A Volley of Emotions - Second Serve

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#60 of Ridgewood Elementary Tales

The following is the second part of a huge story I've been working on with several of my Inkbunny friends. This story is entirely written by me but contains characters from many people. This story studies four more characters from the Ridgewood volleyball team, letting you get to know them one at a time as the series goes on. It also starts with a super sexy threesome that was overheard in the last chapter ;)

Hope you enjoy!

Lacy and Heather belong to myself

Whisper and her mother belong to firefly8083

Kelly, Oshi and Hannah (not to be confused with the lemur :3) belong to CCubed

Jasmine, Genevieve, Erik and Bridgette belong to VerbMyNoun

Cindy belongs to BlastoTheHanar

Sabrina belongs to RisingDragon

Carys and her father belong to kemosabe

Peyton (Diana) and her father belong to laggerzback

and an upcoming character will be introduced courtesy of LillyOpossum


All characters depicted in this work are purely fictional and over the age of 18. Any situation is meant as parody and does not represent any child, living or otherwise.

_ _

...

January 13 2014

Erik grabbed his phone from his pocket as he felt the message vibration; with class almost over and his students currently busy at their own activities, he was able to advert his attention for a few moments. He smiled as he saw the sender name, 'Cassandra Kingsley', reading the message to himself with an eyebrow raised in curiosity: 'Wait in your office after class, I'll meet you there.'

_ _

The gemsbok thought about the strange message for a brief moment as he rushed over to help a particular student who had fumbled and scraped his knee. Upon discovering the boy was alright except for a minor bruise he returned to reply to his girlfriend quickly. Before he could however another message came in, this one from 'Carol Berkley'. He clicked the message right away and nearly dropped his phone as a sent image filled the screen.

Spread over his phone screen was a candid selfie of the bear's muzzle, buried into Cassandra's dripping pussy lips. Underneath the picture was a single message, '10 minutes to go, get as hard as you can'

Erik spent the last dozen or so minutes between finishing his class, brushing the desk of his office clean and tossing gym towels over it in a fluster. His eyes were wide, his legs crossed around any student and his nose inches from bleeding. His legs could barely hide the lump in his pants as the picture on his phone etched into his brain, the thought of what was coming for him leaving his blood surging in sexual tension.

By the time he heard the gymnasium door open again, his heart was racing, the gemsbok's breath staggering out as he heard the pair of feet walking towards his office. He shook his head disapprovingly as his two lovers stepped in, the smell of their arousal proving they hadn't bothered to put their underwear back on. Erik's pants dropped to the floor as soon as Carol had locked the door, his aching hard cock standing at full attention as he growled, "You two are cruel!"

Cassandra and Carol dropped to their knees as they nuzzled up to the gemsbok's lap, each planting a kiss on either side of Erik's cockhead. "Aww I'm sorry hun," Cassandra sighed as she slid her tongue down her mate's shaft, the bear beside her sliding her fingers into the deer's soaked entrance, "Carol started it!"

The ursine chuckled as she sucked on the gemsbok's cock, fitting a few inches down while the deer began to tug on his balls gently with her lips, "Tattle tail!" She could only fit so much of the shaft down with the deer so close, and she swatted her away playfully before shoving the rest of the cock down into her throat. She still couldn't fit the last couple inches, the thick length causing tears to well up in her eyes.

Cassandra giggled as she heard the little gags, raising the bear's skirt to lap at her damp folds. "Fuck ladies!" the gemsbok groaned as Carol kept deep throating him, his mate behind her making audible slurps as she pleasure the bear orally. "How does that pussy taste babe?" Erik asked his lover lewdly as he thrust forward into the back of the bear's throat, salvia pooling out over his lap.

"Mmm delicious!" the doe murmured out lustfully as she sucked on the bear's clitoris, getting her all tense before tugging on her folds with her lips. "She's so wet!" she giggled as she rubbed her fingers over her beautiful spread, constant drips of feminine nectar dropping down.

"How wet are you?" he said with a lusty grin, still ramming his cock in and out of Carol's warm muzzle.

The doe tickled her privates with her fingertips for a moment before bringing them up to view, spreading them apart to show off the slick liquid that fell from them in strands. The gemsbok sighed out in need as he got to his feet. His cock sliding out of the bear's lips as he pat the table, two towels already set in place, "Both of you, up here, right now!"

The two ladies giggled as they got to their feet, Carol holding Cassandra's paw as they stepped over to the desk, the gemsbok pinching both their backsides as they hopped up. The two females began to share a slow sensual kiss as they sat atop the desk, legs spread out so their folds could glisten in the office light.

Erik nestled himself down in Cassandra's lap, inhaling her arousal, letting the scent overtake him as he pushed his tongue down deep into her pussy, licking up every bit of nectar that touched his lips. "That sounds wonderful!" Carol moaned in between the steady kiss, nipping at the doe's neck before reaching to suck on her firm breast, teeth grazing her nipple.

Cassandra was nearly crying from the teasing of her two lovers, the gemsbok's tongue far too skilled for her to stay still. Her legs shook as her nipple was nipped, feeling her mate's tongue buried deep inside her, the assault on her nerves causing her to shiver. "Mmm Erik, yes!" she moaned out as she kicked the desk with her feet, a spray of her juices filling the gemsbok's muzzle as she shook in an intense orgasm.

"Damn girl" Carol whispered into the doe's ears before licking her lobe, Cassandra swatting her away as she tried desperately to catch her breath.

"Alright lover boy," she panted as she stared into Erik's eyes, a look of complete sexual hunger in them, "Her turn."

"This bad girl here?" Erik asked as he slid his fingers into the bear's soaked sex, "The one that gets you into all this trouble?" She began to moan as he slid over to hear side, tongue slowly cleaning all of the juices from her, only half effective as the oral assault cause more to drip out. "I got just the thing for her!" he turned to look at the doe as she stood up, stretching her arms as she began to calm down from her climax, "Top left drawer at the back, if you wouldn't mind dear?"

"Yes sir!" she replied as she watched him dig his tongue down deep, the bear's legs wrapped around his shoulders as he worked his magic. She searched the contents of the nearby drawer as she was instructed, the doe's eyes widening as she took out the object her lover had requested, "Oh hon, this is surprisingly devious of you!"

The bear turned her gaze as Cassandra spoke, her cheeks turning red as she saw heavy wooden paddle in her friend's paws, "Oh Mr. Mitchell, th-that's-"

"Shh," Erik interrupted her as he pressed a finger against her lips, patting her lap with the other paw, "Turn around you little troublemaker, detention time!"

"Oh Erik, you're so silly!" Cassandra laughed as she squeezed his firm butt, passing him the paddle as he rubbed his palm against the bear's soft ass. "Damn, this ass!" the doe sighed as she complimented her mate, slinking down as she cupped the smooth cheeks with her paws, "I swear you get more perfect each day!"

"I could say the same thing to you," the gemsbok said sweetly, his tone only betrayed by the howl in front of him as he slammed the paddle hard against the bear's backside, "I'm the luckiest guy on the planet!"

"Oh shush" the doe giggled as she spread her mate's cheeks apart, blowing a gentle breath of air against his tight pucker. Cassandra couldn't help but laugh as her mate's back tensed up, "You're still so sensitive back here, need to get," she paused as she ran her fingers along the rippled flesh, "Some more attention back here!"

"Well," he raised his arm, letting the paddle connect with the bear's other cheek, "As long as it's from you... I guess I could be, persuaded."

"Mmm, I was hoping you'd say that!" the doe whispered as she dragged her tongue along the gemsbok's rear, reaching forward with her paw to slowly pump his shaft in tandem. She felt the muscle tighten around her tongue as she pushed it deeper, his grunts and groans becoming more staggered as she pawed him off, her ears flickering as another hard smack rippled off Carol's rump.

The bear's paws clutched the desk as she kept feeling the vicious thuds against her backside, both cheeks slowly turning red as the wood of the paddle came down hard on her. After a few more rather rough beatings, she felt as though she could no longer take it, when suddenly a damp tickle rubbed against her, the gemsbok cooling down her cheeks with his tongue.

The more he leaned forward, the deeper Cassandra's tongue could reach, and she probed down hard, making sure she could sink her entire tongue into him. "Yeah you're a bad girl aren't you?" Erik said as he rubbed his fingers along the bear's folds, using the juices to spread open her asshole and slide the digits in.

"I-I am-ahh!" she whimpered and moaned as several smacks of the paddle ripple over her reddened backside.

"You have a husband, in this very building to be exact, and here you are using the lips you kiss him with to suck my cock!" The two girls shivered with chills as they heard the gemsbok's rarely apparent darker side, "In fact those are also the same lips you put on my girlfriend's pussy... that makes you, a," he began to paddle her with each word, "Dirty... Little... Slut!"

The bear howled in agonizing fury, her sense all tingling from the mix of pain and humiliation. "Casandra dear," Erik suddenly spoke, "Bottom drawer of my desk," he spread the bear's asshole open as he gave his request, "It's time I did something about this!"

"You got it stud!" she replied obediently as her tongue left her lover's backside, a strand of saliva still connecting the two. She returned quickly with a bottle of lube, the same Erik had used the day before on his star athlete. With a simple nod, Erik took it from his mate, opening the cap and letting a long glob drip out. He slid the solution over his shaft until it gleamed in the light of the room, soon placing the tip of his member on the smooth surface of the bear's pucker.

Cassandra placed the bottle aside for him when he was done with it, sucking on his smooth balls for a moment before stepping back, allowing her mate to go full force on their horny friend. Erik was gentle at first, despite his earlier bravado, his shaft sliding in and out until the girl's ass had loosened, her whimpers turning to sighs as she got used to the thick cock invading her. "There we go!" Erik commented as he finally slid the entirety of his cock into her, the incredible tightness clinging to his shaft.

Carol tensed up as she felt the heavy, bloated sting in her backside, barely able to believe it herself as she was able to fit the entire massive length into her rear. She did her best to relax herself as the shaft began to speed up, her paws clenching into balls as she felt the stings and tingles intensify with each heavy thud into her. "Dirty little slut," the gemsbok spat as he smacked up into the bear's tight rump, "How does that feel?!"

"Oh god, it f-feels..." Carol struggled to speak as the rough sensations overwhelmed, "It feels incredible!" She nipped her bottom lip as the gemsbok made another slide in, his cockhead pressing against every inch of her sensitive flesh on its way. "Mmmf, harder!" the bear begged.

Erik grabbed both her cheeks with his paws as he raised up a bit on his hooves, hips shaking as he slammed in and out of her tight ass. Several cries and whimpers filled the room in a tense echo as she reacted to the new sensations, her body worked up to overdrive as the gifted gemsbok took her.

Erik panted out deep, desperate breaths as he kept slamming into the bear's backside, the sound of slaps ringing out as his hips kept smacking against her tailcheeks. He made no signs of letting up as he thud his hard cock into her over and over, only breaking when he finally heard her howl out. Her body twitching as she hit her climax. He carefully slid his slick member from her ass, allowing her to drop from the table onto to a sighing heap on the floor. Before he could speak however, his mate had already bounded onto the table, raising her rump in the air to show off the tight pink pucker under her twitching tail. "Nu-uh, you ain't done yet mister!"

"Oh," the gemsbok began to inquire as he rubbed his cockhead against the doe's ass, his prick still warm from the inside of Carol's ass, "Is that so?" He watched with glee as his mate whimpered in a near beg, the gemsbok popping the tip of his cock in and out to loosen her up and build up her need.

"Just fuck me!" she whined desperately, her Boston accent barely held back as she begged for it. She grit her teeth and gulped as she gripped the desk, the slick sound of Erik's lubricated cock filling her ears as it sank down into her backside.

"Good girl!" Erik groaned as he slowly began to push in and out of his mate's tight, warm rump, reaching down with his hoof to tickle it between the legs of the bear below. Carol curled into a ball as she whimpered out from his touch, her sensitive, overstimulated body looking as if she was an innocent young girl again. For a moment Erik felt a sexual greed work up, and it took effort to shake away the urge to dominate the female under his hoof more. "How you feeling baby?" he asked Cassandra as he left Carol alone, thrusting faster as the doe wiggled her fingertips around her soaked pussy lips.

"Incredible!" the doe cried as she pleasured herself in tandem, a small hew of pink splashing over her cheeks. "I'm s-so close!" she moaned out as her legs began to shake.

"Me too!" Erik groaned as he shifted around, coaxing the doe to follow his lead. She shifted position to lay her back against the gemsbok's powerful chest, Cassandra riding his cock in a firm bounce as his fingers toyed with her soaked sex. "Carol, get up here!" Erik commanded as he felt his girlfriend's ass tighten around his shaft, the bear pressing her lips to the doe's pussy just in time to swallow the biggest squirt she had ever seen. What didn't hit her tongue hit her nose and muzzle, the bear squinting as she watched the doe's sexual muscles work their magic.

Moments later, Erik let out a long desperate groan, a few more thrusts into his mate's ass all he needed. She sighed as she felt the pulsing of her lover's shaft, her ass feeling almost bloated as it was filled with pints of Erik's cum. As he finished he was careful to take his time slipping out, the bear under him opening her mouth as a single string of cum fell from the slit of his dick. She caught it carefully with her tongue as it dropped, following it up to the doe's ass, lapping up the little bit that had dripped out.

Cassandra let out a low sigh as her body relax, more of the gemsbok's cum dripping out of her tight pucker. Before she could even contemplate going in for more, Erik grabbed Carol by the hair, pushing her against his girlfriend's rump and whispering, "You missed some, now be a good girl and clean it up!"

The bear moaned as she lapped up the salty mess, sucking firmly on the doe's pucker until she got any and all cum that wasn't deep enough to stay inside her. The gemsbok sighed as he looked over the two, brushing his hair back with his paw, "Get your clothes." The pair of ladies studied his tone as he began to dress himself, noticing the gleam in his eye as he elaborated, "I'm taking you both out to dinner, then, when we get home... I'm gonna get myself comfy while I watch you two get each other wet on my bed."

...

Carys:

A Few Weeks Earlier:

The young wattle/mangalitsa crossbreed giggled as she wiped sweat from her forehead, the muddy earth floor smearing over her hooves as she slowly followed the little flock of chickens that clucked and twitched around the pen. "Cecil stop running away!" Carys said in a cheery laugh as the rooster of the group rushed away from her, clearly in a bit of a grumpy mood as she dropped the feed into the pen.

The hens were less finicky as they picked at the little bundles of seeds and grains, allowing their keeper to brush her paw carefully along their feathers. She smiled warm and brightly as she pet her chickens, laughing as they looked up at her curiously. All was well until Cecil decided his keeper was getting a tad too close with his lady friends, and trotted over to give the wattle's fingers a light peck of warning. "Ouch!" Carys whimpered as she shook her finger, more in surprise than actual pain. "Fine," she pouted as she got up from her kneeling stance to leave, "Have your little harem you silly bird!"

She sucked on her fingertip as she walked back to the farmhouse, stopping by a small garden house to wash her hooves off. She shivered a little as the cold water hit her sensitive hoofs, wiggling them each as she let the hose cleanse all of the dirt off of them. When they were finally spotless, she twisted the nozzle off again, setting the hose back in its holster before walking back into the house.

She went up to her room to brush her hair before continuing her chores, knowing she'd be alone for another hour or so. She went straight for her side table when she entered the large room, her walls painted a soft pink, the odd furnishes containing a splash of magenta here and there. The furniture about the room seemed oddly placed, various items ranging from on sale to second hand, but the room hard charm to it and Carys had truly made it her own.

She stepped up to a small bedside table with a little wooden chair, grabbing her hair brush and letting the bristles glide through her silky, dark red hair. She smiled to herself as her olive green eyes flickered, happy to see how straight she was able to keep her hair, it was much more tamable than her woolly fur.

Just before she left she notice something sitting on her bed, her cheeks blushing with excitement as she saw a brand new volleyball sitting on her comforter with a red bow wrapped around its circumference. She hopped up onto the bed in a rush, her little corkscrew tail wiggling as she grabbed the little hand written letter under it, reading it to herself:

'Hey sweetheart, your mother told me the news, sorry I didn't get to see you before leaving this morning, this is for my star athlete.

Love Pa.'

Carys' heart leapt as she set the note carefully on the nearby table with her brush. She knew how much the ball must have cost and she was grateful beyond words for the gift her parents had given her. She carefully unraveled the pretty little bow of ribbon that surrounded the ball, holding it up in her paws as she looked towards her ceiling, imagining the surrounding court around her. She let it drop just a tad before spiking it ever so gently with her paws, the ball hitting her ceiling with a thump before dropping back down onto her bed.

She giggled as she picked the ball back up, wiping the dust from its surface after it had had its little travel. She wiped her palms over the surface of the soft ball, entire the tactile sensation. She hugged it before setting it back down, trotting down to the main room to finish her chores, completely forgetting her original reason for going up to her room.

...

Later that night she sat with her parents, enjoying the dinner her mother had prepared. She must have thanked her father a thousand times for the gift as they enjoyed their communal meal, the youngest wattle unable to hide her smile the entire evening. Her father kept grinning to his wife as he thought about his second surprise for his daughter, swallowing another forkful of peas and mashed potatoes before speaking, "Any plans tonight Carys dear?"

"Hmm, oh no papa," she replied to him, "Nothing major, was just going to help out with the animals then, umm, I'm not sure."

"Oh, is that so?" the older wattle said as he cut into the meat on his plate, "Well I was wondering then, if you wanted to go hunting with me tonight?"

The little wattle's eyes lit up like Christmas lights as she heard those words, her little hooves clattering on the floor as she nearly bounded up, "Really daddy? Oh yes, please, please, please!"

Her father laughed as he watched his daughter bounce up and down on her hooves, overjoyed with the prospect of partaking in one of her favourite sports. The wattle grinned as he continued to eat his dinner, patting his daughter on the head as he said, "Eat Carys, finish your meal then we'll head out." The cub nodded as she began devouring her meal, barely chewing as she bounced on her chair.

...

Sabrina:

A Few Months Earlier:

Sabrina was deeply focused as she looked into her own blue eyes in the bedside mirror, her paw clutching her curling brush as she slid it through her medium length wave. She sighed to herself as she heard her parents arguing downstairs, once again worrying about next month's rent. Sabrina shook a small can of hairspray in a slow clacking rhythm, before spraying a small layer of the adhesive liquid over her freshly curled hair. She smiled to her pretty self as she straightened her posture, dressed all prim and proper for another day at school.

As she made her way downstairs she looked around at the family home, the cracked wallpaper, water damaged walls, mismatched furniture, it wasn't much, but it was home. "I've already had breakfast mother," the pretty young poodle said in a dignified tone as she grabbed her bag and put her shoes on, "I hope your first shift goes well."

The somewhat disheveled poodle gave a weak smile to her daughter as she shook a little pup in her arms, barely able to balance the little bundle of fur and bottle in both paws as she helped the little critter feed. "You have a good day at school darling," she spoke gently as she cooed her cub in tandem, "I love you Sabie"

The hair on the back of Sabrina's neck raised as she heard that name, her paws balling into fists as she swallowed down a vicious comeback, "I love you too mother, I'll see you tonight." The door closed gently as she left, the poodle's mother soon losing her smile as she looked back down at the paper on the table. She sighed, disheartened as her eyes lingered over specific buzzwords, 'failure of payment by', 'further notice', 'eviction' all cutting into her heart like paper printed daggers.

...

Sabrina tossed her purse over her shoulder as she strut down the street to the bus stop, her steps deliberately proper and calculated. Her eyes were stern and her chin remained high as she ignored any glances of the nearby cubs, her focus strictly placed on the impending arrival of the school bus. Her ears flickered as hushed chatter fell upon the crowd, the arrival of another student causing them to stir.

Sabrina looked over curiously as the newcomer walked shyly to the bus stop, half looking away as the crowd gawked at her. The poodle grit her tooth somewhat angrily as she felt a tremble of empathy, the beautiful crossbreed's antennae wisping around in a display of nervousness. "Ignore them," Sabrina finally said despite herself, stepping over to stand next to the strange but beautiful young girl, "They're just not used to anyone who's not typical and mundane."

"O-oh?" Whisper responded gently, her antenna's twitching slowing down a little.

"You definitely stand out, but that's a good thing," there was pride in the poodle's voice as she spoke, "You are dazzling, and anyone with a sense of fashion would beg to look like you, so don't like the opinions of small minded children slow you down."

"Th-thank you..." Whisper stuttered as she started to blush, "That's so kind."

Sabrina nodded as she watched the school bus arrive, waiting for the cubs in front of her to shuffle on before stepping on herself, "Listen..." she waited for the girl's name.

"Whisper..."

"Heh, cute," the poodle chuckled, "Listen Whisper, I'm probably not the kind of girl you want to associate with, I can be cold, and I'm very particular about my reputation, so maybe keep what I said earlier to yourself."

Whisper stopped in her tracks as a very different girl frowned at her, a look of sadness in her eyes as she walked down to an empty seat on the bus, a few energetic cubs rushing past the crossbreed to get on the bus. She looked down as she contemplated the strange poodle's words, bounding up onto the bus and finding where Sabrina had sat.

As always the poodle sat alone as every other student refused to sit next to her, the stuck up girl looking out the window vacantly as she yawned impatiently. As soon as the bus began to leave, Whisper plopped down next to the poodle, Sabrina turning to view the girl with a look of surprise. "I thought about what you just said," the crossbreed said with a little grin, "...and I've decided to ignore you warning, and 'associate' with you... figure us 'less mundane' girls should stick together."

Sabrina let out a cocky 'tch' as she turned to look away from the girl, hiding a little smile as she muttered, "Whatever."

...

Peyton:

A Few Weeks Earlier:

Peyton's right eye pressed gently against the scope on her rifle, as she aimed carefully at the feral deer that stood grazing in the distance. The chital/musk deer held her breath as long as she could as she kept her weapon steady, studying the feral's habits carefully to ensure she didn't miss her shot. After another moment of careful calculation she pressed her finger down on the trigger, the rifle bouncing a tad as the bullet shot from its muzzle.

Before the sound had finished ricocheting around the line of trees, the feral creature had fallen to the forest floor, now lifeless. Peyton's aim had been precise and practiced, making sure no pain came to the animal. She flicked the safety back on the weapon and swung the strap around, so the gun could lay against her back. She made the short trek to the body of her kill and whistled for her father, waiting for him to help her carry it back to the car.

"Peyton?" another girl's voice chirped out as the sound of snapping twigs and shuffling leaves approached the deer girl, "Is that you?"

"Oh hey Carys," she replied as she saw the full figure of the wattle and her father, "Hello Mr. Shaw, how are you two this evening?"

"We're very good, daddy's taking me out hunting!" the little wattle cheered out enthusiastically, "...but I guess that's sort of obvious isn't it?"

"Hehe, yeah... I can sort of see that," Peyton giggled, "Speaking of which I'll be right back, have a kill to clean up." The deer shuffled off as she noticed her father just off in the distance, already heading in the direction of her catch.

Carys took out her own rifle as her father did the same, the wattle cub soon holding a rather impressive looking firearm, its stock an almost zebra print of black and pink. The scope on the top was also bought separately, complete with a coin adjustable turret and a 100 yard fixed parallax. Her father had assembled the rifle himself, adding the aftermarket parts over time as budget allowed, for its completion for her eight birthday.

Her parents had wondered if it was too early an age to introduce her to hunting, but figured a child's mindset would give her better judgment for the care of an animal, learning very early not to kill unless necessary. Her opinion on hunting was just that, and much like her friend Peyton, the two made sure to use any and all kills from their trips as much as possible, respecting the life of what they hunted.

Carys nearly held her breath as she steadied her grip, balancing the rifle as she scanned the woods for a target. Nearby, Peyton met up with her father and was taking a deep breath, lifting the freshly killed animal with all the strength she could muster. Her father was a well-built bobcat, notable puma genes also visible in the strong feline. He smiled to his adopted daughter as he hoisted up the feral deer, the two of them moving forward with shaky legs as they began the trek back to the car.

Her father still found it troublesome that she had gained such a taste for deer meat. Although there was fundamentally nothing wrong with eating feral meat of any kind, the idea of a deer eating a lesser deer was somewhat unsettling. The dark past of Peyton's mother was also a concern but was often less undiscussed, the family choosing to give their daughter a fresh start.

"Pretty good catch, huh dad?" the chital deer said brightly as the pair finally reached their vehicle.

"Yeah kiddo, well done!" the feline replied in a bright tone, letting the feral's body flop down so he could open the trunk, "This will take me a bit to get it secure, you wanna go see your friend for a few minutes before we head out?"

The cub nodded as she stepped around to the side door of the car, placing her rifle in the backseat, "Ok, I'll be back in a little bit." As soon as the door closed she was off back into the forest.

...

Carys watched as another doe grazed in the grassy area of the woods, her breath and body still as she waited for just the right shot. As always she felt a brief moment of hesitation as her empathy took over, the little wattle feeling bad for the animal she was about to kill. She reminded herself how good the meal would be and how as always, she would only be claiming one, and that steadied her worries.

After another moment of calculating she took her shot, the echo hitting the trees a moment after the lifeless deer hit the forest floor. She smiled up at her father as she set the rifle to her side, hopping up and down as she cheered, "I got it, I got it!"

"Well done sweetheart!" her father said he gave a small clap, waiting for his daughter to pack up her gun before going to claim their prize. Before they left however, they heard a shuffling of leaves and they turned to see the little chital/musk deer sprinting towards them. "Hello again Peyton" Carys' father said with a smile as his daughter's friend met up with them.

"Hey, dad's just packing up our deer now..." she paused as she looked off in the distance, "Want any help with yours?"

Shay grinned as he noted Peyton's courtesy, ruffling his daughter's hair as he replied, "Actually, that would be great!"

...

"So, uhh," Peyton groaned as the trip back to the Shaw's car began to irritate her back, "I hear practice is gonna get real intense soon, Coach didn't give me any other details, but he did say we need to be giving our best performance from now on."

"Weird," Carys replied as she gave her own little tired whimper, "As if he wasn't hard on us already."

"He's not that bad," Peyton laughed as she noticed the car getting closer into view, "...but I know what you mean, he does seem to be getting a little edgier lately, especially around Sierra... I wonder what's going on there."

"Heh, you mean you haven't heard the rumor mill?" Carys replied as she flashed her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shay asked as his daughter gave her little goo goo eyes.

"Oh, uh, you know dad..." Carys said as she racked her brain for a scapegoat, "She gets the best grades in the class so he plays favourite with her."

"Oh I see... rich people" Shay said with a role of his eyes, mostly sarcastic as his daughter gave a "Pfft!" with her lips.

"Anyways, I know we can handle it Peyton, just gotta practice more often."

"Mhmm," the deer nodded as they reached their car, noticing her own father already in their own vehicle, listening to the radio, "Tell you what Carys, how about we get together after school tomorrow, do a little practice on our own?"

"That sounds great!" the wattle said with excitement, turning to give her father cute, puppy eyes, "Is that ok daddy?"

Her father breathed heavily as he dropped the deer, grabbing his keys to unlock the trunk, "Sounds perfect kiddo, Peyton is always welcome."

Peyton nodded with a slight bow, giving the adult a bright "Thank you!" as she smiled to her friend, waiting to help the pair of wattles pack their hunting prize into the trunk of their car.