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The first day of school dawned clear and perfectly, with not a cloud in the sky. It was an affront to the students who unwillingly trudged toward the large grey stone building. Kris, having returned to his father's apartment the Friday before, was subdued as he rolled toward the now-familiar campus. A few of the members of the swim team waved to him as they got out of various cars and trucks; none of them seemed happy to be back, especially at this ungodly hour, after having the whole summer off.

The boys filed into the changing room and silently stripped down before pulling on their school-issued swimsuits. There was hardly any sound beyond the rustle of clothing; they could hear the occasional high pitched squeal or laugh from the girls changing room, but none of them commented on it. When Kris, the last to finish changing, closed his locker, the three of them headed into the pool as a group.

The girls were a little longer coming out, laughing and whispering as if they hadn't seen each other in years instead of just the few months of summer vacation. All five of the kits were arranged along the deep end of the pool before Coach Venn O'Brien made his appearance, dressed as usual in his own swim suit the horse cut a fine figure of masculine strength, with the black cord hanging down from his neck to hold up the silver whistle he always had on his person. They were startled into silence as another person came out of the coach's office behind him.

He was a lean looking otter around five and a half feet tall with a big rudder-like tail dragging the floor behind him. He had a shock of pink hair that kept falling over his sea green eyes. His fur was a uniform purple shade that had to be dyed, and he wore a whistle just like the Coach's around his neck on a similar black cord.

Coach O'Brien's voice boomed out across the intervening space, "Good morning, I trust you all had a nice summer?" There were a few affirmative comments from the eight kits along with a few groans, "Good because now the work begins! We have four weeks before the first meet, and I want you all in top form by then. We'll be sticking to the same schedule as before -- Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. But we're adding an afternoon practice every other Saturday this year. For those of you with transportation issues, we'll work something out."

He consulted his clip board then abruptly stepped to the side exposing the otter who'd been half hiding behind him. "This is our new assistant coach Mr. Zerek. I'm sure you'll all show him the same respect you show me." He met each of the kits eyes, making it clear he didn't expect anyone to disobey that order. "Now let's see what we have to work with. Take your positions!" He blew the whistle and all eight kits scrambled for the starting blocks. Within a few moments, the kits were poised and O'Brien blew the whistle again. Eight bodies launched themselves into the pool and headed for the far end.

"Blackwood, get your head down!" He yelled at Kris, then pointed out a few of the problems that the various kits had to his new assistant. "As you can see most of them are pretty good, they just need a little guidance here and there." He frowned and raised his voice again. "MARCUS! Put your back into it, boy! I want to see you at the end of the pool not staring at the girl's backsides!" He shook his head tisking softly. "That boy could be one of the best swimmers on the team if he wasn't so lazy or sex crazy."

Jay Zerek, or Jaz as he'd requested to be called, was almost painfully shy which was going to be a problem if the horse couldn't get him to come out of his shell. It was one thing for the kits to be shy, they weren't expected to interact with their teammates as fully as an assistant coach would be, but the shy otter who he'd been saddled with was going to have to step up at some point before too long or he'd lose all respect from the kits he was being asked to hold accountable for their actions. Ah well as with all other aspects of this job it was either sink or swim time.

About then O'Brien noticed another otter walking into the pool enclosure. The boy was short and lean and had good swimmers lines to him, what could be seen through the school uniform, which to O'Brien's practiced eye was tailor made for the kit. At least he carried himself well, not slouching like so many teenagers did these days. He stopped by the benches and simply watched the kits in the water for a while. Interestingly enough he paid as much attention to the boys as he did the girls, watching them with a practiced eye as if he was sizing up the competition.

With a final glance at the kits in the pool and a whispered comment to Jaz to keep an eye on them, O'Brien headed toward the new otter boy. "I'm assuming that you're here for the tryouts. Those aren't until this afternoon when classes are over; this lot is last year's team, and they have work to do. Was there a reason you find it necessary to stand here and distract them?"

The otter turned his brown eyes from the pool and smiled at O'Brien. "Just sizing up the competition, Coach. After all, there are only so many spots on the team, right? Need to make sure it's worth my time to come try out, don't I?" He held out a hand to the horse with a slight smile on his lips that spoke volumes for his self-confidence.

It took a few moments before the information sifted through O'Brien's head and made it to his lips. "You'd be young Dastinon then, I take it?" He took the boy's hand and was pleased by the firm grip that didn't try to overpower him as some insecure males would. "Your paperwork doesn't have a second name; is Dastinon your given or family name?" The lack of a second name on the transcripts had been troubling O'Brien for a while now; most of the kits he supervised had at least two names but this lad...

"Neither; Dastinon is the only name I go by. It's an affectation given to me by my guardian who also goes by just the one name." The boy was so charming, like he knew who he was and didn't have to play any of those stupid little games to prove himself.

"Well... you've seen them; now, either get in the pool or clear out. I need to make sure that they get their exercise so we can get on with the tryouts this evening. It was nice to meet you, Dastinon." With that, the horse turned and headed back toward the new assistant coach, his eyes skimming the water to check on each of his charges.

Dastinon smiled a little to himself as he watched one boy in particular. The raccoon showed promise; if things went the way he hoped, he might have a partner in the next olympics after all. Whistling a little tune to himself, he waved to the two coaches and turned to head back toward the classroom section of the school, musing over the turn of events that brought him to this little town in the first place.

* * * * *

The first day back was hectic -- students running through the halls to get to their classes on time, others standing with schedules in hand looking at the map and then around themselves as if to see where they were. Kittara again found herself in the position of escort to another new student -- this one, a sharp dressed otter boy named Dastinon, nothing else, just Dastinon. He didn't talk much, but that was all right; she was far more concerned with the strange way Kris had been acting since Sean left this past summer.

"This is our English class. The teacher is Mr. Mitsuda; he's pretty cool, just don't stare at him for too long, or you'll lose half the class time." She delivered the statement flatly, giving the boy fair warning but no details, since it was always more fun to watch how new students handled the flame-colored bunny.

The handsome otter chose a spot next to her in the class, since she was really the only person he knew so far at the school and took out his crisp new notebook looking rather attentive, where most of the other students were already chatting with friends and whispering questions about who the new student was behind his back.

When Mr. Kasador Mitsuda walked into the room an expectant hush fell over the students, most of them turning to look at Dastinon, having placed quite bets as to how long he would last before he became hypnotized by the rabbits unusual fur coloring. "Alright, lets see what all you hungry young minds have managed to retain over the summer vacation." There was a flash in the rabbit's black eyes as he spun to the board and started writing out questions for a pop quiz.

The whole room with one exception, Dastinon, erupted in low groans and grumbled complaints but every student reached for pen and paper. Kittara let her attention split between the questions and the otter boy sitting beside her. He hadn't been in this class last year and might not know the kind of answers that Mr. Mitsuda was looking for. She was surprised to see him half way through a second page of beautifully hand written words broken up into chunks by the questions all neatly numbered on the outside of the page.

Not only did he need no further instruction but he seemed to be giving the English teacher full essay answers for each of the questions and doing it much faster than the other students around her. Kittara pulled her attention from the boy and focused more on what she'd learned from Othello's situation for the time being.

When English was over, Dastinon hadn't even had a moment's lapse in his attention, which caused no end of grousing from the older boys who'd all had at least a few minutes stolen while contemplating the strange fire like changes in the rabbits fur. Kittara was rather cheerful when she paused to let the rest of the students file out as the bell rang. "I should introduce you, he'll want to know who has such wonderful handwriting." She winked at the otter boy as she gathered her things and made her way slowly to the front of the class with the boy falling in behind her. "Mr. Mitsuda, why is it you always spring a quiz on us the first day back from summer vacation?"

The rabbit turned to face her and smiled sweetly. "How else can I keep you on your toes young lady? Welcome back Kitt, it's good to see you're still set on that graduation with honors we talked about last year." He shook the girl's hand gently then turned his bright eyes to the boy beside her. "And who might this be?"

"This is Dastinon, he's the one with the gorgeous hand writing that gave you an essay as an answer to each of those monstrous questions you asked." The vixen tucked her hand under the otter's arm and pulled him a step forward, leaning in toward the teacher to whisper, "I think he'll even give me a run for my money." Which made the older rabbit chuckle softly as he extended his hand to the otter.

Dastinon's ears folded back into his fur as he blushed at the obvious prase from the younger girl. "Dastinon Sir, I think it's going to be a pleasure to have you as a teacher. I haven't had that kind of mental work out in quite some time." He grasped the rabbit's paw and shook just as he had the Coach earlier that morning.

"Is that so?" came the soft rejoinder, "Then I shall have to make a point of making you stretch your muscles regularly young man." For a moment the rabbit held his hand taking the measure of the boy. "How do you feel about the theater my lad? We could always use a good strong Shakespearean actor in the troop." There was something about the boy that made Kasador want to probe the depths of his mind.

"Alas my leanings are to a more physical activity but I thank you for the offer Sir." With that he offered his arm to Kittara and ushered her out past the merrily laughing rabbit.

As they left the classroom the vixen politely showed the otter how to get to the main doors and the lockers. "I have to leave you here I'm afraid, Dastinon; I have other responsibilities this afternoon. Will you be alright finding the parking lot and your way home?"

The otter boy smiled at her and shrugged slightly. "Actually, I'm heading for the pool. Going to try out for the team, you know?" He pushed his school bag into his locker and took out a smaller bag, one that smelled faintly of chlorine. "Had a little chat with the Coach this morning, and I'm thinking it could be interesting to see how that raccoon boy turns out."

Kittara's ears folded back as she realized that if the otter'd seen Kris, he'd surely seen her in the pool this morning as well. "Oh... well, that's where I'm heading right now anyway, so... if you want to come along..."

* * * * *

The locker rooms were full to overflowing with kits this year, it was hard to get past to his locker to grab his likely still damp suit from this morning. Shouts and laughter rang out through the room as unfamiliar guys played stupid games that were going to get someone hurt. Audio stood beside his locker looking a little bedraggled when he finally pushed his way between two large bodies, large in a way that would keep them floating in the water but surely wouldn't let them get much in the way of forward momentum. "Hey Audio."

"Hey Kris, glad you managed to push your way through the crowd." The smaller boy was already pulling his suit up over his backside studiously ignoring the chaos around them.

With a dry chuckle Kris asked the other boy, "Was it like this last year?" Since he'd transferred into the school after the year had started his tryout was one on one instead of a large group like this one was turning out to be.

The smaller boy looked up at him and grinned. "Are you kidding this is all because of you Kris. If we hadn't won so many of the meets that we went to last year we'd be lucky to have a quarter this many people showing up for the team."

The raccoon was speechless for a moment as he looked around the chaotic mass of teenaged boys. "This is because of me? No way!" He looked down at Audio, whom he'd had problems with admittedly, but lately had become somewhat closer to.

The fennec nodded still grinning. "Yep. Last year was our first ever time to have a swim team at this school. We didn't get that many people at the tryouts because no one thought we'd do very far. Then you showed up and we won more than we lost last year so this year people are screaming and throwing fits to try to get onto the team." He seemed to take a wild delight in making Kris self conscious about his part in winning so much of the time last year.

"S'up?" Marcus slunk between the same two large freshmen that had blocked Kris, just in time to hear the piercing shriek of Coach O'Brien's whistle.

"Listen up you lot, you have two minutes to get your butts out into the pool room. Anyone who's late will not get the chance to try out. Am I understood?" The horses voice was greeted with a chorus of "Yes Coach!" from the amassed teenaged boys, then a general shifting as they headed toward the doors out into the pool.

"You better hurry Marcus. I don't think he's kidding!" Audio said as he grabbed up one of the school issue towels to head out along with the other boys. Kris was only a step behind him, the two boys sporting the black school issue suits while most of the rest wore swim trunks and the like.

Once in the pool the chaos seemed less chaotic and more manageable. All the boys were lined up along the length of the pool while the girls were lined up along the end making a sort of 'L' shape where they could all see the Coach and his new assistant.

The shriek of O'Brien's whistle had all the kits turning silently toward him, just in time to see Marcus slipping from the changing room and joining the back of the line of boys. O'Brien frowned at the panther lad then took a deep breath and issued his orders. "I want the girls first, line up ten at a time along the bottom edge of the pool, you get five laps to warm up then I want you on the starting blocks. We're going to have heat," a soft snicker ran through the kits, it was silenced by a stern glare from the horse as he went on, "races to see who will be privileged enough to join my team this year. Due to budget and the like I have twenty spaces that I'm splitting evenly between the boys and the girls. Good luck to you all." He moved to the side where the otter assistant, Mr Zerek held a clip board with everyone's names on it and called out the names of ten girls.

The boys and the rest of the girls moved off to the benches to wait for their turn all paying attention to the way that the Coach was marking the clipboard as if their lives depended on it. All that is but Marcus who was chatting up a pair of pretty house cats instead of paying attention.

There were six heats in all with the middle one having six girls and four boys for a total of fifty seven kits trying for the limited spaces on the team. Kris found himself one of the four boys in the mixed heat, since his last name was Blackwood and near the beginning of the alphabet, but Audio and Marcus were both in the next heat with the otter that he'd noticed talking to the Coach that morning.

Once all the heats had been played out the kits sat in their towels talking quietly and waiting to hear who would be on the team. O'Brien and Zerek consulted quietly, discussing their opinions and making the final list. It was with great relief that Kris heard his name called first, again alphabetical order making it easier on him than some of the others. "Those of you who made the cut get back in the pool, I want another ten laps from each of you before you leave tonight. Those of you who didn't make the cut work hard and perhaps you can join us next year." The kits separated into two groups, twenty, the privileged ones, jumping back into the pool for the prescribed ten laps while the rest filed into the changing rooms to sooth their wounded pride, shower and go home.

* * * * *

He could feel the burn in his arms and chest as he fought the water. His fingers brushed the wall and eeling through a sleek turn, he pushed off again with rubbery legs. He'd long since lost count of how many laps he'd done, concentrating instead on pushing himself through the water, letting the burn and pull of his muscles becomes his sole focus. It was good when he was in the water. He didn't have to think. His brain shut down to the basics: breathing, and moving him forward. His fingers brushed the wall again, and he automatically turned to push off for another length of the pool.

A piercing sound echoed through the enclosed building, but he ignored it. He was in the groove now, his body going numb to the pain. It was harder to turn his head, break the surface and breathe, but that didn't matter. Not when the water was starting to accept him.

He could hear someone yelling, the sound jarring, grating on his nerves, when all he wanted was to become one with the water. It was so calm, so peaceful, he didn't have to think, to remember...

He turned once more inertia keeping him moving forward even as his head failed to break the surface. Suddenly, he was choking, his mouth flooded with liquid. His brain switched back on as air was denied to his struggling lungs. He could taste it. Not the chlorinated water he expected, but the thick salty, musky flavor of cum. Sean's cum.

Between one heartbeat and the next, he was back in his bed with the cougar's hands on the back of his head, holding him down as he choked on that spiny cock. He heard Sean cry out in pleasure and relived the terrifying moments when he nearly drowned in the other boy's semen, the thick fluid forcing itself into his throat and lungs until he felt like he was choking to death on it.

Dimly, he was aware of a large displacement in the water somewhere near him, of strong hands grabbing him as he started to sink into the depths.

A firmly muscled arm stretched across his chest and holding him tightly to something hard. Of being dragged through the water, floating listlessly along in the wake of a strong swimmer. The cold hard surface of the poolside was a shock against his back, but still there was the calm of the water beckoning to him. He felt pressure on his chest several times, and then warm velvety lips pressing down on his and forcing air into his water filled lungs. The pressure on his chest repeated as someone called his name, but he didn't want to come back. It was the touch of those velvety lips on his that broke through the haze and made him start to cough as more air was forced through the water and into his lungs.

He was rolled onto his side, his body forcing the water from his lungs with terrible wracking coughs. Slowly, the sounds started to make sense. "That's it Kris, breathe. In with the good air, out with all that water." That was Coach, it had to be, no one else ever spoke to him like that. There was a heart-breaking sound in his voice, like he was about to cry, and it brought the situation back to Kris in a rush. He'd just about drowned!

That realization made the pain in his heart even worse for some reason. That Coach should be the one who had to pull him out of the pool, that he'd be the first person to cry over his dead body. Some how that just wasn't right, it wasn't fair to Coach. That more than anything else brought on the tears, leaving him a sobbing wet ball of cur in the large equine's arms.

* * * * *

It had started out as any other normal day. Yes, Kris had been moody since that little reprobate of a cougar left, but he just chalked that up to missing his playmate. He'd been distracted by all the things that he had to do before school opened in a few days. Trying to remember if he'd printed up enough new permission slips for the existing members of the team who hadn't graduated last year, as well as having some on file for the new hopefuls who (please, if there was a God) he would have coming in at the end of that first week.

He'd been so distracted that he didn't pay attention to how many laps the boy had done. It wasn't until he saw the signs of slowing and weakness in his arms and legs that he started to pay attention, and by then, he was too late. Kris had done something that he'd heard about other athletes doing -- he got into a headspace where he didn't see feel or hear anything that wasn't his assigned task. There were horror stories of swimmers doing just what the raccoon had nearly done today because they worked without a Coach. Thank God he'd realized what was happening in enough time to keep Kris from being another casualty!

He castigated himself mentally for not realizing it sooner though; the boy was so driven that he often would ignore the first whistle, and sometimes even when he was told to get out, but today, he just kept plowing through the water. It was his responsibility to keep him safe, to make sure that he didn't do this kind of thing to himself, to get him out of the pool *before* he nearly drowned himself!

As he held the now sobbing boy against his chest, all he could think about was how stupid he was to let his mind drift like that when he knew the boy was susceptible to that kind of single-minded dedication to his swimming. His hands automatically brushed down the curve of the raccoon's shaking back, soothing him as best he could while raging at himself internally.

When the boy finally managed to stop sobbing, he tilted his head up with a finger under his muzzle. "Can you get up? We need to get you to the nurse's office to have her take a look at you." He kept his voice soft and tender. After all, it wasn't the boy's fault he'd scared the wits out of him.

His only response was a slight nod from the boy before he started pulling away. Venn shifted his grip to help the lad to his feet, then let him lean against his side with an arm around the kit's shoulders for support. "That's it then, one foot in front of the other, and we have her take a listen to your lungs, make sure we got all the water out."