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5.

I was sitting in my corner, as usual, watching Dimitri brush his teeth when the sound of footsteps caught the tiger's attention. I was starting to pick up on the subtleties he was already cued into. The steps had a sharper clap to them. That sound couldn't come from the cheap, thin shoes of an inmate. I turned my head to watch the approaching guard. Thankfully, it wasn't Blake. Dimitri was standing at the bars, watching the approach like a feral would watch someone trespassing in their territory. The guard, a stout razorback, kept coming.

"Which one of you's is a," he drew out the ah sound as he looked at a white slip of paper he clutched, "Elliot Reggie?" he squinted, Regal?"

I was learning. I let Dimitri do the talking. "What's this about?"

The guard sighed and grunted, "C'mon. I'm just doing my fucking job. Regal's got this package." He held a cardboard box, the size of a legal pad as thick as a TV-diner. "Fuck it, here." He slipped the box between the bars, it barely fit. The guard walked off, bitching loudly about how he wasn't paid enough for this shit.

Dimitri held the box, examining it. "What is it?" he asked me.

I stood, not sure what it was myself. A quick glance at the label seemed pretty self explanatory. "It says it's legal documents. Sent by my lawyer. Sir."

He appeared unconvinced, still shaking the box. Without asking, he ripped one end open, tipping the copy of my case files into his hand. He flipped through them. Something caught my eye. It was a glossy booklet with the Calidonia State Penitentiary logo printed on it. Dimitri looked at me. "I'll let you keep this here 'til thursday." He thrust the box into my arms hard enough knock me back.

"Thank you, sir!" With any luck by thursday I'd either be out of prison or at least out of this cell, so I can put up with his unreasonable control for the next few days.

The doors cranked open and the PA system gave the call to breakfast.

***

The cafeteria smelled of hash browns. Normally I would have been repulsed at the stench of burnt cooking oil, and backed up smoke from behind the fogged sneeze guard, but since coming to this place I've gain a new appreciation for how bad things could be. Now, I took pleasure where I could. After a brief inquiry as to whether the scrambled eggs came from free-range poultry, and getting told where I could cram said eggs, I was forced to hurry after Dimitri. Would it kill him to wait for me?

Finishing with the food line, I was just about to sprint when piece of toast hit my arm. I was safe in assuming it was aimed at my head when I saw Piter and his pack laughing. My head sunk and I kept walking. My stomach knotted despite my best efforts to keep the memories of what he did to me at bay.

"Regal," he called out.

I kept walking, pretending I didn't hear him. When he stood and repeated himself with more menace I couldn't very well move on. I mean, physically. I really did want to keep moving, but the image of that demonic husky turned my legs to brittle stone. I stood in the isle, silently screaming for Dimitri to turn around.

"Where do you think you're going? The Pack sit's here, Regal."

I nodded a hello, not trusting my voice. I looked at him and his crew, Jake wasn't there. I hoped he was ok, but experience told me he probably wasn't.

"I asked where you were going," Piter said.

"I-I have to go with him," I motioned toward Dimitri with my tray, spilling a few of my hash browns from the mountain I was able to get. I might have been lying, Dimitri never ordered me to sit with him, and he outright said I couldn't hang out with him on the Yard, but given the situation, I figured the tiger was the lesser of two evils. I started to walk on my protesting legs.

"Regal," this time the threat was palpable. I turned, hoping inspiration would strike when I opened my mouth. Fortune smiled on me, in her twisted, sadistic way, when a black furred hand clapped on my shoulder, spilling more of my hash browns.

"You loitering?" asked Blake. At the guard's appearance, Piter was seated faking a conversation with his tattooed companion.

"No, sir," I said quietly. That hand held me firm as I tried to walk away.

"I felt sure you be dead by the end of the weekend."

And, there went what was left of my appetite. What were my options? Apologizing? Provoking him? I looked up and at the back of the cafeteria I saw Dimitri staring right at us. I turned to see Blake had noticed too, and was staring just as intently back. I would have chewed off my own arm to get Blake's paw off me.

"Why don't we see what your roomie's up to?" the wolf asked, not waiting for my response. His hand gave a small push and left me. I marched forward, looking for any way to get out of the line of fire.

"How's my kitten doing," Blake asked.

Dimitri remained silent, jaws barely able to contain his rage, like his shirt could barely contain his tensing muscles.

Fear can do strange things to a fur. In an act of self preservation, I asked Blake, "H-how was your weekend? I took a shower without getting raped."

The wolf and tiger both looked at me, neither sure they heard me right. I wanted to diffuse some of the tension, but I might have just shifted the anger towards me. "I think I might have overestimated how dangerous that part of prison life would... be." Blake cocked an eyebrow, Dimitri's lip curled. "It's just-"

"Shut up," they said in near unison.

"I see why you've taken a liking to this fucker," Blake laughed. "It took you, how many months, years, in solitary to crack your mind? This fox seems flipped already. Kindred spirits, you two!" Blake laughed theatrically loud, drawing eyes. He then leaned on the table, tempting fate by being in range of Dimitri's powerful hands. In a harsh whisper, all signs of humour gone, "kill this bitch. It's in your nature."

He straightened, and patted my back. "I'll see you ladies later," and left. Once again I felt Blake was a complete asshole, and if anyone deserved to be locked behind bars, it was him. Dimitri was still a mass of coiled steel springs, ready to explode in a dangerous display of kinetic energy. The rest of breakfast was uncomfortably silent.

***

I made my way back to the cell before Dimitri. I didn't want to risk another run in with Piter so I was crouching in the cell when Dimitri got there. He snorted derisively at my cowardice. Can't blame him.

I could see he was still simmering from our meeting with Blake. This was not a good thing.

"Get up," he growled.

I foolishly did. His fist slammed into my stomach hard enough to make me think he'd leave a hole in me. My world exploded in pain. Why? I wanted to scream, but my body wasn't cooperating. The only sounds I could manage were a pathetic wheezing.

"Get up!" Dimitri yelled.

That was simply not going to happen. I watched in horror as he pulled back his leg. I raised a hand, trying to convey I couldn't take anymore. The gesture was lost on the tiger as his kick connected with my midsection. Breakfast decided to jump ship, splattering the floor.

"Fucking Blake!" roared like it was the wolf that made him do this.

That, more than the assault, pissed me off. I tried with all my strength to push myself off the floor and scream at him to take some goddamn responsibility for his actions. No wonder this bastard was locked up. Of course, had I been able to do that, I'd be dead. I just laid there, mourning the loss of my hash browns, and crying.

***

For hours I laid there not moving, afraid of making the pain worse. I added a clock to the long list of things I wished for.

When Dimitri turned off his television, my body tensed sending waves of dull pain radiating from my stomach. I watched every move of his as he came nearer. His brows knitted as he looked over his work. He started to bend towards me, and I squeezed my eyes shut, curling up.

When nothing happened I opened one eye. He was squatting next to me. He put his hand out again, and again I recoiled, making a pitiful groan from the pain.

Dimitri pulled his hand back and sighed. "You didn't deserve that."

Damn fucking right!

"I'm... I have a temper," he shrugged as if that could explain it all away. "You didn't do anything wrong. Just keep being a good boy, and I'll try to keep myself in check."

"Thanks," I spat out with a hint too much venom from the look on Dimitri's face. I quickly added, "sir," more submissively.

"Get up." He said it softer, but had know how I would have reacted to those words. "It's ok," he put his hand on my trembling form. "I'm not gonna hit you." Ignoring my obvious reluctance to take him at his word, he started pulling me up by my arm until I got my legs under me.

"Try to straighten up."

"It hurts too much," I moaned. I tried to sink back down, but his iron grip held firm.

"I know, but if you stretch the muscles they'll stop cramping," he said.

That made sense, but I think I'd still rather lie motionless. He gripped my other arm and slowly pinned my shoulders to the wall. "Let go! Gahh-" My screams were cut short by something wet invading my mouth. I snapped open my eyes to see Dimitri's face pressed to mine. I just couldn't believe the obvious. He was kissing me. His broad tongue filled my smaller mouth, this new sensation distracted me as much as anything could, my pain drifted out of awareness. I wanted this distraction, needed it. When he started pulling away, I did everything but bite down to keep his tongue in me, making a mewling protest when he did break contact.

"There," he said. "Feel a little better?"

My brain was still scrambled from Dimitri's latest non sequitur act. "Uhnn..."

"Good. Forgive me?"

I nodded. Not fully understanding what was going on. Between the beating and the kiss, I was getting mixed signals from the tiger.

The klaxon sounded.

"Let's get some lunch."

***

It was strange, walking back to the cafeteria. I felt like I'd just left, but apparently time was missing between the kick and the kiss, no other way to explain it.

I walked next to Dimitri instead of behind him for the first time. Or rather, he walked next to me. I was still hunched over but every time he looked at me I straightened. He lead me to our usual seat and told me to stay while he went and got our food. I was touched. There were times when he didn't seem to know I existed, and times he thought I was a fucking pet, and here he is getting my food for me. If you forget about how he just beat the hell out of me, it might even seem like he was being friendly.

Getting food for other inmates was against the rules, according to one of the propaganda posters plastered on the cafeteria's walls, but somehow I doubted rules applied to Dimitri the same way they would to me. So I sat there with a dopey smile and drummed my fingers on the table, taking a look around. Behind me I could see the canine territory on the other side of the room. I looked toward the scalies tables. No one seemed to be having much fun. I know this is prison and all, but there's no reason for this undercurrent of suspicion and animosity. Things were bad enough.

I took a look further up my own table. A few assorted big cats were eyeing me. I'm sure they'd seen me here with Dimitri before so I gave them a friendly wave. It was not returned. Friendly bunch of assholes.

Dimitri came back with two trays of egg rolls, steamed vegetables and rice. "Thank you, sir," I said, starting to wonder if this might all be some kind of pain induced hallucination. If it was a hallucination, it tasted delicious. I was scooping up my last spoonful of rubbery carrots when snow leopard walked up next to Dimitri.

"Dimitri, how's it going?" he asked.

Dimitri grunted noncommittally. I promised myself I wouldn't speak unless Dimitri told me too. Sure he was being nice now, but I remember that look he gave me when I tried to alleviate some of the tension between him and Blake.

"Yeah, well, some of the guys and I were talking," he motioned to the hard looking set of lions. "Well," his voice got lower, "you know how it is."

"How what is?" Living in such close quarters where my life depended on being able to read the tiger's mood told me he was starting to get annoyed. If that snow leopard knew what was good for him, he'd walk away now.

"When you leave your bitch here every day, it looks weird. I know he's your cellie and all, but, we all kinda think y-" he never finished that thought. He broke into an ear piercing howl that reminded me of a coyote, which made me think of Hash, strange time I know. The punch was so fast, I had time for my random synaptic fires before I knew what was happening. Dimitri didn't believe in fighting fairly. And as hard as he could hit, and the accuracy of the lighting fast nut shot, I was worried the snow leopard might now have to be transferred to a female prison.

Dimitri stood over the writhing snow leopard. "Any of you fuckers want to tell me what I can and can't do?" he yelled at the lions. They took one look at their comrade with the pulverised genitaila and thought th better of it. That should have been the end of it, but a shrill whistle sounded and everyone got quiet as the handful of guards swarmed to our general location. Dimitri calmly sat down as things were shouted into radios and the guards flicked out batons, desperate to stop anything that might spiral into a riot.

I saw Blake and two more guards burst through the cafeteria doors. He took one look at the leopard and one look at Dimitri, putting it all together. "The fuck you do, Dimitri?"

Dimitri shrugged. "Nothing. The guy must've fell.' I choked back a laugh. Blake found things less amusing.

He pointed accusingly at the lions, demanding they tell him what Dimitri did, or be held equally responsible for the fight when someone does come forward as a witness. To their credit, each of them either said they saw nothing, or saw their friend slip. I can't be sure if it was the honor of the convict code, or that none wanted to make an enemy out of a psycho like Dimitri. The victim himself was no use to Blake, all he did was shriek incoherently.

When the pitch black wolf leveled his eyes at me I felt my blood run cold. He walked around to my side of the table as two white clad nurses wheeled in a stretcher. I cringed at his approach. For a moment I thought I might lose my lunch. Blake clamped his hand on the nape of my neck, jerking my head back so I was looking up into his eyes.

"Tell me you saw Dimitri hit that fucker. Just say the word, and I get to send him away for another six months of isolation." He leaned close, and I feared I might get another inexplicable kiss, but thankfully Blake was more interested in messing with Dimitri's sanity today. "Look at him. I know he can't take another half a year. His mind will turn to mush. You'll be free of him. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He loosened his grip.

"I know you and I got off on the wrong foot," he said," but if you give me your cooperation on this, I'll let you live, get you a new cellie,and if Dimitri survives, I'll move him to another cellblock. You'll never have to see him again."

I'd be a liar if I didn't say Blake's words were tempting me. It'd be nice to imagine making a fresh start in here, but that's just not how things work. I'd have gotten my revenge on Dimitri, but I'd also be branded a snitch. My prospects were grim enough already.

Blake pressed on. "Have you made any canine friends in your cellblock? I could move you to one of their cells."

Like me, the wolf should learn when to stop talking. I said, loud enough for Dimitri, and as many people around us as possible to hear, "I saw the snow leopard slip, and fall, sir. Must have been a spot of grease on the floor."

Blake's grip tightened. Maybe if there were less witnesses he might have kept squeezing until my neck snapped, but as things were, he gave me a cool look and stalked away under a cloud of anger.

Dimitri smiled faintly.

***

This new side to Dimitri I was seeing was alternatingly worrisome and comforting. When we got out to the Yard, he didn't immediately start walking off toward the workout area. He looked at me and said, "lift up your shirt."

I looked around, embarrassed by where this could lead, but I knew better than to argue. I winced as his hand came at me, slowly. What would the casual passerby think? Then I reminded myself where we were, and what their opinions would be worth. His fingers brushed along the soft fur of my stomach. I gasped when they touched a sore spot.

"You'll have some nice bruising, but I don't think anythings broke," Dimitri declared. "You can put your shirt down." He looked around, sheepishly. "I Guess I'll see you when we go in. If you get into any trouble," he scratched the back of his head, "you know where to find me." And with that awkward one sided exchange, off he went. Leaving me standing there, confused. Did Dimitri have some slightly less evil twin that I wasn't aware of?

As I walked off towards Hash's hangout, I had the luxury of recalling my extensive knowledge of exploitation films, laughing to myself that out of the veritable subgenre of movies where a normal fur is either possessed or replaced by a look a like, I don't remember any where it was played as an improvement for the furs around the victim.

It was warmer than yesterday, but that could have just been the inner embers of a rekindled optimism. Maybe things would turn out ok... or at least, not as bad as I could imagine.

I waved at Hash, but Vince assumed I was waving to him, and motioned me over. He had a crooked sort of smile that made me automatically distrust him, but that could have just been because his whole head looked a little off balance from the missing ear.

"Hey, Regal. Come to make it official?" he asked.

"I'm still thinking about it."

He cocked his head to the side and folded his arms. "You're running out of time, and I'm running out of patience."

I spread my arms apologetically, and looked from him to Hash.

"No," Vince said. "If you two fags want to braid each others hair, or whatever, you do it here."

What an asshole, I thought. But there we all stood in a loose circle, I didn't really have anywhere else to go. I saw Hash subtly get permission from Vince before he started talking. It made me dislike that one eared wolf even more. It also had me wondering why I'd want to trade one master for another. Hash tried get me and Vince engaged in a mutual conversation. I appreciated what he was trying to do, but there was just no common ground between me and the wolf.

"Have you been to the library yet?" Hash asked me.

"No. I didn't know they had one here."

"Didn't you read your orientation packet?" he asked.

"I think I just got it this morning. There was a box with some papers in it. I'll ask Dimitri for it this evening, if he's in a good mood."

Vince snorted. "Why put up with that shit? Just say the word and I'll have you out in a few days."

I shrugged and wished I knew what the right choice was. "Who'd be my new cellmate?"

"Why would it matter? Anything would be a step up for you. It's not like you know anyone here...wait," he laughed. "Were you thinking about Hash?"

I blushed and gave a noncommittal kind of shrug. I'd been afraid to ask that.

He laughed and smacked Greg's arm, getting him to start laughing too. Vince threw an arm around Hash's neck and pulled him close. "This hot piece of ass is my cellie," he squeezed the coyote possessively. "You have good taste, though. Maybe Greg wants a new cellmate. He's quite the catch, himself."

I knew it would have been too good to be true. The one inmate I knew I could get along with was no better off than me. Fuck it. I would put all my hope on my lawyer giving me some good news thursday. I'd never survive six years. I'm not sure I could survive another six weeks.