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Ch 25. Last Stands

I had asked for, and received permission to stay the night with Aden and his dad when I called. My dad sounded distracted almost

We held each other all night. I felt his light snores from his equine muzzle on my neck oddly comforting. His arm draped over my chest in a protective hug. I found myself turning my face into his neck, nuzzling him as I slept. I was the best sleep I'd had in ages.

His dad was a morning person. It figures. Aden probably was as well. The "Get up! Time for Gym!" Shout woke me immediately, it was not even full light out yet. I yawned hugely. Of course Aden got up and started getting dressed.

Neither of us had remembered to get dressed after our session the night before, and well, at least Aden's dad only gave me an equine smirk as he ducked his head back out and shut the door.

"He's really into this, you know. You turned him to another track. You know how horses are with following the trail in front of him, well, this IS your fault."

I felt the accusing stare. I only had the clothes from the day before, but I decided they would do ok. A quick inquiry got me to the newly installed shower. It was spacious. I knew furs didn't usually shower every day, but I did. Soft skin, and nice complexions were not hidden by fur.

Soon we were both dressed and downstairs at a widely grinning Luc as he ushered us to his cruiser. We piled in. For a second I felt a bit of trepidation as I sat in the back of a police cruiser. I'd never been in one like this. Before, they had taken me in the front seat. I felt like a prisoner. I could tell Luc was concerned about how I felt as me made it a point to make small talk, about the weather, news, and the riots.

The riots were spreading. It was no more just a few streets around the factories. A few stores had been robbed, and looted. It was getting a little out of hand, and the local police had their hands full. At least Luc took it in stride.

We pulled up to the gym and headed in for a workout. They had a pair of shorts and T-shirt on sale, so I could at least dress appropriately and not ruin my only change of clothes.

**

I wont bore you with details of the workout, but Luc? My God was he a stud in his prime. He easily lifted more than I could dream, as did his son, Aden. My thoughts kept turning to last night. I know something had passed between us, we were no longer leader and mare, this was much more. I could only wonder at what would happen over the next few months.

Soon we were in showers and toweling off. Luc looked ridiculously shaggy in his thick fur, but at the same time very hot. I could only remember my grandfather's neighbor's old draft horse. Huge, shaggy, and with a mane that kept falling over one eye. That was Luc.

He was so hot. I tried to keep my mind as clean as I could as I redressed for school.

**

I tried not to laugh too much as I walked into English. Bruce sat at his desk, furiously doing homework, and patently avoiding my stare, or Aden's. We sat in our respective seats and pulled out our homework assignments (done after our session).

**

I felt the chair get kicked.

Again???

"What is it nose-ring? Going to start trouble?"

Bruce shook his head once.

"Sorry Aden, very sorry. I was out of line. Let Dex know huh?"

My eyes rose at that. Bruce??? Apologize? I couldn't even get him to pull punches in practice!? What made him so docile. My thoughts turned to John.

Ah.....another leader in our midst? How appropriate!

**

Lunch was another subdued affair. At this point Melissa and her bull, Jake and Rodney, and Tracy and Andrew were all paired off. It made for a harmonious group. Aden and I just made small talk about our classes, and the plans for the after game party this weekend. It was going to be a lot of fun, the first time the herd was able to get together.

I left off shortly after, dumping my trash into the reciprocal, and wandered to the outer fields. I found my steps wandering to the "spot." So much had happened here, and so much that had affected me deeply. The gate swung open at my touch. I took in the sight remembering the first tentative meeting Aden and I had here. I almost didn't notice the crate and the two guys.

**

I headed off to my next class. Current Studies.

Great. Also known as Modern Events. A class designed to get students to discuss current events and topics. I hated it. It wasn't that I didn't find the topics boring, no, I hated it because the students were always so divided. Pro-Fur, Anti-Fur. Democrat, Republican, Pro Second Amendment, Anti-Second.

I sat in class frustrated at the lecture and debate swirling around me. My thoughts turned to Dex and his parents. I curled my equine lips in distaste.

How do they do this? Day in, and day out? Politics, religion, laws, all of it just designed to constrain us further into comformity and to make certain we meet the ideals of others. Bah!

I felt my old Colt Self in that and reveled in the feeling. Sometimes the old Aden wasn't a bad colt, he was just misguided. I let him out when I could, and this felt right.

Fucking losers. Get it together. Be free for fuck's sake!

The explosion rattled the windows. The teacher, an older Lapine Fur paused immediately in his lecture, surprised. All of us glanced at each other.

There had been some type of an explosion? Here? On the school grounds?

The second explosion ripped through the building as the very foundations shook. The fire alarm blared. The poor lapine teacher tried to herd us to the exits, barking commands to stay calm. It was useless. Panic set in. It's one thing to think you're going to be calm in an emergency, it's another to BE in an emergency.

I was one of the first to step out into the hall. Big mistake. I felt the arm around my neck, and a gun pressed against my head. The human holding me (I could smell he was human) shouted.

"Everyone back! Into the room! We're taking hostages. Horse boy is one. If you want to be another, be my guest!"

**

I stepped out of my cruiser at the school. The only thing I could think of were my Son and Dex. I nodded to my new fried Francis. The Bull fire-fighter nodded to me. We both had son's here, and it would be hard for both of us. We took our positions as directed by our squad leaders.

**

I huddled, badly injured. Those guys were rough when they caught me in "the spot." I'd stuttered for a second, hoping to back away, but no. The one on the right, a middle aged man of nondescript fame, had caught me, and handcuffed me. I'd tried to bolt, but found the other, a hulking man who looked more like a pro-wrestler than anything, hurl me to the ground. The breath was knocked out of me. I felt the punches, and the subduing tactics drive hard into my skin and bones. Soon my left eye swelled shut, and I felt my hands tied by less cutting devices. They had turned to rope. Apparently they used the handcuffs to subdue, and rope to hold secure.

I was hurled into some type of car trunk. I heard a lot of shouted talking about "When to do it?" "Are you sure now?" "Fucking, yes, NOW! While class is in session"

When the explosion reached my ears I knew I was in serious trouble. There was no other reason. The riots had gotten out of control, and we were now victims. I laid in the back of the car, and soon was hauled to my feet. I wasn't blindfolded, but I watched dumbly as I was heralded to the front door to the main building and ushered in.

My mind was in a panic, going back to the calming exercises from the camp after the issue with JROTC. I then laid down on my side, not seeing trying to remember what I was told. "This is not you, this is not there, this is not then, this is now, there is only now, and there is only now."

I found myself repeating those words as my captors laid me in the middle of a hall. I could see a dozen, maybe more, men and women bursting into rooms. For a second I thought I saw Aden, there was a gun at his head, but that vision quickly passed as I focused on my mantra.

**

I sat on the floor, there were nearly a dozen of us. Almost all of the herd was here. Melissa sat with Jake on the far side of the line of students. Jake was unconscious, blood trickling from his temple, but he kept breathing. Rodney was here of all people. He had a ferocious look in his eye as if he wanted to tear someone a new one.

Andrew was near me, sobbing, and pleading, and Tracy had the hottest most angriest look in her eye. If I had any doubts as to who would succeed me, it was her.

There were a lot of shouts and commands to "Keep down! Lie Still!"

I heard a voice outside from a bullhorn. I laughed at that a little. Bull horn. Hah! Anyway, they kept pleading with the captors to turn their selves in or things would go roughly.

I looked at my fellow prisoners.

How could it get worse?

I would soon find out.

**

I sat on my rump. I was furious. I was mad. There wasn't much I could do. I smirked to myself thinking back to my time in John's bedroom. Now that guy knew how to tie a knot. Very rough against the arms, not letting the hand bulge at all when you tied it.

I worked my hands slowly behind my back. I could see Dex next to me, the poor guy looked beaten into submission. The time I had spent with him, and from what I knew, there must be a flicker of flame in him yet.

Once I had the first finger free, I cheered to myself.

Yes!

I wiggled it to be sure. Time soon. I leaned over as far as I could and brought my snout down to Dex's ear.

"Dex! Dex!"

He weakly nodded.

"I'm not fast, you are. I've seen you in track. Do you think you can take them down?"

I saw his eye. There was no sanity in it. There was madness, and fear, and pure anger. I swallowed at the sight. I had been lucky he hadn't killed me that night with his brother, I really was. Whatever he had been through, it was enough that he could, no would, kill.

I worked slowly. I could hear Dex's breathing get stronger as he realized I was working towards my goal. One finger, two a hand....then an arm, then lightly I got my other arm free. The captors were down the hall a little bit, some red-haired kid was making trouble.

I quickly reached down and untied the ropes, my thick fingers making it a chore. Just as I finished I heard the yell.

"Hey!"

I snorted out of my bovine muzzle.

It was a middle aged guy, very nondescript running for me. Dex lunged. He didn't lunge like a wrestler, no. he was all fury and pure muscle. I vowed never to make him mad again. I watched as he hit the guy in the middle, quickly slamming his fists into the head of the attacker.

**

Suddenly Dex was on his feet. He had grabbed the pistol in the assailants hands. Just as that happened I realized Bruce was cursing my crudely made ties and got it loose by ripping them off...turning to another.

Dex pulled back the lock on the pistol slamming a bullet into the chamber. He turned and sighted.

I almost didn't hear the words muttered "for the herd..."

I watched as Dex unloaded the pistol. He'd only have a few rounds, but each one slammed home into the six captors legs, arms, shoulders, abdomen, while missing the head and chest. I counted down as he pulled the trigger each time. I knew from my father how many rounds there would be.

"Four, three, two.....and one....."

There was a click.

The last guy lunged at Dex, a bullet in his side, but his rifle swinging wildly into the side of Dex's head. I watched in horror as I saw the blood blossom on the side of Dex's temple and he went down.

I rushed the attacker, I slammed my weight and my fists into his head. I felt a crunch as I broke something, cheek bone, collar bone, it didn't matter. No one did this to my Stallion.I kept beating until I felt someone pull me off of the attacker reveling in the crunch of bone and the soft thud of flesh.

"Aden! Aden!" she shouted at me, her voice finally breaking.

. It was Tracy. The first to recover. She held me for a moment as I cried.

Dex....where!?

I glanced around wildly, she knew what I was seeking and guided me to him.

I found him next to me. His temple was bleeding, and his eyes were unfocused but he locked eyes on me.

**

"Aden?"

It came out as a weak whisper. I wanted it to be a shout, but I couldn't manage much more.

"We have them." He whispered back to me, his hand on my chest, keeping me still.

My vision blurred. I could barely see.

"Good."

I could hear the shouts of the cops and other first responders as I laid there. I nodded to myself.

"And Jake? Andrew?"

Aden looked away for a second, when he turned back, there were tears in his eyes. They shone wetly against the dark fur of his cheeks.

"All safe, Dex, you did it, you protected them, and so much more...."

I smiled to myself. I had done it. I had made a difference.

**

Dex's eyes fluttered for a second. I didn't try to hide my tears. I could sense my father behind me, and many others. I leant down and gave Dex the most I had, one gentle kiss, for the Stallion who had saved us. Who had saved an entire herd from destruction.

**