FSE

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I streak through the forest that surrounds my house, away from civilisation, away from pain, away from my life. The tears running down my face blurred my vision and made it impossible to see. But I didn't care. I would have kept running until my body gave from exhaustion, except that the branch that appeared in front of me did a pretty good job of stopping me. I slump to the ground, and I cry. I weep, I wail, I sob, until I had cried myself out. Then not my head but my heart, the heart that cares only for my friends, my heart told me to get over it. This strong, proud orangey red wox was getting upset over a muzzle. No-one knew me, no-one would. I am the unseen ally, the unknown friend. No-one saw me, no-one knew me. I was a myth, the mysterious man who said nothing, paid silently, gave nothing away. My house was hidden. You can only find it if you know where it is, or have a big beacon to guide you. It's in the middle of a forest. But the myth, the silent shadow, that one guy who everyone knows about, yet no-one knows anything about. This was too much. I needed to disappear off the face of the earth. So no-one would look for me, so no-one would whisper of the mysterious shadow, so no-one would know of the silent protector.

I stand up. My heart went from a shattered mess to a cold, platinum object. I sprint towards my house. I crash through the ancient timbers of my door. I pull out a saw and an old set of bones from a grey wolf about as big as me. I set about sawing a beam from the rafters and when that's on the floor I rearrange the bones and smash all the ones that don't look like mine. I position them under the beam of wood so it looked like I'd been crushed. And then I grab my tools, my weapons, my money and my clothes. And I turn on the stove, throw a hair dryer into the bath, light the fireplace and put a log in the fire that leads to the carpet. And I set my house on fire. I run out, and watch my home burn. My home that had only held me for a few years but still my home, the home that had sheltered me many times, the home where I seem the best years of my life. I watched it burn to the ground. I watch my fake corpse turn black from the flames, I watch my old two and three quarter foot katana glow red hot. And I felt the memories burn. The memories of my short life there, and the memories of countless families before. I stood there until the nearby trees caught fire as well. I turn, and run away from the nearest town as I head sirens start to wail. I run away from the sad afterimage of my house. I run, to save my friends.

(Skunkhase's point of view)

"Come on Swift. I'm sure he didn't actually hit by a car on the 34th floor of a building. It says he's just an urban myth from Australia on the Internet." I said, checking myself in the mirror. I was still a black skunkbunny with red tips on my ears and tail.

"He saved my life. I don't care what the Internet says unless it tells me where he lives." Swift said, standing on the bed of our hotel room. Still that determined arctic fox.

"Come on! We're in Australia! He could be anywhere. But anyway, look what's on the news. An old house caused a forest fire. Apparently firefighters just put it out." I say looking at the TV. Swift walks over and sits on the lounge next to me.

[Firefighters have just found a body within the house. The house was burning for so long that the flesh had burnt off the bones. But it seems that the resident of the house was a 22 year old wolf fox crossbreed named Jeff.] Says the reporter on the news.

"That's him! That's the person who saved me in Germany!" Swift exclaims, leaping up. "But... He died? How could he die? He survived a fall off a three story building and a grenade explosion. And then he told me he killed Jeff. But he lied. How can he die? That can't be him!"

"Swift... His katana was found with his body."

"But... He's not one of the ones who just dies! He can't of just gotten killed in a house fire!"

"They think there was a bullet hole in the skull. I'm sorry Swift, but I think he actually did die."

"But he helped me. Even though he had worse burns than me he still made sure I was alright before helping himself."

"Swift... I think the people trying to kill you killed him."

"Then I have to avenge him! They are apparently called the cublings so I will destroy them!"

(Jeff's point of view)

Wow. Swift seems really worked up about my death. Well, I might as well give him a cubling to chase. I did due my fur grey to avoid suspicion if anyone saw me. I better give him a few tips if he's going to go after cublings. Getting them to follow me will be easy. Getting them not to kill me will be harder. I certainly didn't look like myself. Since my jeans and head bandage burned with the fire I had to wear this red robe. Sigh. Now I really look like a cubling. Oh well. Hopefully I don't get killed. Here goes nothing.

(Swift's point of view)

KRISH! A silvery fox cubling comes flying through the window. He's even wearing red robes. Not that cublings wore red robes according to Wikipedia. But a cubling none the less. I grab Skunkhase and rush after him into the kitchen. We rush in and... Nothing? But the cubling just ran in here.

"Hello." Said a voice behind me.

"AGH!" I yell and leap away. The cubling was there! And he was... Sitting down on the floor.

"You do know that's a really vulnerable position, right?" Skunkhase said.

"Yes. This is how I communicate that I don't want to hurt you. Swift, I heard what you said about going after the cublings and I have a few tips. One: FORGET IT. The cublings will turn YOU into a cubling unless you are really strong. Jeff was WAY stronger than you, no offence. Two: You know too many people. It's way too easy to hurt you. Jeff had some people who he considered his friends. You were one of them. You might get confused now, but you don't know Jeff because it was a lot safer you didn't. Three: You don't have enough experience. Jeff had been abused for thirteen years since he turned four. He had TONNES of experience."

"But how do you know Jeff so well? Were you one of his torturers?" I ask.

"No. I was his friend. I know what you must be going through. Finding out about Jeff, then being told he's dead. Then finding out he's alive, only to have him die not too long later. Then finding a cubling who doesn't like cublings and was friends with Jeff." He says.

"Wait, what?" Says Skunkhase.

"Never mind. Just do me a favour, don't go after the cublings. Oh! And Jeff wanted me to give this to you." He hands me Jeff's rifle. I look at it in wonder.

I look back up, or, well, down, and the cubling had vanished. But I wonder whether he was right about the cublings.

(Jeff's point of view)

Alright. Swift and Skunkhase were safe, and would probably stay that way. I peer in the window from my lofty vantage point in this tree. Victor was the next of my friends that I need to check on. It looks like its going to a long way there, now that I had the look of a cubling, and according to the news I had just died, I can't really walk into town and ask for a lift. But the cublings must get around somehow. I've seen a cubling on multiple continents when I hadn't killed him. So they must travel somehow. Maybe they have transportation points? Like airports? I don't know, I should ask a cubling, and if I'm wrong and they realise that I'm Jeff, I can just kill them. It starts to sprinkle lightly. I look back in the hotel window. Swift was admiring my rifle and Skunkhase was looking out the window. Right at me. Daring me to do something. But I sat there staring at him as he stared at me. I must just look like I'm crouching on the branch. Unmoving. The rain gets heavier. We continue to stare at each other. Then his eyes widen. I give him a questioning look and be points to the rifle and then to me. Crap! I look at my fur and the dye is washing out. Revealing my true self. Fine. If I'm going to be myself, I'm going to be myself completely. I look through their hotel room until I see the first aid kit. I hurl myself into the room, and zip over to the first aid kit. I pull out a bandage, and knowing that Swift and Skunkhase were watching me, I wrap the bandage over my head. I fold my left ear down and wrap bandage over it. Now I was myself, except for this muzzle and these robes. If only I had a pair of jeans. Oh well. I turn. Swift was giving me a surprised look, then he straitened his face and held out my rifle. Skunkhase's face was impassive.

"Thanks, but you need the rifle more than I do." I say to Swift. And I hurl myself out the window. I once again twist my body and land relatively softly. Now, I need to find transport.