{"sf1_id":795120,"sf2_id":null,"title":"The Adventures of Peter Gray chapter 1: New Year's Day","author":"Domus Vocis","words":3127,"posted_at":"2014-12-13T01:14:00.000Z","tags":["City","Dream","Emotional","Fantasy","Flirtation","Friendship","German Shepherd","House","Humor","Introduction","Kissing","Mouse","Multiple Species","New York","New York City","Plot Development","Puberty","Public","Science Fiction","Shy","SoFurry","Story Series","Street urchin","Winter","Wolf","holidays","hug","innocence","laugh","prologue","teen","young romance"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/795120-the-adventures-of-peter-gray-chapter-1-new-year-s-day","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/795120","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=795120\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"","content":"Chapter\n1New\nYear's Day           I had a dream, a really quiet, yet\nwonderful dream. I felt a soft bed underneath me, a warm fire nearby in the\ncorner of me room, and the smell of a hot meal on me lap stung me muzzle like a\nslap from a nun. The food was a glass of milk, a roll of bread, and several\ngrapes. Feeling heavenly, I lifted me paw toward the tray, mouth watering like\nthe Hudson, and muzzle twitching like a dead rat. I was so hungry, that I pounced at it.Unfortunately though, me eyes opened. Instead\nof peace and quiet, I heard the music of New York. Instead of feeling the\nwarmth of a roaring fireplace, I got frost in me fur and tail. And the cozy bed\nI dreamed got replaced with the large, overturned barrel I laid in. I groaned. \"Bugga,\" the cracks of sunlight were\ngetting in me eyes anyway. \"Can't I ever get meself a break?\"I slowly crawled me way outta the wooden barrel\nand stepped onto the cold and wet alleyway. I pushed me paws to the ground and\nstretched meself, and wiped off the frost on me tail, fur, and clothes. I was\njust glad the barrel didn't roll away from me last night, and I got meself a\nplace to sleep.I checked to make sure me father's pocket\nwatch still rested deep in me trousers, and it did. Fitting in the palm of me\npaw, it shined a clear silver color, and held a small photograph of a wolf cub\ninside, right next to the ever-ticking clock. I didn't check the time, because\nfrom the looks of the sun behind the clouds, it had to be around 8 o' clock. But suddenly, as I placed the watch back into\nme trousers, a low growl inside me stomach was heard. Gotta get meself some breakfast, it rumbled again, this time\nlouder, before me stomach starts to eat\nme.  I reached into the barrel for me cap and\ncoat, placing the cap in between me perked ears. I strolled outta the alley\nwith me sleeves wrapped together; I hated winter so much. The streets of the\ncity still hadn't changed, not in winter, not with many faces and species, and\nthe sky still held a gray color that matched me eyes. Even with me coat and black cap, the chills\nand smells of downtown kept sending shivers up me frozen tail. I noticed how\nthe streets were already alive with the shuffling chatter of people, the\nrattling of folks in horse carriages. Me right footpaw felt a little broken\nglass, and I grimaced to suck it up. Luckily, the shops of downtown were already\nopening, and the smoke of their chimneys was a pump of their heart. Ahead of me\nwere butchers, barbers, craftsmen, pie makers, steel workers, and a couple of haberdashers\nI could see. But one shop caught me eyes like that of a\npretty vixen.The local bakery; Joseph Kinnick's bakery to\nbe exact. Resting at the corner leading to Henry Street, the bakery's smells\ncould be caught a mile away, and even in the damn snow, I still read 'Bakery'\nabove its inviting doors. And lastly, Bromley, the 8 year-old Shepherd\nnewsie, did his job exclaiming the news. \"E-Extra! Extra! R-Read all about it!\"\nhe shouted with glee and shivering. \"Brooklyn becomes part of New York! Extra!\nExtra!\" I waved a cold paw. \"Morning, Bromley!\" I\ngreeted with a flick of me tail. \"How's the paper going?\" The kid perked his black ears up, looking at\nme with a smile. \"Peter!\" he laughed with a wagging tail. \"G-Glad to see you\nstill live.\" He shivered as a gust of wind hit. \"Thought you'd have d-died in\nlast night's storm.\"I shook his icy paw. \"I ain't dead yet,\nBromley,\" I replied with a grin. \"You could send Mother Nature herself and I'd\nstill be jittering like a dancer.\" I clicked me footpaws together a couple\ntimes. Bromley chuckled, then went into newsie mode\nas a gentleman fox went by. \"Want a paper, good sir?\" he asked. \"Only a cent.\"\nThe fox shook his head. Bromley turned to a badger couple walking by. \"Want a\npaper for the madam to read?\"The female badger looked at her husband,\nknelt down, and grabbed a paper. \"Sure thing kid, I'll have one,\" she handed\nthe lad a nickel. \"Thank you.\"The kid smiled. \"Extra! Extra! Read all about\nit!\" he continued shouting at the streets. \"Extra! Extra!\" A group of friends\ncame up and bought a couple, Bromley's eyes lit up in surprise as they handed\nhim quarters. I shook me head in a chuckle at the sight. \"Well,\nyou have a nice day, me friend,\" I tapped me cap to him, and strolled into the\nbakery as he waved back.  As soon as I stepped inside, the smell of\nbread and pastries fed me hunger even more. The baker wasn't in the room, so it\ntook all me strength not to nab a piece or two of the guy's bread. It was just\nsitting there, on the counter, the smell tickling me muzzle. Just then, as me paw nearly betrayed me, a\ndoor behind the counter opened, and out came a scruffy old wolf in baker's\nclothes. Not seeing me, the wolf turned and placed freshly baked muffins into\nbaskets. With fur white and dirty as the snow outside, and a bulk as big as the\ndoor, Joseph was intimidating.But I knew better. \"'ello Joseph,\" I waved.\n\"How ya doing?\"Joseph lifted his head up, turning his tail\nto me with a smile. \"Well, if it isn't Peter Gray!\" he laughed with joy. \"I\nthought I'd see you dead as dust today.\" I ignored that. Why did everyone doubt me? \"Lovely\nweather out there,\" I said, taking a seat by the table nearby. \"You got\nanything for a fellow wolf to eat?\"Joseph chuckled. \"Sure thing,\" he said. \"You\ncare for a fresh muffin me lad? Hot out of the oven.\" He grabbed a muffin and\ntossed it to me, its warmth burning me paw to me delight. But just as I had the\nthing to me watering muzzle, the old wolf shouted, \"That'll be a nickel out of\nyou though.\"I pause with me maw open. \"Can't ya gimme\nanother tab today?\" I asked in a pleading voice. \"I'm turning into a skeleton\nhere, and times is hard, ya know?\"\"Hey,\" Joseph pointed a finger at me while he\npounded flour, \"you've already got a tab of fifty-two cents, and I need the\nmoney for me family, Gray.\"\"Oh come on,\" I begged with ears folded.\n\"Please?\" The old wolf crossed his arms, and stared at me with a crossed look.\nI sighed. \"Fine!\" I poked into me other pocket and pulled a nickel out. \"Give it here,\" Joseph said. I threw it to\nhim, and he formed a smirked smile. \"God bless you, Mr. Gray.\" Me eyes watched\nthe old wolf place it into his purse. \"Defeated, I bit into the delicious muffin,\nmaking me tail wag wildly against the wooden floor. \"Call yourself a good\nChristian, me arse,\" I mumbled between me teeth.\"What was that?\"I nearly stumbled outta me leaning chair. \"Uh...how's\nthe wife, ya good Christian?\" I smiled innocently.Joseph smirked again as he pounded the flour\nagain. \"That's what I thought you said,\" he chuckled. Again, he pounded hard. \"Well,\nthe family's fine, if you want to know.\"\"Was Johnny born yet?\" I asked. \"Is he\nalright?\"\"Oh, fine as a baby cub can be, Peter,\" he\nsaid with glee. He pounded the flour more. \"Rosie is still recovering from\nchildbirth, but she's alright.\"\"Can't blame her,\" I bit into the muffin\nagain. \"I heard that childbirth is really painful.\" Joseph scoffed. \"Don't get old just yet,\nkid,\" he pounded the flour into the board, softening it up. \"'Live life in the\nnow,' me mum used to say.\"\"Amen to that,\" I bit down again, and nodded\nat its exquisite taste. \"Still got the talent, Joseph. Probably the best of the\nbest here. In fact, I think I should go and tell every single gent I see about\nhow wonderful of a cook ya are all across\nNew York. Don't ya agree?\"Joseph just scoffed. \"If you're trying to get\nthat tab removed, think again,\" he said, prompting me to laugh. \"Still, that's\na pretty nice try.\"A couple minutes later, a beautiful she-wolf\ncame down the stairs. \"Uncle, do you need any supplies or anything?\" she asked.\nShe looked to be a bit older than me, and a pretty one at that. \"Actually, I do, Edith\" he clapped his paws. \"Please\nget me a basket of flour down by Alan's Place on Market Street. But be really\ncareful! Don't go into any alleyways or talk to strangers or nothing!\"\"Alright, Uncle Joe. I will,\" she answered\nback. When the she-wolf named Edith turned to me, I rapidly stood up\nstraighter, and wiped off any showing crumbs on me cheeks. \"And who's this\nlittle fellow?\" I got to me footpaws quickly and tipped me\ncap. \"The name's Peter, ma'am,\" I greeted like a gentleman. I tried to act\nformal. \"Peter Gray.\" I looked at her and to the old wolf staring at me. \"Say,\nya look like you're not from around here. Is that right?\"Joseph spoke up. \"Me niece is visiting from\nPhiladelphia for the next two months,\" he explained. \"That reminds me; Edith, I\nalso need ya to get me some raisins and butter while you're at it, will you?\" \"Sure thing,\" As she started to go, me mind got an idea. \"You\nknow the streets of New York are very difficult\nto follow,\" I spoke quickly, then offered a paw out. \"Mind if I accompany the\nfine lady, Joseph? I know where Alan's Place is.\" I smiled at the old wolf, and\nthat set him off.\"Oh no you don't, you little bugger,\" he leaned\nover the counter and pointed a claw at me. \"You're not gonna bring me niece\nanywhere. I'll be-\"\"Uncle, please,\" Edith interrupted while\nputting a coat on. She glanced down at me with a smile, and turned to Joseph \"I\nthink you need to give the boy here a chance. After all, I really don't know\nthat much of the city.\" Joseph narrowed his eyes at me, and I could\nfeel the breath even from across the room. For a full minute, silence engulfed\nthe place as Joseph made his mind up on me proposal. I couldn't blame him,\nconsidering I was a mere charmer among the women of New York.  Maybe he's jealous, I thought. I used\nall me power not to laugh at that.\"Fine then,\" Joseph said, just as several\ncustomers came in. \"But come back soon,\" he got the customer's orders, \"or I'll\nskin your hide, kid! I mean it!\"\"I'll take that into consideration, Joseph!\"\nI shouted over the swift chatter. Edith next to me fought a chuckle, and I\noffered her me paw again. \"Ready, milady?\" She gave me a warm smile, took hold\nof me paw, and we walked into the cold.On the road to our destination, me and the\npretty she-wolf kept quiet. All that was said were the echoes all around us.\nFrom the little cubs and kids running past us to the gruff thugs that ran the\nalleyways, the noise of New York carried on. It was just strange for me, even\nif I've heard it too many times.Edith spoke up. \"Can this weather get any worse?\"\nshe asked over the city's voice. \"I mean, Philadelphia is cold, but this is a\ndamn blizzard.\"I chuckled as we turned a corner. \"Should\nhave been here in the Blizzard of '85. Couldn't go through town like the plague\nhit,\" I said. I faked a shiver. \"So scary!\"Edith raised an eyebrow at me, and flicked me\ntail away from me. \"From the looks of it,\" she pointed at me, \"you weren't born before '85.\"I looked at her with me charmer's smile.\n\"So?\" I asked, me tail a wagging along the snowy road. \"Who says I don't look\nolder?\"Edith replied when we got through a crowd of\ngents. \"You do not. You look more like a little school kid,\" I folded me ears\nto that while she laughed at it. \"Oh speaking of which,\" she looked at me, \"do\nyou go to school, Peter?\"Before I could answer to that, a familiar\nraccoon beat me to it. \"Peter!\" I felt someone hug me from behind, and pushed\nhim aside to see Lance, smiling from behind his fancy winter coat.\"'ello Lance,\" I greeted. \"What's up?\"          Lance and a couple of his brothers\npointed to a nearby house. \"Peter, you wanna come and sled with us?\" he asked\ngleefully. \"Bobby got a new sled from Santa Clause.\"          \"Yeah, it's got red paint and\neverything!\" one of the twins said.          Unfortunately, I answered them with a\nshake of me muzzle. \"Sorry,\" I apologized. \"I gotta escort this lady here to\nhelp pay off a tab.\"          At first, Lance didn't get it, but then\ngave me a grin along with a wink. \"Oh, alright,\" he replied, turning away with\nhis brothers. \"Have fun!\"          \"I got first ride!\" one shouted in a\nfit.          The other replied with, \"No I do!\"          As the scamps scurried off, Edith\nchuckled shortly at their remarkable innocence as did I. \"You must be pretty\npopular in the neighborhood,\" she said to me.          \"Lady, you don't know the half of it,\"                    Me and Edith came to the street with\nAlan's shop nearby. Squished in between several apartments, and smelling of a\nmix of candle wax, foreign musks, and the feces of vermin, was Alan's Place.\nResting in front of a small building similar to the bakery, a large awning\nstretched over a kiosk of sweets, with the snowfall nearly snapping the awning\npoles.          \"I'll just be a moment,\" Edith\ngestured for me to wait.           While the lady got the stuff she\nneeded, me eyes fell upon the person helping her. It was Alan himself, a six-foot\ntall mouse with black fur and a face of grit and muscle. I knew the guy, and\nhappened to have stolen a bit of cheese from him in me lost days, when I ran\naway. I prayed the mouse didn't recognize me.          Suddenly, me mind ran back to the\norphanage, back to the days when me life was a living 'ell. I remembered the\nother kids. Oh how I was so alone, afraid, hurt, destroyed...          No!\nForget about it, Peter! Now!          Me nerves finally came back.\"Thank you so much, sir,\" Edith finally gave\nthe big mouse the money. \"Peter? You ready?\" Giving a quick smile to her, and\nwagging me tail a bit, I gently took hold of the she-wolf's paw, and strolled\naway from the kiosk.           On the way back, I decided to pass the\ntime (and forget about how nervous I was back there) by talking to her a bit.\n\"So Edith,\" I started off. \"Tell me about yourself.\"          Edith straightened her tight on the\nbasket of food. \"What would you like to know, Peter?\" she asked with a\nskeptical voice.          I looked down at me footpaws. \"Well,\"\nI asked, \"I do wonder how beautiful you are, for example.\" Even while not\nlooking up, I knew she gave me a stare. \"But on a serious note,\" I saved meself,\n\"what do you like?\"          Edith slowly formed a small smile on\nher muzzle. \"In that case,\" she started herself. \"I happen to love baking,\nmostly pies and bread and such. I also really love to go to school, and I want\nto be a teacher when I go off to Harvard.\" She kept going, and going, and\ngoing.          The entire time, I just nodded like an\nidiot.Pretty soon, a gust of wind forced us to\nhurry down the street. Damn how cold it was! I really wanted to just talk to\nMother Nature herself and give a piece of me mind. Snow kept kissing me cheek\nlike that of Death, and the wind didn't help much either. We turned a corner, and Edith suddenly lost\nher balance. \"Oh no!\" she lost hold of the basket, and it nearly dropped before\nI grabbed both it, and Edith's arm to support herself. I told her to thank me\nlater, and handed her the basket as we cut through to Joseph's.I kept thinking to meself, When will this blasted winter end?!At last, we came to the bakery's welcoming\ndoor, and slammed it shut. \"So,\" Joseph spoke up in the empty shop, \"how'd\nit go, Edith?\" Edith shook all the snow off her head and\ncoat. \"Splendid, Uncle Joe,\" she chortled. \"Peter did a really wonderful job\nhelping out.\"\"Is that so?\" he came from across the counter\nand stared down at me, his paws to his side and me ears once again folded.\n\"You're late, so I get to skin your hide and use it to wash the clothes, Gray.\"\"'Oh no!'\" I faked me voice. \"'Me tail is\nquivering in utter and undeniable fear!' What are you gonna do after that?\nRaise me as your own and pay off me tab? Oh the horror!\"To me surprise, even Joseph himself laughed\nat me insult, and even slapped me shoulder. \"You're lucky I haven't gone to the\npolice for kidnapping me niece, are you?\" Edith gasped. \"Uncle!\" Joseph chuckled. \"I'm just kidding, honey...\"\nhe flicked his tail at me before standing behind his counter. \"Anyways, I do\nowe you one, Peter, so I'll take a couple quarters off your tab?\"Me ears flicked up, believing what I heard to\nbe a dream. \"You're kidding again, Joseph?\" I asked in glee. He nodded in\nreluctance, and I responded with a, \"Yes!\" and a cup of laughter. The old wolf shrugged. \"The least I can do for\nprotecting me niece,\" he said. \"It keeps getting worse out there by the day. I can't even go out into the street\nwithout the fear of dangers out there.\"\"Amen to that too,\" I agreed to that so much.\nI checked the time on me pocket watch, and gained a surprise to see it was\nactually five minutes after noon. \"Oh, I gotta go. Friends to talk to and\nplaces to go and such!\" I grabbed me cap and proceeded to go. Wait!\" Edith turned me to face her and knelt\ndown. \"I uh...never got to thank you for helping me out today.\" She shook her head. \"You were very sweet.\"I put as paw behind me head, a wee bit\nblushing. \"It's uh...no problem-\"Suddenly, I felt her lips on me cheek, and\nblacked out with a massive grin.The original line art goes to Piranha Petting Zoo Productions.Yeah I'm a good writer but a terrible artist...","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/796156-the-adventures-of-peter-gray-chapter-2-new-to-the-neighborhood.json"}