FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A short forward before the story. This one is the first major pieces of writing I've done since I got out of school a number of years go. Coming in at about 29,500 words, it's a little large. I do enjoy thinking up interesting adventures and places and ideas like this, but usually don't share them all that much. Although it took me a bit of work to actually put idea to words, (which are much less malleable than the picture I can paint in my head) I just hope that it's written well enough for you, the reader, to be able to enjoy.

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Fish and Fur

A soft splash is heard across the pond as another fish is tossed back in. "I think that's the last one for me today. "A frustrated voice yells out.

"14 bluegill and not a single bass today? I almost think you scared them all back over the train tracks into the river. "I teasingly yell back to my friend John. "Fine we can head out then."

We both start packing up and making our way around the pond back to the hill. "You know, this wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have to hike back up this damn hill every time." John says with a sigh.

"Well, unless you feel like building an escalator, that's just too damn bad. "I reply with a laugh.

"Yeah, I suppose I'll get right on it. "My friend's sarcastic tone is interrupted by a loud crash some ways back down the hill. Both of us are staggered for a moment and the ringing in my ears is broken up with an almost expected reaction. "What the hell was that?!" John yells out, arms still shielding his head.

"How should I know? It sounded like an explosion or something. "I respond, combing though the dirt for things spilled from my box. "You know damn well I intend to find out though!"

John starts helping me pick up fishing tackle and reluctantly agrees. A small cloud of dust lingering over what looked like the epicenter of whatever went on. As we approach, John brings his shirt up to his face. "Man, and I thought the ground smelled a little bad after it rained here sometimes but this is pretty awful. " His muffled voice calls out.

Following his lead I raise my shirt and add in. "Looks like some kind of hole in the ground. I don't recall any utility lines running this close to the water though."

Words still subdued by his shirt, John replies. "We're the only ones who've been down here all day. I don't know what happened, and I can't see anything in there. Lets stand back a minute."

Eventually the dust clears enough for us to be able to see what happened, and I can make out a large hole probably six foot deep and maybe 25 feet across. I manage to make out a small rock at the bottom of the crater. "So, some kind of space rock maybe?" I say making my way into the hole.

"Careful man, wouldn't want to get some kind of space cancer from it or nothing." John says with a bit of a laugh.

Laughing back I keep sliding down towards it, not realizing I should probably set my fishing gear down before I'm already there. I set them down next to the rock, probably about basketball sized and a bit scorched, I slowly reach out towards it trying to make sure it's not still hot.

My curiosity turns to worry as I notice the meteorite starting to give off a faint red glow, and emitting a high pitched noise like an old tube TV. At least I think the rock was doing it. Maybe it was the same ringing from before. Startled, I quickly grab up my stuff and turn to back off. A look of panic crosses my face as I could swear the noise was getting louder.

"Man get back out of there before that thing does something" were the last words I heard before the meteorite exploded.

What happened next could only be described as a disorienting tumble down a hill in a tire. Surprisingly still alive, I think, but with the worst headache of my life I find myself face down in the grass with the world still spinning.

Staying like that for a little while, moaning and cursing, I finally work the nerve to sit back up. Immediately I notice everything was different. These weren't the same metro parks I was in a minute ago. Something else seemed off too.

Though my head still pounding, I felt some discomfort from my clothes. My boots, previously a nice snug fit, didn't stay to my feet right. And something was wrong with my ass. I felt like I was sitting on an arm I shouldn't have.

Looking down, I notice something wrong with my nose. Much longer than before, and cold? My arms were covered in an reddish brown as well. Where there were supposed to be hands, I was met with a set of paw like appendages. Strangely enough, I still possessed working opposable thumbs.

Despite my confusion and discomfort, I try to stand up only to quickly lose my balance and fall. Making an almost yelping sound when I hit the grass, I realize that whatever happened to the rest of me probably changed my feet as well. With some effort and cursing, I manage to untie and remove my boots and socks. As expected, my feet and legs were no longer the same. Some kind of padded digitigrade paws were the replacements.

After working to free a large fluffy tail from my pants, I reach down into the front to check that my equipment was all still intact. "Oh thank goodness." A sigh of relief as I exclaim my joy. "All is not lost. Although, I don't know if I care for this much fur on my balls."

Back up on my feet, I stop and try to figure out what happened. "Ok, so I was trying to get that moon rock, then it goes off, and now I'm god only knows where and not quite human anymore. All things considered, this could be worse. Well, clearly this situation calls for a clear head. I just need to figure out where I am, and maybe something will point me back. "I say, my face quickly turning to a smile.

Starting to laugh, I try to say "This is hardly the time or place, but I can't help myself right now." My tone being forced as serious as I can muster for a moment I state out loud "Now where am I? You wonder aloud to non-existent auditory organs." And proceed to double over laughing for some time.

"Okay, okay. With that out of the way I really need to do something then. "A giggle or two escaping now and then. "Now let's see... I'm in some kind of a forest, but it's not exactly the same as before. There's a creek like river over there. I may want to follow it. And I hope the water is potable. Enough at least."

Looking around, I spot my fishing pole and box. Much to my delight, everything seems in order, albeit a little shaken. "Glad I've got my pocketknife in there. Although I never thought I'd be using it to make my pants fit better." I say, cutting a tail hole in them. With some effort on my part, not being used to these new paw hands and all, I tie up my boot laces and sling them over my shoulder.

Taking one last look around, curious about the differences in ecology here, I notice the trees are not quite the same. "They look like ordinary trees. Brown and green, but the trunk section is a cluster of smaller trees or vines all shooting up from the same place." Scratching my head, I wonder where the hell I am.

Sighing, I check that I've got all my things packed up and ready to move. "Wallet of cash, probably useless. Phone, no service? Also probably useless. Machete around my belt, check. Boots, I'd rather they be on my feet. Paws. Whatever. I wonder what happened to John? Maybe he got away in time."

Before I can make a decision to follow the creek up or downriver, something hits the ground near my feet. Quickly looking down, I notice it to be some kind of arrow with a ball of some kind on the tip. In a panic I jump behind a tree, hoping I picked the right side to be on.

Trying to figure out where my attacker is, I thought I heard the sound of something trying to creep up on me. "Maybe these vulpine ears have some advantage after all."

Dropping my fishing pole and pulling out my machete, I slowly lean around the tree to take a look. Unfortunately, my hearing wasn't good enough to catch my assailant in time as the tree is hit with another arrow. This one had some kind of exploding sack on it full of some kind of pepper dust.

My senses completely overwhelmed, I get back behind the tree again coughing and sneezing violently. "Fuck fuck fuck. Wrong call. Now I'm hosed." My eyes watering as if I just rubbed onions in them. Next thing I know I hear a feminine voice call out "Give yourself up and I won't hurt you!"

Feeling beaten with little other choice I yell back, coughing and sneezing. "Ok! I give up! What do you want!?"

"Throw your things down and sit next to that other tree!" Is yelled back, and I could've sworn there was giggling.

Barely able to see I walk out with my paws rubbing my face and plop down next to what could be a tree. Shortly after my head is hit with cold, but soothing water. It doesn't take her long to tie my hands up. Confused, sore, and wanting answers, I cry out for some explanation. I don't seem to get a real answer though. My captor was either talking to herself or some other person I hadn't yet noticed.

"Oh wow. I can't believe what I managed to catch." The giggling all too real this time and sounding quite pleased with herself, I hear her as roots though my things. "And everyone kept saying I'd never manage to get anyone. I'll certainly show them now! And such a cute foxy too."

Eventually I'm able to partially open my eyes. "Hey! What's going on? What do you want with me?" My muzzle still numb and swollen.

"Oh come on, don't you know? I got you. You're mine now. I'm gonna bring you back to Espas and show them all I'm just as good as them. And then..." She trails off in laughter.

Looking up I can in part see my captor. About five feet tall, shorter than me, mostly gray and white. I can't make out all the features, but she looks like some kind of wolf or dog. But those look like rabbit ears. And a rabbit tail?

I don't know. Considering what just happened today, I may be in some other world or place altogether and this is normal. I just hope it doesn't end badly for me. The mostly wolf is still going though examining and packing up my things, but I need answers. "What do you mean I'm yours now? And where is this Espas? What's going to happen to me?"

Somewhat surprised at my questions, she gives me quite the dumbfounded look. "Wow. you must not be from around here. At all. Kinda dumb too, but that doesn't matter that much. A foxy as pure as you more than makes up for it." She walks over and runs one of her paws down my arm and over my tail. "And so soft too! Everyone is going to be so jealous of me."

With the wolf this close to me I can see that the white is mostly her fur, and the darker gray is mostly the double sided apron and skirt that she's wearing. As she gets down here petting at me, I can't help by notice her apron shirt does little to cover up her sides.

I don't know if she's intentionally doing this or not, but there is no effort on her part to hide her breasts from me. All... six of them? Her top pair look like a B or C, and get smaller going down partially overlapping each other.

"Come on then! We have to get going. I'll have to take your knife, but if you promise to behave I'll let you carry the rest of your stuff." She says to me, offering it up as some sort of condolence. Finding no joy at having to carry my fishing gear with these bound paw hands, I ask her again what's going on.

"Oh come on." She says teasingly. "Everyone knows the old tradition. The men go out and hide in the forest in the spring, and us women go catch them. It's how it's always been. The harder it is to catch them, the better they are."

Well, this is obviously a case of wrong place wrong time. Not that I really had much control over it. I mean other than not satiating my thirst of curiosity. Realizing this, I lower my head in self shame. "All this because I just had to know something. Well, humans have gone though worse. Maybe I can still figure some way out."

The wolf woman turns her head to the side, long floppy ears shifting to match the new angle. "Humans? What are those? You sure say some funny things. I think I'm going to get to like you."

At that moment it really hit me. I really felt like I wasn't in Kansas anymore. Or Cleveland, to be more accurate I suppose. Where ever this was, I don't think I was getting back home. Not easily. Just going to have to roll with it I guess. Shaking my head over the dissatisfaction of my predicament, I stood up, grabbed my things and followed my captor. "So, how far away is this place?"

"About an hour." She replies. "By the way, I never did get your name. I'm Kayde. "

"Name? My names... Wait, what was my name? I... How do I not know that?" If I thought I felt bad about that rock before, this memory lapse really put me over.

I stop walking, and Kayde turns to face me. Stopped in my own thoughts, she laughs at me. "How do you not know your own name? I think you're just playing with me."

Playing around? I wish I was playing around. I wish I could just wake up and believe this all to be a bad dream or something, but deus ex machina doesn't ever work for me. Mortified, I just stare at the ground.

"Well, if you're not going to give me your name, then I'll just have to give you one myself." Kayde says, bringing one paw up to her lower jaw. "I had some in mind for related matters later, but how about I call you Rannus?" Her attitude changing from pouty to giddy as she picks out a name for me.

"I... fine. Something is better than nothing I suppose. I'll use my real name if I can ever remember." Moving into the acceptance stage of my problem, we continue walking as I curse that miserable pile of space dust for getting me into this fine mess.

The rest of the walk back I just mindless followed Kayde. If she was talking to me I don't remember any of it. All I can recall is anger and depression. And a strong urge to play Asteroids.

Finally coming to when we reached the stone bridge over the river into her hometown, I look up at the village. Nothing entirely too noticeable stands out. Its more or less like the depictions of old middle ages towns and villages you see in movies or video games. Stone and wood buildings scattered around the one side of the river, with a "main" road running though. I suppose the water mill wheel suggested someone around here might know what they're doing, but it really doesn't matter I think.

"Oh! We're almost home! Mother will be so surprised to see you. She'll hardly be able to contain herself. Kayde exclaims excitedly hurrying the pace onward.

By now I think I had pretty much figured out what was going on. "And you're the one who can't contain themselves" I think, my eyes shifting around the town seeing some of the other residents. By the look of it, they're almost all a mix of wolf or dog or fox, and rabbit. I think I saw one or two with bear-like features to them too. I wonder why some of them are more than one animal?

As we passed by a larger building that would probably be some kind of inn or tavern, Kayde runs up to a trio of other women. Two of them looked more rabbit than dog, and the other more wolf.

"No way! I don't believe you. There's no way little Kayde could've gotten herself someone." Spouted the larger rabbit woman.

"Yeah, and especially a man who's that good a fox!" The other rabbit chimes in.

"It's true! I did get him! Rannus is right here!" Kayde retorted as she ran over and dragged me towards the group.

"I don't believe she actually caught you. I bet her mother just paid you off to play along so she doesn't feel like the worst girl in town." Argued the large rabbit.

"No way! I did catch him! Tell them Rannus!" Kayde said as she turned up to face me, her eyes almost tearing up as she looks to me for the answer.

"I... Why else would I be here now with my hands bound like this? I certainly had other things I'd rather be doing." I answer, but really not wanting any part of this whole exchange.

"You must be a bigger screw up than her if she actually got you. Kayde can't do anything right. You're going to end up in some deep trouble with that girl." The other wolf says, as she eyes me up and down. "But if you're looking for a better woman then look no further.

"Yeah, I'm right here for you." The smaller rabbit says. "Linnen knows who's really the greatest around here. Me."

It didn't take long for the trio to start arguing amongst themselves, leaving Kayde running off and dragging me behind her, having one hell of a time not spilling my fishing gear all over the road.

We quickly reach her house, a wood and stone building looking like it has two floors, but not exceptionally large. Kayde busts into the house trying to hide her tears as she exclaims to her mother she finally found a man. Kayde's mother, a fairly tall, mostly black rabbit woman with wolf's legs and brown patches comes up to her and try's to comfort her. She seems to be wearing a similar apron shirt, only with a longer skirt section.

"Whoa there, slow down. What happened? You didn't hurt yourself again trying to chase down another artsat did you? You know those things can turn around and peck you good."

"No!" Kayde cried out. "I wasn't out trying to get some stupid bird." Still trying to wipe the tears from her muzzle. "I got something better though! Rannus here is going to..."

The old rabbit interrupts her daughter. "Young man, I don't know who put you up to all this, but you really should come clean with her sooner rather than later."

"No, I'm here primarily of my own fault. I don't know exactly what's happened, but I was hoping to find some answers to this whole thing." I reply, holding my still bound paws up, hoping to get the cords cut soon.

"Yeah! I did catch him! And now I'm finally..." Kayde manages to get out before being cut off again.

"If this really isn't some kind of trick, then surely you know what's going on? It's spring now for the venari." She adds, looking almost as perplexed as I felt.

Unsure how I should go about explaining my strange circumstances to people who probably won't understand its core concept, I stand with a blank look on my face for a minute before deciding to just try anyway. "This is probably going to sound like the craziest thing you've ever heard, and I'm not sure you'd understand it, but I don't believe I'm from this world. The shifting expressions on my face give away just how hard it is for me to try and explain.

I talk about the meteorite, and how I wasn't a fox a few hours ago, and how I'm really from a big city called Cleveland. It may have been a figment of my imagination, but I thought I heard a surprised gasp from outside the door when I described where I was from.

Kayde and her mother both stared at me as if I had something on my face. "I kind of figured that might have been more than you can take in, but I really don't know what's going on." I reply, shaking my head.

Kayde looks up at me and says that she believes me, even if she doesn't quite understand it all. "That's all the more reason to stay here! I can help you find out what happened!"

Her mother on the hand, still sounds skeptical. "I see Kayde has taken quite the liking to you and all, but you really shouldn't lead her around like that. She's liable to get herself hurt."

My hands are still tied at this point, and I really want to get them free. "In any event, would I be able to get these ropes removed? It's becoming a bit of a burden holding onto these things."

Kayde quickly lights up in apology. "I totally forgot about that! Let me get them off." I am soon free of the bondage and can stretch my arms again. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

The wolf puts my things down on a table and we move into the den of the house and take a seat. I plop down on a wooden sofa bench with large pillow pads and Kayde sits down right next to me, leaning over playing with my tail. I didn't know just how sensitive it really was.

I don't know anything about how things work around here. And it seems that my alternative sort of leaves me with no place to go I suppose." I say, reluctantly continuing to accept my situation. "And I suppose Kayde does have a point too. The helping me around here part. I don't have any idea where to begin trying to figure this all out." This all feeling like I've not really been given no choice in the matter.

Raising her eyebrow, the rabbit doesn't seem to like the circumstances either, but I can see it in her eyes that she wants to make her daughter happy. Sighing, she reluctantly agrees.

Kayde jumps up from the sofa, my tail still in her paw, sending me for quite a shock. The look on my face right there. I think my tongue came out of my mouth for a second. Her enthusiasm quickly turns apologetic. Sensitivity sure is a double edged sword.

"Are you okay?! I didn't hurt you there did I? She sits back down and picks my tail back up, turning her attention over to her mother. "We should go down to the circle now then!" Before Kayde can get back up and repeat what just happened, I almost instinctively reach my arm against her chest and she stays down. Even though her cloth apron, she is quite soft.

"No, we'll wait till tomorrow for that. Its nearly dark and the food is almost ready." Her mother says, Kayde looking a little disappointed. But she quickly regains her happy energetic mood.

"Well Rannus, if you want to sit and relax a bit, the food should be ready soon. The old rabbit says, turning her head over to Kayde with a look that yells out "You've got some spainin to do."

"Thanks for all your help with this ma'am. I'm not sure what I'd do without the both of you now." Standing to stretch as I talk.

"No, I suppose I should be thanking you for what you're about to put yourself though. And please, call me Jetzel." She replies, the pair making their way to the kitchen.

Having a moment alone to think my ever-changing situation over, I reach into my pocket for my phone. "Well, I doubt I'll be using this to send and receive cellular telephone calls again; but if the photovoltaic charger in my box isn't broken, I should be able to use it as a sort of encyclopedia. And here I had my doubts about putting 20 gigabytes of stuff on this thing." A smile forms across my face with the prospect of having that much power in my hands.

Sitting back down hungrily awaiting something to eat, my thoughts continue out loud. "Okay then. I'm basically some sort of stranger in a strange land now. If the rest of this world is about on par with the technology I've seen here..." Raising my paw to scratch my chin, "then I might want to be careful just how much influence I apply. Electricity, steam engine, gunpowder, steel... Just have to play my cards right if I try anything.

Stroking my new fox chin doesn't give me the same feeling of satisfaction it used to with my human chin. Plus fur isn't the same as hair. Drifting in and out of thought, I don't realize just how much time has passed when Kayde comes out to let me know the meal is ready.

For being made of I'm not exactly sure what, their meat vegetable and grain soup isn't half bad. Reminds me of my mother's beef and barley soup. And the bread, while a little hard, ate well too. The wolf and rabbit clean the table and we all go back into the den feeling filled.

"So I had noticed you had a few things with you when you came in." Jetzel being curious about the objects I had brought with me in my fishing tackle box. "I don't believe I recognize most of what's in your box." She says, placing it down on the table.

"Well, most of it is all for fishing, but I've got a few other useful things for being out in the woods in there." I say, pointing over my little minnows and worms and baits." Kayde is back to playing with my tail again trying to work her paws into my shirt between the buttons.

Continuing I add "and it's all mostly made of plastic, a man-made compound. Now that I think about, it's probably the only plastic and graphite anywhere on this world right now."

"I've never heard of any of that before, but it all sounds special." The old rabbit replies getting out of her chair. "But in any event, we should probably get to sleep soon. Tomorrow is going to be a big day."

"We weren't exactly expecting any visitors and don't have another bed ready right now. I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but will you be comfortable sleeping on the sofa tonight? I should be able to prepare something by tomorrow." Jetzel continues, pulling a large blanket out of a chest. Thanking her as she hands me the woolen mantle, she gives Kayde a stare telling her to "go to bed."

Carefully getting up without pulling my tail this time, the wolf girl runs up the stairs and into her room as if tomorrow were Christmas morning. I got the feeling that Jetzel might be able to give me answers that her daughter wouldn't. She sat back down in her chair again, and I inquired. "So what's going to happen tomorrow exactly? I mean, I got the general idea, but I don't know any of the details."

"Normally, the pair exchange their family's bands at the circle. It's not a particularly large ceremony these days." She answers. "But I take it you don't have one to give her?" Reaching up to the back of her neck and removing her collar, Jetzel hands it to me and says "You can give her mine and she was going to give you her father's." I notice that even though it looks quite well loved over the years, the leather collar still looks like it's in great shape. Brown with several purple stones, or maybe glass gems inserted around it.

Thanking her, I realize that I hadn't seen her father around yet. "Where is he at? I'd like to meet him."

With a long sigh, Jetzel replies. "Brynne died a few years back when the village was attacked by bandits. It doesn't happen often, but after that a good number a people left the village."

I felt like I should've have asked, and try to change the subject. "I see. What about those other women teasing Kayde then? Did she do something to them?"

"No, but their words aren't entirely untrue." The rabbit says, pausing a moment. "I'm sure you noticed it already but Kayde has difficulty being able to do things sometimes. She tends to leap before she looks." The look on her face not getting any happier, she brings one hand up to her forehead. "I know she means well, but usually gets herself hurt or in trouble. Most other girls find their mates years sooner, but Kayde is already 24 and everybody believes she wouldn't ever find someone."

My curiosity dying down, I started to feel a little bad for Kayde. Jetzel continues, bringing her arms down to her lap. "I had just about given up on her ever finding anyone, but she never did. I really hope for both you're sakes this isn't a big mistake. You need to be careful."

With that, the rabbit gets up to go to bed, leaving me with little else than to contemplate her words and get to sleep myself.

To my complete surprise, I wake up with Kayde crouching down staring at my face waiting for me to wake up. Letting out a mild yelp and nearly recoiling the sofa over, I quickly sit up shocked and confused.

"Come on sleepy head! How long were you going to keep me waiting while you were off in dreamland?" She says grabbing my paw and trying to drag me out the door. Before we get that far however, her mother tells us to wait.

"I've got a change of clothes for you Rannus. They used to be Brynne's and might be a little large, but I think they'll fit." Jetzel says, handing me a pair of green pants, and brown vest.

I go into the other room and begin to change. "The pants are a little baggy, but I don't need to modify them this time. Luckily my belt will hold them up." Commenting to myself. "It's almost too warm to button this vest up too." I didn't notice until now but apparently I really do look like a fox. My chest, belly, and part of my inner legs being white, while the rest of my is mostly a reddish brown with some black.

After taking the things out of my old pockets, I hand the dirty clothes off to Jetzel and she sends us on our way. As Kayde leads us though the town, I notice some of the other people watching on in awe of us. Feeling the embarrassment of all these eyes on me, I try to hurry along and we quickly reach the circle.

It's a ring of eight tall stones arranged in a circle around a large stone and metal ankh. The stones look about six feet high, and the diameter of the whole thing is about 20 feet across. I wonder how they moved these stones here.

There isn't anybody else here right now, but my eyes stay focused on that ankh. I just can't shake myself from linking the sight of it to an old video game I used to play. And it doesn't take long for some music from that game to start playing in my head. I really don't know why it happened.

Shaking my head with some small self-disgust, I state out loud "Okay, now I think I really may have spent too much time playing video games." With the sounds still going in my head, I shift my attention to Kayde. "So what happens next? Do we need to wait for anyone else for this?"

"No, it's usually a small thing. Just between you and me." Kayde says as she pulls out a rather nice looking black collar with a couple of red stone or glass gems attached around it and puts it on my neck. I never really liked wearing necklaces or rings or anything like that, and I know this is going to take time to get used to.

Once she finishes looping it up, I get Jetzel's collar out. Kayde immediately recognizes it and being somewhat surprised says to me "Hey that's... Did my mother give that to you? You didn't have a band of your own at all, did you? Good ones can be someone expensive too."

Not knowing what to say, I just simply confirm the situation and put the collar around her neck too. Once I do, Kayde pulls me down to her and delivers the most passionate kiss I think I've ever had. I have no idea how long we stood there like that. Could have been the rest of the morning for all I tell.

Finally pulling herself away from me, Kayde, tears running down her face, wipes her muzzle and says " I thought I'd never get anyone to put that band on!"

Brining her head into my chest, I do my best to try and console the crying wolf. "That's all in the past now. We can look forward to the future now, whatever that may bring." As Kayde is buried in my chest, I can't shake the feeling of detachment from all this. Yesterday I was just relaxing and fishing and living my ordinary life. Not even a day later I'm married to a woman I've known for only a few hours in someplace I'm not even human anymore. "Does this make me a bad person for not being able to just enjoy the moment like this?" I think to myself as I try to remain looking happy.

No, I don't feel bad for doing all of this. I've made some woman happy and feel like I've done a good deed, but just being the person who I am, I'm stuck looking in at myself from the outside. And that music. Still. Something really is wrong with me.

"Come on. Let's go home." I say, wanting to get away from my thinking.

Kayde looks back up at me wiping her face again. "Yeah. Let's go." She grabs me by the arm and pulls me to go before I was expecting it knocking me to the ground.

"Ow! My arm!" I yelp out as most of the impact of the fall is absorbed by my forearm.

Kayde swiftly turns around in shock and jumps down to me. I can see the request for forgiveness in her eyes as she tries to see if my arm is okay. "Not again! I'm so sorry!"

Getting to my feet and examining my arm, I seem fine. Kayde takes hold it bringing it to her chest to examine and pet. "No, I'm okay. Accidents happen. Let's just be on our way." I say, just wanting to get past this incident.

Carefully this time, we start walking back to her house. On the way back however, we run into Linnen and the large rabbit woman from yesterday. Their conversation switches when they see us walking by.

"Still playing that game with Kayde aren't you fox?" Linnen says, calling over to me. "Yeah, you should just come clean already and come play games with a real woman!" The rabbit adds, and they both laugh.

Feeling the need to defend herself, Kayde exclaims "It was never a game! Rannus is mine and always will be. Look!" She says, tiling her head back showing the collar around her neck.

The rabbit replies back in a demeaning tone, but directs her attention towards the wolf. "Poor bastard. I hope he's not cognitive of how bad he's got it." The pair continue to laugh.

By this point Kayde is furious and her long rabbit ears have started to stiffen up. She stamps her foot and angrily yells back "No! That's not true at all! Rannus and I love each other and we're going to be happy forever now!"

I still don't want to involve myself in all of this. There is clearly some bad blood between them all for this to be happening. Turning my head down and trying to look invisible in the middle of an open road, I try to slink away tail between my legs.

Having felt their work complete, Linnen turns and says to her friend "Come on Ressa, let's go before her fur turns red permanently.

As the two women leave I turn and set my paws on Kayde's shoulders from behind her. "Ignore them. I don't know what's going on between all you, but it's nothing worth getting this upset over."

Turning her head around towards me, Kayde calms down enough to agree with me. I bring my arm around and place it across both her shoulders and speak. "Let's go home and get some lunch."

Upon opening the door, my nose is greeted to the smell of something good cooking. "We're back mom! Kayde calls out while I shut the door.

"Oh! You're back already. I'm almost done with this artsat." Jetzel's voice calls out of the kitchen. "Come help my set the table and bring the food out will you?"

Kayde goes into the kitchen with her mother, and being unsure how I can go about helping I just stand back and enjoy the smell. It doesn't take long for a pan with a large bird in it to appear, as well as what look like baked potatoes. But I can't really be sure what they actually are.

As we sit down and start enjoying the meal, the conversation turns towards what we're going to do now. "So I know you don't really have much and don't know the town too well, but what will you be doing now Rannus?" The rabbit inquires.

I thought about that one for a minute. I had an idea of what I could do, but the ethics of it bothered me a little. "You're right. I don't know anything about this place, but I do know a thing or two about other things."

"Ooo, like what? Is it something cool?" Kayde asks excitedly.

With nearly the same level of hesitation when I had tried to explain my situation the first time, I eventually come up with something to say. "Well, I know a little bit about new ideas and machines and ways of doing things that everyone else may not. Stuffing more of this bird in my mouth I continue. "For example, do you weave any cloth, Mrs. Jetzel?"

"Oh, I sometimes do, but I'm not that good at it and it takes a while. She replies, cutting into more bread.

A smile coming to my face at the prospect of doing this, but the back of my mind nagging me over the morality of what I'm about to do I start talking again. "Then what if I were to tell you I know a way for you to be able to make cloth much quicker and easier?

With a puzzled look on her face Jetzel questions how I could do that. "Well, ideally we'd use a large computerized electric loom, but neither the parts nor the power are available. However, scaling the idea back a ways I can build a large efficient floor loom." I say, between bits of potato and bread. "It shouldn't be hard to find the right lumber, but we'd need a blacksmith to make some metal parts and nails."

Thinking about it for a minute, the rabbit finally answers. "I can talk to Mennel about getting you some wood, but you'll have to go talk to Garrich yourself. I don't know what you'd need him to make."

"Oh wow! I bet Oslyn would be so jealous if you start making that much more cloth than her!" Kayde tries to add in, but in her excitement she somehow knocks a potato over onto my leg.

Sounds of pain escape my mouth, as well as bits of bird as the hot potato lands on my lap. "The fur! It does nothing!" Are my only words as I jump to free myself of the fire.

Kayde is mortified as she rushes over to try to help, but her pawing at my leg doesn't do much to relieve the pain. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" The rabbit's expression turns to embarrassment as she clearly knows all too well these things happing.

My leg finally numbing down, the rest of the meal was uneventful by comparison. With the table and floor cleaned Jetzel starts to make her way out the door. "Well you two, I'm going to go see what I can do about getting you your wood. I'll also let Garrich know you're coming by." Casting a glare at Kayde, she adds "You can stay out of trouble while I'm gone, can't you?"

Looking up from trying to paw at my swaying tail, she giggles and assures her everything will be fine. The door closes and we're alone together. "So, Rannus..." The blushing girl says trying to contain her obviously giddy voice. "I was wondering since..."

It doesn't take much detective work to know exactly what she's trying to get at, her chest stuck out wiggling back and forth slowly. I knew this part was going to come eventually, and had been looking patiently looking forward to it. "If you had wanted to..." Even my new untrained nose was telling me the whole story too.

Trying to play along, I smile and say teasingly "I think I can make the time to."

Kayde throws her arms around me, hugging me tightly with a wide smile across her face. Her breasts feeling nice pushed against me so firmly. Letting go of me, she looks up and says "Come on upstairs with me then!" Making her way up the steps with me close behind.

In her room Kayde comments that her mother must have switched their beds, giving us the larger one. "She already did that for us? I'll have to thank her when she gets back home." The wolf says, jumping on and beckoning me to come join her.

I begin to remove my vest as Kayde starts undoing her sash with one hand, running the other up and down her chest. The advantage of these looser pants quickly becoming obvious, it doesn't take me long to gain my freedom.

Kaydes one step ahead of me kneeling upright, with one paw waving me over. Getting onto the bed our mouths quickly lock and we roll onto the sheets. As something completely new and interesting to me, I try to let my paw divide it's attention evenly among all three of her pairs of breasts.

Just as soon as I start getting into it, the horny wolf's attention turns to larger matters. Lying me on my back Kayde takes my already engorged member with one paw as she leans over me and runs the other down my chest towards my balls.

I close my eyes as she teases the tip of my shaft with one paw and my sack with the other, pre-cum leaking out and being spread down the rest of my cock. Stopping a moment to move herself in closer, I look up and exclaim "I didn't know you were this good. I thought you hadn't been able to catch any other guys?"

Getting in close enough to rubbing her already wet slit up and down my shaft, she starts to speak with a tone of embarrassment. "Well, my mother had taught me most everything." She says, starting to descend herself down me. "She said it would probably be better for my sake if I knew how to make up for being a screw-up elsewhere." Bottoming herself out and making me close my eyes to handle the sensation. "I don't think you're a screw-up!" I manage to get out in several breaths as the wolf gradually works herself up faster and faster.

By the look of pleasure on her face and the way her cunt was trying to devour me, I don't think she had heard was I was saying. One hand on her hip and the other clutching at the sheets, I knew I wasn't going to last much longer. I just hoped she was as close as I was.

With a sharp upward thrust of my pelvis, I couldn't go anymore and unleashed my seed into Kayde. Her body wanting it and taking it's fill. As I finish my last few spurts, I lie back down and Kayde follows. Curling up and laying her head on top of me she starts hugging my tail like a teddy bear. I hear her mumbling my name as she falls asleep. Feeling quite spent, soon I too slip unconscious.

Not having any idea how many hours I was out, I wake up with my tail still being held onto. Carefully and quietly I manage to slip out from under Kayde without waking her and proceed to put my pants back on. I can see it's already dark outside.

"That was intense. I don't know it's this new body or her, but I don't think I ever had anyone that good back home. Softly talking to myself. "Could use some water though. Any maybe a snack. I wonder what kinds of fruits this world has?"

Opening the bedroom door I walk down the stairs and notice Jetzel sitting on her chair reading a book. "I guess literacy isn't non-existent here." I think to myself.

"Hey there, I didn't know you liked to read Jetzel." Trying to make conversation.

"Oh yeah. It's an old book I've got, but I just love it. And the illustrations are so nice too." She speaks up, closing the book to show me the cover.

I can't make out the language's characters, but then it occurs to me that I've been able to speak with these people from the start. I can't imagine they all know English, but I know I don't know any other languages. Another mystery for another day I suppose.

"What language is that in? I can't read any of the letters." I say, sitting down on the sofa.

"Oh, it's just written in the common tongue. Not everybody can read around here." The rabbit responds, confirming the illiteracy rates of the old world. "I learned when I was a girl working back in Magnolia Dales, the city a ways north of here."

Although interesting in its own right, I just wasn't feeling the urge to learn this right now. My stomach had other things in mind. "I see. So, I was wondering if there was anything to snack on around here. A piece of fruit or something?"

I've got some pusons I picked up while I was out if you want." She says, setting the book down and making her way to the pantry.

"I've never heard of them. What are they like?" I inquire, hoping they're what I'm looking for.

Jetzel pulls out a piece of fruit. It looked like a light red apple, but with two halves like a split cherry. "They've got a very sweet taste and aroma, but usually make you sleepy after." With a smile she adds "Sometimes that's a good thing though." Handing it off to me.

Smells good enough. Feels like a ripe plum. Tastes like... Quince apple preserves? The incredible sweetness threw me for a bit of a shock, but not as much as the taste. It's almost exactly like the normally seasonal fruit I used to enjoy. I take another bite before letting her know how it is.

Jetzel sits back down and starts up another conversation as I eat. "I know you've only been here for a little while, but what do you think so far? Do you have any other questions about Espas?

Wiping my muzzle, I reply. "Well, I've got all kinds of questions about here." This whole place was a treasure trove of culture I've love to know more about, but with the effects of this puson starting to kick in I don't have the urge to ask them all now. "So, I was wondering how everyone had parts from different animals on them. I mean you've got a rabbits body with wolves legs, and Kayde has a wolves body with rabbit ears. I take it her father was a wolf of some kind?"

Picking her book back up, but not opening it, Jetzel begins to answer. "Yes, he was. Usually children inherit some parts of both their parents. It's quite random sometimes. In some parts of the world pure, or completely one animal race individuals are highly prized as mates."

My snack finished, I look down at myself and realize what Kayde had meant the other day about being "such a pure fox". In any event, I want to return to sleep soon. I thank Jetzel and return upstairs to Kayde's room. Getting back into bed I lay my arm and tail over the wolf and return to sleep.

Morning comes and I am awoken by Kayde's stirring. My tail somehow back in her arms. "Good morning there you." She says, leaning over looking down at my face.

Giving her a quick kiss and getting up to stretch, I say to her "Well, I had a great night. How about you?" My face smiling wide as my arms reach for the ceiling.

"Oh that was wonderful! I know we're going to have so much more fun together." Her paw rubbing her belly, still undressed. "Hey! Maybe mother was able to get you those things you needed?"

"And maybe some breakfast too" A laugh following my words as I watch Kayde get dressed in a clean apron gown. Downstairs, Jetzel is reheating the leftover bird from last night and I hear her call out from the kitchen as we walk down the stairs. "So, how's my big girl this morning?" The tone of implication in the rabbit's voice bringing about quick embarrassment to me.

"Great! I hope Rannus helps me get bigger soon." Kayde's response only serving to make me feel redder than a tomato.

We both enter the kitchen and start snacking on the leftover bird and potato. "So," I say, trying to change the subject. "Were you able to talk to Mennel or Garrich yesterday?"

Jetzel looks over to me, and replies as if she had almost forgotten about her offer. "Oh! Yes. I talked to her and she will give you some wood." The rabbit says, putting her drink down. "But Garrich probably won't just give you free parts. Maybe you can work something out with him."

Stopping mid bite, still holding the artsat leg in my mouth, optimism turns to worry as I finally finish taking my bite. Looking to my left and right as I chew on the somewhat dry, but still tasty meat, the classic devil on one shoulder tells me I can teach him all about metallurgy to get what I need. But the angel on the other tells me I really shouldn't be giving advanced technology to an underdeveloped people.

"I'm sure Rannus can figure something out. Ol' Garrich is usually friendly like that." Kayde says, interrupting my comedic ethical dilemma. "Maybe he can show that bear a thing or two."

After finishing our meal, Kayde offers to show me over to the blacksmith's house. His shop looked like little more than a large shed next to another mundane house on the edge of town. "Little Garrich is usually pretty nice, but that's because Elryn keeps a tight leash on him." The wolf says, knocking on the door of the house.

A large darker brown fox and rabbit hybrid of a woman answers the door and I'm in a bit of awe at just how tall she is. Being larger than me, and much larger Kayde, I'd have to say she's six and a half to seven foot tall. Her somewhat snug fitting dress hugging tightly to her probably E-cut breasts. I don't think she had more than one pair, but with the almost tent-like effect they cause down the rest of her dress, it's hard to be sure.

"Hey there Mrs. Elryn!" Kayde says with a smile. "Is Garrich out in his shop today?"

"He should better be if he knows what's good for him. Who's your friend" She asks, turning her attention over down to me.

"I'm Rannus..." I try to say, but get interrupted but Kayde, her arm going around my back.

"He's my mate!" She excitedly responds. "I got him down by the clearing by the river the other day."

With a look of total astonishment on her face, the giant fox woman answers. "Well, that's quite the surprise." Crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one leg. "Little Kayde finally found someone. And such a cute little fox too." A wide grin stretching across her face. "Garrich is out back in the work shed. Just go on in." Elyrn finishes, patting Kayde on the head.

Inside the wood and stone shack, a short stocky bear puts his hammer down and greats us with his large arms stretched out and open. Giving Kayde a quick hug, I can see he's almost a foot shorter than her. But he probably weighs as much as I do.

"So, what can I do for you today? Your mother need her knives reworked again?" The black bear asks, looking up at her then over to me. "So I just heard the good news. I knew you find the one someday. Kayde smiles and tries to explain what we needed.

"Machine parts? Maybe your friend had better explain what he needs." Garrich says, looking for better details.

"Well you see, I was looking to put together something to make cloth faster, and am in need of a few metal parts for it." I answer, that nagging feeling coming back. "I don't exactly have anything to pay you with, but I do know a few things I might be able to show you."

"I know I'm just a small town smith, but you don't look like you've ever held a hammer in your life my boy." The bear responds, crossing his arms in doubt.

"No, I'm not a blacksmith. But I do know some things about metals." My paw going into my pocket and holding my phone. "For example, do you know anything about making quality steels? Or maybe one that bends and springs back into shape?"

His interest piqued, Garrich replies. "No, I was never taught the secrets of fine steel." Letting out a short sigh, he continues. "My master passed on before being able to impart everything to me. And a springy metal? I've never heard of that before."

Not having the slightest clue what we're talking about, Kayde looks at me like she wants to go. "This all sounds too complicated for me. I'm going to go and help mother while you two work this out." She pulls me down to her face and gives me a quick kiss before leaving.

"Ah that young love." Garrich saying after Kayde leaves. He tilts his head back and continues as he stares upward. "I remember when Elryn and I were that young. It was spring and I was still training with Targill. I was out in the shed that day practicing making callow shoes when she came in."

Talking as he returns to his stool by the anvil, Garrich keeps going. "I had nowhere to go, not that it'd have done me any good. Once that woman sets her eyes on something she gets it." A laugh coming from the bear. "She practically dragged me down to the ring, and that was that." Pausing to pick his hammer back up a moment, he looks over to me again. "But enough about my life story, we had some business to get down to.

In the best terms I could think that he would understand, I begin to explain the science behind the process of making steel. We spend hours going over the fine details and completely lose track of the time. Its nearly sundown by the time Kayde shows up.

"So how goes it? All finished for the day yet?" She says, pulling us back to reality.

"Oh wow. Look at the time. It's nearly dark." I respond, turning around to greet her. "What's up?"

"Elryn said you two were still at it and to come get you." Kayde answers. "She said she made dinner for all us."

"Uh oh. We'd better not keep her waiting then." Garrich says, putting down his tongs and starting to close up the forge for the day. "You two hurry on ahead. I'm going to finish this up here."

I feel my arm being tugged as I finish brushing off my fur and clothes. Kayde and I leave the shed and make our way into the house. "So help me if that bear isn't in here now." Elryn's voice calls out from the kitchen. "He's going to be eating his food cold and off the floor."

Before either of us get a chance to respond, the out of breath voice of Garrich comes from behind us. "No, no I'm right here." He says, trying to brush off as much as he can before coming in.

As we all sit down and Elryn brings us out the food, I finally figure out the smell. Fish. As much as I thought I could taste buttery and delicious breaded pan fried fish and bread, a realization crossed my mind. These are probably completely new kinds of fish.

She sets down a half dozen walleye sized fish and a large bowl of warmed bread on the table. "This is pretty good" I say, tearing into the fish. "It tastes like perch, but the bones are a little larger.

"Perch? I've never heard of that kind of fish before." Kayde says, picking at her food. "Is that a fish where you're from?

"In any event, I caught these ones fresh today. Nothing beats fresh telines." The tall fox adds in, reaching for another piece of bread.

"So, Rannus, any idea what you're going to be doing now?" The bear says atop his higher than usual chair. "You seem to know a bit about the trade. Would be a real shame to waste it."

Reaching for another piece of bread myself, I reply. "Well, I'm not exactly sure yet. I'll figure something out, but will keep your offer in mind." I really am not sure what I'm going to do. I mean I can probably relax for a while, but what I really want are some answers.

Interrupting me from my trailing thoughts, Kayde declares "Rannus is really smart. He knows all about lots of stuff. I bet he could do anything!"

Elryn speaks up."Oh? Smart and cute huh? Looks like little Kayde got herself quite the catch. Just like my Garrich." We all laugh as we finish the rest of our meal. I walk back home with Kayde feeling stuffed. The rest of our night was as great as the last, with me doing the heavy lifting this time. I may have to build a washing machine for the sheets at this rate.

Kayde wakes me up again in the morning, but this time accidently rolls me off the bed. I land on the floor with a thud, staring up the side of the bed dazed. The wolf pokes her head over the side down at me. "I didn't mean to do it. I'm really sorry.

Standing back up and shaking myself off, I put one paw on her should and tell her I'm fine. Downstairs Jetzel has some bread and cheese for us, as well as a couple pieces of a pear tasting fruit. We eat and begin to make our way out. Kayde grabs her bow to go out into the woods, and I head back to Garrich's place. He's already out in his shed when I walk in.

"So, you ready to finish this today?" Garrich calls out to me when he sees me coming in.

"Yeah. We got most of it down yesterday, but there's a couple more things to explain. I reply, drawing up a diagram of the parts I was hoping to have made. By about early afternoon the lessons were more or less done. Garrich only needed more practice at this point.

"Well, as promised I'll make you your parts. I really hope you consider taking up the hammer too." The bear says as we finish up for the day. "I look forward to making some good steel tools and arms soon."

With a little smile escaping my mouth, I reply. "Well, I was hoping you'd let me know if you ever get around to making any spring steel. I've got something else in mind that needs some." My hand almost instinctively going to stroke my chin, only to be met with the dissatisfaction of fur.

"Sure. Maybe in the next couple weeks if I'm not busy. I'd like to learn more too." Garrich answers, sounding as if we'd been buddies for years.

As we walk out together, I continue talking. "I actually know a lot of good metals and alloys that can be made, but some you don't quite have all the tools and some materials are likely going to be hard to find."

Before the bear heads back inside, he responds. "No problem my boy. This may be a little town, but I've made some friends over in Magnolia Dales who are pretty good for it."

Putting both paws up behind my head as I deeply exhale, it doesn't take my long to start thinking again. "Well, this is the first time I've had to myself in days now. What to do..." I say out loud to myself, just standing in front of Garrich and Elryn's house. "Maybe I can do a little relaxing down by the river. I wonder if the fish here will like my lures and baits too? I hope so." Starting to laugh as I lower my arms to make my way back towards my new home.

I grab up my things and head back out to pick a nice comfortable looking spot to set myself up at. A nice big shady tree closer to town does the trick. "I don't know what to try first. I suppose ol' reliable will just have to do for now." Continuing to talk out loud to myself as I get a well loved looking minnow, tie it on and sit back against the tree. "You know, maybe this isn't so bad after all. I mean, worse things could happen. Even if I were to be stuck here forever, I suppose it doesn't seem too bad.

Jerking and playing with my rod, I keep going on. "Losing some of those modern convinces is a little unpleasant, but, oh well." Starting to hum a little tune, the rest of the world just disappears. Eventually, some tugging on my line indicate that fish here are no different than back home. I bring it in and it looks a bit like those fish from last night. "Hmmm. Looks like this might be the start of a good day after all."

Reaching into my box for my stringer, I set it up and keep fishing. A few hours and a few more fish later I eventually pack it up, feeling done. As I walk through town back home, I notice the small rabbit woman who was teasing Kayde the other day. "Hey fox boy! I want to talk to you." She calls over to me.

"I think I remember you." I reply, still carrying my gear and four fish with me. "You were with Linnen and Ressa teasing Kayde a few days ago.

"Yeah, I still can't believe you went through with it." Pointing to the collar around my neck. "But I really wanted to talk to you about that place you said you're from. Something-land was it? The rabbit says, shifting to a more serious tone.

"Cleveland." I correct her, wondering how she found out. I don't think Kayde would have said something to them.

"Is that really true? My brother had told me about a place that sounds almost exactly like what you described, but all in ruins and abandoned." She continues, interested in hearing my answer. "A graveyard of metal and glass giants covered in forest overgrowth."

These giants she's talking about must be skyscrapers, I think to myself before speaking. "In ruins? And how did you find out I said I was from there?" Nearly as curious about what she said as she was me.

Looking away in shame the rabbit admits to eavesdropping on us when I first got to Kayde's house. "I just wanted to hear firsthand the heartbreak when you told her the truth." The little rabbit looks back up and continues. "But when you described that place I just don't know. You can't really be from there, can you? I mean nobody goes there. It's haunted." Her tone sounding more nervous and scared as she goes on.

"Haunted?" I respond, not being able to help myself from being skeptical. "What do you mean?"

Bringing her paws together up to her face she answers. "Yeah. On top of being really creepy, there are ghosts or something that follow you all over the place."

Wonderful. This was just what I wanted. Another mystery. And this one really takes the cake too. "So where is this place? Is it far?

"My brother says its more than a month's trip north. But if you travel lighter than a caravan you might be able to get there sooner. She responds, having calmed down a bit.

For what little consolation that was, I thank the little rabbit. "Well, I suppose I'll keep that in mind then. Here, I've got an extra fish if you want it miss...?" I say, pulling one of them off and handing it to her.

"Karleen." She replies, happily taking the extra fish. "Thanks for it. I'll let you know if I find out anything else.

"Sure, let me know." I say, waving goodbye and returning home. Jetzel and Kayde are surprised to see me with the fish. "Hey you're finally home!" Kayde says calls out as she gets up off the sofa. "Ooo, and so many tasty fish too. Did you catch them all?"

"Yep." The chains of the stringer jingling as it gets held up. "Fish here seem just like back home." I reply with a smile.

"Let's go cook them up then! Kayde says as she tries to pull me into the kitchen.

"Let me put me stuff down first, okay?" She takes the fish and I follow her into the kitchen. "I'll clean them up if you want to do the cooking part." I offer to her.

"Okay. I'll get the fire going then." She replies, fetching more wood for their stone and metal stove built into the wall.

Having done this plenty of times before, it doesn't take me long to gut the fish. Kayde gets the fire going and puts them on a pan. I head back out to the den to sit down after cleaning up. Jetzel is reading another book. Trying to do anything to take my mind off what Karleen said, I ask her another question. "So, does Kayde do much cooking? Or do you do most of it around here?"

Putting her book down to answer, Jetzel replies. "I do most of the cooking. Kayde has tried to help in the past, but usually something doesn't quite turn out right somehow. I hope you know how to cook Rannus."

Something about this just tells me I'm not going to enjoy these fish quite as much as I had hoped for. Before I can slip back into the kitchen to make sure everything is going alright, Kayde calls out the fish are already done. Brining my paw up to my mouth, I nearly lose my appetite.

We all soon sit down and the wolf looks rather pleased with herself. "I hope you like it." She says, looking over to me for my approval.

I take the first bite, and my tongue agrees with what Jetzel said a minute ago. It tastes like it was cooked over too much heat. "It's not bad." I really don't like lying like this.

"Really?" She says looking satisfied.

"Yeah, maybe a little less fire next time, but it's good." May be the words coming out of my mouth, but the words in my head tell another story. Jetzel is obviously thinking the same thing when I glance over at her.

"You don't like it do you? I overcooked it didn't I? Kayde's smile turning around.

"No, no!" It's fine." I respond grabbing some bread to try and mellow out the fish. This whole scene feels like some badly written movie or TV cliché. Why was I going along with it instead of just calling it like I see it. That's what I normally do. In any event, with the completion of that meal Kayde and I went up to bed.

"You thought my cooking was bad, didn't you?" She said with quite the sad expression on her face.

Looking like I may have somehow hurt her feelings, I try to resolve this issue. "No. The fish was fine. If you really want I can help show you a thing or two next time, okay?" I respond, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"You will? Promise?" Her mood coming back around again.

"I promise I'll help you next time. Your food will be great." My words may have been consoling, but my thoughts really weren't. I was beginning to see what everyone else sees of Kayde. She's sort of a big child. Quick to emotion, somewhat clumsy, almost needing kid gloves to handle. I suppose for her sake I'm normally a patent man, but I really don't want to do this every time.

Caught up in thought again, I didn't notice Kayde having undressed until she was leaning down over me giving me a big hug. "You know, I think I'm still hungry after that meal." She says, her breasts pressed up to mine as she pushes me back a bit.

Knowing exactly where this will probably be going, I play along with a wide grin across my face. "Oh? I think I may have something you can snack on in that case." Her paw quickly unbuckling my pants. I stand up a moment to kick them off, and the wolf is right back on top of me bringing her muzzle down my chest and stopping at my lap. Playing with my hastily enlarging member, she works her tongue up and down the shaft and then onto the head.

Teasing me in ways no ordinary woman could have, Kayde slowly takes more and more of my shaft into her mouth. She works her way to the bottom, brings herself out and looks me in the eyes. "So, were you still hungry too, my little fox?"

Wanting nothing more than to finish giving her the rest of her meal, I continue to play along. "And what might you have for me?"

"A dessert you might just find a little better." She says, climbing on top of me and turning her already we sex around to my head.

My nose was overloaded with things I didn't even know I was missing before, and I start rubbing it up and down her slit. My snout have been longer than it used to, but luckily my tongue was even longer. And it needed no help finding its way out.

Kayde wasted no time in resuming her dessert either. Her tongue voraciously bringing my member in for her mouth to enjoy again. As she worked her way down again, I began pushing the tip of my muzzle into her ever accepting hole. Working my way in deeper and deeper, coming out only for air my fur beginning to get soaked.

Soon though, I knew my meal would be served to Kayde, and it only took the taste of it hitting her tongue to send her into orgasm. Trapping me as I could feel her every spasm. Staying together as long as each other could hold their breath, Kayde pulled herself off me and released my nose. The satisfied wolf turns herself around to me, and speaks softly. "So, does that meal need any improvement?" Her body lying on top of mine, arms around me.

Enjoying the soft feel of her on my sides, I give her my answer. "No, I don't think we need to work on that." It's going to be days until that scent goes away I think, but it is an enjoyable one.

Over the next few days I split my time between putting the loom together, fishing, Kayde and my own thoughts. It's been almost a week now since I've arrived, and that would make it Tuesday I think. I don't know if this world has the same rotational period and all that. It doesn't matter, not that I had been paying attention.

As the last little details of my machine go together though, it's nearly sunset. The large foot operated floor loom with the necessary extras only lacks extra spools for holding thread. Jetzel will have to get some more later, although she and Kayde have been sitting around watching me most of the afternoon.

"Wow! It's so big!" The wolf finally speaking up as I stand up for a minute to stretch and get something to drink. Sitting backwards on the sofa bench resting her head on her paws on the back of the furnishing she keeps talking. "I bet Osylns gonna want one too."

Returning with a mug and chuckling before sitting back down I give her my reply. "Well, she's going to have to talk to that bear herself then."

Setting my drink down I look everything over one last time before checking the actions of the loom work smoothly. With it all seeming to be in order, my attention is turned to Jetzel, who has been sitting in her chair half reading one of her books. "Well then, let me show you how to work this thing. It's a little different than what you had."

Setting her book down the rabbit speaks. "Kayde, would you be a dear and go fetch the rest of my yarns. They're in the pantry under the stairs."

"Okay." The wolf responds, hopping off the sofa and running over to the closet. Pulling out a large basket , she turns to bring it over here. Somehow though, she trips over something losing her handle on the materials and ends up pelting me in the back with spools of yarn.

Having been taken completely by surprise there, I yelp as the soft impacts scare me nearly out of my seat. Regaining her footing, Kayde brings her paws up to her mouth hiding a look of embarrassment. "I didn't mean to do that! I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" As she bends down to help pick up the mess, I hear her mother let out a long sigh.

"No. I'm fine." I respond, still a little on edge. "Just a little... shaken." Once the yarns are picked up, I begin to set them up in the loom. Kayde offers to help some more, but the voice from behind us tells her to let me handle it.

"Well, there wasn't quite enough to set it up all the way, but I can still show you how it works." I say, having finally strung it up. Kayde and her mother move in closer to get a better view as I begin running the shuttle back and forth. We all trade off turns over the next couple of hours, finally running out of thread for the foot and a half wide bolt of cloth we just created.

Finishing off the ends of the cloth and removing it, I begin talking. "And that about does it. Let me know if you have any more questions or need help with it later when you get more materials."

"Well I'll be. That would've taken me all day to do." Jetzel says, sounding quite impressed. "I must thank you young fox. I wouldn't have ever thought to do this." She places her hand on my shoulder, but it gets knocked off by Kayde hugging me.

We all sit down to eat and talk, and the rest of our evening is rather uneventful. Save for Kayde rewarding me for all I've done. But we both knew I was getting that payment anyway.

The days turn to week and before I know it summer has come. I had been continuing to invent more things in addition to helping out around town. Nearly everybody had been coming to love me and all the little improvements I had. Modifications for the waterwheel, crop rotation, a basic sanitation system, hell, I even tried putting together a crude printing press in the shed I built next to the house. But I don't think it would've done much good, considering I this world had a different written language. Something still bothered me that I could talk with these people, but couldn't read their writing.

It was one warm summer night I had found myself pacing around downstairs, feeling depressed and quietly talking to myself after Kayde had fallen asleep. One arm behind my back and my other paw at my chin, I speak out loud as I walk around the house.

"I don't know what I'm doing here. One day everything seems just so ordinary, and then here I am, a million miles from home with no way back." Bringing both my arms up and outward in front of myself as if expressing disbelief, I continue. "But what is it that's so bad about where I am now? The body change is unusual, but it's not really that different. No, I don't think it's that."

Stopping next to one of the dining table chairs, I set one paw on it. "I'm sure my family and friends have no idea what happened. To them I just disappeared, never to be seen again. And no more computer, or car, or job. But what have I gained in exchange?"

Continuing my march, I put my hands in my pockets and tilt my head back. "Why can't I let this go? I have a loving wife and am respected by my community. That's a lot more than my dead end job back in Cleveland. With a deep sigh, I cross my arms and keep walking. "This place seems just so wonderful. I'm sure anyone else would be overjoyed to have it this great. And there are just so many new things to discover about this world too. What is it that's keeping me from being happy here?"

My internal evaluation is soon interrupted by a door opening from the upstairs. Turning my head to look up, I see Jetzel walking down the stairs. "Rannus? What are you doing up still?" The rabbit says with concern in her voice. "Is something the matter?"

Turning my head away, I respond. "No. I don't know. It's just..."

"You're homesick, aren't you?" She says, reaching out an arm to my shoulder.

I turn my head back up to face her and reply. "I don't know. Maybe. I know everything is great here, but something just feels wrong to me. I can't explain it."

"You've got a wonderful life and family here, and everybody loves you. You've done so much is so little time." Jetzel says to me, moving in to give me a reassuring hug. "I don't know what you left back home, but you've got everything any fox could want here." The rabbit releases her arms from my around my back and puts them on both my shoulders as I turn my gaze downward again.

"I just don't know." I say, shaking my head in doubt. "There are just so many things that don't add up. How I got here in the first place, the change from being human, and most of all that huge ruined city I heard about."

Jetzel's arms leave me and cross her chest as she responds."I heard Kayde talking about there before. It's supposed to be a dangerous place." A bit of disappointment visible on her face. "I know you like to try and learn anything you can, but for Kayde's sake you should stay here. I know that girl would force you to take her with you, and that's only inviting trouble."

She brings her arms back up to my shoulders again, and looks as if she's trying to plea with me. "I won't try and stop you from doing anything, but please don't let her get hurt. I wouldn't be able to forgive you if something happened to my grandchildren." The rabbit says with a smile returning to her face as she gives me one last hug.

With a forced grin, I return upstairs to consider what's been said and come to my conclusion. I was going to check out this city. Even though I don't actually know what I'm actually looking for, I still have to try finding it. Tomorrow will mark the beginning of a real goal.

Kayde is up before me as usual, and I find her downstairs preparing some breakfast. I didn't see Jetzel, so I figure she's out and about early today. "Hey, what smells good this morning?" I say walking into the kitchen.

"Good morning to you too. I'm trying to make some of these waffles you were talking about the other day." Kayde answers, mixing something up in a large bowl. There is a bit of a floury mess on the countertop and on her apron and fur too I notice.

"Oh? That's what I thought I smelled. Do you need a hand with it?" I reply, remembering that for my sake it'd be better to make sure nothing goes wrong. I just hope I'm not too late to save the food from her.

"Sure. I just hope I remembered all the ingredients you mentioned." The wolf says as I start the fire. It doesn't take long to finish the food, and it turns out alright. I just wish there was some kind of maple syrup to go with it.

We both sit down at the table with our waffles and I try to think of the best way to break it to her about my desire to check out that city. " So, I was thinking. You remember those abandoned ruins north of here?"

Before I can get out my next line Kayde says it for me. "You want to go check them out don't you? I always wanted to go too, but mother told me I couldn't. I bet with you along she would be okay with it."

"Maybe. I figure it'll take me about a week or two to get ready, and if nothing happens along the way we should be able to make it back before the weather starts to snow. Do you think we'd be able to get a Callow to pull a cart for us?" I say, having finished off my food.

Kayde quickly eats up the rest of her breakfast before answering. "Yeah. I can go and talk to everybody at the farm. I'm sure they'd let us use one for a little while. What else do you think we need to go?"

Bringing one paw up to my chin to think, I respond. "Well, other than some food, I wanted to go see if Garrich had any spring steel I could get. I don't have any idea how dangerous the world is outside Espas, and would rather bring a little something along with me."

"I think the worst we'd run into would be bandits or some wild animal. But what kind of weapon would you make with spring steel?" The wolf asks as she takes our plates into the kitchen. "And I'm pretty sure Magnolia Dales is between here and that place. I haven't been there in years."

"You know how you have your bow right? Well I've got something in mind that would work similar to that." I tell her as I get up to stretch. "I'm going to head over to Garrich's place to get some stuff. Let me know how your callow hunt goes."

Kayde gives me a quick kiss and I leave the house. The good thing about this little town is that you don't have to walk forever to get where you need to go. The blacksmith's shed is only five or ten minutes away. As I approach the house I see Elryn coming out of the shed.

"Hey there Mrs. Elryn. How're you doing today? Is Garrich in the shop today?" I call out with a wave.

"Oh, well if it isn't everybody's new favorite little red fox." She answers with a smile. "Yeah he's in there working today. Go on in and make sure that bear isn't slacking off when I'm not looking."

With a quick chuckle I bid her farewell and walk in the shed. Garrich looks like he's stressed out over something. "Hey Garrich, what's going on today?"

Turning his head up from the papers he was reading over, the bear gives me a warm welcome. "Ah, Rannus my boy! Good to see you. The farmers down the road have been hassling me to make them shovels and scythes constantly since you gave me those new designs. I've been struggling to keep up."

"I suppose that's better than having no work at all isn't it?" I reply with a laugh. "I hope it wouldn't be too much to ask for if you'd be able to make me some spring steel and a few other little parts."

Garrich hops off his stool and over towards his fire as he answers. "For you? It's no problem at all. I will have to order more iron soon though. All this extra work has taken its toll on my usual supply. The guild over in the Dales isn't expected to send me more until the later autumn." Taking a red hot piece of metal from the forge over to the anvil, he continues. "Elryn was worried about making the trip up there and leaving me along for almost two weeks while I worked. That woman thinks I can't take care of myself without her."

Watching as Garrich hammers the iron and puts it back in the fire, I consider making him an offer to help. "I was planning on heading though Magnolia Dales in a few weeks. If you wanted I could drop off an order for you, as long as that's not too late."

"No, that would be great. I'll have Elryn write up the order for you. Hand it over to Bercedia at the guild. She normally takes care of my account." The bear enthusiastically responds. "So I take it you wanted to treat Kayde to the big city then? The Dales isn't a bad place, as far as large towns go. You do have to eat at The Happy Pup while you're there. They've got the best pie around."

Letting out a quick laugh as Garrich pulls his work back out of the fire again, I thank him and head out to try and get some more lumber from Mennel. By early evening I've got everything I need back at the house, except for the steel. Tomorrow I can start putting together a simple cart and my new toy.

It takes me about 12 days to get the small cart put together and the weapon made. I had one hell of a time trying to shape the wooden wheels. What I wouldn't have given for some good ol' rubber tires for this thing. Kayde comes out as I'm testing out my invention to let me know suppers ready.

"Wow, what is that? It looks like it fires little arrows." The wolf inquires. "And so fast too."

"You like it? I based it on an old design I saw for a repeating crossbow. I had to make some slight modifications, but it seems to work great." I say, feeling proud about my new machine. "The prod is a little stiffer than I'd like, but it'll be fine."

I clean up my mess for the day and we head in. Jetzel has roasted artsat and potatoes sitting on the table for us, as well as some stuffing I had suggested. As we all sit down at the table, I sense that the rabbit is still concerned for us to be going on this trip.

"So, you two are leaving tomorrow aren't you? And you're really sure you want to do this?" She asks, paying little attention to her food.

"Yeah! Tomorrow is the big day." Kayde answers between shoveling bird and bread into her mouth. "It's going to be so much fun to go to the Dales again. And then we get to check out the ruins. I always wanted to go there too."

"But are you really sure you should be traveling in your condition? I don't know if you'd be able to make it back in time. And I was really hoping to be there for you too." Jetzel replies.

I try to quickly finish my mouthful of potato and answer. "That's what I built the cart for. We should be fine. Kayde got us a callow to pull it too. Plus I already promised Garrich I'd make a trip to the guild for him. Speaking of which, did you have anything you wanted us to take to sell? Or maybe pick up for you?"

Hesitantly, she speaks up after a drink. "Well, I suppose you can take a few bolts of cloth with you. I know I've got plenty of extras right now. And maybe pick up a few little things. I'll tell you later so you can write yourself a list you can actually read."

Jetzel remains worried for us, mostly for Kayde, for the rest of the night. I don't think she'd be able to talk her daughter out of this whole thing at this point now either. She's set on going. Kayde and I go up to bed early so we'd able to make better time tomorrow.

We don't waste much time in the morning packing up the things into the cart. I load up the cloth, extra clothes and blankets, my fishing gear, Kayde's bow, and a good deal of bread, cheese, and dried meat. The letters get stuffed into my vest pocket, and I sling my crossbow around my back. It's shape is quite awkward though, and I have to settle for hanging it closer to my hip.

Kayde brings the callow by and we hook the cart up to the beast. It's some cross between a cow, horse, and centaur. They're not exactly ride able, but can be made to lightly work like a horse or oxen. The milk from their utters is a little sweeter than normal cow's milk too. It's a little of an acquired taste, but when your alternative is water that you have to distill yourself; tea that leaves much to be desired in flavor; and a lightly alcoholic beer that I could swear really is piss water, the milk isn't that bad. I've been having a strong urge for some kind of fruit juice recently, but nobody around here makes any.

With the last of the stuff packed in, Kayde hops up into the cart and Jetzel sees us off. "Please be careful you two. If you run into any trouble don't be afraid to just come home."

"We'll be fine mom. Rannus will be sure of that, won't you?" Kayde says, looking over to give me a smile.

"Yeah, everything will be okay. It should take about a week to get to Magnolia Dales, we'll stay there for a day. Then another three or four weeks to the city." I respond, trying to say something to put her mind at ease. Although I don't know how much good words will do for that old rabbit. "I don't know what's to be found there, but a day or two searching will have to do. We'll be back before you know it."

Almost like a scene out of a movie, we depart with Kayde waving goodbye out of the back of the cart. I can't help myself to humming a tune out of an old film I once saw as we walk down the road. Besides a few other people seeing us off as we pass by, nothing out of the ordinary happens as the town disappears behind us.

It's at about this point that I realize that bringing Kayde is going to make this trip uncomfortable for me. I'm terrible at making conversation, and there isn't exactly much else to do for weeks. I only hope she isn't as bothered by this as I am. Eventually though, the wolf does break the ice.

"So, Rannus, now that it's just you and me is there anything you want to talk about? I always do like hearing about things are in your world."

Continuing our pace, I respond with a little hesitation. "Well, I know I've talked about it in the past, but was there anything you wanted to know about specifically?

Stopping to think a moment, Kayde finally speaks up. "How about those machines you were talking about that you ride around in really fast? I remember those sounding really cool."

"You mean cars? Well, they're like large carriages that use something called an internal combustion engine to move around." I answer. This may be something I can talk about, but I don't know how exciting it'll be coming from me. "Made of metal and plastic and glass, lots of people had them. Mine was kind of old and rusty, but it still drove around."

Kayde perks her ears up my answer. "Really? You had one too? What was it like? Was it fast?"

"I suppose compared to walking it was fast. I had a couple of different ones over the years though. I'd drive them until I couldn't fix them up anymore and they had to get junked." I continue. "I think my favorite was that old brick of a station wagon that lasted me a couple years. Plenty of seating and room, and the ride was nice. But after a while the weird electrical problems it was having kept getting worse and worse. I couldn't ever figure out exactly what was the cause was and got rid of it."

I think that last bit was too much for the little wolf, and she seemed to have lost that level of interest she had a minute ago. "Oh, I see. Were you sad when you had to get rid of it? I know I was sad when my father made me have to let the little kitty I found go."

"A little bit. I wasn't ever able to find another one that lived up to its predecessor." I say as I avoid tripping over a root in the road. "I didn't know you had any pets though. What was that like?"

That energy returning again, Kayde speaks back up. "Yeah! It was a cute little orange kitty I got from one of the other girls in town when I was little. But I had to get rid of it when my parents found out. They said something bad would've happened to it if I kept it around. When everybody found out they teased me for weeks."

In my mind I wanted to agree with her parents. But I knew I probably shouldn't say that. "That's horrible. Is that the reason why everybody is still mean to you today?"

Slumping back down into the wagon, Kayde tries to hide her shame. "A little bit. My parents kept doing things like that to try to keep me out of trouble and from hurting myself and others. And every time they got involved it only divided me further from everyone else. I didn't have anyone besides my family until you came along."

Wow. That's kind of a messed up situation. I wonder if this lead to her being a screw-up like everyone thinks she is, or if they did that because she really was a screw-up? But now isn't the time for that kind of psychological analysis. "I see. I don't think you're as bad a person as you or everyone thinks you are. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your mate. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I wouldn't even be here right now if I didn't make the mistakes I did. You just have to learn from them and move on."

My own words sting me harder than they should. It's so much easier to say these kinds of things than it is to actually live by them. Why can't I follow my own advice instead of feeling down like her?

Kayde leans back up out of the cart, putting both paws on the side as she leans out to talk. "Really? You really mean it? You don't think I'm such a screw-up? Even after all the bad things that happened to you because of me?"

More than a few dozen incidents come to mind before I say anything. "No, you're not. I don't think bad of you at all. It wouldn't hurt to slow yourself down a little to think before acting, but most of those things could've happened to anyone. Don't let it get you so down."

With that Kayde leaps out of the cart to embrace me. Unfortunately, one of the claws on her foot mange to scratch my leg on her way down and I immediately drop to one knee with my paws on the wound. The wolves optimism turns right back into depression as she realizes what she did.

"Ah shit that hurts!" I yelp out among other things. My pants are torn and I am bleeding a little, but it doesn't look that bad. "Go stop the callow real quick."

She does, and returns to me. I've already taken my pants off and tied them around the wound to try and stop the bleeding. "It just keeps happening. I just keep messing up like this... I'm so sorry Rannus."

I can see her starting to tear up as she crouches down next to me. "No. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

"But you're hurt this time and it's all my fault." Kayde says, wiping her paw across her muzzle.

This was exactly the situation we did not need right after that conversation. Now I'm afraid she's only going to feel even worse for herself than before. "No, really, it's not a big deal. We'll stop here for the night and rest." Reaching one paw up to her face to try and console the crying wolf I continue speaking. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Acting like this hasn't helped me at all in the past. I'm now starting to see that myself. Like I was just saying, slow down a little and learn from your mistakes."

Looking me straight in the eyes, Kayde tries to argue. "But..."

I interrupt her knowing exactly what she was going to try and say, because it's the same thing I had felt in this kind of situation. "I'm okay. You're okay. I know you feel bad. I'd feel bad too. But let's just put all this behind us now."

Kayde starts to calm down enough to stop crying, and leans over to give me that hug she wanted to earlier. I return the motion and soon we are locked both with arms and mouths. I am not reminded that I'm no longer wearing any pants until I feel a soft paw reach down and grab my unknowingly engorged member.

"Should we really be doing this on the side of a public road?" I speak up, partially concerned for situation.

"Shhh... Let me help you feel better. I want to make up for what I did." Kayde says, putting a finger on the tip of my muzzle as she begins to work her paw up and down my shaft.

Looking up and down the road in both directions and seeing nobody, I relax my worry and let the wolf take over. The pads of her paw feel as soft as silk on me as I continue to explore her mouth with my tongue. A few minutes of her medication later, I relieve myself on the grass next to us.

Looking quite satisfied with herself, Kayde speaks up again. "See, don't you feel so much better now? I'm still really sorry for what I did though."

I can't really argue that that did help. At least help me feel a little better. I stand up to go get my spare pair of pants from the cart and redress myself. The cut has stopped bleeding, but the blood on the fur on my leg has started to dry, leaving a somewhat uncomfortable situation.

"Well, we should probably find some place nearby to stop for the night. Maybe over by the river I can do a little fishing and we can stretch the bread a little longer." I say, looking around for a decent clearing.

We eventually find a spot and set ourselves up for the night. The callow lays down and starts to eat whatever greenery it finds. Kayde builds a fire and I manage to get a few fish before the sun goes down. We both lay down next to the fire and fall asleep for the night.

Morning comes, and we get the fire going enough again to make breakfast before cleaning up and heading out. Kayde gets back in the cart again and I feel well enough to walk. The next few days are relatively uneventful. We keep trying to save the bread and meat by catching more fish and eating wild berries. Although we did manage to get some red meat when Kayde shot some kind of rabbit or raccoon like animal. It was a little greasy I thought.

It wasn't until the sixth day of our trip that we finally run into anyone else. I notice them first up ahead on the dirt road. "Looks like we've got our first company. I wonder what they're up to." I say, trying to determine who's up there.

Kayde sits up and looks on too. "I think it's another wagon. Probably a trade caravan or something."

Once we get to about a quarter mile from them, I'm able to see that the wagon isn't moving and there are probably a half dozen people up there. "I wonder what's going on up there. Maybe something happened to their cart."

My suspicions are confirmed when I hear someone yell out a cry for help. I tell Kayde to stay down in the cart while I pull out my crossbow and approach alone. "You there! Please help us! These robbers are trying to take my cart!" A voice calls out from the pack ahead.

I t try to not look too threatening, pointing my weapon downward as I get closer. "What's the problem? What's going on here?" I call out.

One of the rat-like men shouts at me. "None of your business! Keep moving unless you want to join them!" At about 100 feet of them I can see there are four rat men, who are probably all the robbers, the mostly rabbit and partially bear man who called for help, and a raccoon man.

"And what guarantee do I have that you'll just let me pass?" I shout at the rats, trying to size them up for a fight.

"You have our word we won't hurt you!" One of the other rats yells back, followed by the entire group laughing.

That was what I figured it was going to come to. Great. I was rather hoping I wasn't going to need this thing. But before I can make my response, the rabbit speaks up again. "You've got to help us! They'll get you too if you don't!"

The rat who called out to me first interrupts the old rabbit and kicks him in the stomach, putting him on the ground in a flash. The rest of them laugh as the rabbit lies on the ground coughing and wheezing.

At this point I've seen enough. Readying my weapon, I give them one chance to go. "You all make me sick. Leave them alone and I won't have to hurt you."

The entire pack pull out their daggers and assume a defensive position. Their leader, I presume, the one who put the rabbit on the ground, shouts out to me. "Oh? And just what are you going to do about it fox boy? There's four of us and only one of you."

"Last chance. Leave now." My final ultimatum as I get to about 50 or 60 feet of them, crossbow ready to go.

"You just made the worst choice of your life little fox!" Their leader yells out before they all begin to rush me.

Wasting no time I begin firing my weapon. The chu-ko-nu lets out eight or nine bolts, and half hit their mark. The leading rat and one of the underlings fall to the ground. If they had any armor, it must have been a light leather that was no match for me.

The remaining two rats watch in complete shock and horror as their comrades fall. They break off the attack and flee into the woods, leaving the wounded to their fate. I stand watching and waiting for any of them to do anything else. Once the pair are far enough out of sight, I pull out my machete and approach the wounded and bleeding rats.

"You bastard... You'll pay for this one day... My brothers... will avenge me." I hear the head rat hiss out to me as I pass by him.

"Serves you right for attacking innocent people like that." I respond, anger and disgust in my voice. "I hope your bothers are good enough to come back to help you." In truth, I was actually somewhat upset at myself for having to resolve this situation like I did. I really didn't want it to come to this. Maybe I'm just a soft idealist who hasn't come to accept the world as the brutal place it is.

I pick up the rats' knives, and make my way over to the rabbit, who was still curled up on the ground with the raccoon trying to help. "Hey, are you alright? I ask them, setting down my weapons and kneeling down.

Still coughing as he spoke, the rabbit responds. "Yes, I think so. Thank you fox. They would've done the same to you."

"We're not too far from the Dales now. We should be able to get there by tomorrow and get Wadel into bed for rest." The raccoon finally speaking up. It could be my imagination, but that voice sounds familiar.

Trying to help the brown rabbit up and into his cart, I begin to speak. "We were on our way there too. It might be better for us to travel together in case those rat men come back. Safety in numbers, you know."

"Oh thank you. I don't know what we'd do without you sir." Wadel replies, sitting on his wagon but still hunched over holding himself in pain. "John, go check to make sure everything is still okay and give our friend a hand with his cart. And be sure to return the favor to those rat bastards on your way back."

Giving the rabbit a last once over, the raccoon affirms the order and begins to check their caravan. "He's a good lad, but that boy sometimes don't got his head on straight. When I first found him he says he didn't know where he was or how he got there." The rabbit says, reaching into a bag for a flask. "Says he's from some big city, but the only big one around these parts is the Dales. So I's take him in and give him this job working for me. I don't go too far at my age no more, and I really did need the help."

Something about the rabbit's story piqued my curiosity. Was this my friend John who I hadn't seen in months? Did this mean that whatever happened to me happened to him too? I really wanted to find out. I'd have to talk to him.

John finishes up inspecting their cargo and reports back to his boss. We then start making our way back to my cart. Once out of earshot of the old rabbit, I begin my questioning. "So John, I was talking with Wadel back there, and he was saying that you had a bit of a run in or something."

"That doesn't begin to describe it" He responds, clearly upset over the situation. "Nobody believes me when I tell them I'm not a goddamn raccoon, and I'm not from this place. What did I do to deserve all this? Some kind of divine retribution or something?"

Slowly, I continue my prodding. "And this place you say you're from, a big city of steel and glass? And you're supposed to be human too?"

Sounding a bit shocked at me for saying that, the raccoon replies. "Yeah, how'd you know? The old man tell you I was some kind of crazy or something?"

"Call it a curious hunch." I say. "And you got here though some accident with a space rock or something while fishing too, didn't you?"

"That's exactly it. I don't recall Wadel saying that to you a minute ago however." John answers, sounding as if taken aback.

Deciding I've done enough poking, I play all my cards at once. "So you're actually from a city called Cleveland, from the planet Earth aren't you? And you were fishing with your friend a few months ago when some kind of meteorite landed and he went to investigate? Then something happened and you were sent here, weren't you?"

John stops walking and turns to stare at me as if I just scared the hell out of him. "Yeah, how the hell..." Interrupting himself and grabbing both my arms before continuing excitedly, the raccoon sounding almost relieved.

"Dude, is that really you?! I didn't know what happened to you, let alone myself! That thing exploded and when I came to I was alone and some kind of animal. I thought I was going to die, but then that old man found me and gave me a job doing trivial work for him. I was hoping to find someone who would be able to help, but nobody had any idea what I was talking about. But now that I've found you, maybe we can get to the bottom of this!"

John finally lets go of me, and I answer him. "It sounds like you've had it a bit more rough than I did. But when that thing went off I woke up here and as a fox. Wherever here is. A wolf woman named Kayde found me, and more or less made me her husband. I've been living down in the town of Espas since."

With a look that combined a smug smirk and a hint of jealousy, John replies. "Oh, I see how it is. How'd you get the easy life and I get stuck loading and unloading shit from a wagon? You'll have to introduce me when we get back to your town."

"It hasn't exactly all been sunshine and rainbows here either." I say sounding a little guilty. "Don't let her know I told you this, but she is the clumsiest person I ever met. She means well and all, but sometimes things just happen around her. And almost always to me. I was once pelted with spools of yarn by her."

Letting out a hardy laugh before continuing, John speaks up. "It's like that is it? Okay, I'll keep my mouth shut. So once we get back to the Dales, what're you going to do next?"

"We were on our way to check out some ruins that sounded very much like Cleveland. They're supposed to be a couple weeks north of Magnolia Dales." Pointing back towards my cart, I continue talking. "Kayde's still back in the wagon waiting for me. Let's go get her and get moving on."

We make it back to the cart and Kayde is a little upset it took so long for me to return. "How long were you going to stand there talking without me? And who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is my friend John I had told you about." I answer, as John waves to her. "He was with me the day that accident brought me here. I had no idea what happened to him till just now."

"I didn't know you had such a cute raccoon friend." She responds, embarrassing both of us. "You'll have to let me know all about it when we get to the city. Let's get going though, I'm getting hungry."

I pack up my things and we make our way to Wadel's cart, passing by the dead rats and leaving them where they are. The rabbit is looking a bit better now, and we all begin to move out. Unfortunately, that whole ordeal wasted several hours off our day and we don't make it quite as far as I'd have hoped to today. Although we put some distance between us and the rat men, I'm still worried all night they might try and attack us.

John and I switch off every couple of hours watching the camp. Luckily though, all that lost sleep was a complete waste. Even feeling as tired as I was, we do manage to make up for some lost time and reach the Magnolia Dales before the sun goes down.

As the outskirts become thick enough to finally start calling them the city proper, Kayde sits up in our cart and excitedly looks around as she speaks. "I haven't been here in years! What should be go do first? Maybe some food because I'm starving."

"First things first. We need to stop by my warehouse and drop off the wagon." Wadel says. "You're welcome to stow yours there too. It's the least I can do for you."

Turning my head away from my own sightseeing and towards the rabbit, I accept the offer. This place is much larger than Espas. Large wooden houses cram narrow cobblestone pathways all leading to the center of town, where I notice a huge single building along the river. There are all sorts of varieties of animal peoples here. Many more than Kayde's little village had. Kayde seems to be enjoying the view as much as I am, but John does not. He's probably just used to it by now.

The rabbit quickly leads us though the urban maze to his house. After settling in for a minute, we begin to make plans for the evening. Wadel heads to his room to rest, leaving us in the warehouse offices. "So then, should we all go head someplace more comfortable to get relax and get caught up on old times?" I ask, assuming everyone else was as hungry as I was.

"I sure do. Where's a good place to eat around here, John?" Kayde adds.

The raccoon sighs before talking. "Man, all the food here is weird. I mean I know a couple of spots that aren't that bad, but I'd much rather have a burger or pizza

"I remember Rannus talking about those." The wolf responds. "I tried to make that pizza once, but it didn't turn out so good."

Embarrassed at my own memories of that night, I try to get past this quickly. "There weren't exactly any tomato equivalent plants around here, and what we substituted didn't taste right. But anyway, you were saying something about a place to eat?"

John snaps his fingers as someplace comes to mind. "There's this one place not far from here called The Happy Pup that serves okay pot-pie like stuff. I don't know exactly what's in it, but compared to some of the other things around here it's not bad."

"Garrich, the blacksmith in the other town suggested that place." I reply, bringing my paw up to my chin. "So I guess it really must be an alright place then."

Kayde brings her paws down to her belly and looks up at me. "I don't care where we go, but I'm really getting hungry."

"Okay then, I'll lead the way. It's not far." John says, leading us out onto the streets. A couple of minutes and a few turns later we make it to the tavern. It's a fairly wide wooden building in the middle of one of the alleyways. The sign over the door is a picture of a smiling wolf, or fox, or dog of some sort, and coming from the establishment are sounds and smells that imply this is fairly reputable place. Inside one of the serving girls, who looks like a mix between mouse and rabbit, leads us to a table and takes our order.

"We'll have three pies, and three mugs of whatever's on tap tonight." John tells her as we sit down. The mouse affirms and heads off. She quickly returns with our drinks and the raccoon starts our meal time chat. "So you've got to let me know what's been going on these couple of months. Not only with you, but with whatever you know about this place and what happened to us."

"Well, as far as what I've been doing there isn't much else to say." I reply, looking over at Kayde as she begins to take a drink. "I've been looking for those answers too, and it's done nothing but stress me out."

"I see." John answers, putting his mug down and also turning over to look at the wolf. "By the look of it though, you don't seem to have had such a bad time of it all. Not as bad as me at least. Had we gotten done fishing that day one catch sooner, none of this would've happened. Quite frankly, I keep wanting to wake up and believe that this has all been a dream. But no, I'm still here and still an animal."

Kayde turns over to my friend with a disagreeing look on her. "You're not such a bad animal. I'd have had you if Rannus didn't come along first." She says with a laugh.

Smiling in embarrassment as he brings one hand behind his head, John responds. "Well... In any event, what brought you both out this way? Trying to search elsewhere for clues or something?"

"You could say that." I answer. "We were on our way to search some ruins a couple weeks north of here. I heard they were supposed to be similar to a big earth city or something."

"Hmmm... I don't think I heard about that one before, but it does sound interesting." The raccoon replies. "I'll have to talk to the old man and tag along with you. I'm sure you could use my company anyway. I know I've been bored of having no one to talk to by that rabbit."

We all laugh as the mouse brings out our food. The "pies" in question really do look like circular pot-pies. I'd say about nine or ten inches in diameter too. John hands her a coin and asks for some more drinks. I don't know if it's just Espas, but the alcohol here is much more acceptable. Kayde starts tearing into her pie, and I don't know how she doesn't burn her tongue.

"To be honest, I'm glad we found you. I was worried for a while that something worse may have happened to you that day." I say, between taking bites of the almost ham flavored meat and vegetable pie.

Putting his drink back down and wiping his muzzle, John replies. "Yeah same here. I mean you were closer than I was to that thing too. By the way, what's with the collar? You never used to wear anything like that before."

"That's to let everyone else know he's mine." Kayde interrupts, before shoveling more food into her mouth again.

I tilt my head and tug at it a little before speaking. "It's like the equivalent of a wedding ring I think. This one used to be her father's and she's got her mother's. I guess passing family heirlooms along has more importance here than back on Earth."

"How come you don't have a mate John?" The wolf asks as she sets her fork down on her empty plate. "A good looking raccoon like you should've have any problems being found."

John coughs and readjusts himself in the chair. "I've been busy working for the old man. Not exactly advertising myself either. Plus this whole being a raccoon humanoid thing is kinda weird. How are you not uncomfortable with it?"

"I don't know. There are some advantages and disadvantages to it all I guess." I answer. "The muzzle face part is the hardest to get used to. On top of the super sensitive smelling, drinking is a little harder."

The raccoon holds up his mug, which isn't quite a circular mug like we used to have back home, but one made for animal people. "I hear that. This fur and shedding thing makes a mess sometimes."

"That's only if you don't brush and clean yourself." Kayde interjects, sounding as if we were both insulting her and her people. "There's nothing wrong with fur or noses or tails. What was so great about being human?"

"Boots that fit right." John counters. "And hands that can do more precise things, and if you get wet you don't smell like wet dog. Kayde just sticks her tongue out at him and crosses her arms.

We all finish eating and have one more round of drinks before leaving. Wadel was nice enough to have given us some extra money before we all left. Back at the warehouse the old rabbit seems to have turned the office's sofas into makeshift beds for us before he went to sleep. John heads up to his loft and Kayde and I lay down on the sofas and get to sleep ourselves.

I wake up in the morning only to find my friend staring down at me and laughing. "Oh... how cute. The two little lovers together like that." Surprised to find myself on the floor and not the sofa with Kayde next to me, I quickly get up only to find I have no pants on. In an embarrassed panic I look around but find my clothes in John's hand. He teases me with keep away for a second, but I grab them and redress while he laughs. "You're not going to be able to live that one down man."

I don't actually know what happened last night. These kinds of things have happened to me a couple times in the past. Almost like sleep walking or something. One time I went to sleep on my bed back in Cleveland, and woke up downstairs on the couch without explanation or memory of it. Kayde gets up and stretches upward with a yawn before realizing that we're all standing around her. John tries to play with her too, but she snatches up her clothes quickly. "Oh you're so mean John!"

"I didn't know you were into big women dude." The raccoon says, continuing to laugh and tease at our expense. "And the three pairs of breasts is kinda weird."

His words doing to her what his actions did to me just before, Kayde stamps her foot in an embarrassed rage and yells out. "I am not big! I'm carrying Rannus' children. And what's wrong with my chest?"

John turns his head over to me and puts on the widest grin I think I've ever seen him have. "Oh, I see how it is. So that's what you've been busy doing all this time. No wonder you don't seem to have any problems living here."

Kayde comes over and throws both her arms around me, looking up for protection. "Come on man, that's enough for now. We've got things to do today anyway."

"Yeah! We have to go take some stuff to the guild." The wolf responds, still holding me tight. "Come on, let's leave him here and go sell that cloth."

With his joke playing over, John speaks in a more normal tone. "Well, in that case here's the rest of the money from last night. Get some lunch while you're out. I've got to help the old man out today. I think that incident made him reconsider retiring, and now I've got to play little worker."

With that being said, we head back over to the cart and hook our callow back up. It takes nearly a half hour to navigate to the guild. I do find out that they more or less run the town. No real kings or rulers to speak of around here. More of a merchant republic. I let Kayde take the cart and the cloth to find someone to buy it while I head over to the industrial quarter. In the main office for the blacksmiths, I talk to a large gray bear woman behind. Although she's sitting down, it looks like she's as tall as Elryn, but defiantly larger.

"Hello there, I'm looking for Bercedia. I've got an order list from Garrich in Espas." I say, pulling the letter out of my vest.

Clearly surprised at me mentioning his name, the bear sits up at attention. "Garrich? My little Garrich? How come he couldn't come in person. I so would've wanted to see him again. And without that stupid fox hounding him." She says, then looks down at me embarrassed when she realizes I'm also a fox. "No offence to you, little one."

"Well, none taken I guess. Is she around? "I reply holding the letter.

"Yeah, I'm her. Let's see what my little bear wants." She answers, taking the letter. "Hmmm... He wants an extra shipment sent early. That shouldn't be a problem. But next time he should come and let me know himself. I don't get to see him much anymore since that fox grabbed him up. And we were such close friends too."

I can see her skin turning red under the gray fur on her face as the bear deeply inhales the from the paper. I don't really need this right now, so I just thank her and make my way out to try and find Kayde. Hopefully she managed to offload the cloth so we can go get something to eat.

Wandering around this bazaar for a little while, I take in the sights and smells. There are all sorts of things for sale here, ranging from simple food and produce to ornate clothing and jewelry. Quite a few interesting looking people too. There must not be all too much discrimination between animal races if they're all reproducing with each other like this. I keep my eyes out for any kind of interesting trinket or bauble that catches my eye, but after a while everything starts blend together and look the same.

I finally do run into Kayde again, and she's already taken care of everything else. We grab a bite to eat before heading back to Wadel's warehouse. John and his boss are going though the place trying to round up everything to liquidate. The old rabbit really must be done trading after taking that blow a few days ago. "Hey, you want a hand with that? All the stuff we had to take care of is more or less done today." I ask, watching them sort though boxes and crates.

John stops digging though the container he's leaning into and looks up at me. "Sure, I suppose so. What I'm supposed to be doing is organizing everything into lots for the old man to take down to the guild to off. There's a little box over there you can start with. Just put like items together. Cloth with cloth, metal with metal, wood with wood. That kind of thing."

"Alright, that sounds simple enough." I reply, pulling the lid off the waist high wooden crate. Most of what's in here all looks like little brass or bronze statuettes, as well as a few dresses. "You have some place for women's clothing and little metal idols yet?"

"No, leave the figures in there." Wadel answers, putting down some jars of what look like spices. "And I don't remember having any women's dresses left in here. They must be fairly old, as I haven't moved any in years."

Kayde hops off her seat on the back of our cart to take a better look at the clothing. "Wow! I haven't seen dresses like these since I was little. That fashion went out of style more than 10 years ago I thought." As she holds up one of the sets of clothing to examine, I notice that it's quite a colorful purple and silver. It's a somewhat large upper mantle connected to a loose fitting front and back section, similar to Kayde's apron. A longer knee length skirt composes the lower half. The other dress looks similar to the first, but in a deep green and silver color pattern.

"I do remember seeing clothing like that years and years ago." Wadel responds as he scratches his ear. "Nobody's going to want old styles like that anymore. Do you want 'em?"

The wolf's expression lights up at the offer as she runs over to the old rabbit hugging him in appreciation. I notice her rabbit tail wagging it's short little wag as she holds him. "Now now, that's quite enough out of you." Wadel says, turning his head and clearing his throat when she lets him go. "Go ahead and try 'em on. I hope they fit alright."

She heads over in the offices to change, and a few minutes later returns wearing the purple outfit. It's really quite an interesting design. I get the feeling that women here, or at the very least Kayde, are much more open with their sexuality and choice of clothing. Must be the fur thing, or maybe just cultural differences. "It looks good on you." I say with a grin. "Does it fit right? Not too large or anything?"

"It's just a little long, but I can change it down later." The wolf replies, spinning around once or twice. "I bet mother would be so surprised to see it too." As she continues to explore her new attire, we finish sorting through the rest of the goods. Nothing else too interesting catches my fancy. Mostly mundane materials that get separated into their respective groups. Although the warehouse looks like it's a mess now, Wadel tells us he'll take it from here. We all go out for a late dinnertime meal back at The Happy Pup. Today's pie tastes more like chicken. I think it might be that artsat bird.

"So when're you leaving to check out that city you were talking about?" John asks while we eat. "I think Wadel was going to let me go soon considering that work we just did."

"Tomorrow, probably. Unless something else comes up." I reply. "This place is interesting and all, but it's not why we came out here. Hopefully it won't take us too long to get there."

Kayde brings her fork up to take a bite, but stops and speaks first. "And maybe you'll find what you're looking for too. But I'll stick by you even if you don't.

"I hear that." The raccoon responds, lifting his mug up and taking a drink. "I don't even know exactly what we're looking for either. I really do want some kind of answers though. Why the hell are we here? Where did that rock come from."

I bring one paw up to my forehead and scratch it for a moment before talking. "Well, I don't really know either. But with this being my last lead I'm going to follow through with it. If we come up empty-handed, then we come up empty-handed. As hard as it'll be for me to accept for a while, I'll just have to accept it and move on. Just have to face the facts that we're really stuck here, for better or worse."

"I'd much rather still be back home." John says, shaking his head. "And I'd really like to be my old self again. I've got no friends or anyone here, other than you. But our reunion was just recent. My old life was much better. Maybe this is some kind of divine punishment of some sort."

Laughing at my friend's words, I grin as I talk. "Oh, and what was so great about your life before? You worked in a goddamn supermarket."

"Like your warehouse job was any better." He retorts with a tone of sarcasm. "We may not have had much going on, but it was ours and we weren't forced into it like this. And most of all we weren't animals."

Shrugging my shoulders out of a lack of suitable answers, Kayde speaks up after an uncomfortable pause. "Espas can be just as good a place as your Cleveland. Rannus has been making it so better since he got here. I think you'd like it here just fine if you find yourself a nice girl to settle down with too."

"Yeah, I never thought Mr. Can't-Commit-To-Anything here would be married within hours of getting here." The raccoon says, trying to tease me. "Man, you have trouble sitting though whole TV shows before wanting to try to find something else to watch. And now here you are."

Sounding as if this struck the wrong chord with Kayde, she responds almost loud enough to yell. "No way! That doesn't sound like my Rannus at all. He always goes all the way with everything he does. Right Rannus?"

I've been staring down silently at my empty plate holding my head up with one arm for the last few minutes now, but I finally start talking again. "No. This is different. All that shit back home were more or less trivial ideas or whims. Those didn't affect anyone but myself. Everything here matters more. I will and do follow it all the way though because other people are involved."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say dude." John replies, obviously not wanting to keep going. "Let's get going back to the warehouse. I want to pick up a few things in the morning before we get heading out."

I did not sleep well that night. Something about what was said brought me down. There was truth to his words. I have left things unfinished in the past. What bothered me was the worry that I might something similar and somehow hurt Kayde or someone. It's one thing for me to let myself down, but it's another to let someone else down the same way. At least I wanted to think so. I just hope she wasn't thinking I was going to abandon her or anything now.

When I finally do get up this morning, my pants are right where I left them the night before. And I'm still on the sofa too. However it seems that everyone else got up before me. John must have heard my getting up and calls out from the warehouse. "Hey, you're finally up. I'm just about done getting my stuff in order here. Not that I really had much to start with."Walking into the other room to check it out, he continues speaking. "And listen, I'm sorry about what I said last night. I didn't mean to come off as an ass or anything. It's just this whole situation is fucked up, and really just want to go home. I'm all stressed out and everything, but I really am glad to see you again."

Looking down and scratching my ear for a moment, I respond without much emotion. "I understand. I was feeling down like that too for a while." My head comes back up and I resume talking with more feeling in my voice. "I've had a hard time trying to calmly and as rationally as possible accept my situation as it is too. Being with Kayde has helped a little I guess, but from time to time I really just wanted to be back to my old self."

"I know. Let's just try to get to the bottom of this. I know you've been wanting some good buffalo chicken wings as much as I have. Once back home I'll buy us a round." John replies, trying to force some good cheer.

Going back home. Even if it were possible, what about Kayde? I don't know that I could just leave her here like that. And bringing her along might not be possible either, let alone a good idea. On top of that, if we don't turn back into human again, there was no way we'd be accepted back into society. Nothing I was thinking was helping me any. I needed to stop second guessing myself like that and just go on ahead.

By about lunchtime everything is all packed up and ready to go again. Kayde was nice enough to have brought us something to eat when she got back. We all thank Wadel for his hospitality and head out. After a few hours of traveling, the landscape became the same dull woodland it was before the Dales. Nothing I tried was helping me shake the worry. Neither talking with John and Kayde nor trying to relax and catch some more fish as we setup camp for the night was doing it for me. For the second night in a row I did not sleep easy.

The overall scene did not change much over the following weeks as we traveled towards our destination. We ran into two other travelers along the way too. One was just some local woodsman hunter, but the other was another traveling merchant. He had some salt and other spices that were a welcome change to otherwise bland fish and meat.

The river did branch away after about a week as well, but another new one appeared a while later. I don't know if it was the same body of water or not. There were some interesting woodland cliffs we passed near too. They were similar to some of the metro parks back in north east Ohio I used to hike though occasionally. A few little lakes and ponds too, but I think most of them were just some sort of accumulated swamp lands. Not that we really had to get wet to go by.

My mood did eventually improve as we kept walking. Although there was only so much to talk about while out there, very rarely was our group completely silent. Kayde kept asking more about what the Earth was like, though I don't know how much she actually understood all of it, it was still entertaining. Unfortunately, she didn't have much else to say about her world outside Espas. Geographical commentary and fiction made up the rest of our conversations.

It was about the 17th or 18th day or so, and we had been traveling up a sort of river valley for a few days now when I noticed that the dirt path (if you even want to call it that) had started to get a bit more rocky. Not quite rocks covering the land rocky, but like there might almost have been a stone road of some kind here at some point. It doesn't make for any easier of travel, but rather a curiosity I take note of.

Over the next day or so the road doesn't so much improve as it does lead us. I eventually manage to make something massive out above the tree line of the woods ahead of us. It takes us a few hours to actually get close enough to recognize it for what it is. A large weathered and destroyed concrete and steel bridge over the valley like area we were walking though. Another hour or so and we're under what's left of it. Most of one half of it has corroded and fallen down.

"Well, this is fairly interesting right here." I say, walking around one of the massive supports that still hold up part of the structure. Brushing away some of the green that had grown over top most it, I notice something peculiar. "This is steel reinforced concrete. I highly doubt there was some civilization somewhere on this planet that was able to build something like this and then disappear."

"The Romans built some impressive stuff in their time that was unmatched for centuries." John replies, clearly as clueless as me.

Thinking about it for a minute, I sigh and give him my answer. "Maybe so, but they didn't quite have this level of technology. Something like this would take at least early to mid 20th century tech. Maybe you've been places around here I haven't, but I don't think anyone even matches up to the 15th century."

"In any event, sitting around here probably won't answer what we're looking for. Let's just keep going. The raccoon responds with one hand behind his head.

As we continue onwards, things continue to look out of place. Although the overgrowth makes it hard to see some bits, we're able to make out what remains of several smaller stone and steel buildings. And even more bizarre are a few cars. Or at least I think they were at one point. Most of the steel had rusted and the interior bits wasted away, but some still had enough glass, frame, engine block and plastic to figure it out.

"Man this keeps getting weirder and weirder." John says, still unable to make heads or tails of it all. "It all looks like the long dead ruins of a city from our world. I guess this might be what we were looking for."

Cutting away some vines growing though a building's window I reply. "Maybe. Give me a hand with this. I think there might be something in here that could tell us what it once was." We chop enough away for me to crawl into the building, and I look around. By the look of it this place was once a small store of some sort. Kicking aside some debris I find what I was looking for. A glass bottle with a logo I recognize for an old soft drink. I hand it off to John and do one last look around before climbing back out.

"Holy shit. It's a cola bottle." He responds, quite obliviously shocked at my find. "But... But how? I might almost be able to believe that there was an ancient society here, but this is clearly taking it too far."

"I honestly don't know." I answer, then start to smile a little. "But do you think it's still any good?" John's face turns to disgust at the thought of even trying that as he hands the bottle back to me. "Well, only one way to find out." And with that I open it and take a sniff. I can't notice anything out of the ordinary, so I reluctantly take a drink.

Wrong decision. Not only was this the warmest, flattest soda I had ever tasted, but it had been sitting so long that the ingredients had started to separate. Spitting it out wasn't enough to make the taste go away. I drop the bottle and run over to the cart to look for refreshment. Anything would do. Even Espas piss beer. I don't think I remember the last time John had laughed that hard, especially at me. Kayde giggles a little, but I don't think she really knows what actually happened.

With the situation resolved enough for me to not want to cut my own tongue out, I report my findings. "Okay, other than being the worst thing I had ever tasted ever, it actually is what the label says. If it had been sitting for like 200 years."

"I can't believe you actually did that." John replies, still laughing at me. "I hope you learned your lesson." Turning my head downward in shame I softly answer. "Yes."

Moving past my little misadventure, we continue onward. The density of ruins becoming greater as we continue northward. I'm still unable to determine what exactly happened here. Did some kind of weapon go off and destroy this place? Or was it just flat out abandoned for a long time? Most of the wooden structures seem to have rotted away, but a few sections can be made out amongst what remains here and there.

"This is looking like it defiantly was a city at one point." John says, looking at what appears to have been an apartment complex of some sort. "Some of these street signs can still be made out too. That one looks like a pedestrian crossing sign, and that one a stop sign."

"And there are still some power lines and stop lights around too." I add, pointing at the cables over an intersection. "It might a bit of a long shot, but maybe we can figure out where we are if we can find some street name signs."

Kayde looks over at me out of the cart and asks what all these things are, and why streets would have names.

"You remember those cars I was telling you about?" I answer, pointing at the wreck of one. "Well, these signs would provide instructions or information to the people driving them as well as people walking along the street. And we had so many streets that you'd never be able to find your way around if they didn't have some kind of identification."

"That sounds like a lot to have to learn." She replies as we make our way through another intersection.

John handles this one and speaks up. "You didn't have to learn where all the signs and stuff were. You only needed to be able to identify what they said. And maps also helped with finding places too."

We had all been a little caught up in the scenery for a while to notice that the sun was nearly gone. I decide to try to find a suitable enough building to try and spend the night in, and pick the lobby of an larger building. It was large enough to fit the cart and callow into, and still intact enough to provide shelter for the night. Discussing what we've seen today around the fire, I can't shake the feeling something about all this seems too familiar.

In the morning I take a moment to wander around outside building a little while by myself. Trying to spot street signs in the greenery, I manage to make out a couple names. Most of them I don't recognize at all, but the one I keep seeing is Warner Rd. A little ways north and I spot some railroad tracks crossing Warner. I turn around before getting too far from everyone else.

As we all travel together again, John and I keep looking for signs, clues, anything. Strangely enough it's Kayde that notices something big before us. "What's that big all thing all the way over there? It's so much taller than all the trees and almost shiny." She says, pointing to the northwest.

Squinting my eyes and trying to spot it myself, I move around looking for the best angle. Although there is something over there, I can't figure out what it is. Maybe another bridge or a skyscraper or something. Turning down the road into that direction, John notices several signs that indicate this is Broadway Ave.

A little ways down Broadway, and we reach what looks like a highway of some kind. There isn't any easy way onto what remains of it, but looking around I think this might have been a major highway intersection. Eventually one of the signs for an on or off ramp indicate that this is, or at least once was, interstate 77. I stand and point at the sign for several minutes trying to fully grasp the picture.

"Is that really what I think it looks like?" John finally asks, bringing me out of my dazed state. "Because if it is, then I have a feeling I know exactly where this is. And I don't like that one bit."

My mouth remains open for some time before any words actually come out. "Okay. Calmly, and rationally now, think about possibilities. If this is I-77 and Broadway, then this is probably Cleveland." I say, sounding quite disturbed with the thoughts running by me. "But then why, and more importantly how is it here? Is this place some anthropomorphic future earth? Or is it some kind of a highly elaborate hoax or maybe like a holographic simulation? Or are we on another planet with bizarre and almost unexplainable circumstances?"

"Dude, I don't have any idea." The raccoon responds, as clueless as me. "If it really is Cleveland, then maybe we can go back to the pond where the meteorite fell. If it's still around."

Kayde had been sitting patiently in the wagon letting us talk before finally adding anything in herself, having even less of an idea what was going on. "I don't think I follow what's happening here. Could you please explain it to me?"

I turn around and walk over to the back of the cart and begin to try to explain what I think is going on as we take a quick lunch. We all decide to try to make our way over to the pond where this all started. Unfortunately, if I know my city maps correctly, and I usually do, we're going to need to go back south a bit to Harvard and hope we can get across the river without too much trouble. As much as the thought of trying to ford the Cuyahoga with 12 grandfather clocks and a hat would amuse me, now isn't the time.

I spend the next few hours trying to navigate my way though vaguely familiar surroundings. We were able to get across the river and start to make our way down what I think used to be Bradley, or maybe Van Eppes. Rd. It was in terrible shape to start with because of all the semi-truck traffic, but there is little left of it now. When we reach Skyview Rd. it dawns on me that we can probably just cut though the petroleum storage tank area and save a trip up and back down that fucking hill.

With a little work the rusty gate goes down and we get in. Shortly though, the drive ends and the callow has to be tied up so we can finish the rest of the walk on foot. With a little help from John, and knocking down another fence length, we make it to the pond.

"This should be where that rock fell I think." I say, pointing out roughly the location. "It's hard to say exactly on account of the increase in size of the pond, but I'm fairly sure this is it."

"There's nothing here but some grass and a puddle." John responds, scanning the location. "I think you're right though. Maybe this little puddle is all that's left of the crater now. We don't have the tools or time to dig it up, even if there were anything down there."

Sighing lightly, I take a seat on a fallen tree log near the water. Kayde comes and sits next to me to try and cheer me up a little. "Hey, don't feel so bad." She says, bring one around my back. "We might not have found whatever it was you're looking for, but think about all the cool things we did get to see and learn about. And we can come back here next year too."

"I guess so." I reply, looking down at my lap and continually running one paw along the end of my tail. "I just really wanted to find some explanation to all this. And now that these ruins almost exactly match my hometown, it only raises further questions."

Kicking at the mud and grass a bit, John speaks up too. "I guess that's that then. We're here now, and not going to ever find out why. That's just great."

"Weren't you just telling me to not be so hard on myself just a little while ago?" The wolf responds, resting her head on my arm. "I think you're still a great person even if you can't solve everything."

I bring my head back up to look at her before replying. "I know you're right, but this is just hard to accept for me. Let's get going back home. Maybe I'll come to terms with it in time." We stand up and I stretch my arms with a yawn when something I thought wasn't even possible happens. My cell phone rings as if receiving a call. I reach into my pocket and pull it out. The caller ID shows it as an unknown caller. "What the f..." John begins to say, before I cut him off and answer the call.

"Hello?" I say, finding it somewhat hard to hold this thing up to my oddly shaped head. "Who is this? And how is it even possible that you're calling me? You wanted to not startle us? I think we're pretty good and startled now. What do you mean make yourself appear? Where are you? Who are you?" The call ends there, and looking off to my right I hear two figures approaching.

"Easy there! We mean you no harm" A man's voice calls out. "We just want to talk to you and your friend there."

My hand holding onto the handle of my machete, but not having pulled it out yet I yell back. "Friend? You mean John or Kayde? And what exactly do you want? How did you call me?"

Continuing their approach, the same voice answers. "Your, I guess raccoon, friend. Normally we don't contact the locals here, but you two are different."

The two figures finally becoming visible, I notice they're both wearing some kinds of the same uniforms. A deep blue jumpsuit with what might be some kind of utility belt and vest with pouches. And... they don't have fur? "Different?" I say, releasing my paw from my makeshift weapon and bringing Kayde behind me. "How? Do you mean that you know we're not from this place? Explain yourselves."

"That's exactly it." The other, more feminine voice calls out. "Our scanners detected that the two of you contain small amounts of human DNA, unlike the rest of the native inhabitants of this world."

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain what you want or who you are." John retorts with a slight hint of anger in his voice. "Do you know what's going on here? Why we were brought to this place?"

The man replies this time, the pair being about 30 feet away at this point. "I'm sorry, we didn't mention our names. I'm Commander Kenny Sibis of the Terran Science and Planet Exploratory Study. And this is..."

"Lieutenant Sarah Entia." She interrupts, bringing one hand to her head in a salute. " TSAPES (Say-pis) has been investigating this planet some of the locals refer to as Rydolth for the past few years trying to figure out how this ancient earth city was relocated here."

"Do you actually know?" I ask, assuming a more relaxed stance. "Do you know why we're here too? And if you're humans, is this some kind of alternate history or the future, or all just someone's idea of a sick game?"

"TASPES has a few theories, but I believe that from your standpoint this is the future." Kenny replies. "Currently we believe that an accident in mining and processing a rare substance in the Oort cloud about a decade ago may have been the cause of this."

Motioning with my hand in a circular motion I tell him to continue. "The compound in question is a fairly unstable material." Sarah responds. "It has been known to exhibit certain... time space altering properties. We think that part of the ore may have propelled itself back to about early 21st century Earth, where it had went critical and took the city with. Nobody had any idea what happened, and assumed it to have been some kind of attack. It took decades for the world to finally get past it's finger pointing."

"So you're saying that this actually is Cleveland." John responds looking around himself. "And that we're here because of little more than an industrial accident. What about the rest of the people in the city? Where are they?"

A look of embarrassing ignorance is clear across both the humans' faces as Sarah coughs before answering. "Like we said. It was a highly unstable material. And you two are actually the first survivors we or anyone has found to my knowledge. As for being turned into animal morphic peoples, I couldn't say. Maybe the metal had combined your genetic makeup with that of something from Rydolth.

"Can you change us back? Or maybe return us to Earth?" John inquires. "And if this is the future, then what year is it then?"

"Currently the year is 2238" The commander answers, then bringing his hand to scratch his short beard continues. "We could take you back to earth with us. However, TSAPES may be interested in studying you before letting you go free. It could be months or maybe even years. Unfortunately current Terran medical technology is not advanced enough to be able to perform that level of genetic manipulation." The raccoon stomps his foot into the ground, sending mud up his leg and starts cursing.

Kayde suddenly grabs me from behind, bringing both her arms around my chest. "Uhhh... Rannus, I don't feel so good. I think it might be time."

"Now?!" I respond, turning around and trying to support the wolf. "I thought we still had a few weeks? Don't tell me this trip accelerated the process."

The two humans rush over and Sarah pulls out some kind of hand scanner device to examine Kayde. "She's going into labor. It seems the gestation period for this species is significantly shorter than humans. We should bring them up to the sick bay. This is a terrible place to have to give birth."

Kenny gets out some kind of hand communicator device, and begins speaking into it. "This is Commander Kenny of ground party three. Lock onto my location and transport five up to the Indra."

"Transporter? As in some kind of matter energy transporter?" I try asking before being engulfed in a soft light. That was a somewhat disorientating experience. Not quite as bad as when I got here, but equally unexpected. I come to a few seconds later inside a metal room with some kind of glass floor under me. I'm guessing it's the transporter mechanism. A younger looking man in the same kind of uniform is standing behind a control panel on the other side of the medium sized room.

"Commander?" He says with a short salute. "What are you doing brining natives up here? I thought TSAPES expressly forbid those kinds of actions?"

Walking over to Kayde and giving me a hand bringing her to the door, Kenny responds. "I know the rules ensign. But this is different. Two of them are partially human and the other needs medical help. Contact sick bay and send for a team to meet us on deck two."

We all make our way out of the transporter room and down the hall to an elevator. I can't help by look around and admire the technological marvel that is this ship. With only a few small details out of place, it really does look straight out of something you'd see in science fiction. I don't know if John was sharing my level of interest, and I know Kayde had other things on her mind to be sightseeing. A short ride up on the elevator, and the medical crew is waiting outside the door along with two guards armed with some kind of rifles. They take my machete as the wolf is helped up onto a stretcher bed of some kind. We get escorted to sick bay and the doctor starts examining Kayde.

"Rannus, what's going on?" The wolfess asks as the ship's doctor and assistant begin running large medical scanners atop her. "I'm scared. They're not going to hurt us are they?"

Holding her outstretched paw with both hands, I respond. "No. These people are doctors and they'll help you out more than anyone in the village probably could have." The doctor and her assistant move me out of the way as Kenny comes up and places one hand on shoulder from behind.

"She'll be fine." He says. "Let doctor Meryl handle this. I still was hoping to be able to talk to you two about what's happened." Sarah stays alongside Kayde as the commander leads us out of the room and across the hall to some kind of a small conference hall with a table and chairs. We all take a seat and looking out the window I can see us orbiting Rydolth. It looks to be a more temperate world than earth. The frozen polar caps extend further down and there are fewer desert areas.

"Beautiful world isn't it?" Kenny says, turning around in his chair to look at the planet behind him. "Almost does look like earth, but a little colder. Not that you two might notice with all that fur and all."

John retorts with a slight tone of anger to that comment. "What could possibly be so great about it? This wasn't exactly my choice to be here you know."

"Whoa, easy there. I meant it as an observational joke, not to offend either of you." The commander responds, bringing both his hands up above the table. " Look, I'm sure we'd all like to try to get to the bottom of this mystery, so why don't you both start from the top about what happened leading up to this."

We both give him our stories and misadventures. About how we were just fishing one day and that rock came out of the sky, about what we'd been doing for the last couple of months, and the trip to explore the destroyed city we'd heard about. "I see. If that is the case then I may be able to say this case is getting much closer to being solved then." Kenny finally replies after listening to both of us talk.

"So what's going to happen now? I take it we're stuck in this time period and not going to be able to return to being human again." I ask, tapping one paw on the table. "But what're we going to do now? Are you going to just put us back on Rydolth as if we'd never met?"

John lightly pounds one fist on the glass tabletop, and demands some kind of answer as well. "Look, I know this hasn't been easy for either of you, but unfortunately you're both just victims of circumstance." The human answers, leaning forward in his chair. "As far as I can see it I can really only offer you two choices. First, I send you back down to the surface and you live out your lives there."

Kenny brings his hand up to his forehead for a moment before continuing. "Or, we can take you back to TSAPES with us and after a brief medical and scientific examination, you'll be submitted to several years of education to bring yourselves back up to speed with this century."

"What about Kayde?" I reply. "Would I be able to bring her with me if I were to go back to Earth?"

Sighing briefly, the commander responds. "I'm afraid not. The two of you are already in a very gray area of TSAPES rules being here as it is. The girl would not be allowed to come along. Even if she does have your children."

I place my head down on the table and rest it on my arms. "Listen, you don't have to decide right now. I'll give you a day or two to make your decisions. You'll be given guest quarters to rest in while you think it over. And someone will bring your animal up to the cargo bay for safe keeping. In the meantime we should go see how your friend is doing."

Reluctantly I get back up and we follow the Kenny back to sick bay. Sarah greets us with open arms and leads me over to Kayde. In her arms are a pair of mostly fox looking babies. One is more red like myself, but has rabbit's ears and a more wolf shaped face, while the other has more white like it's mother, with wolf's rear legs but a fox's tail and head.

The wolf looks up at me from the bed she was still lying on, and speaks with joy in her voice. "Oh Rannus thank you. You've made me so happy. None of this would've been possible without you."

I lean down and she gives me a long passionate kiss. The same feeling of detachment comes over me again like when we exchanged collars a few months ago. I don't know if this is just how I am, or the stress from being informed of my situation by Kenny. As much as I try to reciprocate her show of affection, I just can't fully get into it like I feel a normal person should and would have. Eventually Kayde must have figured me out and lets go. "What's wrong Rannus? Aren't you as happy as I am?" She says.

"I am. It's just..." I reply, turning my head over to John, Kenny, and Sarah who were sitting around talking on the other side of the room. "It's just that what commander Kenny just told us..."

"Don't worry about what he said." The wolf mother responds as I look back at her. "There are more important things to think about right now. Like picking out names. I was thinking you could name our son and I would name our daughter."

At that point it hits me. I remember my own name. I don't know what caused it, or even why I didn't bother to ask John, but I remembered it. "Well, since I'm not using it anymore why not give him my old name. Matthew."

"Matthew?" She responds, handing me the red fox with rabbit's ears. "I like it. And how about Mirrith for our daughter then?"

"That's great too." I answer, holding my son in my arms. I stay with Kayde for several more hours before doctor Meryl makes me leave so she can rest. Kenny and Sarah show us to our room and show us how to operate the food dispenser before leaving. We get out some great steaks and potatoes with a vegetable noodle soup from the machine and start eating.

"I haven't had real food in so long." John says, cutting into his meat. "I don't know what kind of stuff has happened in the last 200 years or so, but they still know how to cook a good cut of beef."

"What makes you think it's actually beef?" I respond. "Or for that matter even from an actual animal? For all we know they might be creating artificial food from literally scratch."

The raccoon stops his fork mid journey for a moment, then finishes the trip and talks after chewing. "Don't care. It tastes real enough for me. I'll ignore your reality and substitute my own." Laughing at his comment, I ask what his decision was going to be. "I'm going back to Earth." He replies. "No offence to these people here, but I don't want to live in the middle ages. Not when there's a real society out there I can go back to."

"I see. I was sort of hoping you'd stay with me too." I say, looking down at my food with disappointment.

"Sorry man, I just don't think I could do it." He answers. "These last couple of months were hard enough. I just want to be back with my own people again."

Finishing off the rest of my soup, I respond. "But you're not human anymore either. Are you even sure you'd be accepted back into human society again? And what about that scientific study they said that was going to happen? You're okay with that?"

"I can't see how anything would go wrong." John replies, then gives a short laugh. "Knock out some easy schooling, then try to get myself an interesting job somewhere. Maybe I'll get my own starship and I can come get you one day."

I laugh at his response, and we finish eating shortly after. I crawl into bed on one side of the room and fall asleep after washing up. It was nice to be able to use real soap and water again, although I'll be damned if that didn't take three times as long.

Sarah comes in and wakes us up in the late morning. Although she may have acted surprised to notice me sleeping without any clothes on because of the warmth of the room, I think she had some curiosity regarding any differences in the animal morphs' anatomy. Something like that seeming natural to a scientist I thought to myself. I get dressed and she leads us back to the conference room where commander Kenny is already waiting.

"Good to see both of you again." He says as the three of us sit down. "I know I had said I was going to give you more time to decide, but after passing along your information to TSAPES, we've received new orders to move out soon."

"That's fine with me, I already made my decision" John replies, sitting back in his chair. "And I think it's fairly obvious what my friend here is going to do."

The commander leans forward and readjusts himself in the chair. "And what are your respective decisions then? I'm not forcing either of you to decide either way. This is to be a choice you come to on your own, however time constrained it now is."

"I'm going to go with you guys back to Earth." The raccoon answers. "Although I don't want to leave him behind like that, I don't think I can live on this world."

The room turns their heads towards me, and I give a long sigh before finally speaking. "I'm going to stay here with Kayde. If it didn't mean leaving her behind I'd go with you too."

"Very well then." Kenny replies, standing up from his seat. "We'll put you back down near your village on the surface so you don't have to travel so far with newborn children. Lieutenant, please escort our guest to sick bay and prepare their belongings for transport. John, please come with me."

The pair leave the room and head off down the hall. I think to myself that this will probably be the last time I ever see him and say my goodbyes before they go. In the hallway, Sarah stops and hands be a communicator similar to the one Kenny used the other day.

"Here," she says, trying to secretly give it to me. "I'm not supposed to be doing this, but take it and hide it in your pocket. If you ever want to talk to me you'll need this. I know I'd still like to get to know you a little more, and 20th century history really interests me. Oh, there might be a slight delay in transmission due to distance to the closest subspace communication network buoy, but it'll work all the same. I don't want to just leave you here all alone forever. I'll let you know the next time we're in the neighborhood. Just don't tell the commander."

I nod and pocket the device. We walk into the sick bay, and I see Kayde already up and moving around. I don't know if that's normal or if the doctor had given her something. But she gives me quite the firm hug as the lieutenant and I explain the situation.

"So we're going home then?" She says, letting me go and nearly dragging me over to our children. "Oh won't mother be so shocked to see all of us too. Where's your friend at by the way?"

He... won't be joining us I'm afraid." I answer, turning my head away. "John's going to stay with these people and go back to our... his home. I don't know if I'll ever see him again."

"That's so selfish and mean!" Kayde responds crossing her arms across her chest. "He can't just go and leave us behind like that."

"No, it would be selfish to keep him here against his will." I reply. "He never wanted this to begin with. Maybe he'll find whatever it is he's looking for out there."

Sarah interrupts us with news that everything is ready to go. Our cart is set to be transported as soon as we're ready. Bringing Matthew and Mirrith with us, we go down to the transporter room. John and Kenny are there to see us off. I say my final goodbyes as the soft white light envelops us again. A few moments later we're just outside Espas with the cart and callow nearby. Kayde climbs back into the cart with the little foxes and in about 15 or 20 minutes we're back home.

"You're back so soon! I thought you were going to be gone for..." Jetzel starts to say before seeing that we weren't alone. "Oh my goodness!" She exclaims, dropping her broom on the ground and running over to us. "I can't believe that you had them so soon! Traveling didn't upset the kits did it?"

Kayde laughs as her mother picks up Mirrith and holds her. "No mom. And you wouldn't believe where we had been even if I tried to tell you."

The rabbit turns her head over to me with an accusing look that stares right into my soul. "Just where did you go then? None of you were hurt I hope." She says.

"No. We're all fine." I answer. "Like she said, you would have a hard time understanding where exactly we went. But we're back now and that's all that matters."

Jetzel starts making her way to the door of the house, and tells us to come on in. We all sit down in our usual spots in the den as Kayde and her mother begin to baby Matthew and Mirrith. "You know Rannus," She says, looking up for a moment. "You're going to have to find some real work now. I won't be around forever to take care of the both of you."

We all laugh as Kayde and I start recounting our journey. Life starts to become more or less the same as it was before around here in the passing weeks as we all take up our old places in the village. Thinking about it one sunny afternoon with my new family, I believe it finally comes to me that I had found whatever it was I was looking for.

---

I do hope you enjoyed it as much as I did dreaming it up. Let me know what you think and how you feel about it. Does my writing skill need improvement? In what area(s)? Did I manage to convey a colorful and interesting enough world around the story? Are the characters believable enough to seem real to you? Also I'm not sure what else to really tag it with that would be helpful.

Love it or hate it, I'll continue to imagine up tales of all sorts. Let me know what can be made better, and everyone wins.