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By Wednesday we had achieved a sort of armed neutrality. Tuesday was a drag, everyone at school wanted to know about Josh; the story of his scarred back had made its way through the population like a virus along with more wild theories than you could shake a stick at. Suddenly I was in demand, as the authority on all things pony. The irony should have been delicious, but somehow the taste turned to ashes in my muzzle.

He continued to make friends in his own shy and awkward style, Janet and Moo going out of their way to introduce him to everyone and be his friends in a demonstrative way, and Matt seeming to strike up a real friendship based on their mutual Pink Floyd love. The shame of his Yifftube performance somehow was lost, replaced by whispers about me.

"Hey Perv!"

Another anonymous call from the group around me as I sorted my books in my locker ready for the day. I ignored the giggles and the undercurrent of gossip as best I could. It would all pass over in time, and I still had more opportunities to get at the pony. I touched his necklace again, no longer feeling guilty. This was barely the start of the compensation I would be getting for Josh screwing with my life if I had any say in it.

I smelt the scent of Josh approaching, his locker of course near mine by some miraculous curse. I couldn't even get away from him here.

"How do you get used to this place Nathan?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've never seen anywhere like it. Sandstone, ivy, it looks like something out of an English period drama. So much money, half the kids here have trust accounts. It's surreal!"

"You get used to it pony. And the ivy covers up the fact that the buildings were modern in 1880 but useless now. It's cold as shit in winter and the cloisters are damp and smell of mould. But if you like it go ahead and admire. Just spare me the glowing review."

"You're in a shit mood again Nathan. Or are you always such a happy fun guy?"

"Well maybe if I got some fucking sleep I would be less in the shits!"

That shut him up for a moment at least, and allowed me to let the red haze of anger dissipate for a moment. I hated being reminded how much of an exclusive community this school was, partly because I barely fitted in myself if I was being honest. Though we were well off, compared to many of my classmates I was nothing special, and sometimes the more class conscious of my friends let me know it. I was looking forward to them changing their tune when I became the best source of drugs in the school for their little parties. Even more I was looking forward to invitations to a few more of those self-same parties.

It wasn't just a line to shut up Josh though. I had been woken again at about 3 am, the screams from the other side of the wall finally rousing me from a contented slumber. I had tried to cover my head with the pillow but that proved useless so I went into his room to try and shut him up.

It took shaking him to achieve it, and the wild look he gave me when he woke was too frightening to enjoy. For a moment I was terrified myself, wondering if he could do to me whatever had been done to him in the half consciousness of his dream. He quickly snapped out of it though. He thanked me for waking him, seemingly genuine, and we just looked at each other a moment. Both wanted to speak, and both dared not. A part of me wanted to know what the hell had done that to his back, and what he saw every night in his dreams. I assumed the two were the same, but something held me back.

Instead I had done what I had been asked, with a tinge of malice, and woken mum and dad to tell them about Josh. I expected them to tell me to fuck off, so I was shocked out of my skull when my loser dad had thanked me and disappeared into Josh's room. The quiet was eerie, and a little disconcerting, so after a while when I couldn't sleep, I tiptoed down the hall and opened the door.

It took a moment to process what I was seeing. Josh was sitting on the bed, his hooves up and legs clenched against his chest, head bent forward over his knees and hands clasping his fetlocks. He had formed into a little equine ball, and he was crying softly. It was such a clashing vision, the big muscled jock seeming so small and vulnerable; I almost wanted to hold him. But a wolf was there already, my dad with his arms wrapped around Josh's back, one paw slowly brushing his mane as he whispered reassuring things in his ear.

I stood there for a while, taking it in, too many emotions smacking around in my head. Feelings for Josh, mixed and powerful. Something about him, looking so vulnerable, made my hate go away for a fleeting moment, and I imagined myself holding him, stroking his mane, kissing him and making him feel good in my arms. Despite what I had tried to convince myself, I had always wanted to matter to someone, really matter, and I could fantasise about it with the sexy colt when I saw him like this. He needed someone, and maybe that someone could be me; he was as broken and twisted as I was.

Then the hurt and jealousy kicked in as I saw dad. I would never admit to him how much I wanted him to hold me like that sometimes. We had settled into a comfortable mutual disgust, and a part of me realised my own part in that. I wanted to be strong, and I saw him as weak, so I tried to be as little like him as possible, yet a part of me still wanted moments like this, and a deep voice telling me everything would be ok, I was his cub, and he was proud of me. As our eyes locked for a moment, and I saw dad's eyes damp with tears as he dealt with Josh, the sense of loss flooded me like nausea, and I had stormed out of the room. I hadn't slept any more last night.

"Nathan...about last night....I'm sorry..."

Josh had finally got up the courage to speak it seemed, snapping me back into the present.

"Just don't say anything more pony. You have your issues, that much I can see. Just try not to make them mine too, ok?"

"Ok Josh. Perhaps we can talk tonight?"

"Not tonight. I'm going out with Bevan, so I won't be home till late. You will have to get your own way home. Now shut the fuck up so we can get to class!"

We spent the rest of the day in silence.

*****

"Follow me and try not to get lost!"

"Fat chance Bev. Your tail is like a freaking red flag showing the way."

A happy laugh from my foxy friend as he swished his long tail invitingly, before continuing his progress through the back blocks of town. We had been walking for 20 minutes, following a convoluted path since we met outside school. I knew vaguely where we were, but it was hard to keep up.

Then we disappeared down another back laneway and came to a small hole in a white brick wall. With a wink and a nod of his head, Bev motioned me to go in. I thought I recognised the wall, and if it continued right round the building this looked like the abandoned factory on the old industrial estate by the railway line. It would be a perfect haunt for Bev's contacts, discrete and with a lot of potential exits.

"Are these guys expecting me?"

"Relax Nate. I told them about you. They are looking forward to meeting you; we...ahh...need someone else and there are some reasons it's good timing. So don't fuck it up ok? I'm counting on you."

Something about Bev's voice made me pause for a moment. Bev didn't do afraid, yet if I wasn't mistaken, something had him really worried now. I dismissed it for the moment, ducking as I pushed through the gap and into a dark and dank interior, the factory building empty of anything except cobwebs and dust as far as I could see. Over to the left was what appeared to be an office area, and I followed Bev in that direction.

As I followed, I was mentally picturing his cute ass spread wide with my cock buried inside. I was going to show him that this wolf was a better fuck than any pony, and maybe he would realise how lucky he was to have me. I grinned, thinking about giving him the pony's necklace, a gift from a lover to a lover. Somehow, everything was going to be ok I was sure of it. Bev would be the one I wanted, the one who needed me. He just needed the right persuasion.

As we passed into the office, I saw a desk in the dim light from a skylight in the ceiling, broken and missing part of its glass. Behind the desk was a small figure, almost dainty. A rat, by his features, whiskers slightly greying and a scar running across his right eye. He was smoking a cigar, the glowing end showing up stark in the dim light.

He was flanked by two standing figures, a bull and a Rottweiler, both casually handling baseball bats and grinning like two sharks let loose in a bucketful of salmon. The rat was not smiling though, and I caught the glow of his eyes, hard and calculating. For the first time I had the sensation of being totally out of my depth, the fear making my fur stand up down my spine. I had a very bad feeling about this.

Finally the rat spoke, his voice a high pitched sigh in the still air.

"So, this is your friend that you have been telling us so much about Bevan. He doesn't look much."

"Relax Van. I can vouch for him. I told you, he is perfect for what we need, he may appear like a good rich private school kid but that will help him get into places we can't. Under that proper exterior is a complete cunt though, you will like him."

Bev's frank assessment made me blush, and I was rapidly reassessing my stoner friend. I could see what he was saying, but it made me realise what he was seeing in me and it didn't sit easily. The fear began to ramp up now. This was deadly serious, and I was out of control.

The rat, Van, came around from behind the desk and stood in front of my face as I tried to calm down and pretend he wasn't there. If he was sizing me up, I was determined to not disappoint, even if I was dying inside. After a while he gave a small grunt, apparently satisfied, and blew his cigar smoke in my face for good measure.

"You may be right Bevan. Hope you are, given how much you owe us. He needs to work off your stupidity in a hurry."

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't he tell you? That stuff is making your brain like swiss cheese Bevan. Didn't I warn you about that?"

I looked at Bev, realising with growing horror that there was something very important he hadn't told me. He was looking at the ground, unwilling or unable to meet my eye.

"Young Bevan is a bit thick sometimes. Apparently a policeman coming to his door to ask about people doing burnouts in his street is evidence of an impending drug raid. He flushed two grand worth of product, product he hadn't paid for. When we were going to make him precisely aware how much his actions had hurt us, he offered your services to help him repay the debt. Now, we were sceptical, but he can be persuasive in a tight spot can our Bevan, particularly when someone has a baseball bat held over his balls."

"Bevan?!"

"Hey, you wanted in Nate, it's just there will be some things you'll need to do first for me. You owe me anyway, it's just I'm drawing on your debt a bit ahead of time. Please, just go with it Nate."

I couldn't take it in, my head spun and I was feeling warm all over. This could not be happening.

"So Nathan, you will be starting from now. And it won't be just weed either. We need to expand our markets, and you are part of our new market strategy. Your school is going to be our new best sales patch, and your rich stupid mates are going to enjoy moving from weed to harder stuff; stuff we will be only too happy to provide."

Something finally broke inside me, and I came up if not swinging at least defiant.

"No...fucking...way. That was never the deal, and Bev never told me about this."

"Nathan, do not be stupid. You do not have a choice. From the moment you entered this site, you have been inside our operations whether you knew it or not. You are ours now, and if you try to defy us it will not be good for you, or for Bevan.You two need to learn some lessons it seems, and there is no time like the present."

I heard a strangled cry as the bull gripped Bevan by the neck, pulling him over the desk with effortless strength. The rottie closed in on Bev, fondling his ass and leaving both of us in no doubt as to what was going to happen to the helpless fox.

Consumed by fear I turned to the door, seeking escape, but the sight there quickly removed all hope. Two more gang members, also armed with baseball bats, were blocking my only escape, a ram and a husky. The husky had a wild look in his eyes, and his tongue was hanging out, drool slowly dripping onto the concrete as he eyed me up like a delicious doggy treat. Behind me now, I could hear Bev struggling and begging, alternating pleas for mercy from the gang with demands for me to stop being a shit and help him out.

The husky began laughing, an uncanny sound, almost unhinged, as he sized me up with the ram just grinning.

"I bet your tailhole feels so sweet little pup, I hope you are a virgin. I love popping cherries, specially when they struggle."

I was trapped, and this was going way out of control.

It took a moment before my eyes made it out, and even longer before I could believe what I was seeing. A shadow moved in the darkness of the factory, behind the two thugs blocking my only escape. A dark shadow, tall, graceful. My nose wrinkled slowly, trying not to sneeze as the familiar scent registered. The scent of pony; Josh. All I could do is plead with my eyes and hope.

Suddenly, there was a flurry and the ram went down under the impact of a king hit from behind. The husky almost reacted in time, but Josh managed to get his blow in first, knocking the husky sideways into the wall and winding him. The colt picked up a baseball bat dropped by the ram, and beckoned for me to run.

Something stopped me though, and I turned back to see Bev, his pants now pulled down and the rottie caught in a trance, cock out and glistening with precum as he contemplated the sudden turn of events. I looked at Josh, and back to Bev. He got the message.

There was a chestnut coloured blur that went past me and Josh swung hard, knocking the rottie away before he could reach for his own bat. Before the bull or Van could react, Bevan managed to get away from the desk and next to me as Josh stood facing three very pissed off gang members. In that moment he looked like he could take them, his eyes wide and crazed, like I had seen him when he woke after the nightmares. I hoped he was making them as scared as he did me.

I felt Bev hold my paw, and he pulled me towards the door which was still momentarily unguarded.

"Nate! Lets go!"

Working on instinct, I followed him, running faster than I had ever gone in my life. Through the door, the concrete of the factory floor ringing to our footpaws as we sprinted for the gap in the wall. I looked back briefly, seeing the husky framed in the doorway, but not yet heading in our direction. Then Bev was pulling me through the hole, his eyes terrified as he prepared to turn left and head towards the railway line and safety. I could hear cries and swearing echoing through the factory.

"Bev, we can't leave him!"

"The fuck we can. Don't you realise, we are fucked now? We have to get the fuck out and lay low or they will kill us. If you stick around, you will be a dead wolf by nightfall!"

Bev flattened his ears and ran, a red flash in the twilight. I followed, heading for the tracks, but in spite of every instinct telling me to run straight home, I skirted the factory boundary, hoping against hope that Josh would emerge safe and well. I sat and waited, throwing up into the grass as adrenaline, fear and shame filled me to the brim with its disgusting mix. He was a survivor, he was strong. Supercolt would wander out swinging his baseball bat like the cocky bastard I knew. Time passed, but no one came out.

Eventually, something inside me clicked, and I found myself walking on unsteady paws back to the hole in the wall, and into the factory. I used my phone as a torch, crossing the dusty expanse, heading for the offices and judgement.

"Hello?"

There was not a sound. The gang had left.

There was something there though, a dark bundle in the corner.

"Josh!"

He didn't respond though. As I played the narrow beam over him, I realised he couldn't. The broken colt was unconscious, blood covering his school uniform. He had fought for our escape, bravely but against the odds. He wasn't superman after all though, and he had paid the price.

I knelt beside him, brushing his forelock away from his face to see the damage. He had a gash in his forehead, still dribbling blood, and he groaned at my touch. My heart gave a slight flutter; he was alive. My worst fears at least had been averted.

My own fear reasserted itself then, and I held my phone, willing myself to dial and yet somehow unable to. I knew I could be traced if I called from my phone, and I didn't know how I could answer those questions. An alternative presented itself, and I weasled my way to redemption.

Leaving Josh's side, I left the factory, heading for the railway line but this time going to the nearest station. There would be a public phone there, one of the few left in these days of mobiles, and I could call from there and not be traced.

So it was that I stood in the darkness, hidden in the doorway of a nearby empty warehouse, as first a cop car and then an ambulance turned up at the factory. Eventually a second cop car turned up, and they wheeled Josh out on a trolley. They seemed in a hurry, which I convinced myself was a good sign. He was still alive, and the stupid colt would be ok. His hard head would absorb the damage.

I turned away and headed for home, trying desperately to work out a cover story to give me a watertight alibi for the night, as I frantically texted Bev to sort out our next move. While I ran however I found to my surprise I was crying a little myself. I convinced myself it was just the adrenaline, but inside I knew better. A vision filled my mind, Josh curled up on his bed, my dad holding him, except now it wasn't Josh as he was, but the Josh I had just seen, broken, bloody, in pain. I had done this. And now there were debts to be paid.