd have booted him out a long time ago. That's why he got so angry at me; I tried to tell him that he was going about it wrong."

But Ako was barely listening anymore. "Everyone! Everyone I know..." he was murmuring.

"I don't forget one more." Trick said. Then he very delicately licked Ako's cheek and ran his muzzle down to the fox's neck, nibbling gently on the juncture where neck met shoulder. Ako let out a little gasp of pleasure, then suddenly tried to push Trick away again.

"I'm dreaming! I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming..." Ako cried incessantly. "Nothing works out like this! I'm dreaming!"

Trick pulled the fox back to him, holding him ever tighter. When Ako continued to resist, he brandished his claws on the paws holding Ako, digging them into the fox's fur. The fox let out a yip of distress.

"See? You can feel pain. You're not dreaming." Trick said firmly.

"Not dreaming?" Ako said.

"No, you're not dreaming."

"Oh. Well, in that case," Ako said, taking a deep breath. "Trick, I think I'm in love with you."

Trick smiled. "That's handy, because I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you."

It was real, Ako realized. This wasn't a dream, and no one was pretending or acting. Reality had set in. Fate had just given Ako everything he'd ever wanted. Ako gave a broken sob and scrambled to grab at every part of Trick. He either licked or desperately nuzzled every part of the coyote he could reach. Trick, for his part, merely held the small fox, and nuzzled the top of Ako's head.

Ako just kept reaching for every part of Trick he could grasp, because he knew as long as he was anxious about touching, he wouldn't have time to cry in relief. He didn't think he was ready to cry in front of Trick. It wasn't a very male thing to do. Trick, he just needed to feel Trick's fur one more time. One more time, and for the first time. For the first time!

"Come on now, Ako. That's enough." Trick whispered. "No one's gonna take me away from you."

Ako shook his head, letting out a pleading whine. "No, no please. Just let me..."

"Shhh, I'm not going anywhere. We've got all night." he said. "I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. Let's take it real slow."

"Not...going anywhere..." Ako whispered into nothing. And he couldn't hold back the tears anymore. He tried desperately to cry quietly. But Trick noticed this, as Trick noticed so many things that the fox attempted to hide.

"It's alright, Ako. I'm not gonna judge you for crying. I cry too, sometimes." he said, gently nuzzling the fox's neck. "It's only you and me."

Ako nodded slowly, then buried his head in Trick's thick chest fur, and sobbed openly. Trick smiled, as he rocked the fox back and forth with gentle arms. "Yeah, honey. It's okay." he murmured into Ako's ear. "I didn't know how scared you were. It's my fault that you've been feeling this way. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Ako wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, it was just an accident, just a miscommunication. But tears had washed out his voice. He cried for at least a few minutes longer. He lost track of the time. For some reason, such trivial things as hours and sleep mattered little to him now. And Trick, for his part, continued to rock the little fox, stroking the back of his head with a paw.

Sometime, minutes or hours later, Ako managed to give a last sniff and lift his head from where he had been hiding in Trick's fur. The coyote's form looked blurry through watery eyes. Trick smiled at the fox.

"There. Sometimes it's better to just let it out." he said. He gently placed a paw behind Ako's head and then ran his tongue over his eyes, licking them free of tears. Ako merely closed his eyes and lifted his head into Trick's ministrations.

"Mmm..."

Trick chuckled, moving away from Ako's eyes down his neck once again. "There," he murmured. "Isn't that better?"

"Yes." Ako said. He leaned into Trick, resting his muzzle on the Coyote's shoulders. "Well...now what?"

Trick chuckled. "Nothing if you don't want." he said. "You've had a hell of a day. You should probably go to sleep."

"Oooh...but I don't hurt anymore, after whatever it was that Dakota gave me." Ako said. "I'm not ready to go to sleep."

Trick grinned. "That's alright, too. More snuggle time, for me!"

And one of the coyote's paws slipped under the fox's view, and touched gently at the fox's inner thigh. Ako blinked. "Trick? What are you...?"

But the coyote's intentions suddenly became very apparent.

"Hey! Heyheyhey!" Ako cried, trying desperately to escape the coyote's grasp. "Stoppit!! That tickles!"

"Oh, come now. A good tickle now and again has been proven to be therapeutic!" Trick grinned, relentlessly attacking the fox.

Ako giggled helplessly, trying desperately to either wriggle out of the coyote's grasp or kick away the offending paw. "Heeheehee, no! Quit it!"

"Make me!"

The laughs came even harder. "Please, I'll do anything!"

With one final tweak of the fox's fur, Trick ceased his torture. "Mmm...anything? That sounds promising."

And Ako looked up sharply, a witty retort upon his lips. But his words died before they were spoke, as the fox saw a pair of sparkling blue eyes. Trick's eyes did not flinch away from Ako's gaze, but looked on affectionately.

"Hmm?" Trick said. "Why so quiet all of sudden, Pretty?"

Ako's heart leapt to his throat at the sound of Trick calling him 'Pretty'. Pet names were something he'd always fantasized about, but didn't believe he'd ever be worthy of. "Trick?" he said, his voice faltering. "I love you."

Trick smiled again, but this one was different. The coyote enjoyed living up to his name, and his personality was always a playful one: eager to joke, anxious to entertain. But this smile was other than that. There was no joke, and no play. Just naked emotion. "I love you, too, Ako." he said, his voice softer, more gentle. "Aww...c'mere."

And they kissed once again. This kiss stood as it was, having nothing to prove more than their love for one another. Ako willingly participated in this kiss, freely allowing Trick to do as he pleased. Trick didn't try to make the kiss more than it was, however. The kiss was unhurried, and thoroughly enjoyable. And it lasted accordingly.

When the kiss finally broke, Ako took a slow, shaking breath. "Oh, wow." he said. "I've always dreamed about being in love, but I never really thought about kissing."

"Oh, you don't know what you've missed, then." Trick said. "Kissing is one of my favorite parts of love."

A small smile appeared on Ako's black muzzle. "What other parts do you like?"

Trick grinned widely. "Mmm, there are many parts I like." he said. "Would you like me to show you?"

"Yeah," Ako said. "I think I'd like that."

Trick chuckled under his breath. "Wait here just a sec." he said. Trick unwrapped his arms from around Ako, and he walked back to the door. Next to the door was a small switch, which Ako had not noticed on the way in. The coyote used his nose and flicked the switch off. The light coming from the top of the room dimmed to near darkness, but did not go out. This provided just enough light for those with nocturnal vision to see by. When he returned to Ako, they were both bathed in a gentle blue glow.

"Heh, that's a little better." Trick said, grinning toothily at Ako.

"Yeah, it definitely is." Ako said as the coyote once again wrapped both his paws around the slender fox.

The coyote gave Ako a small lick on the nose, then proceeded at a leisurely pace. Trick nuzzled the side of Ako's face, running a paw teasingly down the fox's back. Ako closed his eyes, feeling a sense of excitement fill him. Trick put a paw behind Ako's hips and pulled that fox's haunches into him. Ako stiffened at the unusual touch, and Trick paused.

He nuzzled up the side of Ako's neck and brought his muzzle to Ako's ear. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes. I trust you." he said, his eyes closed still. "More than anyone."

Trick chuckled gently. "Mmm, why so nervous?"

"Because," he said, breathing more quickly. "Because I'm in love with you."

Trick nodded. He understood. "Playing for keeps is always scary, especially the first time." he said. "But don't let fear crush the love from you. Love is more than being afraid."

Ako just kept breathing. Breathing in Trick's scent, which he was so familiar with. And smelling something else...

"Ako, I want you to remember, this is about feeling good. If anything I ever do doesn't make you feel good, we gotta talk about it, and change things. Always talk, no secrets, okay?"

Ako dared not open his eyes, but nodded in assent. Gentle paws caressed down the fox's back, and his breath picked up pace again.

"I've been through love a few times, and gotten hurt nearly every time." Trick said. "I'm gonna try to make sure that doesn't happen to us. I'm gonna try."

"I...I'm not worried. Not about us." Ako said softly. "I know I love you. I'm not scared that it'll change."

Trick smiled. "Good. Me neither." he said. "But enough with all the serious stuff!"

Ako blinked. "I like the serious stuff!" he said.

Trick flashed him a toothy grin. "So do I, but don't let it get in the way of the fun stuff." he said, growling playfully as he leaned into the little fox. "I know we can't chase each other's tails in here, but there is some stuff that we can do."

Ako was forced to grin. The former tension in the room was broken, and the fox was remembering one of the most vibrant things he loved about Trick: his sense of humor. "Some stuff? I can't exactly dance around on three legs!" Ako said, Trick's grin inspiring a silly smile on the fox's face.

"I don't need you to dance..." Trick said. He spoke in a way that Ako had never heard before. His voice had a low, sultry feel to it. Ako looked up at the coyote with amusement. What was he up to?

Trick slowly pushed the fox backward. Ako did not resist. Just as the fox felt like he might lose his balance, his shoulders met the walls on either side of him. Trick pushed the fox firmly into the corner of the room. He now had a wall on either side of him, and a coyote in front of him. The fox had nowhere to run.

"I just need you to relax." Trick said. And then the coyote was licking at Ako's neck, pushing his nose against the fox. Ako gasped at the feeling of the coyote's tongue sliding over his fur. Ako's injured leg hung limp at his side, but Ako placed his good paw on Trick's shoulder.

"Oooh," Ako said, leaning his head back. Then, with a mischievous look, the coyote dipped lower and nipped at Ako's skin beneath his fluffy chest fur. Ako gasped.

"Hey! C-careful..." Ako said.

Trick licked up the fox's chest and nipped at the fox's ears in similar fashion, chuckling. "Mmm, I know what I'm doing."

Ako flicked his ears back reflexively, but didn't protest further.

Trick gave him one last sportive glance, then nuzzled his way down the fox's chest. The coyote moved down the fox's belly, giving him little kisses along the way. And went further down...

"Trick?" Ako said suddenly. What was he doing?

The coyote didn't answer, but continued to move further down. He moved off Ako's belly, to his lower torso, and then...

"Trick!"

"Hush, honey," Trick said. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Trick leaned in, and Ako began breathing very quickly. "Trick? Trick, are you sure that we should, I mean..."

Trick's nose found what he was looking for, and he nuzzled against Ako's sheath gently. Ako gave a low gasp, and slammed his eyes shut.

"Trick, I don't think...please, please..."

Ako didn't even know what he himself was asking. He only knew he was afraid. Trick ears were turned forward. He was listening intently to everything his fox was saying.

"Trick?"

"Shhh,"

And through closed eyes, Ako could not see what Trick was doing. He only felt the coyote's hot tongue touch the base of his scrotum, then lick upward, over his fur to his sheath, moving with agonizing slowness. Ako let out a long, low whine, placing his paw on Trick's neck.

Trick grinned. "There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" and even as he spoke, Ako's red tip appeared out of his sheath, rapidly followed by the rest of his shaft. "Oooh, I think my fox likes it."

Trick spent a moment admiring the sight of something he'd never been able to see of Ako before. The shape of foxes' genitals were slightly different than that of coyotes or any other canine that Trick was familiar with. Ako's size wasn't anything particularly out of the ordinary, but he was still quite pretty to look at, in every aspect. Trick grinned, noticing that his surveying went unnoticed. Ako's eyes were still closed.

And Ako was truly helpless to resist his own arousal. He had experienced orgasms before, this was true. But for one with four legs, finding a means to pleasure oneself was much more difficult to come by. The few times Ako had managed to do this, he'd required the help of some prop or another. This, in reality, with another person, was so much different, so much more powerful.

"Heh, I think you'll find me somewhat more enjoyable than the jets in the bathing pool." Trick said, glancing up with a grin.

Ako's eyes snapped open. "You saw that?"

Trick laughed. "I'll have to show you, there's a few easier ways to go about that."

Ako groaned.

"Oh, don't worry about it. We all do it." Trick said. Then he nuzzled into Ako's belly fur. "But I think you'll find..."

Trick licked up in the inside of Ako's thigh, eliciting a little shudder from the fox.

"That is doesn't feel nearly as good..."

Trick rubbed his muzzle up the side of Ako's now fully erect shaft. The fox gave a little gasp.

"...as this."

Trick licked widely up the fox's shaft, then engulfed the fox's entire penis in his mouth.

Ako doubled over, his every muscle seizing up, his muzzle torn open in a silent cry of pleasure, his entire body vibrating at this new feeling of entering the warm wetness of Trick's muzzle. For a moment, his voice seemed unable to function. But then, he seemed to find the air he needed.

"Unnnngggghh!" he moaned, twitching spasmodically at the feeling of a warm muzzle wrapped around the very thing that identified him as male. He growled out loud, both of his forelegs falling limp to his sides. The fox's body was rendered nearly completely motionless. It was as if he had forgotten how to breathe, how to move.

Trick was inwardly gleeful at Ako's reaction. Now more than ever, he wanted desperately to make the little fox feel good. And with all the noise coming from above him. it was fairly obvious he was doing a good job. For a few moments he did no more than hold Ako in his mouth, but then, very slowly, he began to wrap his tongue around Ako's shaft. Even as he did so, he could feel the fox shudder at this new sensation, and he grinned into Ako's fur.

Ako, until a moment ago, would have begged and pleaded with the Coyote to wait, give Ako a few more days to simply be in love and not a lover. But now, Ako would give Trick anything in the world, as long as he promised not to stop. He didn't know what to do. Was he just supposed to sit here? That's just what his body wanted him to do, but he wanted so much to return the favor. Wasn't there something he could do? Something to make Trick feel...

"Mmmph!" Ako threw his head back, sucking air through closed teeth. Trick had slowly withdrawn his muzzle, until only the tip of Ako remained inside, then propelled his head back down, once again swallowing all of the fox. As he pressed forward, he rubbed his teeth over the swollen knot at the end of Ako's member, producing a high pitched whine from the fox.

"Oh! Oh god..." Ako chanted, his eyes screwed shut.

Trick withdrew his muzzle once again, carefully dragging his tongue along the body of Ako's shaft as he moved. And every inch produced a new sound from the little fox. And the coyote was enjoying listening so much.

And Trick slid the fox back into his muzzle, moving very deliberately, and very smoothly. Then he pulled back out and moved back in. Within a few moments, he'd created a slow, steady rhythm. Ako moaned aloud, pleasure coursing through him like an electrical current. But he couldn't resist feeling that the entire thing was rather one sided. He wanted to communicate this to the coyote, but at the moment, speaking seemed very, very difficult.

"Trick...oooh, hey Trick? I wanted...Mm! I mean, I thought...Mmmph!" he said brokenly. "Shouldn't I be...Nngh! Doing something for you?"

The coyote paused momentarily, letting Ako's cock slip free of his muzzle. He looked up at Ako with a grin. "Don't worry about me! I'm enjoying myself, don't you worry about that." he said, sticking his tongue out with a grin. "Now hush and let me work!"

Ako swallowed, trying to wet his dry throat. He nodded. Trick nuzzled into Ako's belly fur gently, kissing the fox with his tongue. "Now relax, wouldya? We're just having a good time here."

Ako took a deep shuddering breath. "I am having a good time." he said.

"You're stiff as a board, though." Trick said.

"Well, that's your fault!!" Ako cried. And Trick laughed.

"Not stiff down here." Trick said, running a paw over Ako's member. "Stiff up here." And he ran a single claw up Ako's spine.

"Oooh," Ako's fur stood on end at the feeling of the claw against his skin.

"Just relax, little guy." Trick said, kissing Ako's belly once again.

"This is all...new for me." Ako said breathlessly.

"I know, but I'm not new to you. Just relax and trust me." he said. "Or else I might have to get serious..."

"S-serious?!?" Ako said.

And a paw once again identified Ako's weak spot, digging into his inner thigh, and the fox helplessly dissolved into a fit of giggles. He had no defense against this rather unfair attack. "Heeheehee! No, no please! Tahahaha! Not fair! Not fair!"

Ako squirmed around, beset by laughter, trying to break free of Trick's grasp. And he tried to push his hips backward, but they met wall. Moving to either side yielded the same result. So he pushed his hips forward.

His shaft slid into Trick's waiting muzzle. Ako's laughter abruptly changed into a growl of pleasure. And Trick took advantage of the fox's moment of distraction, pulling the fox's feet out from under him, so is back met the blankets on the floor, but his shoulders were still propped against the wall. The position made it much easier for the coyote to get at what he wanted most.

"Aww, god..." Ako moaned. "Oh, you're mean..."

Ako could feel Trick's throat rumble with laugher through the coyote's muzzle. Ako would never know if Trick had performed the maneuver deliberately or simply took advantage of an opportunity, but regardless, it worked. And Ako, in his current position, was now more helpless than ever to resist his ministrations.

Trick was enjoying himself immensely. Ako's penis was much like a canine's in texture. The flesh was soft and slick, the entire organ sensitive to the lightest touch. Ako was average sized for a fox, but Trick was of a larger breed, so Ako's little tool was of a perfect size for the coyote. It was just long enough that when Trick put the whole thing in his muzzle, the tip tickled the back of his throat. The size match made this pleasuring with his mouth all the more fun for the coyote.

Ako finally relaxed (as much as one of his personality could) and simply enjoyed the feeling. Trick slowly slid his muzzle back and forth over Ako, his muzzle easily swallowing all of Ako's shaft. The feeling, however, was beginning to conquer Ako. The fox had never been able to last a very long time under duress of pleasure anyway, but with the new sensation of having a muzzle wrapped around his cock, the fox's fuse was exceptionally short. Only his former nervousness had prevented his orgasm thus far, and with that gone, he had only a few moments left.

A warm tingling began to spread through his entire hind end as he felt Trick beginning to use his tongue to full effect. As the coyote's muzzle moved back and forth, he pressed his tongue to the underside of the fox's shaft, coating Ako in warm saliva. Ako moaned loudly, trusting his hips forward at the feeling. As he inched closer and closer to climax, Ako's hips began to thrust back and forth involuntarily, reacting to his latent mating instincts, trying desperately to move himself faster in and out of Trick's muzzle.

The coyote lifted a paw, placed it on Ako's belly, and pushed down. The fox's hips once again met the blanket beneath him. And try as he might, Ako couldn't shift beneath the paw. Trick continued his slow pace, his agonizingly slow pace. He gradually pulled back, running his tongue over Ako's shaft and sucking gently, then just as slowly slid back forward. Ako's hips fought against the paw, trying so desperately to move faster, to ease this building feeling in him, but he couldn't move.

"Oh c-come on!!" Ako gasped. Then Trick slid forward again, even more slowly then before. Ako let out a long whine, delirious with the pleasure racking him. "Unnh! Oooh-oh. Please!"

And Trick's throat rumbled with a murr as he ignored the fox's request. He simply kept moving, back and forth, back and forth, oh so very slowly.

Trick noticed Ako's legs begin to kick at the air. And as he once again slid the entire shaft into his mouth, he felt a twitch from within that he himself was all too familiar with. He slid forward, engulfing all of Ako, including his knot. He put the swollen base of Ako's member in his mouth and he bit down on it gently with lip-covered teeth.

Ako tried one last time to buck his hips forward, but he was held fast. And then...it felt as if a great floodwall inside him burst. He barked aloud as he emptied himself into Trick's mouth, burst after sticky burst. It was the longest orgasm he'd ever experienced in his life.

Trick swallowed as Ako poured his seed into his muzzle, licking Ako's penis clean of every drop of sweet nectar it produced. He held Ako in his muzzle for a minute more after the fox had orgasmed, allowing the fox to come off the tide of pleasure as well as experience the pleasant feeling of being knotted. Then he gently allowed Ako's cock to slip free of his mouth.

The fox's slack body slipped down the wall as he gave a deep sigh of satisfaction. Trick stood over him, grinning. He licked over the bridge of Ako's muzzle. He laughed softly. "...and that is another one of my favorite parts of love." he said.

Ako looked at him, still breathless. "Do you like that...better than kissing?" he said between heavy breaths.

"Hmm...I don't know. I like them both." Trick said. "I sorta consider what we did kissing as well. Just a rather special type of kiss in a rather special place."

Ako laughed along with him at this. He felt wonderful, in every way imaginable. This was without a doubt the best night of his life. Trick gave Ako one final lick upon his coal-colored lips before stepping away and then sitting on his hind legs. Ako followed him with his eyes, and couldn't avoid noticing that Trick's own tip was more than slightly protruded from his sheath.

Ako swallowed slowly to wet his dry throat. "So, now what?"

Trick smiled. "Now? Now you roll over and get to sleep before Dakota comes up here and kills you for keeping you awake after the day you've had."

Ako rolled quickly to his side, frowning. "But what about you?"

"What about me?" he said.

"Don't you want to...you know!" Ako said. "I got to go once, isn't it your turn?"

Trick's smile softened. "Mmm, that's very sweet of you, Ako. Thank you for that." he said. "But I'll be alright. We can play more later. You need sleep."

Ako hesitated for a moment. But regained himself. "No." he said firmly. "I want to feel you feeling good." he said.

Making sure to avoid putting weight on his injured leg, he managed to stand and walk to Trick, who watched him with concern.

"Really, Ako, you don't have to."

"Trick, I've got a question." Ako said, ignoring his previous statement. "I once saw something in a digital library."

"Yeah?"

"It was...well it was a sort of documentary on--" Ako paused looking very nervous. "Well, it was about how certain human males used to mate with one another."

Trick grinned widely. "Oh? And what did it say?"

Ako glanced at the locked door, and then dropped his voice as if afraid someone would hear. "Well, they would..." and he put his muzzle next to Trick's ear and whispered a very detailed description, a deep blush burning beneath his black fur.

The coyote tried very hard not to laugh at the little fox, because he knew it would hurt his feelings. "Yeah? And what about it?" Trick said.

"Do creatures like us still do that?" the little fox asked, still trembling.

Trick nodded, while skillfully hiding his playful smile. "Yes, I've done that before. It's very fun, no matter which end you're on. And especially if you get a really talented guy to hop on top of you," Trick's tongue lolled out of his muzzle as he relished the memory. "It feels amaaaaazing..."

"Are...are you a 'talented' guy?" Ako asked quietly.

Trick nuzzled Ako's neck. "I think I am." he said. "So maybe we could try it another night. You need to sleep!"

Ako once again ignored the plea for sleep. He looked around the room with renewed interest. And then he saw the sleeping nooks imbedded in the wall, and this time really looked at them. There were two, side by side. They were much like the drying tubes. They were cylindrical nooks in the wall, about four feet high and six feet deep, plenty of room for even both of them to sleep in one. Both were furnished for sleeping, with blankets and pillows, but it looked as though Trick preferred the blankets in the corner over either of these nooks. But the thing that interested Ako was that these nooks were set into the wall roughly a foot and a half off the ground.

Ako only looked at them for a moment, then managed to get his top half into the sleeping nook onto one of the soft blankets without putting weight on his injured leg. He was left propped up with his hind end still standing, free to access. He looked over his shoulder at Trick, who shook his head.

"Ako, Ako," he said. "Ako, you're hurt. I don't think we should be trying this already."

"Trick, I'm not going to sleep until you get to go once tonight. I want you to." he added the last statement with a pleading voice.

Trick dropped to his haunches, wondering what to do. He really didn't want to upset the fox, but he was certain that Ako wasn't ready for this. Ako was injured and tired. But most of all, Trick was worried that he was nearly a third bigger than his little fox...in every aspect of his anatomy! The size of the coyote's penis in comparison to the size of Ako's haunches was daunting. He didn't want to hurt Ako! Anal sex was an acquired taste, and he didn't want Ako to try it until the fox was reasonably sure he'd like it.

But, on the other paw...

Trick couldn't help stare at Ako in this position. He'd always dreamed, and even dared to hope, that he might one day see Ako like this: bent over, legs spread, tail hesitantly raised, waiting breathlessly for Trick to approach behind him. Oh so slowly, oh

so gently. Everything in love, everything for pleasure.

Of course, the reality was not quite like the fantasy. Ako didn't have his legs set properly, and his tail wasn't indicating that he had any idea how the act itself was done. But Ako was beautiful! Trick had always found the fox attractive, but tonight, by pale lamp glow, he was even more so. His black coat blended into the semi-darkness, allowing only the sheen from his clean fur to be seen, but the silver around the edges of his eyes was plainly visible, as was the white flare on the end of his tail.

Trick's entire body begged him to just listen to Ako and do what felt good. The coyote took a deep breath and Ako's scent permeated all of his senses. His attempt to resist was no more than pretending. He wanted Ako just as badly as Ako wanted to be wanted.

He breathed deeply, his canine nose clearly detecting Ako's arousal, and his nervousness. And his own arousal, and his own hesitation. The body might not be able to speak for itself, but it could still communicate. And both Ako and Trick were listening to each other's bodies very carefully.

Trick swallowed against a dry throat. He walked very slowly to Ako's side. He nuzzled down the little fox's side, relishing the feel of soft fur. Trick's own scent now coated the air so think one could almost touch it. The coyote knew there was no chance of lying to Ako, no chance of saying that he really didn't want to do this, didn't need to. His body was telling Ako just how much he really did want to. In volumes.

"Mmm...Ako."

"Yeah?"

Trick buried his nose in Ako's fur, licking and nipping gently. Ako gave a small shudder.

"Tell me again." Trick said.

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me you really want to do this." the coyote said.

Ako gave a shaking breath. "I really want to do this. I want to make you feel good."

Trick grinned. "Good, because I'm not sure I could stop myself now." he said.

The coyote began nuzzling his way across the fox's haunches. Ako squeezed his eyes shut, and quickly added. "But please, this time, tell me what you're going to do before you do it."

"Come now, where's the fun in that?" Trick said, and Ako could hear the laughter behind his voice. "Alright, I'll tell you. I just need you to relax; that's the best thing you can do. Try not to tense up. It will make this easier."

Ako took a deep breath, trying to resist the urge to look over his shoulder to look at what Trick was doing. He wanted to show he trusted him.

"I'm going to do something that will make it easier for me in a minute or two, and this will help make sure that I don't hurt you. I don't want you to be uncomfortable, I just want it to feel good. For both of us."

"Me too."

Trick smiled to himself, rubbing a paw over Ako's back. "Don't worry...this part feels nice."

"Which part."

A cold, wet nose touched Ako underneath his tail, and before he had time to protest, a long, warm, wet something pressed up against him. Ako gasped and his body involuntarily tried to move away from the foreign feeling. But one of Trick's forelegs wrapped around Ako's hips, holding him firmly in place. So, there was nowhere for him to run to when that long wet something stopped pressing against him, and instead pressed into him!

Ako gave a very foxish noise, somewhere between a yip and a squeak. He squirmed as Trick's tongue slipped into him. It was an utterly new feeling, but one that was amazing. Trick grinned to himself as he felt his fox tremble in his arms at the experience. He'd always wanted to do this to a smaller partner. And Ako was an apt size for it. The coyote's experiences in the past allowed him to know which parts inside a creature were the most sensitive. And he was playing Ako like a violin.

Ako's mouth hung open, and he screwed his eyes shut, gasping at every twitch and caress of the canine tongue writhing around inside him. He tried to remain silent, to not distract himself from the feeling, but he couldn't keep himself from moaning. He wasn't sure he wanted to keep himself from moaning.

Trick marveled at how perfectly sized little Ako was. The coyote hummed as he worked, and he gently stroked one paw down the black fox's back, while the other prevented him from squirming around. Trick pressed forward, gently moving his tongue back and forth and sucking gently, all the while making sure that he left enough saliva behind to use as lubricant later.

Ako couldn't stand and he knew so, but still, he couldn't keep himself from arching his back, propping himself up on his good front paw. His tail was hiked up towards the ceiling, inviting, begging Trick to go deeper. He turned as best he could to look at Trick, panting heavily. The coyote's eyes moved up to meet his, and Ako could tell he was smiling. Trick gave him a wink, and Ako's heart melted.

The coyote leaned forward, pressing his muzzle up against Ako, his tongue moving as deeply into Ako as it could go. And as Trick was a coyote, his tongue was more than long enough to tease the most important parts of Ako. The fox jumped at the canine tongue moved forward inside him, and before he could bite it back, he cried out.

"Oh god! Oh oh...Trick I feel, I mean..." he began, then he stopped as he felt the coyote's tongue lash out inside him. "Ah! Oh mmm...I guess we'll talk after you're done."

Trick began to laugh. At first the sound was muffled, but then he retrieved his tongue from inside of the black fox so he could laugh properly. Even Ako was forced to laugh, as he turned to look back at his new lover.

"What's wrong, Trick? Cat got your tongue?" Ako grinned.

"No," the coyote said. "But I think a Fox does! And he's about to get a lot more of me."

Ako's grin lessened somewhat. "Okay...what do I do?"

The coyote rested his muzzle on Ako's back, smiling gently as he looked at the fox's blue eyes. "Nothing, honey, I just need you to relax...and talk to me."

Ako blinked. "Talk to you?"

"What makes this special is the things we say to each other, and the fact that we're in love."

Ako's smile returned. "There's always that."

"Always."

Trick stood up slowly, never breaking eye contact with Ako. "Are you sure you wanna do this? You really don't have to."

Ako grinned, noticing something for the first time. "Your eyes..."

"Hm?"

"Your eyes look different when your turned on. I just noticed."

"They do?"

"They do." Ako said, laughing to himself.

"What's so funny?" Trick asked.

"Now you can't ever lie to me." he said smiling.

"I...!" Trick began, but then stopped. He laughed. "No, I don't suppose I can, can I?"

"Come on, you." Ako said, smiling. "Show me how this is done."

"It's not hard." Trick said. "Just straighten yourself out, and make sure you're comfortable."

Ako looked forward once again, and used his one good paw to gather the folds of the blanket to himself, and he snatched a pillow with his muzzle and set it in front of him. He laid his head down on his new pile of blankets. He took a deep breath. "Alright, I think I'm comfy." he said.

Trick smiled, and Ako could smell the musk in the room growing thicker. "Now, just relax...and talk."

Trick placed both his front paws on either side of the little fox. Ako began to tremble slightly. "W-what...what do you want me to talk about?"

Trick lowered his haunches, and Ako could feel his fur rubbing against his own.

"Did you like what we did earlier? Me with my muzzle?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, that was wonderful."

Trick grinned. "Well, I can't talk during that. But this I can." he said.

Ako felt something warm and wet touch him, but this was much firmer than Trick's tongue. "Ahh..."

"Here, I need you to lift your tail, just a little bit."

"Y-yeah, alright..."

Ako obediently lifted his tail, clamping his eyes shut. He felt that warm wetness touch him again. And it was only then that he realized that what he was feeling was the coyote's penis.

"Pleasuring with the muzzle is nice, but I really like this much better." Trick said, moving his legs forward, positioning himself in a way that would allow him to move much more freely. "This is something much better."

"Why?" Ako asked.

Ako's eyes closed ever tighter as he felt Trick press more insistently against him. "Because this brings two people so much closer." he said. He finally stepped forward and place both his paws on the outside of Ako's hind legs, and then moved his hips forward smoothly and slowly, and the tip if him broke into Ako. The fox let out a sharp gasp. "This, mmm...this is almost like being one person with two parts for awhile."

Trick slid gently further and further in, so very slowly, not even a centimeter at a time. Ako's breath came quicker and quicker.

"Oh, god... Trick!" he gasped at the air around him. "Oh god, Oh god..."

Trick shifted his weight so he lay partially on Ako, his belly covering Ako's back. And he continued to press so very slowly into the little fox. "Mmm, it's alright, Ako. I'm gonna be real careful so I don't hurt you."

"Oh, oh god..."

Trick could feel the little fox shaking beneath him. "You okay, Foxy?" he asked. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"Oh...oh no, you're not...not hurting. It just feels, it feels¬¬¬?"

"Feels like you're full down here?" the coyote finished for him.

"Oooh, yeah."

Trick smiled and continued to press inward, so very slowly. "Mmm, that's normal fox. It'll feel a little funny at first, but hopefully it'll start to feel good. Just remember, you're full of me." Trick said softly.

Ako trembled again, his front claws grabbing at the blanket. "It already does feel good."

"Heh, good...oh, this feels greaaat...I've haven't done this with many people, but definitely not with anyone that was a first timer...ooh, mmm."

"Do I feel, oh ahhh...different?" Ako asked.

Trick wiggled his hips to get to a better position. "Unnh...you're tighter." Trick said. "But that also has to do with, nnnnggh, that you're so much smaller."

Trick was only an inch into Ako, and finally he could hold himself no longer. With a smooth motion of his hips, he slid a further two inches into the fox.

Ako yipped aloud. "T-Trick!"

The coyote bit his lip. "Sorry, that was sorta an accident." he said, abashed. "You alright?"

"I'm fine...oh god, this is starting to feel...how much more of you is there?"

Trick laughed. "There's quite a bit."

"Oh god." Ako said, his tail twitching, his eyes still closed. "Alright, why don't you just...come the rest of the way."

"You sure?"

Ako shifted his legs. "Yeah, slowly, but you can just...go as fast as you just did."

Trick grinned. "Alright, I'm not gonna complain." he said. The coyote shifted all of his weight to his back legs and with an awkward hop moved his front paws to grasp around Ako's hips. "Okay, here I come."

With one deliberate, fluid thrust, Trick slid the remaining four inches of himself underneath Ako's tail.

It was a good thing that the walls were so thick. Otherwise, the entire complex would have known Ako and Trick were doing something interesting. Ako let out a whine so sharp, so loud, and so long that it reverberated off of the walls. Trick instantly halted himself, just an inch shy of the swollen knot at the base of his penis.

"Ako? Ako, you alright?"

"Oh...ooooh, god."

"Ako, that's not an answer. Did I hurt you?"

"No, no, you just, ooooh, stretched me a little bit." Ako said breathlessly. He could feel Trick deeper inside of him then he felt anything ought to go. Oh, the warmth and this feeling of being filled like this! It felt good. Better than anything Ako might have imagined. At the same time, however, the more outer parts of himself just under his tail and just within were protesting loudly at the entrance of something so large. He felt an unpleasant burning sensation, which was beginning to spread across his back side.

"Can we...can we just..." Ako began.

"Why don't we give you a minute to adjust?" Trick said gently.

"Y-yeah...yes, please."

Trick gave a sigh, leaning a little more weight onto Ako's back. "Oh mhmm...Unn, oh this feels amazing."

Ako half-chuckled as he tried to catch his breath. His own member was painfully hard between his legs, and he tried to ignore it. "Well," he said. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

"I'm enjoying myself because it's you." he said, gently repositioning his legs.

"Because...it's me?" Ako said. He loved the feeling of having Trick behind him like this. He could feel the coyote's haunches completely wrapped around the fox's slender hips. It felt so nice to let Trick have to much control of him.

"Yes, because it's you." he said. "You're beautiful."

There was a moment of silence between the two canines. Ako gave a shuddering breath. Ako didn't even notice the burning sensation fading away. "You think I'm pretty?" he asked.

"Beautiful, I said, Ako. Beautiful." he said. "That's one of the reasons I fell for you so fast, your fur with your eyes is so perfect. I could never resist such a slim little foxy.

A single tear ran down a black muzzle to wet the pillow beneath. "I've never been called beautiful before."

Trick could smell the tears coming from the black fox. He gently licked the back of Ako's head. "I'll have to remember to say it more." Trick said. "I wouldn't want you to forget how true it is. How you feeling? Ready to keep going?"

Ako almost laughed through his tears. "There's more of you? You should have warned me what I was getting into!"

"I wouldn't say you were getting into much, beautiful. I'd more say something is getting into you!" Trick laughed. "There's just a little bit more of me. You wanna try to go all the way?"

Ako took a deep breath, his voice shaking slightly. "Yeah, I think I can..."

The coyote grasped onto Ako's hips more firmly, and with one last fluid motion, he pulled himself forward until his haunches were pressed up against Ako's. The fox felt the coyote slide deeper into him, and he exhaled sharply at the feeling. But then he felt something larger press at the outside of him.

"T-Trick?"

"Heh, don't worry. That's my knot." Trick said, anticipating Ako's distress.

"Oh...uh, are we??"

"No, Ako, we're not doing that tonight." Trick said firmly. "If you ever feel like you might have room for it, we can try another night. Oooooh, I'm glad I let you talk me into this."

"Mmm...I'm starting to be glad I talked you into it." Ako said, his eyes still closed, now from the blissful feeling of being filled so.

"Heh, I can tell you are." Trick said, squeezing Ako's own shaft. Ako blinked. He hadn't even realized it, but he was once again fully erect.

Ako couldn't explain it, but it was as if Trick's shaft were pressing a button within him. And the feeling he got from it wasn't exactly pleasure, but it was most pleasurable anyway! He felt stretched to the breaking point, and Trick pressing inside him, almost felt as if he were pushing all of Ako's insides out of the way. Oooh, but the pressure felt good! He almost wanted to ask Trick if he were willing to try his knot tonight, to see if he could squeeze inside the little fox. But Ako could tell now that it wouldn't work. The outside of Ako, just under his tail, already felt as if it were stretched to the limit, just from the girth of the coyote's shaft. To try to fit in the knot would be to press past the point of discomfort into definite pain. And the black fox wasn't really all that eager to try that.

"How you doing, honey?" Trick asked.

"Oh, ungh! I can feel...how hot you're skin is. Inside me, it feels warm."

Trick smiled, nuzzling Ako's neck. "Does it feel good?"

"Oh god, yeah. I wish you could do this and do what you did before at the same time...Oooh..."

Trick grinned. "Maybe I can! I'm flexible enough, you know." he said. "Heh, is my little fox ready to go again already?"

"Yeah...I think I could." said Ako.

"Alright, then. I can't get you with my muzzle from here, but there's something I can do. I hope it'll feel almost as good." Trick said, nipping mischievously at the fox's ears. "I'm gonna go on."

"Go...on? There's not more of you?"

The coyote laughed once again. "No, there's not any more of me. I'm all tucked inside." he said. "But I'm not gonna stay there. Here I'll show you, nice and slow..."

"What are you gonna show me nice and sl....ohhhhh mmm..." Ako began, but didn't manage to finish his sentence. Trick had settled his weight back, and slid all but the tip of his shaft smoothly out of Ako. Ako slammed his eyes shut moaning. He felt for a moment as if the rest of Ako's insides were going to follow Trick out, but that proved not to be the case.

Ako was about to tell Trick how pleasant the feeling had been, but before he could...

Ako let out a yip, followed by a soft growl. Trick's hips switched directions, and came back to once again meet with Ako's haunches. The coyote's shaft slid with much greater ease and much greater alacrity back into Ako's bowels. Ako was once again filled to the brim, and the fox was left moaning under his lover.

"Ooooh god. Ohhhh..."

Trick's breath was coming in quicker gasps now, as he paused once again. "Heh, does the fox like?"

"The fox...likes." Ako said, his chest heaving, his breath having left him even though he had not moved a muscle. "Is that...how it works?"

"Mmmm...yeah, that's how it works. Unnh, man that feels nice." Trick said. "Are you ready? I'm gonna keep going."

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Trick nodded, and Ako felt the coyote's weight shift once again. And he once again felt the pulling sensation of his inner body following the friction of Trick's shaft. And before he could even moan, the coyote had slid himself in again. And he pulled out, and he pressed in, and out and in!

In just a few moments, the coyote had set up a slow rhythm. And each time that he pushed himself back into Ako, the fox heard him make a little grunt of pleasure. Ako smiled through his own pleasure. He felt gratified that he was able to make the coyote he was in love with feel good.

"Trick...does this feel good?" Ako asked.

"Oh yeah...nhnn...oh this feels amazing...ungh!...Ako, yes thank you." Trick said. It took him a moment, but he finally managed not to moan every time he thrust. "Oooh, and how 'bout you? You feeling good?"

"Mmm...oh yeah."

"Heh...let's see if I can make you feel better!"

Trick continued his rhythm, but he took the two front paws that he had wrapped around Ako's haunches, and he pressed them inward. Ako gasped as he felt both those paws touch on either side of his own shaft. Naturally with the movement of Trick's body, every time he thrust his hips forward to drive himself into Ako, both his paws slid backwards along Ako's bare flesh. When he withdrew, he slid his paws forward. Back and forth, stroking Ako into insensibility. And he increased the pace of his thrusts.

Ako involuntarily fox-barked twice, filling the room with evidence of his pleasure.

"Oh gawd! T-Trick!"

Trick was forced to laugh in glee. "Not as good as my muzzle...but with this," and he gave a especially hard thrust to illustrate his point, making the fox give a sharp yip. "Maybe it will still feel pretty good."

"It does... Trick, I'm not gonna...unf! I'm not gonna last long."

Trick gave a low, long, quiet moan, and his thrusts came even quicker. "Ooooooh...don't you worry, Ako. I don't think I got much longer left in me either."

Ako was grateful for the weight of Trick upon his back. Without it, he would have certainly squirmed around in a rather embarrassing fashion. The sensation Ako felt beneath his tail couldn't be described as pleasure exactly, but it was definitely causing him to feel pleasure as his shaft slid between Trick's paws. This act wasn't anything that Ako would've thought of doing himself, but now that he was actually doing it, he was amazed he hadn't.

The feeling of Trick's hot, slickened shaft sliding in and out of him with such rapidity was incredible. He was breathless, silently begging Trick to go faster. harder. And even as he concentrated of this feeling, he was distracted by another. The pleasure Ako was feeling grew greater with every hammering motion of Trick's hips, slamming his canine shaft into Ako again and again. There was only a few moments left for this fox.

Trick was suffering the same fate. With every motion, Ako's soft, slick inner-flesh caressed his maleness. His thrusts began to become irregular, his breath coming in short gasps. Both his and Ako's fur were now covered in sweat, matting their fur against each of them.

In an effort to balance himself, Trick tightened his forelegs around Ako, and consequently, he tightened his front paws around the fox's shaft. Ako audibly squeaked at the increased friction.

"T-Trick! I'm...awww...mmmm!"

But it was already too late by the time he opened his mouth. Ako emptied himself out onto the carpeted floor of the room. Consequence of his orgasm, every muscle within the little fox seized up, and the muscles inside him squeezed tightly around Trick moving in and out of him. The coyote closed his eyes, half growling. After a few more thrusts, Trick could feel the pressure inside of him break. Ako heard him moan, and felt him bury himself inside of him. Then, Ako could feel a warm, thick substance begin to pour from Trick's member, filling up the little fox even more.

"Ohhh...gawd..." Ako gasped. He'd never felt anything like that.

Trick laughed breathlessly, "Mmm...thank you for that, Ako. I think I needed it." he said. "Here, just let me stay here for a few minutes...it makes me feel like I'm knotted. Mmmm..."

He gently began to bathe the back of Ako's neck, every few moments giving a soft hum of satisfied pleasure. Ako merely sat, catching his breath, and feeling his body come slowly off the sexual high. He could feel the repetitive motion of the coyote's tongue moving gently over his fur. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"Trick?"

The coyote paused. "Hmm?"

"I love you."

Trick smiled tenderly. "I love ya, too, Ako."

They waited for a few more minutes, and then Trick slowly withdrew himself. Ako winced as he felt Trick slip free of him. When the coyote moved off the top of him, Ako flexed his legs experimentally. He stood on his one good foreleg, and hopped off the sleeping nook, and turned to look at Trick.

Trick grinned at him. "Nothing like a beautiful sight after a beautiful feeling."

Ako looked around. "What beautiful sight?"

Trick moved in front of him. "Your eyes."

Ako gave a little whimper, and self-consciously looked at the ground. Trick smiled. He was so cute when he did that. He really didn't know how attractive he was. Ako felt a paw beneath his chin, lifting his gaze up. He found himself looking into Trick's own radiant blue eyes.

"Ako, you're beautiful." Trick said firmly. "Don't you forget it."

And as Ako felt the coyote's muzzle close firmly around his own, he couldn't stop the tears from running from his eyes.

Trick softly broke the kiss. "Heh, you starting to feel sleepy at all, yet?"

Ako hesitated. "I am, but..." he shifted his tail uncomfortably. "I'm kinda a mess. So are you."

Trick looked down at himself. He'd failed to noticed that most of his lower belly was covered in evidence of his own recent activity. "Aha...so I am." he said, grinning.

"And I also made a mess on your floor."

"Oh, ha! Don't worry about that, I'll get it tomorrow." he said "And no worries about our fur! Follow me."

Trick went over to the corner of the room parallel with the sleeping nooks and stood in front of a door that Trick had failed to notice until now. He followed Trick as best he could, walking on only three legs, hop-skipping after the coyote.

"Hey, where's this go?" Ako asked.

"You'll see, come on!"

With a push of a button, the door opened and Trick went inside, followed slowly by Ako. And Ako couldn't believe his eyes.

"You've got a bathing pool all to yourself?!?"

And indeed he did. Attached to Trick's sleeping area, there was a 8 foot by 15 foot pool, deep at one end and shallow at the other. The fox's sensitive nose could feel the heat coming from the water. Set into the adjacent wall of the room, there were two drying tubes, the same size as the ones in the public bathing area.

"Heh, you like it?"

"This is incredible! How'd you get this?"

"Most of the upper dormitories have this, there's about ten of them in all." Trick said. "You should really thank Skipper, he's the one that got them all working."

"How warm does the water get?" Ako asked, peaking over the side.

"Why don't you find out yourself?"

"Huh?"

Before Ako knew what was happening, he found himself tumbling face first into the water. Ako floated for a minute in confusion and then managed to right himself and come to the surface.

He blew water from his nose. "Hey you!"

Trick grinned down at him. "Oh, relax. I knew you could swim."

Ako gave a reproachful smile. "Did you know I could kiss?"

Trick grinned even wider, walking to the edge of the pool. "Mmm, wanna show me?"

Ako moved up to Trick's muzzle...then instead wrapped his good foreleg around Trick's shoulders, and pulled him into the pool. The coyote stayed under for a few moments, then came up sputtering.

"That was just plain evil." Trick said, wiping water from his eyes.

"Oh, come now. I was planning on kissing you once you got in here." Ako said, blinking coyly.

"Careful, young fox. You forget I know your weakness." Trick said, grinning maliciously.

"My weakness? And what might that b...oh no! Nonononono...ahahhhha! Hey, not while I'm trying to stay above water! Tahahahaheehee...Stoppitstoppit!"

They chased each other around the better part of an hour, alternating throwing water and one another, nipping at each other's tails, and kissing one another. Ako decided he definitely enjoyed being in love.

Finally, after each of them having been thoroughly washed clean, and both of them tired from swimming away from one another, Trick called it quits.

"Alright, fox, it's time for you to be in bed. Dakota's gonna kill me tomorrow as it is, and I don't want you to be awake before your medicine wears off."

"Aha! Are you admitting defeat?" Ako demanded.

Trick widened his eyes and made a puppyish expression. "I was defeated the day I met you!"

The coyote promptly received a face-full of water. "That's enough of you, ham." Ako said, sticking his tongue out.

Trick giggled, helping lift Ako out of the shallow end of the pool. As Ako was out of the pool and had shook himself into semi-dryness, Trick wrapped his paws around him and kissed him soundly on the muzzle. Ako's laughter died off into a soft whimper as he gently pawed at Trick's chest. Trick broke the kiss and wrapped Ako into a tight hug. "Mmm...you're beautiful, Ako. I love you."

Ako rested his chin on Trick's shoulder, closing his eyes. "I love you, too."

Trick smiled, and guided the black fox over to the drying tubes, Ako leaning on him all the way. He helped Ako into the tube, gently lifting his front end with his muzzle. Then he set the drying tube to 120 minutes, and hopped in after Ako. He laid himself behind his little fox, and wrapped a paw around him.

"Mmm, now that's better, isn't it?" Trick said.

...but Ako didn't answer. He was already asleep.

Trick laughed quietly to himself. He still couldn't believe that Ako thought that the overseer would have ejected him from the commune, just for being attracted to those of his own gender. Trick smiled as he laid his head gently next to Ako's. Little did Ako know, he was at the moment wrapped in the overseer's arms.