FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The northwestern woods were alive with sound as the sun reached its highest point in the sky. Oaks and pines towered to the sky creating shady ground wherever they were clustered tightly enough. The mild temperature and calm breeze were typical for the climate in the area. Summers were never hot, but the winters were brutally cold. A human in his mid twenties emerged from the thick undergrowth onto a rocky surface where a creek flowed. The burbling sounds of water made the human's skin tingle excitedly. The place hadn't changed in the slightest since he built his home in the area.

"A perfect day for fishing." Lawrence set his rifle against a tree and assembled his fishing rod. He could easily imagine his friends jeering at him for wanting to trek so deep into the woods to fish. The walk to the creek was barely an hour from his house, but it was an arduous trek through the woods, not to mention dangerous. Black bears and coyotes caused problems of course, but the small settlement and surrounding homes in the vast forest feared one creature above all else for the damage and terror it brought. The werewolf. It was merely a legend to tell children in the rich and lavish cities far, far away; but out here in the untamed, uncharted forests it was very real. The wolf resembling creatures didn't have mystical powers, but the large beasts were cunning, powerful, and knew every method to survive. A human could only hope not to get caught in the werewolf's path. Lawrence had spotted one several times in the forest with a hunting party where there was strength in numbers, but fortunately no other time.

He had fished at this creek countless times without incident, and his familiarity of the land eroded his cautiousness and fear. The human had traveled far from the east to claim land from an ordinance, and the six years of living in the woods was his type of lifestyle: open, free, and independent. Of course living so far away from grand civilization meant the law was handled by those living in the settlement, but it was all part of living in the northwest woods. Lawrence glanced up hearing something across the water, but instantly returned to his fishing pole. "Probably a deer." He mused looking across the water for a pristine spot. His eyes scanned the creek only to see a large shape across the water. "Oh God." Lawrence dropped the fishing rod with a loud clatter, alerting the creature to his presence. A wolf head looked up with equal surprise at him. The color drained from his face as the werewolf coldly stared at him. The gaze from her golden eyes alone unnerved him.

'If I can shoot first...' He knew it would take more than a well aimed bullet to the head or heart. His heart pounded adrenaline throughout his body realizing the situation that he was in. The tense standoff was ready to shatter by the fall of a leaf. He suddenly lunged for his gun and the werewolf simultaneously jumped over the water and pounced with a snarl. The hunter held up his rifle but his shaking hands failed to aim properly or even pull the trigger in time. A large hand knocked the weapon from his clammy hands. It skittered over the rocky embankment out of reach. Lawrence was quickly knocked down onto his front.

"No!" He screamed and attempted to crawl away but a powerful set of jaws grabbed his clothes on the nape of his neck. The human was swiftly picked up and hauled away, unable to stop it. The wolf dragged the wailing human into the woods. He was pulled over the leaves, sticks, and anything else on the forest floor. Lawrence clung onto an arm to stop her, but the canine merely stood up on her hind legs and pinned the struggling human's arms to his sides. 'The wolf can walk!' He looked ahead in horror. He was brought around a tree where a steep hill began. Hidden by the tree and small brush from the creek was a large hole. The werewolf dragged him inside, and it was barely large enough for both to enter at the same time! Darkness encompassed his vision briefly as he was dropped into a bedding of straw, moss, and dirt. Lawrence tried scampering away on all fours only to hit a wall.

"Get away from me!" He whipped around and screamed at the canine within arms reach. She snarled and barked, silencing the terrified human. His eyes stared at her teeth and dark gullet in terror, but she didn't move forward to kill him. The werewolf merely guarded the den's entrance, leaving the human trapped. Lawrence huddled into a corner wielding his knife for protection. The little amount of light in the cavern glinted off the metal blade. Any move or sound that he made was diligently answered with a warning growl. Daylight slowly dripped by to the sounds of heartbeats and tense breaths. After what seemed to be an eternal standoff, the large beast lied down by the entrance. The little blade didn't even pose a simple threat to her, and both of them knew it. Lawrence remained stubborn and kept the blade ready for another hour of fading sunlight, only to sheath it away when his arm was too sore to hold up. Hours passed as they stared each other down without wavering. The werewolf finally broke off the stare when nighttime arrived and apparently went to sleep, still guarding the entrance.

'I need to escape.' Lawrence struggled to stay awake. His body was worn out from staying on constant alert, and hiking for the entire morning. There was just enough room between the wolf and the entrance to slip outside if he was careful. 'I'll die if I stay here.' He edged his body forward a touch. Lawrence rolled onto his stomach and listened for any moment beside him. A good minute of silence encouraged him to move. He crawled forward one limb at a time over the soft crunches of the bedding below. He looked at the beast's sleeping body with every step taken to ensure the beast hadn't woken up. Lawrence held his breath as he stepped over an arm. He silently breathed out a sigh of relief seeing the den's entrance right in front of him. He reached a hand outside.

'Even if she wakes up before I can find my gun, I can still climb a tree for safety-' He froze hearing a low growl from below. The color vanished from his face as the wolf raised her head, baring a pair of menacing fangs. A hand raised in the air before pressing claws on his back as a warning. The human began shaking strongly again and quickly heeded her "words" of advice. Lawrence went back to his spot of moss and shavings and laid down. The werewolf put her head back down and closed her eyes.

Neither experienced a restful night. Lawrence would fall asleep for half an hour before stirring fearfully awake for another half hour, only to repeat the cycle until sunrise. Sleeping with a werewolf was far greater than any nightmare he had experienced. The human slept through the whole morning before waking up decently rested.

'Ugh.' Lawrence woke up slumped over on his side. He sat up with a stiff stretch. Most of the straw and hay was in the center for the werewolf leaving only a light covering along the edges on the den where he was. The layout itself was small, twelve feet by eight feet at the most. The human sat up half expecting to be barked at, but the den remained silent. A quick look around the wolf's home made him realize something else.

'It's gone!' The bedding beside him was empty. He could hardly believe his luck! The human peeked outside and she was nowhere to be seen. 'I can leave!' He crawled out and stood up. A loud rustling in the leaves caught his attention. The elated expression on his face sank seeing the werewolf coming back with a freshly caught deer in her jaws. She plopped the deer down in front of the speechless human and began tearing chunks off to eat. The glazed over look in the deer's eye only made the heaviness in his gut sour. He was hungry from not eating the past twenty four hours, but shrugged it off. A loud grumbling in his stomach betrayed how hungry he truly was. The wolf's ear flicked at the annoying sound. Lawrence watched her rip a leg off with a loud tearing pop as bones and joints crunched.

'She's going to eat in front of me?' It definitely served as a good warning, but how long could he last without food? To his surprise the wolf tossed the leg to him.

She pointed a finger at the leg, then him. "Thanks." He meekly nodded. It wasn't the choice meat that she readily devoured, but having food given to him from a werewolf was a miracle in itself. He pulled out his knife and began skinning the limb properly before preparing a fire. There were plenty of sticks and dry tinder around her den for a fire. In a few minutes he was cooking a few cuts of venison. The werewolf kept a watchful eye on the human and his fire, although her nose held interest in the smell coming from the cooking meat.

"I need water." He set the food off the fire and stood up. His captor immediately took notice. The werewolf stood up on her hind legs in response. The sight of blood on her muzzle and hands made him take a step back. She easily closed the gap and grabbed his arm. "S-slow down!" The pale faced human was tugged along through the brush to the creek where he was released. Lawrence gladly quenched his thirst and brought a handful of water to his mouth. The wolf crouched down beside him and used her tongue to lap instead. When the human finished, the wolfess finished and accompanied him back to the den to finish their respective meals. Lawrence ate his fill before stamping out the flames. The werewolf washed her muzzle clean of blood the best she could with a tongue alone. Her belly bulged out from the full meal.

'Maybe she won't eat me.' He thought to himself only to find their eyes locked once again. The werewolf pointed at him, then the den. Lawrence quickly crawled inside at her behest. She followed and lied down beside him with a satisfied huff. Lawrence shivered feeling her back bump his. The human looked over his shoulder seeing the beast's larger body touching him. He took a deep breath and calmed down. Without constantly fearing death by her hands and teeth his nose was able to detect the den's smell. It was nothing fancy by anyone's description. A dusty earth-like smell accompanied a distinct canine smell that was obviously hers. There was a hint of blood was in the air of course. Lawrence stared at the den's dirt wall with a satisfied stomach. The meal was exactly what he needed to think clearly, besides, he couldn't make it far on an empty stomach.

'Why didn't she kill me?' He wondered to himself. The answer was obvious: someone would notice and then a search party would subsequently be formed to find him. That search would likely end up near the werewolf's home, and cost the canine her life. At the least it would cost the werewolf her home. Did this mean she was keeping him here until he would go home, without telling anyone where her den was? He shook his head at the possibility. 'There's no way an animal could be that smart, werewolf or not.' He told himself and closed his eyes.

A nice heavy summer rain was passing through the area. The gentle thrum of rain was always a welcome sign, however, it left two certain occupants stuck together. Human and wolf were lazily watching and listening to the rain. Neither could leave the den unless they wanted to soak themselves to the bone. The human had been trapped under the werewolf's guard for three days. He tried escaping once more the night before, but a pair of jaws wrapped around his neck was all he needed to return by her side. Lawrence gave up the idea of escaping or killing her, both of which were impossible. The werewolf and human were lying down on their sides, facing each other. Without much to do, they would close their eyes or stare at each other silently.

'She's definitely built to kill.' Lawrence could see most of her light tan furred chest and torso in the dimmer den. Her chest didn't have any apparent feminine breasts, simply a canine chest with a dense coat of fur. Her stomach was a little pudgy from the deer she caught two days ago. There was little rush on her part to hunt for the next meal. The werewolf was definitely female from what he could see, or rather, what he couldn't. A male of her size would have something clearly visible despite also having a flat chest. The long legs below started out human but past her knees they were distinctly digitigrade in every way. Her arms were long as well, but the similarities between their hands sent chills through his core. The digits were bulkier than his own and obviously longer. Her hand was covered in light brown fur except for black pads on her fingertips and palm. The thick black claws on her fingers were menacing weapons to his eyes.

Mustering a little courage and curiosity, Lawrence slowly extended his hand. The wolf's triangular ears dialed forward hearing the quiet rustling before something touched her hand. Seeing no immediate threat, she curiously watched him with an eye open. Lawrence traced over a finger, and then a padded tip. The fur was soft and the pad resembled heated leather! The human kept a close eye on her, but her muzzle didn't bare a single tooth at him. He proceeded to feel over her entire hand from wrist to claw tip, surprised that something so deadly could harbor such delicate features. The hand he was exploring suddenly began to close close around him. Her grip was firm but soft, and the padded palm and fingertips encased him in a supple and leathery environment. A moment passed as he stared at her light brown short furred fingers and black claws. A small warmth grew where they touched. The hunter sighed. Werewolf or not, it was comforting.

"Why couldn't you have greeted me this way?" He softly spoke. The canine opened her other eye and moved her head to see him properly. She loosened her grip but left her hand resting overtop the human's. The werewolf stared at him intently for a minute under her typical golden eyed gaze. The time, as odd as it sounds, her look wasn't menacing in the slightest, but almost understanding. Lawrence opened his mouth to say something, but she turned her head to look outside. The human looked too and noticed that it had stopped raining. The wolfess stretched her whole body in a single graceful motion, displaying her sleek muscular body. Unlike before, it wasn't to intimidate human, rather, a satisfying stretch. The werewolf crawled outside leaving Lawrence alone in her den. He stared at his hand that lacked fur, claws, and padding before setting his gaze on the den's entrance. After a few minutes to himself, Lawrence made a decision and crawled outside. He didn't have to look far for the werewolf. She was sitting outside, sunning herself in the golden sunlight. The different browns in her fur, from lightly and creamy to some black on her upper back, glowed in a dusty glow from the sun's rays.

The werewolf resembled a mythical creature of lore rather than the terrifying beast they were all known as. He gathered the courage to approach the werewolf that had essentially acted as a hostess to him. Lawrence was taller than the wolfess when standing beside her, but he knew that her legs would easily exceed his height if she chose to stand up.

"I'll..." He started only to lose his focus when their eyes met. The golden orbs looked up at him intently. "I'll keep this between us." He tongue nearly twisted itself into a knot. Her brown ear merely flicked at a gnat. "Uh, okay then." He placed an arm around her shoulder and gave a small pat before walking away. He held his breath expecting the worst, but this time she didn't stop him. No warning growls, barks, or sudden rush to grab his throat occurred. Lawrence stopped and turned to face her. "Thank you." He said with a small bow before turning to leave. The sticks softly snapped beneath his boots and the waterlogged soil. Wondering golden eyes watched him disappear from sight.

'I guess we are even now.' Lawrence thought while finishing his mug of ale. A heavy hand pounded his back with a deep roar of laughter.

"This guy has the audacity to camp out again!" Ruben, a heavyset man, laughed before downing the rest of his ale. The sound of glass clinking together, ale being poured, and wooden chairs scooted over the floorboards created an odd frontier melody below the range of voices talking. The bar was typically noisy with plenty of the town's meager population crammed into the small space.

"I've fished and camped over a hundred times in the forest. Nothing will stop me from doing that." Lawrence smartly answered and paid the bartender for his drink.

"You're crazy! Make sure that gun is loaded in case a bear camps with you!" Ruben lifted his arms as if trying to scare Lawrence.

"Maybe he will fish with me instead, unlike you guys." A roar of laughter responded. He patted backs and shook hands before making his way outside.

"You take care of yourself!" Tom, a bearded tall man, waved his hat.

"Don't get bitten by a werewolf Lawrence. A bite that painful will have you screaming like my newborn son." Ruben laughed.

"We'll see you whenever." Jerry and a few other friends waved. Lawrence stepped outside into the cooler late evening. The quieter atmosphere was a nice change from being crammed into the bar, although he enjoyed sitting with his friends for a drink. The human strolled across the dirt street, passing by a few people heading home. The small town surrounded by the vast forest was home to roughly two hundred individuals with only a few dozen wooden buildings. Another dozen or so houses were built in little fields that dotted the vast forest like tiny islands. Little was on the human's mind as he stared up at the sky. The clouds in the sky were painted in serene reds and golds from the setting sun. Ever since the werewolf let him live, he felt changed. Lawrence ran a hand through his short brown hair thinking. He passed a vacant chicken coop on the edge of town before walking into the woods on a faint path that led to his house twenty minutes away.

"How could she let me live when livestock are readily devoured at a moment's notice?" The human wiped his brow in contemplation. The slow sound of something walking deeper in the woods caught his attention. Lawrence looked into the maze of brown and grey barked trees, unable to see anything. The odd sensation of something watching him crept under his skin. 'Is it the werewolf?' He thought to himself as he walked. Whatever made the noise didn't show itself leaving the human to wonder alone about the past few days. Something that he thought was a wild man-eating animal brought him to its den to possibly avoid being hunted down by a pack of humans. 'If that is true, then is she as smart as a human?' None of his questions were answered when he reached the small field his home was located in. One thing remained certain. He would be fishing tomorrow.

The late morning air was refreshing, but not too cool. Boots stepped calmly over the rocky ground towards the creek. The water burbled quietly as it always had. Lawrence scanned the lifeless rocks ahead. The fishing pole was left in the same spot where he had dropped it a few days ago. His rifle was not too far away in a similar situation. Lawrence picked up the weapon and found a single claw mark on the smooth wood. He traced over the surprisingly clean cut, thankful that it wasn't his skin that received it.

"A perfect day for fishing." He softly spoke. The eerie déjà vu experience made his skin crawl. Lawrence looked across the creek where the werewolf's den had been located for years. His stare lasted for a solid minute before setting his gun down and picking up his strewn fishing poll. The rod was undamaged and in a minute Lawrence was sitting by the creek with a cast line. The late morning went by without incident. He caught two size able fish, filleted them, and had them cooking over a fire. It was as if nothing had happened those few days ago.

Lawrence happened to look up and spotted movement on the opposite bank. The apex predator herself soon emerged from the forest and padded out to the stony shore on all fours. Her powerful form was long and thin, but the fur hid most of the strong muscles underneath her relaxed skin. He gripped the rod in his hands but didn't run away. His natural instinct told him to flee or fight, but the human failed to do both. Lawrence still feared her, but nowhere near the same level that he had before. Her golden eyes glanced at his direction, but didn't make direct contact. Lawrence half expected her to jump across the creek and relive those three days in captivity, but nothing of the sort happened. The werewolf lied down in the warm sun and closed her eyes to take a nap. He kept an eye on her but it was apparent that she didn't intend any malice towards him today. They both held up their respective ends of the bargain. She spared his life, and he kept the whole incident a secret. The benefits of not having to worry were mutual. The werewolf rolled over and outstretched her digitigrade legs revealing her dusty colored undercoat for all to see under the sun. Lawrence found himself grinning at the amicable sight.

'She's like a regular dog.' He looked back at the two fish he had caught that were finished cooking. Both were fairly large, smelled delicious, and couldn't have been cooked any better by the creek. His eyes jumped back and forth between the werewolf and the fish before making a decision. Fish in hand, Lawrence crossed the creek using a few stepping stones along the creek bed. He crossed to the other side with a jump. After taking a deep breath, he walked towards the napping werewolf.

"Hey." He quietly spoke. A brown triangular ear raised up to the sound of his voice. She started growling but her nose raised up detecting a delectable smell in the air. The werewolf rolled onto her front and looked up at the gift bearing human. She sat up and craned her head towards his outstretched hand.

"Here. Take it." Lawrence offered the fish. She looked at him skeptically before reaching up and taking the morsel from him with a hand. "Besides, I can't eat two." He admitted and sat down beside the taller wolf. She held the fish in both hands and ate it in a few bites.

"You must have liked that." Her tongue licked noisily over her lips and hands. She gave a tiny nod with a faint grin on the corner of her mouth. Lawrence didn't know what surprised him more, talking to a werewolf, or that the werewolf could understand him. The canine stared across the calm water beside him as if they had been friends for years. In the direct sunlight he looked over the canine, able to see her in great detail. There were faint hints of grey along the sides of her legs and back. Her front and underbelly were obviously lighter in color and downy in nature. The fur at the back of her neck was thicker and a little longer.

"It's really nice out here. That's why I love coming by to fish and relax for the day." Lawrence looked across the water with her. Insects lively hummed around them while the creek burbled quietly downstream. The smell of pines and oaks in the warm air, not to mention the greenery, only added to the untamed attractiveness of the wilderness. The area was his little paradise to visit, even though the werewolf lived behind the brush on one side. Lawrence was glad to have the chance to see it all.

"Thanks again for not harming me." The human thanked the werewolf. She looked down at him with a peculiar look in those golden eyes. He watched her hand reach up and pat him as if to say 'you're welcome.'

Lawrence added a final piece of wood to the fireplace. The embers below crackled and hissed as the flames found a new source of fuel. The morning started out a little chilly for his liking, but it wasn't anything that a nice fire couldn't solve. He strolled back into the kitchen where he had been fiddling with a little wooden carving. Lawrence frowned picking up his pocket knife. The wooden figure in his hand was supposed to be a full moon, but it resembled a hairy walnut instead.

"Is a full moon bad luck if you know a werewolf, or good luck?" Lawrence wondered. A full week had passed since he crossed paths with the werewolf at the creek without incident. He hadn't seen a trace of the large canine after they parted from the stony creek, and she had been on his mind ever since. His friends hadn't said anything either to his knowledge. "Maybe it's neutral luck." He surmised. A loud knocking on the front door abruptly interrupted his thoughts. 'Did something happen?' He wondered. On rare occasions his friends from town would show up to go hunting or share news about something. The banging persisted with a scratching sound.

"I'm coming!" He called out to whoever was knocking. 'Sheesh. Someone woke up early.' Lawrence thought to himself undoing the latch. After all, it was a half an hour walk from the settled town to his home. He opened the door only to freeze in mid step. A large figure stood before him on all fours, and a wolf's head stared intently at him. The werewolf!

"You!" He exclaimed in astonishment as she rose up on her hind legs. She dominated the human in height. Lawrence barely reached the base of her neck! The werewolf placed her large human-like hands on his shoulders, but a little push caused the human to fall backwards. She quickly dropped to all fours, and loomed over the cowering human. Warm wafts breathing over his skin scared him as she smelled his face. A smooth wet tongue darted out from her lips and licked his entire face in one quick sweep.

"Gah!" He yelped out of shock and wiped his face dry. Her ears fell back at the not so friendly greeting. The human caught his breath and watched her tail wag lazily. "That better not mean you're going to attack me." His voice sounded cautious. Her mouth cracked open in a truly canine smile that displayed all of her sharp white teeth and pink tongue.

'Seems non threatening.' Lawrence reached a hand up towards the werewolf, but hesitated feeling his heart raced. Reaching towards a werewolf's jaws was the last thing any sane person would do. She craned her nose to his hand and sniffed the human's hand before licking it. With the little encouragement Lawrence pet her cheek and trailed down her neck.

"You're soft!" He softly spoke in awe. The werewolf wagged her tail in amusement at the amazement in his voice. His hand rubbed over her canine chest, admiring the soft and fluffy creamy brown fur. She sniffed his arm while he pet her. Lawrence gradually stopped and felt embarrassed for being so afraid earlier. He scooted out from underneath the large canine and stood up to dust his clothes. The werewolf passed him and entered his house.

"Uhh..." He started to protest. 'Is it safe to let a werewolf inside my house?' Lawrence thought. He glanced at his gun and gnawed his lip realizing that he didn't exactly have a say in the matter. After all, could anyone remove a giant canine from their home if it didn't want to leave? Claws clacked over the wooden floor as she explored his home. The human's cabin styled house only consisted of a short hallway, small kitchen, den, and bedroom. It wasn't much to a human. The wooden walls were plain and floors were decorated by a seldom shag rug or deerskin, but to a werewolf inhabiting a small den it was expansive! She cautiously stood up on her hind legs and sniffed a cabinet.

Her head bobbed and looked around the area, nose readily taking in the surrounding's identity. The fireplace, chairs, table, and hallway all had their own distinct identities of scent. He watched the werewolf reach the door to his room. The door knob's purpose baffled her for a moment. She stared at the funny fixture and grasped it with a hand before finally turning it. The canine smelled the room and glanced around the room. To her olfactory everything in the cozy space smelled like Lawrence with only minor variations. The werewolf's ears perked up feeling a hand touch her side. She looked down at her side where Lawrence was standing.

"I thought you were going to drag me away again." He grinned.

The loud cracking of wood being split echoed around the small field where Lawrence's house stood. The young, healthy human was chopping firewood on the edge of the small field that his yard was located in.

"Phew!" He set the axe aside and wiped his forehead. "I can never have enough firewood." He looked over at the tall stacks beside his cabin. Winters were cold and each year it seemed like his yard was slowly succumbing to the forest, leaving him busy to chop away. A quiet howl echoed behind him. The human turned around and spotted the female werewolf trotting towards him on all fours. "Hey!" He waved. The canine's tail happily wagged in reply. The werewolf began "visiting" the human once a week, then twice, thrice, to nearly every day. The summer's end came faster than usual with someone to spend so much time with.

"Oh god. She brought me something again." Lawrence could see something bloody hanging from the werewolf's jaws. The werewolf liked to offer him "presents" which usually ended up as freshly killed animals. Lawrence could skin most of the body and cook it for the day, leaving her with a raw half. She happily trotted up to him and dropped the dead animal at his feet. Lawrence immediately realized it wasn't anything from the forest.

"That's one of Rudolf Schultz's livestock!" The dismay in his voice made her ears pin back. She licked some of the blood from her muzzle and wagged her tail a little. Lawrence gave her a quick hug around the head and held her forearm. "We need to hide this or else someone will search the area if they find it near my house." She guiltily nodded and picked the dead lamb up before trotting off to the woods. "Silly wolf." He watched her disappear into the woods and returned to stowing his firewood away. They would be in serious trouble if a dead lamb was found on his property. Lawrence would be requested to help find what killed it, and he didn't want to hunt the werewolf. The human stacked the final pieces of wood and walked to the front yard.

'I hope that she hid it well.' He scanned the tree line for the wolf. In a minute the wolfess reappeared with a clean set of jaws. She paused for a moment before breaking into a run straight for him. Lawrence waved but the female werewolf picked up speed. She barked a warning and charged him. Instinctively, the human dropped to the ground as she jumped over him. 'What's gotten into her?' Lawrence stood up and turned around only for his jaw to drop.

'There's two!' Lawrence's eyes didn't deceive him. There were two werewolves facing each other off in his yard. Teeth were fully bared, ears were pinned back, hackles raised, and the she wolf growled aggressively at the other wolf. The pure white male smelled the air curiously and started to advance, but the female snapped her jaws at him. He tried once more but a hand swiftly raked over his muzzle. A pained yelp escaped his throat before she tackled him and delivered a bite to the arm. Lawrence watched in shock as the male was chased away by his female werewolf. The distant sound of leaves crunching gradually faded leaving an eerie silence behind. Even though his rifle was a short dash inside, the human was too scared to move. His panicked heart was thundering. A figure reemerged from the forest and hurried towards him. The human fell to his knees with a loud gasp for air seeing that it was the female werewolf. He had been holding his breath the entire time. The female stood up on her legs and picked the speechless human up. She ran upright with Lawrence in her arms into his house and closed the door behind them.

"Wha-what are you doing?" He managed to ask through jittery teeth. No response was given. The she wolf sat down by the window with the human locked in her arms, underneath her. The canine scanned across the grass to the trees. Below, Lawrence stared up at the bottom of her whiskered chin. He held onto her fur waiting for his hands to stop shaking. He could feel her heart beating through his back. Time slowly ticked by and soon an hour had elapsed without either moving. The attack was terrifying and scary for the human. Above all it was unprovoked and random. However, Lawrence was armed inside the protection of his home and more importantly this female werewolf was inside protecting him. He didn't have to be afraid like his first year in the forest. The human wriggled his arms free, but she didn't budge.

"Okay. I think you can relax." The female werewolf refused to let him go, and protectively kept him underneath her. Lawrence strained to pry off her iron strong arms, only to succeed in tiring himself out. 'At least we're both ok-' Lawrence suddenly fell forward onto the floor.

"Ow. What the-?" A large hand wrapped around his arm and pulled him to his feet. "You let me go!" The human blinked as he was tugged to the front door. The werewolf sniffed the air before letting him go and stepping outside. "Where are you going?" He watched her slip around the corner of his house. She quickly used the bathroom and herded him inside when she was done. The canine wouldn't let the human out of her sight. If he went into his bedroom, even for just a moment, then she accompanied him. The werewolf also kept a watchful eye by the window until Lawrence was finally able to persuade her away with a cooked meal, but that only lasted until she finished eating. By sunset the wolfess remained on the watch while Lawrence was preparing for bed.

"You should at least take a break." He stripped down and set his clothes in a chair to remind himself about washing them soon. She didn't seem to stare at his naked body longer than a moment. Her nose could easily smell the subtle differences in scent from location on the body. "I'm going to bed." The she wolf watched him leave before resuming her post. Lawrence laid down in bed and stared at the ceiling. Nighttime settled in and he was ready to fall asleep. However, the werewolf was still on high alert in the den. Claws occasionally clacked in the den, constantly pricking his ears from sleep.

"This is ridiculous." He grumbled and sat up in bed. Lawrence couldn't sleep like this. The naked human walked across his room and down the hall where the wolf was standing guard. Her silhouette reminded him of a statue to ward off evil ghosts.

"You should get some sleep." He quietly offered. After pacing the room for a minute, the she wolf finally lowered her guard and wedged her head under Lawrence's arm. He walked with her to his bedroom and promptly climbed into bed. The werewolf joined him. They tossed and turned for more space on the bed without much success. Her digitigrade legs tangled with his legs below, and one of her arms rested over his front. When they settled Lawrence found most of his body in contact with her soft, warm fur. Too tired to complain about the lack of room, he rested his head in her neck fluff and fell asleep.

Light faded and reemerged through the bedroom window as clouds lazily rolled across the sky. Lawrence's bed was an untidy mess with the covers and sheets bunched at the end. The full size surface was completely occupied between the two bodies without any wasted space. The human breathed and felt a warm pocket of air form where his face was buried in her fur.

"Mm." Her fur felt nice against his naked skin. His entire front was snuggled close to the wolf's downy underbelly with a leg hooked over his legs. Lawrence opened an eye and found himself staring at a triangular ear. It dialed towards the human, hearing him breath. Lawrence ran his hand through her brown and grey mane He reached up and scratched between her ears. The large hand on his chest curled its fingers appreciatively and its claws harmlessly ran over his skin. He looked down seeing where her leg was hooked over him. The human regretted having to get out of bed, but he couldn't spend a day lying down.

"That was a restful nights sleep." Lawrence sat on the edge of the bed and cracked his neck. He heard the wolf's tail thump on the bed in agreement. He stared ahead at the wall but a hand suddenly placed itself on the human's lap. Goosebumps formed on the back of his neck seeing how close her thick claws were to more delicate skin below. He quickly removed the claw bearing hand from his lap, but failed to take notice on what was approaching him from behind. "Ah!" Lawrence jumped out of bed feeling teeth harmlessly nip his rear.

"Hey!" He covered his butt and turned around. The wolfess merely smiled at the human with her tongue hanging freely. Her ears perked up as her black nose flared. She curiously craned her nose to the human's crotch but Lawrence quickly backed off and looked for his clothes for some protection. 'They're in the den.' He left the bedroom only to be followed by the mischievous werewolf. He jumped feeling her nip him again.

"Ah! Stop that!" He scurried away and swatted back. The wolfess nipped his rear a few more times before a tongue managed to swipe over his balls. Lawrence skipped and covered himself from the naughty wolfess. "I said stop doing that." He looked back at her with a not so serious scornful eye. Her open tongue lolling smile was hard to get angry at. Lawrence picked up a shirt to wear only for her to nip at the fabric. She playfully pulled the garment away from him and it quickly escalated into a tug of war. Lawrence pulled with all his might without ripping the garment completely in half while the werewolf patiently sat back. The human finally gave up and she playfully yanked the shirt out of his hands and tossed it away.

"It's just a shirt." The human shook his head, unable to understand why she wanted to play with them. He picked up a pair of underwear, but they too were quickly snatched away by a swift set of jaws and thrown aside. "Alright you..." He tried walking around her but a big hand firmly planted itself on his chest and held him at bay. Lawrence grabbed her forearm but failed to move it. The large claws pressed into his skin and encouraged the human to take a step back.

"Let me put my clothes on please!" He tried going around her only for the canine to smile and stand in his way.

"Roowrrorwor." She mocked his distressed voice with her canine one. Lawrence gave up trying to dress himself when she successfully held him at bay for a few minutes.

"If I can't dress myself, then you need to promise me that there won't be anymore biting." He held his hand out in truce. The werewolf grasped his hand and licked the top in agreement. Lawrence nodded and walked back into the den.

"Why do you want me naked anyway?" He gave a defeated sigh and sat down. She tilted her head wondering why humans needed clothes in the first place. Lawrence wondered what they could do in a clothing optional scenario. His canine guest sat down beside him, ears attentive, hoping for a quick answer.

"We could go to the creek for the day and take a bath." Lawrence thought aloud. "I smell like a werewolf, and you smell like... You!" He laughed. The wolfess smiled at his idea and barked in agreement. She followed the naked human outside. Lawrence rarely left his bedroom naked and walking outside without anything was normally beyond question, even for a bath. Each step he took crunched softly through the grass. The human felt self conscious about everything jiggling between his legs every step. 'How embarrassing if someone saw me!' He Thoth to himself. The she wolf didn't even take notice and was concerned about other things. She sniffed the air attentively around the yard before trotting up beside him.

"The other wolf isn't here, is he?" Lawrence asked. The she wolf shook her head. Being naked meant that he couldn't carry anything extra to protect himself, but after watching the female werewolf fight to protect him, Lawrence felt safer than being in a group of ten armed men! They entered the shaded woods together where the birds and insects were loudest. Lawrence felt the cool ground underneath his soles and the tepid air around his skin like a thin veil. 'This is different.' He awkwardly walked, self conscious of everything that touched him. He knew he was naked, but he didn't feel 'this' naked inside his home. The wolfess gave the human an odd look.

"At least you have fur." He retorted. She merely flicked her tail in response. Down the path they approached a muddy section covered with leaves. Neither took notice until Lawrence's heel slipped on a slippery leaf. The human fell backwards and onto his naked rear. The werewolf offered a hand and helped him up. "Thanks." He grinned and brushed his legs. The wolfess looked over his backside and an odd smile sprouted on her muzzle. "What?" Lawrence asked. Her throat emitted an odd sounding set of huffs. She was laughing at him!

"Well..." He looked over his naked backside that was now marked with mud. "I'm glad that we're going to the creek." Lawrence muscled past the chuckling wolfess and led her through the forest. The sight of his muddy legs and rear only made her struggle to keep a straight face.

They arrived at the creek in a short while and crossed the stony shore. Lawrence dipped his feet in the shallow end. The water was cool and refreshing, unlike the polluted water back at the east coast. The werewolf dipped her head to lap up some.

"At least I don't have to undress, not that you care." He poked fun that the werewolf only wore a fur coat. She wrinkled her muzzle in a quirky expression. Lawrence waded out to the middle and sat down where the water only came up to his shoulder. The deepest section was only three feet at the most. He looked back and noticed that the werewolf remained on the rocky shore.

"Come on in! The water's nice and cool!" He splashed at her. The werewolf backed up and tensed her hind legs. Lawrence's eyes widened and he jumped out of the way as she pounced. The wolf entered the water with a big splash. They both shook themselves from excess water.

"That was quite an entrance." Lawrence laughed. She barked and suddenly bolted up the creek. The wolfess ran up and down the creek in a wild sprint as if she was walking on the water itself. Lawrence watched as the werewolf barked happily and charged back down to him a final time. She stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Ah! No!" Lawrence tried maneuvering but she heaved the human over her shoulder and tossed him into a deep spot. He sat up and spit water out of his mouth. She squatted down with her hands open and ready to wrestle. Lawrence grinned and wiped the water from his face. The human jumped forward and grappled the werewolf. They danced around the creek vying for supremacy. His strength wasn't something to be shied away but in comparison to the werewolf, it was puny at best. Lawrence's werewolf companion went easy on him but still managed to pin him repeatedly without any trouble.

"You're a strong werewolf!" He struggled to remain standing. The she wolf simply stepped forward causing him to step back. Lawrence lost his footing and tripped, but her powerful hands swiftly caught him. The human fought even as she gently set him down on the shore. Two hands pinned his arms, and legs wedged between his own. She licked his exposed throat until he gave up.

"Not fair! Not fair!" He laughed, unable to free himself. She pulled him up so that they were both facing each other. The werewolf parted her jaws. Lawrence fearfully stood still as she strangely latched onto his jaw with a soft bite. He swallowed and stood still listening to the droplets from their bodies drip into the water below. Surprisingly, her tail was expectedly wagging. He looked into her eyes and noticed a playful sparkle amongst her golden irises. The werewolf gently and slowly shook their joined mouths side to side.

"Oooh! It's a game." He understood with a muffled sigh of relief. She held the human's shoulder so he wouldn't fall or stumble and started wrestling with her mouth. "Grr!" Lawrence wrestled back. He played her funny "mouth" game for a while until his jaw was sore from being unhinged for so long. "I hope I can still eat food." Lawrence uncoupled from the canine and rubbed his jaws. He was surprised that her teeth didn't cut his skin. The werewolf licked her lips. "And I hope I didn't taste good to you." He added. She smiled and licked his lips causing the human to sputter.

"I guess we can finally clean off." Lawrence joked wiping her saliva from his mouth. The two had been playing in the creek together for well over an hour. They waded across the water with numerous droplets sprinkling from their bodies. The female werewolf sat down in a shallow end and stretched her legs into the water like a human.

"I'll help you." Lawrence quickly offered and sat beside her. She thanked him by licking his cheek. With all of the wolf's soaked fur clinging to her body, Lawrence could easily see her hidden physique. It reminded him of how powerful she truly was, yet how gentle she played with him. He started rubbing over the werewolf's leg to wash the fur. The muscles in her thigh were fairly thick and powerful, just like their appearance. "It's no surprise that you were able to leap across the creek that day." Lawrence remarked as he rubbed over her leg. A tongue swiped over his hair at the compliment. The human washed both of her legs, paws, and back so that there wasn't any dirt remaining. Finished, he started to wash himself.

"Oh?" He felt two hands begin rubbing his shoulders. "You don't have to wash me." Lawrence dumbly stated. The werewolf huffed and resumed to return the favor. Her hands were very inexperienced, but her gentleness was very appreciated. His skin was easier and much faster to clean. Lawrence relaxed and enjoyed her touch, but made sure to clean himself below his waist. It was ironic that they washed each other not too long after they nearly killed each other. When they completely finished, he laid down to dry himself. The wolfess laid down beside him on the sunny shore. They lazily passed the time with a nap or staring out into the woods. Even in her entire fur coat, the werewolf managed to dry off fairly quickly beside the human.

"I haven't had that much fun taking a bath before." Lawrence rolled to the side and stared at the she wolf. A golden eye opened and looked back at him. He looked along her exposed belly, noting how soft the disheveled downy fur appeared. The human reached out towards the light cream and brown colored fur, and rubbed over her underbelly. The fur was soft and small teats hidden underneath poked his roaming hands as it passed over. The wolfess lifted her arms and wagged her tail.

"You like having your belly rubbed." He tittered and happily indulged her. Lawrence paused to reflect on the day spent entirely with her. He woke up warmly; plenty of laughs were shared; they played around like childhood friends; and not a moment was wasted. The human went the whole day without wearing a thread of clothing, and that was a lot of fun too. Despite all of the fun that they had a question still nagged at the human's mind.

'Why would that other werewolf be around here?' He stared at her belly fur in wonder. She encouragingly lifted a leg feeling his hand rub over the softer downy fur below. His fingers brushed over raised and heated flesh. At first he assumed it was another teat, but the flesh was fatter and warmer. "Uhh." Lawrence retracted his hand seeing that it was a far more private place. Her femininity was normally too furry to keenly see, but right now the canine's entrance was entirely visible. She breathed with an open mouth. An arm and leg wrapped over him and pulled him closer.

"Oh. Um." He nervously tried backing off but the werewolf eagerly pressed her body against his. The human shivered as the canine's fur warmed him. He managed to worm out of her grasp and sit up. She wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled his chest lovingly. "Okay-ah." His voice rose feeling a tongue swipe dangerously close to his groin. The wolfess playfully cuddled with the human but let him slip away after seeing how flustered he became.

"Alright." Lawrence brushed the fur off his skin wishing that he had clothes to wear. 'That was getting out of hand!' He blew a nervous sigh. Her triangular ears were pinned back in dismay. "Okay girl, I think it's starting to get dark." Lawrence noted how darker the area became without the sun shining overhead. He began walking towards the stepping stones, but she immediately barked in protest. "What?" Lawrence searched her eyes for an answer. The werewolf nudged the oblivious human away from the water, but he remained stubborn. She stood up on her hind legs and grabbed him by the hand. The werewolf tugged the human away from the shore and towards the woods.

"Ok! I'm following you!" He conceded. She led him into the woods, around a few bushes and a tree to her den. The werewolf stopped outside the entrance and looked over her shoulder to make sure that he had followed her. "It's your den." He spotted the hole in the hillside and remembered. The canine whined to catch his attention. He looked at her questioningly, but she immediately dropped onto all fours and began panting. Her submissive pose was hard to miss. She lifted her tail and revealed her clearly visible sex. From behind her womanhood appeared enlarged and puffy as if to draw attention to itself. She seductively growled and hiked her rear up invitingly. Lawrence's heart excitedly raced. Mating outside in the wild with her oddly thrilled the human, and his body readily agreed. The werewolf happily flagged her tail seeing the erect phallus bobbing between the male's legs as he approached her. Not a word was spoke as he separated the fluff from her canine entrance. She was already wet, but the heat around her nether region surprised the human.

"Is this why that male werewolf was at the house?" He asked. She looked over her shoulder and whimpered. Those golden eyes stared at him lovingly with desire. "I can't compare to a werewolf in any measure." He glanced at his body and knew that a wolf of her size carried a far bigger tool. She didn't care and growled lowly for him to continue. Lawrence looked around even though no one was within a few miles of their position and angled his hips. He pressed his tip against her canine entrance and gradually penetrated her. The werewolf continued panting and happily murred feeling the human's hips bump her. Lawrence shuddered at the sensations and leaned over her back. The silken heat enveloping his member from tip to base held him like a vice.

"Oooh." He moaned, successfully mounting the large canine. It was only the first of many they would experience throughout the night with the full moon glistening from above.

Soft breathing calmly and soothingly filled the cabin's bedroom. Man and werewolf were cuddled closely and sleeping together in bed. Limbs were tangled, fur and skin were intimately joined, and both lips wore faint grins of contentment. Two nights ago they had spent the night together at her den, but last night they slept together in Lawrence's bed. The werewolf was first to wake up. She lifted her muzzle off Lawrence's neck and emitted a long, drawn out yawn. Her entire body down to each individual digit stretched in a single motion. Lawrence half mumbled something in his sleep, but didn't stir from a deep slumber. The werewolf looked down at the sleeping human with a soft gaze and placed her palm over his chest, covering most of the area. She could feel the slow rhythm of his heartbeat through her palm. He wasn't like other males of her species. Lawrence wasn't dominating at all and instead enjoyed playing, satisfying her needs, and possessed a more caring personality. There might be a werewolf like him somewhere deep in the vast forests, but this female werewolf wasn't going to wait for such an unlikely possibility.

She held him close and breathed in his scent. Her canine nose was so familiar with it that she could easily distinguish the more intimate scents in the patches of "fur" on his body. The she wolf lightly ran her hand over the human's smooth skin, careful to refrain from letting her claws touch. She took a deep breath. Her nose wiggled as the more alluring scent of his groin attracted her full attention.

Lawrence awoke to a hand rubbing up and down his side ever so delicately. He heard the sheets ruffle as his partner moved between his leg, but the warm velvety hand controlled his attention. Her pads and fur were exquisite to the touch, even when her claws grazed his skin. Another hand moved lower, over his patch of "fur" and rested on his groin. A damp nose made his skin tingle as it tracked over his leg before blowing hot it onto his crotch. Wide awake, the human looked down at the unfolding scene between his legs. A wide pink tongue slipped past her thin lips and made contact with his male hood. Lawrence tensed his legs as his flaccid length was lifted up by the warm and slick appendage. The smooth surface dragged over his underside gracefully before the entire flaccid organ flopped down, only to be repeated dutifully.

Lawrence reached down to stop her, but the werewolf merely rested a hand over top him and continued the arousing licks. Claws harmlessly pricked his skin telling the human to not interfere. He expected someone of her size to be rough, but she proved to be very gentle. Her tongue smoothly caressed his flaccid flesh and the human lied still to watch. He groaned as her devilish tongue easily aroused him to prominence. Lawrence tensed when she slipped him inside her toothy muzzle where pointed teeth helped keep him still, but the slick and heated environment unraveled his worries. The she wolf's tongue worked him over, moan after moan in pleasure. However, neither wanted it to end there. The wolf suddenly decided the warm up was over and stood up. She placed a hand on his chest to remain still and hovered over him. Her rear slowly descended to his throbbing erection. The wolf's hot lips kissed his tip and parted to engulf him. She angled him properly before impaling herself by sitting squarely on his lap. He softly moaned and arched his back in a gentle thrust at the new environment that "joined" them together.

"I hope you are enjoying this too." Lawrence rubbed her sides intimately. The wry smile on her muzzle told of a similar feeling. The werewolf started bucking on his lap, humping him erratically in the new position.

"Woah! Let's take it slow this time." He held her haunches. She didn't seem too enthusiastic about it, but settled down anyway. "Thanks." Lawrence reached up and kissed her nose. The werewolf licked over the spot. He rubbed over her haunches and gently thrusted. In and out, nice and slow lovemaking. She closed her eyes and held him through the steady rocking motion. Lawrence could feel her muscles tense frequently, especially if he perfectly struck a nerve. Her hands clutched the covers tensely. Her voice emitted something licentious between a growl and moan. The human continued, bringing them both closer to a climax. The she wolf's hand weakly held his shoulder.

"I'm almost there." He increased his speed much to her delight. The canine's inner walls hotly clenched around Lawrence's member. He held the werewolf tight and thrusted a final time before releasing his seed. His body relaxed as he finished. Both were breathing deeply with satisfied looks on their faces. He could never easily tell if she had finished, but the panting mouth and lack of teeth nipping at him to continue convinced him. "That's a great way to start the day." Lawrence rubbed her sides and kissed her damp nose. That pink tongue of hers licked over her nose. She "kissed" his cheek and nuzzled him. Lawrence wrapped and arm around her back and sighed.

"We can sleep in for some of the morning." He whispered petting over her cheek. The wolfess murred in agreement and rested her head beside his own to stare at him with nothing between them. Her hand rested on his cheek and traced a thumb over his skin. The loving look in her golden eyes was accentuated by the soft smile she wore on her thin canine lips. Lawrence blinked as her cool damp nose touched his. Her golden eyes were brightly full of life.

'Why can't she be human?' Lawrence stopped himself with a more important question. 'Is it wrong to love a werewolf?' He asked himself. If anyone found out in the settlement that he had been harboring such a a monster that killed many men and livestock, he would certainly die as a scapegoat of frustration. The human had befriended a werewolf, slept with her, and now mated her during her time of heat. Yet he couldn't remember a time in his adult life where he had been happier. Gradually their eyes closed to savor what little sleep remained inside them together.

Her head suddenly raised up with both ears perked up at full attention. Lawrence raised a hand and scratched her neck. She growled lowly.

"What's wrong-?" A knocking noise at the front door shattered the peaceful morning into a thousand broken pieces. The wolfess stood up and growled again as the knocking persisted.

"Oh my god!" Lawrence jumped out of bed to answer the door, but thankfully froze in place. 'I'm naked!' He looked at his body. In a flash he wiped himself down with a rag and scrambled to dress himself. The werewolf watched the human frantically tidy himself. She walked to the door and grabbed the knob only for Lawrence to interfere.

"No! Please stay in here." He removed her larger hand from the doorknob. She whined and licked his ear sympathetically. "Don't worry, I'll be fine! Whoever is there will be gone soon enough." He promised and kissed her forehead before leaving his bedroom. Lawrence securely closed the bedroom door and walked to the front door where the banging persisted.

"You here Lawrence?!" A familiar voice yelled.

'Tom!' He recognized who it was and quickly unlatched the door. A thin blonde haired man was standing outside with a gun slung over his shoulder. "Hello." He quickly greeted his friend.

"I was wondering if you had gone out camping in the woods by yourself again." He smiled seeing his friend. "You must've been dead asleep back there." Tom poked fun at his friend.

"Long night." Lawrence managed to shrug and let him inside. Tom strolled inside.

"So how have you been the past month?"

"Eh. Busy." He replied only to curse himself under his tongue.

"Busy? You haven't been by town recently. What's been going on?" He asked.

"I've been working around the house lately. You know, chopping wood, cleaning out old things..." His voice trailed off as he ran out of things to mention. "So what brings you by?" Lawrence readily changed the subject.

"We're gathering a small group to scour the forest and set traps again. Turns out a werewolf made off with two of Rudolf's lambs

'That lamb!' Lawrence remembered the dead animal the female werewolf brought him a few days ago. "It could've been a bear, fox, or coyote." He interrupted.

"There was nothing sneaky about this killing." Tom scuffed his boot over the wooden floor. "We spotted large canine tracks leading to and from the woods. They were fresh, and we found one of the carcasses nearby."

"Do you absolutely know that it's a wolf?"

"Of course! I saw the tracks with my own eyes." He professed. "Speaking of wolves, it smells like a dog's in here." Tom looked around the kitchen and smelled the air skeptically. "You usually keep everything clean Lawrence."

"Well... I've... been busy." He struggled to think about something other than the werewolf. His odd demeanor didn't go unnoticed.

"You're hiding something." Tom bluntly stated.

"Eh-what?" Lawrence blinked.

"Don't think I'm stupid. You seldom visit anyone in town anymore, you're in bed when the morning is half finished, and your house is untidy."

"I'm not hiding anything!" Lawrence quickly defended himself.

"Oh come on Lawrence! I can tell when you're lying!" Tom raised his voice, heating up the argument. "Just tell me what's going on."

'If only it was that easy.' He held his tongue. A door subtly clicked open from behind. His friend's face suddenly dropped. Eyes widened in terror and the color of his skin turned pale. Lawrence turned around only to have a similar reaction. The female werewolf slowly stepped out of his bedroom, one hand and paw at a time. Her fangs were bared at the stranger, and hackles were raised. Tom nearly fainted as she stood upright in two legs and approached Lawrence. She was a full foot taller than Lawrence! The werewolf protectively wrapped and arm around her mate, clutching her large bulky fingers over his chest, and growled at Tom. Tom stepped back until he hit a wall.

"Easy girl." Lawrence pet her arm and cheek. She relaxed a little, but wouldn't let her golden eyes deviate from the stranger.

"Wh-huh..." His trembling lips failed to speak.

"I promise you Tom that she's not the monster everyone in town thinks she is." He pleaded with his friend to reason.

"Sh-sh-she?" Tom stuttered his terrified voice free from his throat. The human was quivering in his boots! Lawrence led the wolfess back to his room.

"Let me talk to her in private." He stated.

"Sure!" Tom warily watched them retreat to the bedroom before eyeing his gun near the doorway. Lawrence closed the bedroom door behind them and sternly looked at the werewolf.

"Why did you leave this room?!" He strained to keep his voice below a whisper. The canine's ears folded back and she whined. The wolf nuzzled his cheek. Lawrence blew a sigh and hugged her. She just wanted him to be safe. The wolfess pulled back and pointed at the door accusingly and growled.

"It's not so bad. He isn't shooting at you right now." Lawrence pointed out. The wolf frowned, pinning her ears back and grumbled in disagreement. "I'll talk to him with you. We can work something out." She bared her incisors. "Do you have a better idea?" He challenged. The werewolf cupped his face with her hands and planted a wet kiss on his lips. Lawrence pet her head and savored the moment before she backed off. The wolfess shook her head without any alternatives. Now he had to talk everything over with Tom. His friend acted a lot like he did when the werewolf held him captive at her den, but Lawrence didn't have three days to keep his friend at his house. 'How will the rest of the town see her? They'll want her killed, but even if they let her live then they'll treat her like a savage animal anyway! What if they want her chained up to be bred like a fat cow or donkey?' Every far reaching scenario played through the human's mind as he grabbed the doorknob. They left the bedroom, but Tom was gone. The front door was left partially open indicating that he bolted from the place. Lawrence's heart sank.

"Oh no..." There was little they needed to speculate about. Tom didn't see her like Lawrence did, and the whole town would soon know. It was far worse than he could've imagined. The wolfess understood and eagerly tugged him to the door. Her triangular ears were fearfully pinned back, knowing the grave danger they were both in. Lawrence filled a rucksack with a few items and grabbed his gun before following her outside. The werewolf led him into the woods for a long walk.

By nighttime Lawrence and the werewolf returned to the edge of the woods surrounding his house. Hidden by darkness and surrounding foliage, they peered out to a miserable sight. His home had been looted. Random pieces of furniture dotted the grass around his home. Windows were shattered. His front door had been hacked apart with an axe. Everything was a mess. Around a dozen men were busily setting the house ablaze. Lawrence could hear Ruben's boisterous voice proclaiming insults and curses at his house as smoke began rising to the sky. Whatever Tom told everyone, it couldn't have ended on a positive note. Little flames rapidly grew and sections of Lawrence's home were brightly burning. It didn't take long for the flames to engulf his home in a massive fire. All of the hard work he put into his property, upkeep, and living off the land was being erased in front of his eyes.

The wolfess sensed the heavy despair in his heart and wanted to comfort him. She sat back on her haunches and wrapped her arms around him in a protective hug. Her cheek rubbed over his face consolingly. Lawrence weakly nuzzled back and watched his house burn through the night. She was all that he had now.

Epilogue:

Soft footsteps trekked through the forest floor. Each one was light and fleeting in near silence, even when stepping over dry leaves. Oaks and pines bore witness to the person walking on two legs. The man was naked without a thread of clothing on his body. At first glance he appeared unkempt and savage, but on a closer look his skin was washed clean and hair loosely combed. The longer brown locks covered his ears and neck. A quiver of arrows was slung over his muscular back, and a bow was securely held in his firm hand. His body was toned to a lifestyle of the wild. Eyes and ears finely tuned to nature's sounds watched and listened carefully as he traveled. The familiar burbling creek was heard, and soon seen. Water reflected of its clear surface like a shimmering mirror. He crossed the water where he loved to fish before walking into the brush on the opposite side. The human spotted a hole in the side of a slope and grinned. 'She's home.' He crept through the hole and into the earthen den inside. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darker interior, but he immediately noticed movement. His mate was lying down in a new bedding of fresh moss and leaves. The mottled brown werewolf raised her head with erect ears.

"Hi." Lawrence whispered and knelt beside her. He nuzzled her head and pet her thick mane of fur. Their litter of four pups were soundly asleep, but their mother's wagging tail pattered against the ground waking them. All four came to life and squeaked little yips and yaps. Their noses furrowed through the mother's fur in search of fattened teats. Her enlarged mammaries were hardly a sight to be missed. They weren't like human breasts, but the fatty pouches of milk reminded him of them.

"I love you, my mate." He kissed her nose and watched the pups suckle for milk. She wetly smooched him and rested her cheek against his. Their beautiful family had a safe home in the forest to grow up in.