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I kept writhing hoping that would do the trick, but the pony tied me off pretty well the bastard. Eventually I gave up moving and just lay there panting, my wrists and ankles raw from pulling against my bonds.

Think you stupid wolf.

My pucker still burned, as did my ass, the sensations merging and morphing until every movement brought a soft groan and made my dick drop another line of sticky pre into the sheets. One day I was going to get that fat horsecock into my tailhole and finish what we started. Even if I had to tie the pony up first. As I rested for a moment, the Rime of the Ancient Mariner kept coming back to taunt me.

He prayeth best, who loveth best

All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all

Well that was the rub wasn't it. Now was I destined to wander the Earth as a lesson to all, the pony's necklace round my neck to remind me of my stupidity and provide a lesson in humility?

Water water everywhere nor any drop to drink

Water water everywhere....

Ok, now I needed to pee really bad. My bladder started to add its own burn to the heady mix in my groin, but this was not a pleasant burn. I shook my head, trying to think of things other than water for the moment and not make it worse.

If I get my claws on the pony.....

Claws! Suddenly inspired, I tested out my range of motion. I found I could reach my claws in my right paw down just enough to hook into the stitching of my tie. After a few fruitless tries, and with my bladder now on red alert, I managed to hook the stitching and hold, ripping open the tie. As it started to come apart, I found I could feel it stretching more when I strained. With one last determined yank, I heard the satisfying sound of rending fabric and my right paw came free with a section of tie still attached.

Lucky I hated my school ties anyway.

It only took a few minutes before I had managed to complete the escape job, heading for the bathroom and an incredibly satisfying overdue pee that drew a soft sigh of relief, before I took the time to massage my sore wrists and ankles. Feeling a little better if not exactly good, I threw on some clothes and headed for the door. Mission ponytracker had begun.

Heading for the bus stop, I plotted my route to the old factory on McNaughton. It seemed a reasonable first stop, though what the pony hoped to achieve without any cash I had no idea.

The factory was as dark and forbidding as ever, and I had a little moment of fear before I headed through the gap in the wall. There was no sign of life however, not even a rat disturbing the dust bunnies. I had struck out, and it was getting late. I did not know for sure how long my parents were going to be, but I knew it would not be good if they came home and found us both missing. I only had one more shot.

Absently thumbing at my phone looking for the bus timetable, I brought up my texts again.

Bruno Ligetti....I wonder.

I had no idea who the bear was, but he seemed to know pony well enough. Maybe he could at least tell me where he might have gone. I pulled up a transport app, plotting a course to Riverside Cr in StMartins. One train, one bus and a short walk. About 35 minutes; not too bad, and it would be better than randomly searching the city for the pony.

The house looked impressive when I finally saw it, like they all did in that street. Fieldstone façade, western red cedar, large iron sculpture in the front garden. This neighbourhood positively oozed money. The BMW was in the driveway, so I knew I had the right place and presumably someone was in. I approached cautiously, wondering if the bear would unleash hounds or underlings or something, but a polite ring on the doorbell brought no response. I tried a longer ring, and still nothing, and I was about to head off, frustrated and confused, when I spotted a light on down the side of the house.

The place was built into the side of a hill by the river, and the ground floor where the main door was located was actually the top of the house; there were floors underneath further down the hill. The light was in a side window that looked like it would be at ground level near the riverbank. I couldn't get to it from here though, there was a fence blocking my path and it was too high to climb. Scanning the area, I came up with what I thought was a viable plan. If I used the river as an access way, I could get between the house and the fence. I could see a ladder leaning by the wall, and with luck I could use it to peek into the window.

I found a walkway three houses around that led to the river, a narrow grass strip overgrown with weeds. Working my way down, I found I could skirt the riverbank due to the lower water level from recent drought, and I tiptoed along the boundary of the neighbouring houses trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Hopefully no one had a shotgun. Or a hungry dog.

When I finally reached the bottom of Bruno's place, I could see the bottom story windows. They were blocked by blinds, but enough light shone through to show that the whole floor seemed illuminated. I could not approach directly, thanks to a pool and some more fences with razor wire, but I could enter the neighbours' property and scale the side fence as planned.

Mentally entering Mission Impossible mode (and yes, I was humming the theme tune), I made it across the grass and over the fence without being spotted. The ladder seemed sturdy enough, a standard aluminium rig, and I planted it as well as I could on the uneven ground and headed up. The window didn't have a blind, so once I was settled I could scan the room and see what I could see.

And what I could see, once I had zeroed in on the action, made me swear out loud in spite of the situation and almost fall off the ladder.

The room was a large one, lots of shelves built into a wall filled with all sorts of things, books, expensive looking art objects, papers. Otherwise, the room was fairly empty. It had been prepared for the evening though, and it seemed that Josh was the evening's entertainment.

There was the pony, naked and beautiful. He was stretched out over some sort of low bench, and tied down, his wrists and ankles attached with manacles to the legs of the bench. His coat was slightly darkened from sweat, but he didn't appear to be struggling.

The bear was there, and a young big muscled lion I had never seen before, both naked apart from leather harnesses. Both were hard, cocks pointing out stiff and eager, one at each end of the pony. Bruno had pulled Josh's tail up and wound it round his left wrist, and he was running the other clawed paw over his rump, raking his claws down Josh's ass as the pony appeared to shudder slightly. The lion ran a paw through his mane. From a distance the gesture seemed oddly sensual, almost gentle.

What happened next wasn't gentle though. Bruno drew back his paw and slapped it hard across Josh's ass, flexing his wrist in the swing and slamming hard. I saw his ass compress under the weight of the blow as Josh jerked forward slightly against the bench, his mouth open in a silent cry. The lion continued his comforting stroke, now rubbing a paw between Josh's ears and whispering something to the pony. Whatever it was, Josh closed his eyes and nodded.

Another heavy blow, and another silent cry, but this time the bear did not stop, laying into Josh's butt until the pony was crying, tears flowing down his cheeks while all the time the lion caressed his forehead. I was too stunned to think, let alone do anything.

What the actual fuck?

Eventually it ended, and Bruno returned to stroking his claws across Josh's ass. He laid the soft pony tail down on Josh's back, his free bear paw now moving to another task, stroking a fat dripping bearcock as he moved in close behind the pony. As I watched barely believing what I was seeing, Bruno lined his cock up with that inviting tailhole and drove slowly into Josh's ass, his head thrown back in an expression of utter bliss. Josh had his eyes open yet unfocussed, his tongue lolling out of his muzzle as Bruno started a slow easy fuck, his ample bum flexing a little on each thrust and a short bear tail slapping from side to side in time.

Then Josh looked up at the lion and smiled a slightly pained smile, a smile the lion returned for a moment before grinning at Bruno. As the bear stopped for a moment, paws rubbing the hollow of Josh's back, the lion guided Josh's muzzle down to his cock, and the pony engulfed the entire red barbed length with ease as the lion had his turn to throw back his head in pleasure.

Soon the obscene three way was going in earnest, Bruno in no hurry as he appeared to enjoy the feel of pony tailhole, occasionally reaching forward to play with Josh's horsecock, while the lion controlled his pace with one paw in Josh's mane, slowing down every now and then before speeding up again. I saw it all, every heart stopping brain melting detail, down to the ever widening flare on the tip of Josh's cock, and the thick trail of precum leaking onto the polished concrete floor. If I had been told this was a drug trip I could have handled that. Reality was harder to take.

I was also hard, achingly hard, and never in my life had I wanted to be in a sex scene more than this. I wanted to be inside Josh, his tailhole clenching around my knot, and feeling that incredible looking behind wrapped around me. The scene was so wrong, so taboo, yet so erotic I almost whimpered in lust.

Not entirely convinced this wasn't some sort of fucked up drug hallucination from the last batch of hydro, I pulled out my phone, the camera still functioning despite my best attempts to treat it with contempt. Lining up the small lens, I started filming, determined to have some sort of tangible record of this clusterfuck of the mind or proof it never actually happened. As I lined up to get the angles right, I felt the ladder start to sway slightly on the uneven ground, and tried to correct the list by moving back the other way.

Instead of correcting the lean, I only managed to overcorrect though, and the ladder gave a slight shudder before toppling sideways at speed. As I suddenly found myself tumbling through the air, I let go of the phone to give myself some ability to use my paws, and had a moment of clarity before I hit to recognise my landing area. It wasn't clear, that much was sure, in fact I was heading to a line of low bushes I had ignored before. Nice bushes with colourful flowers...roses...

Oh fuck...

With a startled gasp I landed, or at least impacted, my fall broken slightly by the intervention of the aforementioned rose bushes which managed to tear my clothes and embed their thorns in my flesh while not actually stopping me hitting the ground hard enough to crack bones. I lay there a moment, screaming at the pain, fighting off the cloying branches ineffectually as searing sensations ripped through my body. I could taste blood in my muzzle, not sure if I had broken a tooth or bit my tongue, and my leg hurt terribly. As I sat a while, dazed and wounded, whimpering like a trapped wolf, I heard footsteps and my eyes exploded in fresh pain as a bright light bored into my dark adapted retinas.

Before I could say anything, or get my vision back, I felt myself pulled not gently from my little nest amongst the roses and yanked into a standing position. Something hard and metallic poked into my back, and I could guess what it might be, as the bear held me against his front. The lion swam into view in front of me, his face unreadable.

"Well well well Nathaniel. It is so good to see you again, though you might have let us know you were coming. I could have prepared a more suitable greeting, after all Joshua's friends are always welcome. Now, as you seem to have been enjoying our evening, perhaps you can join us so we can become better acquainted? Or would you rather I shot you as a trespasser and let the police find you with a knife planted on your body?"

The hard object ground into the small of my back, and I dropped my ears in submission, letting the bear push me towards an opening in the pool fence. I followed the lion into a courtyard, then through a sliding door into the room I had seen from the window.

"Nate?!"

"Yeah, the cavalry is here!"

"Nate? What the fuck are you doing here? What the..."

"Enough Joshua. Your little scam is over."

The menace in Bruno's voice sent a sudden thrill through me, fur standing on end. Josh could only look on stunned as Bruno pulled something out and showed it to him.

"Nice to send your little friend here to blackmail me. Pity he used something as pathetic as this camera phone to try to do it. Surely you could have found something better?"

"Bruno, wait, I don't know what the fuck you are talking about and..."

The sound of shattering plastic and glass echoed loudly in the room, as Bruno flung my phone against the polished concrete smashing it into so much electronic rubble as the fragments bounced their separate ways. This was definitely taking an unexpected turn.

"Bruno, let me explain..."

"Shut up now Nathaniel. Time enough for a chat soon but we need to get you sorted first."

I was led over to a chair, making sure I took no sudden moves and antagonised the already pissed off bear. Josh was trying to get free now, his grunts and cries as he fought the bonds getting louder until he gave up.

"Bruno! He doesn't know anything ok, there is no scam. I didn't even know he was coming. Let him go Bruno, dammit. Don't you dare hurt him, I will never forgive you. Leave him alone Bruno I swear umph...!"

His cries became muffled as the lion gagged him with his own boxers, something the lion seemed not to enjoy, his paws stroking Josh's mane to calm him as he whispered in his ears. I saw Josh stop fighting for the moment, just laying there his eyes boring into mine with a kind of pleading stare as I sat gracefully on the proffered seat. Or at least as gracefully as I could given my injuries, pain and general state of dishevillment.

The bear now walked around to stand before me, the lion still by Josh but not far from my side if required. I eyed up the exits, and realised quickly I was not going to get out easily before one or the other tackled me, even discounting the gun I assumed Bruno had handy. He had put on a light coloured robe, his cock still visible and hard when it parted to reveal his nude form, the leather harness still in place. A bulge in the side pocket looked all too dangerous if required.

"This is an interesting turn of events. I thought you were just a rich private school wolf Nathaniel."

"I am Bruno, you have that right."

"So what are you doing here? What is a nice boring private school wolf doing Joshua's dirty work for eh? How much do you know about your precious Josh I wonder?"

"Bruno, I don't know what you are talking about."

"Well, after what you've seen tonight, surely you must know that Josh is not some innocent naïve colt. No, Joshua is not the innocent at all. Quite the opposite."

"Bruno, I..."

"You think I am abusing him? Is that what he told you? I saved Joshua. His waste of a mother had sold his body to her junkie dealer boyfriend for her next hit of smack. He liked to get her high then make her watch; quite a lovely type I think you will agree. Unfortunately someone else in his drug connections liked the colt even more, an altogether different type of cat. This one liked to hurt, the more pain the better. He left all these scars on my beautiful colt. I couldn't allow that."

"Your colt?!"

"Yes, mine. He is my son, in a real way. I rescued him, I took him in and healed him when his mother couldn't care less. I read to him, and taught him, and gave him my library and let that beautiful mind grow with something other than pain and dirt and filth., even after the meddling idiots at childrens services put him in foster homes. And I gave him money for letting me love him, so his mother didn't have to sell his body for her smack any more. I punish him when he does wrong, to show him I love him, and I praise him when he does well, when no one in his life has ever told him he is any good. I built him from the rubble, and now he does this. Did you put him up to it?"

"Bruno, I don't know what you are talking about. Josh tied me up and ran off tonight because I had gotten into some deep trouble and needed help, and he went out to find it for me. I managed to get free, and I came here on a guess. I got your address from your number plate through a friend. Josh didn't know I was coming."

I was panting now, almost crying at the sheer lunacy of the moment. I was also processing the picture of Josh that had emerged, the night time terrors taking on a horrible reality.

"Bruno, he is telling the truth. You know Josh, you know he wouldn't do anything against you."

Finally the lion spoke, his voice soothing and reasonable. Thank God.

Go lion, whoever you are, I could almost kiss you!

"Do you really believe it Dallas?"

"Yes Bruno. You do to, if you let yourself calm down a moment."

The bear sighed a long shuddering sigh, his body seeming to sag a little as he fell to his knees before me. I just sat, still shaken, as he eyed me up now with more calculation and less animosity. Meanwhile, the lion, Dallas, was untying Josh, and the pony finally rose from the bench and came and knelt next to my seat, his eyes burning into mine with anger and shame. I knew his secrets now, well more of them, and I didn't blame him for hating me for it a little. I would have hated me in that moment.

"So, is it true Joshua?"

"Yes Bruno, believe me I was more surprised than you to see him here. I left him tied to his bed and I didn't think he would be getting free, let alone coming here."

I felt the pony's hand on my shoulder, not gripping tight, just resting there. I took it as a good sign, or as good a sign as I was going to get.

"So Joshua, what is this problem that you are helping Nathaniel with? Is that why you came? Is that why you wanted money?"

"Y...yes Bruno. We...Nate needs three thousand dollars, and he needs it fast. I can't tell you why. I thought you could advance me the money if I...well..."

The bear's sigh was deeper now, and hurt.

"And here I was thinking you came because you wanted to be with me Josh. I was a fool wasn't I."

"Bruno, please, it's not..."

"Josh, please stop. Tell me, do you really care about him that much? I doubt he cares as much about you."

"Bruno! I...yes..."

I looked at him then, our eyes locking, and I knew. I knew he wasn't lying, that some part of him actually gave a shit about me, in spite of everything and whatever I had done. Some part of the pony was mine.

"I don't believe you Josh. Prove it to me. Go down on your precious wolf brother. His cock is still hard in his pants, from the size of the wet patch it looks like he almost came up on that ladder watching us. Finish him off and I'll believe you. At least you can earn your money by putting on a show if that's all you want."

Come again??

Josh just stared at Bruno for a moment, and the lion looked like he was about to protest until the bear raised a paw and silenced him with a glance. Eventually Josh just nodded and moved slowly to kneel between my legs. His hands reached for my zipper, slowly lowering it as he reached in to feel for my cock. He wouldn't have much trouble finding it, little Nate was throbbing hard and tenting my boxers out something fierce.

I felt his hands then, fingertips tracing the line of my cock and I couldn't help but groan as he touched me. I didn't realise how much I had wanted this, and the reality was driving me batshit crazy with lust in spite of the bizarre circumstances. I hadn't lost complete control though; not yet anyway.

"Josh...you don't have to..."

"Don't worry Nate. This is all I am good for anyway."

"Josh, please...ughhhh!"

I found suddenly that speech wasn't really possible, as the pony reached inside my boxers to draw out my throbbing cock, and bent his muzzle forward to the task. Soft equine lips parted, a long equine tongue extending to lap at my shaft before I felt the incredible warm sensation of Josh's muzzle around me.

"Oh God!"

I was in heaven. Nothing I had felt before quite felt this good. It wasn't just what he was doing, it was how he was doing it. Every time I writhed or moaned Josh listened, and responded, following my pleasure, my cries, even the throbs from my needy cock to build the pleasure in reinforcing waves. I felt my knot swelling hard, the skin so sensitive as Josh went deep, his lips parting to take this new thickening part of me inside his muzzle without breaking his rhythm. I was totally hooked even before his tongue began circling my tip and sent me into shuddering near orgasm.

I was staring, fixated on Josh's head as he bobbed up and down on my cock. I could see all the details up close, his mane looking so soft as it gently swayed with his motions. I reached out, one paw running through his long soft hairs and brushing them with my claws but not gripping and pulling him against me like the lion had. I wanted him to do this his way. I could feel the cuts and bumps from his beating at the hands of the gang too, a reminder of my own failings and regrets.

I could see his ears too, flat back against his skull. I knew pony. This was not a good sign; no matter how he was making me feel, Josh was not feeling good I could tell. Instead, I looked up at Bruno, the bear quiet since we had begun this little sex scene. He was standing quietly, his face clouded and eyes dark and sad, watching it unfold. A part of him was enjoying it though; he had his robe open, and one big paw was lewdly stroking his cock, a constant stream of clear precum drooling from the tip.

"Oh fuck!"

Then Josh reached inside my boxers, his hand wrapped around my balls and squeezing gently on my furred sack as he deep throated my cock. I couldn't hold it any longer even if I wanted to. I tried to shout a warning, honest I did, but all that came out was a deep wolf howl of lust and I unloaded a mammoth spray of cum into Josh's muzzle. I felt his lips contract hard around my twitching cock, his gulps drawing every last drop into his throat as I drove my clawtips into the wooden chair leaving imprints on the plywood. A deep rumbling groan nearby told me that Bruno had reached his own ending; the sharp smell of bear seed reaching my nostrils soon after in confirmation.

I just sat back, panting in the aftermath of my orgasm, Josh suckling my slowly softening cock until finally he too sat back on his hooves, eyes on me as we stared at each other. Bruno gave a soft grunt before heading for the shelves on the wall, an ornate wooden box opening to his key. I could see him reach in and pull out cash; he stood a moment, absently counting out bills.

"You are one seriously fucked up motherfucker Bruno."

He just gave me a sad grin and nodded.

"That is as may be Nathaniel. But tell me; what does that make you?"

"I don't pay schoolkids so they let me smack their ass and fuck them for starters. You are no better than the assholes who left the scars."

"You forget Nathaniel. I told you I only punish Joshua when he has done something wrong, to show him I love him. Josh asked me to do it tonight when he came; he had done something he believed deserved punishment today and he was very remorseful. I only ever treat him with love as best as I can Nathaniel, whatever you may think of me."

I had an idea what might have made Josh feel like that. It did not make me feel any better.

"Josh, I deserved it, you didn't..."

"No Nate, you deserved something, but not what I did. You made me so angry, I became what I hated the most...I don't ever want to do that."

"You should listen to him Nathaniel. Joshua is many things, but he knows the dangers of anger and cruelty."

"Do you Bruno? How's your sense of cruelty and anger? Would you really have shot me out there if I didn't obey?"

Another sad smile.

"That is one area where Joshua is the teacher and I am but the student. You heard him beg me not to hurt you Nathaniel; for the sake of his love for me, I would never have done otherwise." He pulled the bulge from his pocket, and I returned his grin ruefully as I saw that the "gun" was in fact a torch.

"Now, here is your money Joshua. Three thousand I believe you said?"

He held out the bills to the pony, who took them absently while the lion helped him dress.

"Bruno...how can I repay you? I can come around again..."

The bear held out one paw stopping Josh in his tracks.

"Joshua, you can repay me one easy way. Do not come back. Ever. Your friend may be a selfish, narcissistic over indulged private school idiot, but he has some wisdom. I am a sick motherfucker as he said, I can't really deny it. And I have done all I can for you Joshua. It's time for you to go off on your own, learn who you really are, and not be dragged down by an old bear like me. Go away Joshua, and don't ever return."

With a last stroke of Josh's mane the bear turned and left the room, while Josh just stood with his muzzle open, trying to form words that wouldn't come. In the end, the lion Dallas offered to drive us back home, and we piled into the BMW as Dallas gunned the engine and programmed in my address to the sat nav.

"He doesn't mean it Josh."

"He does Dal. I could tell."

"You don't know him as well as I do Joshie. He is hurting, and his pride was pricked, but he does love you. I know he does, he talks about you all the time and I see his face when he does. It lights up like a beacon. He wants you back, just give it time."

"What does he mean, learn who I am? I am a stuffed up waste of space; that much I know. I'll never be any different. I thought Bruno at least would still want me even though I was a loser, but I guess I was wrong."

"You aren't Josh, you know that. Whatever people may have told you, that isn't you. Bruno thought he could make you see that with what we did together; I think he realised tonight instead he was making it worse."

This exchange was leaving me increasingly bemused, so I decided to stick my oar in.

"Excuse me, but who the fuck are you?"

The lion gave a soft chuckle before nodding.

"Sorry Nathan, I guess we haven't been introduced. I am Dallas, and once I was a Josh. Bruno rescued me and gave me a home and a life. We are partners now, happily married furs. So I guess I know Josh here better than you, in fact better than Josh may know himself. I was him not that long ago."

"So how the fuck did Bruno find you and Josh? What did he have to do with Josh's mum or the guys who did this shit to him?"

The temperature in the car suddenly dropped a few degrees, and both the lion and the pony started straight ahead, not acknowledging the question.

"Guys?"

"Nathan, this may come as a complete surprise, but there are some things its better not to know. "

We completed the rest of the journey in silence.

*****

Dallas dropped us off a couple of blocks from home, and his parting hug for Josh was a tearful one. The two kissed softly, and I realised with a start that I was insanely jealous. I had to stop this now; the pony was clearly one seriously fucked up unit and falling for him was only going to bring pain. I kept telling myself this, and yet it didn't seem to help.

The first sign of trouble came as we turned the corner into my street, the cop car in the driveway an unwelcome reminder of our troubles. We both broke into a fast jog, arriving just as the cops were leaving the front door.

Mum took one look at us and stood for a moment. Her expression was not welcoming.

"Just where the hell have you two been? Do you know how worried we have been? No note, no nothing, I have been calling you and your phone has been off, and here you come looking like you have been in a fight. What the hell do you think you are doing Nathaniel? And as for you Joshua...I don't care where you have come from, you obey rules and you treat us with respect. This is unacceptable, again."

We looked at each other, realisation dawning. We were in deep shit. The expression on the cops' faces was particularly eloquent, sort of laughing and sympathetic in one.

It took an hour before the cops left for the second time, during which we had stonewalled unconvincingly. It was clear neither they nor my parents believed a word we had said. Josh was still covering my ass, and I was sort of covering his or at least mine through him. I needed that three thousand, and I had enough mind spinning shit for one day between being tied up and whipped, watching the Josh and Bruno show and finding more of the pony's secrets. I was out of petrol tickets emotionally and physically. Not to mention the freaking rose thorns had torn me open in several places and I was trying hard not to bleed too obviously.

Eventually, we were sent to our rooms while my parents talked. We had stood, Josh and I, next to each other on the landing, so much to say and yet unable to say it. His eyes were pleading again, begging me to come clean to my parents and yet for some reason I couldn't. Instead all I could see in my mind's eye was the colt bent over by some guy while his fucked up mum watched. I shivered and pulled away, the pony interpreting my gesture as dismissal. He turned and sighed, walking to his room and shutting the door without a backward glance. I let him go, returning to my own room and my own demons.

I fired up my computer, turning on Skype to try and get hold of Bevan and tell him the good news that we had the money. He wasn't on, so I sent him an email and hoped he would log on but he didn't so after a while I gave up and played games, first person shooting my blues away as I vaporised enemies by the score.

The knock on my door was so soft I almost didn't hear it, and I momentarily brightened thinking it was Josh before the door opened and instead my mum walked in, her face ominous as a storm cloud.

"Nathaniel. Turn the computer off dear."

This couldn't be good.

"Nathaniel, I don't know what is going on, that much is clear. I do know however that something is very wrong, and it seems to be linked to Joshua. You have been a problem for us for years now Nathan, ever since Riley really, and we hoped you might improve. We thought a foster brother might help you to develop, come out of yourself a little. It seems we misjudged that though."

"Mum! Seriously? What the hell? What's Riley or Josh got to do with this?"

"I wish I knew Nathan. All I know is you have been even worse since he has been here, and now I find you sneaking about, possibly linked to drug dealers through Joshua, and disappearing before reappearing with mysterious injuries. Don't pretend young wolf, I can tell you are badly hurt even if you are trying not to show it."

"Mum, it's not that bad trust me!"

"That's just it Nathan. I don't trust you. Not any more. And I don't trust Joshua now either. I am stuck with you, you are my son, but I cannot and will not allow you to be in danger more than necessary. For that reason, your father and I have decided to send Joshua back. We will call social services on Monday and get him taken back into the system, they will find him a group home or respite care. Either way you will be protected, from him and from yourself."

"Mum you can't do this!"

"Really? Then tell me what has been going on Nathan."

To my eternal shame all I did was shake my head. I wanted to do the right thing. I really did, but all I could think of were mum's words.

"I don't trust you. Not any more. And I don't trust Joshua now either. I am stuck with you, you are my son...." Stuck with me. Great. She wishes I had died and Riley had lived, I always knew it.

"I didn't think so. Your father is in telling Joshua now. I suggest you leave him be."

I was tired, so very very tired that I could not think straight. After mum closed the door, I just stared at the wall for a while, imagining the pony on the other side, wondering what he was feeling, and secretly hoping he would unload a big bucket of shit on me so I could hate him for it. I didn't hear anything though, no cries, no sounds at all, and no knock on my door. Eventually, I fell asleep, Hoofie cradled in my arms as I told Riley how I was going to spring to the pony's rescue, just when I felt more certain how to do it right. Tomorrow. It would be better tomorrow.

*****

The water felt cold on my fur, and the waves kept breaking over my head and swamping my eyes and muzzle. I couldn't see him any more, he had been here a minute ago.

"Riley! Riley! Where are you?"

I paddled as hard as I could, but the rip was taking me to the left no matter what I did. I decided to go with it, heading for the sand bar and the breakers. I could barely stay above the water now, but I knew I couldn't stop. He was supposed to be my responsibility, and I had left him alone. Now the selfish pup had gone and got himself into trouble and I was fucked.

"Riley! Wave and I'll find you!"

Another big wave, and I was rolled about under the water, my head smacking into something and leaving me dazed but still conscious. As I came up again, I saw something to the left. Dark fur.

"Riley! Stay there!"

With a last surge I reached him, my arms around him. He didn't respond.

"Riley?"

Except it wasn't my twin, the sweet and gentle wolf. The figure in my arms was Josh, his mane waving in the water as the current flowed past us. His eyes were open, fixed on me and accusing, but there was no life in them. Only hate and bitterness.

"Josh!?"

I was bolt upright in my bed, every detail of the nightmare still fresh, my heart pounding and my fur standing on end. I shook my head to relieve the sleepy fog that still lingered, every sense on overdrive.

What the hell did that mean?

Not really knowing why, I put on my rugby top and padded into the hallway. Josh's door was still closed, no sounds coming from the other side. No screaming tonight, he must have avoided his own nightmares. Frowning with an unreasonable anger that he had avoided one when I was having one due to him, I walked up to his door and opened it, shuffling inside before closing the door quietly so I wouldn't wake him up.

Except he wasn't there to wake up. As I took in the details of his room from the moonlight shining through the window, it was immediately apparent that the pony wasn't there. I turned on the light, blinking rapidly as my eyes adjusted. His bed was made, and in its centre his bags sat, still carefully packed. There was an envelope on them, and I snatched it up still rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

It was addressed to me.

I opened it, not really sure what I would find. Upending it on the bed, a cascade of bills wafted to the bedspread, Bruno's three thousand now scattered on the duvet. Nothing else. No note, no nothing, just the money.

I had a very bad feeling about this.

With increasing desperation, I searched the top floor for Josh. He wasn't there, the bathroom, the study, the spare room all empty. I hurried downstairs and searched again. I was getting frightened when I noticed a light on shining around the outline of a door. The garage; the light should be off, and the door was unlocked.

Not quite sure what I would find, I opened the door, walking down the short passageway to the garage proper, the light now stronger. The main light was off, but the light on dad's work bench was on, illuminating his tools and man gear. I smiled a little, remembering his attempts at proving he was a handyman and failing then calling a proper tradie before mum found out. I had kept his secret as asked, one of the few times he genuinely seemed to like me in recent times.

The low light cast shadows through the rest of the garage, and I scanned it trying to see where the pony was.

"Josh?"

No response though, my voice echoing off the dusty walls. Then I saw it.

The low light and the bulk of dad's Range Rover made it hard to see properly, but as my eyes became accustomed, I could make out more details. On the far side of the garage, past the cars, something new had been tied to a beam on the ceiling.

A length of rope, part of dad's stash for tying random trash to his trailer, was crudely lashed to the steel I beam and hanging towards the floor. I couldn't see what hanging from it but my fur was now standing straight and bile rushed into my throat.

With my cross-bow, I shot the albatross....

"Josh! No!"