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#1 of The Plight of Hunter

Tragic adventures of an anthro character during his enslavement.

Chapter 1: A Strange New World

He couldn't understand why his body failed to respond to his wishes. His futile efforts to open his eyes became desperate as they continued to refuse to comply with his demands. He could not raise an arm, feel his legs, or wiggle his toes. It was a frightening experience, to which he had no comparison. The way his ears and nose had betrayed him only compounded his fears of this unknown phenomena. He could hear but he could not understand the strange sounds that rang and echoed through his mind, nor could he identify the strange overpowering scents that saturated his nasal passages. However, his faded memory was slowly returning. His mind was beginning to cast off the fog and confusion, which had imprisoned his thoughts. 'Ah, yes, he was sure his eyes were actually moving under his rebellious and heavy lids. If he could just open them, he was sure he would know what had happened to him.'

---

"Damn it, I want that fool off my ship when we return," the captain bellowed in anger as he pounded his fist onto the examination table.

"This specimen will live," Doc announced as he ignored the captains ranting.

"What about that ear?" The Captain questioned with a frown.

"I am afraid, it will be permanently damaged. I have it set and it will heal but it will always be weak at best. It will never be quite straight either," Doc admitted reluctantly.

"That is just great. The first registered snow rabbit I have ever captured and it is damaged by an incompetent fool, who lacks the intelligence to keep the herbivores separate from the carnivores until they have been programmed. I swear I have it in mind to jettison him out one of the airlocks," the captain continued to rant in his rage through his gritted teeth.

"It may still bring a fair price. This breed of Lepu is very rare," Doc replied with a shake of his head. He understood the young man's mistake, it being the boy's first voyage. There were very few incidents between the herbivores and carnivores once they had been educated, but until then they were the wild animals to the likes the boy had never experienced. "Besides I suspect your mate would do worse to you if you jettisoned your oldest son into deep space," Doc added but failed to restrain his grin.

"Well let me have a look at our new specimen maybe it will take my mind off my deficient heir," the captain declared as he disregarded the rabbit on the other examining table. "I think you should give it a few more sedatives Doc, it appears to be waking up," he suggested nervously. He had no desire for a newly captured Canis specimen to wake before the initiation procedures were complete.

"He isn't..." Doc began to correct until the huge Canis, opened its eyes at him. "Holy shit! Get back!" he ordered as he scrambled for more anesthetics in his cabinet.

---

His heart began to race as his eyes fluttered open to reveal the most bizarre hallucination of his life. This was worse than the time he had tried to drink witches root tea. He blinked his eyes a few more times as he tried to deny the vision of the two lizards standing over him. He tried to move his arm but it appeared immobile. It took him but a moment to realize he was bound to a strange shinny apparatus. He began to struggle as his panic began to seize him. His feeling was beginning to return to him in a rush as he ripped his arm from his strange bonds. However, he still moved cautiously as he reached out to touch the oversize lizard. It took all of his courage to refrain from drawing back his arm as it touched the lizard at his side. He began to run his hand over its face as his mind refused to accept his vision as real. However, a twinge from his shoulder distracted him. "You will be fine. Try to relax. You will understand when you wake," he heard the lizard declare. He tried to look at his shoulder to identify the warmth, which was rapidly spreading through his body. However, once it reached his face his eyes fluttered under their weighty lids and closed once again.

"What the hell happened Doc?" the Captain questioned with a frown.

"I have no idea... Maybe his interface is not working properly," Doc, answered as he checked the medical bay console.

"Damn if he isn't strong. Did you see the way he ripped that restraint? He is one of the best looking Canis specimens I have seen in a long time," the captain announced as he began to wonder how much this one specimen would bring at sale. If he were lucky, it would make up for his son's negligence, which was the cause of the damage to the rabbit.

---

"Wakee wakee, big fellow," Doc urged as he tried to wake the large Canis specimen.

His mind had been filled with all manner of nightmares. However, as his mind began to clear chills ran down his spine. Those strange scents and odd noises returned once again. Then to his horror, he opened his eyes to one of the oversize lizards. "Why must my nightmare continue," he complained but was shocked, as the words did not match his thoughts. This was not his language. Those were not his words.

"Well, that is an odd statement," Doc replied with a grin. He still couldn't decide what was wrong or right about this specimen. "Can you understand me?" he questioned as he studied the specimen in the cage.

"How is it I understand you? These are not my words. I know not of this tongue," he continued to protest.

"I take it that means yes," Doc replied as he processed the entry into his remote to his console. "Do you understand your instructions?" Doc continued to question.

"What instructions? You have given no instructions. I have spoken to no one," he protested as his body began to respond to his mind.

"Whoa, slow down, you have been under for some time. You need to let your...," Doc began to protest as the Canis specimen rose to his feet. Damn, if he wasn't a beautiful specimen. It happened to be the largest of its kind ever captured in the wild... Well it would be if the Captain could get the specimen registered. He still couldn't figure out what in the hell had gone wrong with the computers at customs office to screw that up. He had sent seven separate samples from this one specimen and they still failed to issue a registration. The captain was sure to go ballistic if they continued to deny the request. It wasn't as if their trip would be a failure, but out of the two best specimens of the last decade, one wasn't registered and the other had been damaged. Hell, they would be lucky if the two magnificent specimens were not sent straight to the slaughterhouses.

"This... this... on my neck... Did you do this to me," he questioned as he felt along the back of his neck.

"You can tell it is there?" Doc replied in shock. He had never heard of a species that was actually aware of their interface. "Yes, I implanted you with an interface so we could communicate. It has been sending you information for days," Doc began to explain reluctantly. This was not the usual conversation with waking specimens. Hell, he never actually talked to them at all. However, this specimen was different. It had resisted his interface... Hell, one of the faulty devices had a meltdown. He still didn't know how the thing had survived that near catastrophe. He wouldn't have even bothered to with surgery to attempt correcting the problem if specimen wasn't potentially worth a small fortune. He had been just as surprised the creature wasn't paralyzed. To have a device, which attached to the spine and cerebral cortex melt down without complications was so unlikely it was a miracle. Then to have to remove the device surgically to install a second wasn't exactly common. The fact that he attempted to remove a melted mass of slag that seemed to have welded to the specimen's skeletal structure wherever it touched just emphasized the miracle recovery. Hell, the Canis was on its third interface and those things were made to last several lifetimes. They were not meant to be replaced... ever. He had already sent the other two devices back to the manufacture for refunds but that was not the point. He had spent a good deal of his time working on this one specimen to prepare it for a profitable sale, but it was all for naught if the paper pushers didn't provide it with a registration.

"The dreams...," he mumbled more to himself than the strange talking lizard.

"Yes, I suppose they would appear as dreams to one such as yourself. They are meant to prepare you for your new life," Doc tried to explain carefully. "I am sure you will be fine," he added as he began to back away from the odd specimen. He had already spent too much time with this creature. He needed new supplies and to return to the ship before the captain left without him. He could swear the specimen had built up an incredible tolerance to the sedatives over the last few days. Of course, they were not normally kept under sedation in this manner either. However, everyone knew the interfaces were most efficient if the specimen was unconscious.

"My new life?" he questioned but the lizard had already moved away from him. "What new life?" he questioned more forcefully, but for the first time he realized there were others present. There was all manner of strange creatures in cages similar to his and they were now looking at him. He found his feet shuffling him to the back of his small enclosure as he tried to shrink away from their accusing stares.

---

"We will start off today's auction with a special treat. We have a rare snow mountain Canis specimen for you today. It is the first of its kind to have been captured in a very long time. Wait to you see this extraordinary specimen," he heard, as his enclosure seemed to move on its own accord until he it came to rest on a small platform surrounded by hundreds of the oversize talking lizards. This time there was nowhere for him to hide from all of the prying eyes. He was used to a solitary existence and he was beyond uncomfortable. Then to his dismay, the talking lizards began to close around him. Several reached between the bars to poke and prod him. "GRR..." he barely let a growl slip from his lips before an excruciating pain nearly sent him to his knees. Instinctively, he raised his head to release a howl for his misery as he braced himself with his hands against the side of his cage. However, his vision left him, as his head seemed to explode. The pain was enough to cause him to lose control of his bowels. His vision was obscured by lights that danced erratically before his eyes.

"That one has spirit. I can't believe he is still standing," he heard one of the lizards declare as his vision began to clear. However, all he could do in response to such praise was to hang his head in shame for his soiling of his enclosure. He nearly wept as he tried to recall all the strange sights he had seen in his nightmares to make sense of what had happened to him, but all of this was foreign. He was nearly startled at that thought. He hadn't even known the concept of foreign until those dreams had put the definition in his head. There were other new concepts as well... property... servitude... and slavery were now part of his knowledge and he failed to restrain the tears, which formed in his eyes.

"Whoa... whoa... Where in the hell is this specimen's registration?" the auctioneer demanded as he interrupted the bidding. He waited for a response but received none. "I am afraid we will have to set this big fellow aside while we try to figure out who botched the paperwork and rectify it before we can continue the bidding," he concluded as he motioned for another specimen be brought forward to continue the auction.

---

"This brings us to the last item of the day... and well... we still have no registration for the big fellow. I do apologize for those who have been waiting all day for him but I am afraid he will not be receiving any registration. I wish I could make it up to you by our last specimen, which is a fine specimen, but I am afraid it has been damaged a little in transport," he heard the strange talking lizard declare as another cage moved to the raised platform beside his. However, he could tell there were few who were interested in him or the strange oversize rabbit, which stood on its two hind legs, while the talking lizards began to vacate the area. He had eaten many of a similar creature... "Those two are sure to go straight to the meat grinders," he heard one of the leaving lizards declare, which nearly induced him to panic. However, he supposed it might be better than a life of servitude as he accepted his fate.

"Come on father... let's wait... I may have enough money to buy her," he heard one of the smaller talking lizards declare as they approached his cage.

"I suppose you may be right. These two are destined to the meat grinder for sure. However, what do you want one for?" the father replied, but already knew the answer. He had heard the arguments repeatedly since his children were old enough to have a pet. "You realize she will never actually be worth anything with that damaged ear," he warned as he examined the oversize Canis specimen.

"She would be a huge help around the house if you would be willing to buy the programming for it... all my friends have a pet," the son argued in his excitement. The rabbit specimen would have been absolutely gorgeous if it hadn't been for the bent ear. He was sure her pelt would be worth at least double what the meat grinders would be willing to pay even with the damaged ear. Her pure white coat appeared almost flawless except for her pink tint of fur covering her rump and breasts.

"What about this one?" the father suggested as he tried to examine its arm. However, it pulled its arm away from him with an unexpected strength before it shuffled to the other side of the cage. "I wouldn't need to buy any programming for it either," he added with a grin. Yes, this specimen looked to be very strong. He could teach it all it needed to know to work the cattle at the ranch.

"No, I don't want a working dog. I want a pet. Not something that is going to spend all day in the fields chasing livestock for you until it is too tired to move," the son complained as he began to panic. "Hurry it is almost gone and it is so cheap," he cried with a screech as his voice betrayed his age. He flinched as his father raised his hand, before he realized it was to bid. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," he declared as he nearly bounced in his excitement.

"Don't thank me yet. We... well I will be damned," the father replied as he realized he actually placed the last and only bid. Hell, that things pelt would be worth the few coins it cost him to purchase it. He was sure there would be an irate captain out there somewhere when he found out how much his haul had brought at the sale. However, he was even more dumbfounded when he realized the sale was actually over. "What about this big fellow?" he called to the auctioneer.

"With no registration... he will go to the grinders," the auctioneer replied with a frown. It seemed a shame to waste such a beautiful specimen. "Unless, you happen to be interested? You do realize you will not be able to breed him or anything without a registration. He will be no more than a large pet," he questioned as he studied the man still examining the fine Canis.

"How much?" the father replied as he began to wonder what his mate would do to him if she returned home to find he had actually purchased two pets. Well, it wasn't that they hadn't discussed it in the past. It wasn't that they couldn't afford it, but they had always decided 'it was a cost they could live without...'

"I would have to have him weighed... the grinders pay by the pound, you see," the auctioneer explained with a grin.

"I will give you the same price I gave for her," the father offered with a grin. He was more than confident he would only have to explain one pet to his mate with that offer. Hell, this specimen had to weigh at least twice, what the Lepu did.

"I believe he would bring more from the grinders, but he is such a beautiful specimen... Sold!" the auctioneer declared as he brought down his gavel.

"Damn it," the father mumbled in disbelief. He did manage to shoot a glare to his son who failed to restrain his laughter, before he began to make his way to the cashier to settle his debt for his foolishness.

---

His cage had moved about with a mind of its own until it came to a rest in front of another strange box. There he was shouted and screamed at until he entered the new box. At least his new box was larger, but he could only see out the way he had entered. He was startled, as his first enclosure seemed to fold in upon itself until it was a box no more than a flat surface. He released a sigh as he realized how lucky it was that he had followed the talking lizards' instructions when he had. However, his thoughts were interrupted as another box appeared. This one contained the white and pink creature with the long ears. He could see her fright once she noticed she was being placed in the same box with him. He felt guilty for reasons he did not understand. Nevertheless, he did retreat to the far end of the new box to allow her space. However, it was all he could do to restrain his howls as the end of the new box slammed closed. He found himself clawing for an opening as his panic overtook him.

It was the sobs of the other creature, which brought him to his senses. He detected how distraught... "Distraught... distrrrrraught... rrrr... rrr.... Grrrrowl," he said as he pondered the words. Distraught was such a strange word. Where did he learn it? Why could he say growl but not actually make his throaty noises? Why was she crying? He continued to question... but he felt a memory at the edge of his recollection, which he was sure was not of his own experience. He crept closer to the poor female creature, as he would have stalked game in the mountain forests in days past. He slowly reached out to her and gently began to take her into his arms. He didn't understand why he did this any more than her new wails of agony and fear. He tried to stroke her soft fur, but he felt awkward. He felt like a pup trying to navigate its first mountain trail.

"What are you doing," she asked once the awful beast began to stroke the fur along her back while he smothered her into his massive chest.

"I... I... don't know... I think it is called comforting...," he replied after a moment of thought. "Am I doing it right?" he asked in his confusion. This was another new concept. What in the...

"Why... I... am not sure. But..." she began until the rumbles of his stomach began to make its presence known to both of them. "Are you going to eat me?" she asked with a whimper.

"No... no... I don't... I have... I feel..." he tried to explain as his mind reeled. "I feel driven to apologize for... I think I may..." he tried to continue but his brain refused to function properly.

"I suppose it doesn't matter if you eat me or they grind us both up for kibble," she cried into his strong chest.

"I will not eat you... but I am afraid I may have eaten...," he began before he pushed her away. Why didn't his brain work? "I think I may have eaten some of your kin," he finally declared despite his guilt.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned as she tried to recall the conversations she had over heard on the ship, which had brought both of them to their fate.

"Those ears are most distinctive... and that short fluffy tail... your sweet scent makes my mouth water. I have never seen one as tall or... you walk on two legs... and talk! I never knew... honest," he tried to explain despite the awkwardness. He was not even going to mention how pleasant she was to his eyes.

"What is wrong with you? We are not even from the same planet! You...," she began to scold before she began to put the pieces together. "You are the one they talked about... they said your programming didn't take well. They couldn't decide if you were too stupid or too stubborn to accept the instructions," she began as she tried to study him in the darkness.

"I am... I am...," he repeated as his hands threatened to crush his head between them.

"Don't worry... it will be over soon," she offered with great sadness.

"What will be over," he questioned as he wondered if he could wake from this strange nightmare.

"We will be slaughtered, soon," she tried to explain to the poor fool as her tears reformed despite her best efforts.

"No... they said I am... working dog. I am to work... cattle... while you..." he tried to correct as he searched for the right words.

"You talked to them?" she questioned and nearly squealed as she clung to that thread of hope. "What did they say about me?" she asked as she found herself now holding him and stroking his incredibly muscular back.

"You are to help around the... it means residence...," he tried to explain as the wrong word popped into his head. Nevertheless, he nearly embarrassed himself further by wetting himself as she squealed an ear piercing shrill in her delight.

---

"Quickly, I think we have arrived," she urged as her ears twitched at the voices outside the shipping container once its motion had stopped. However, he had become more and more withdrawn as she tried to explain all of the holes in his educational program, which was supposed to have been downloaded through his interface. Of course, she didn't fully understand much of it herself. Nevertheless, she was aware of it. Not to mention the poor thing still didn't seem to understand property, ownership, or slave, entirely, which she was sure would cause problems.

"Open it! Open it!" he heard in a pitch, which was too high to belong to the talking lizards he had seen previously. However, he couldn't control his fears as he found his feet slowly shuffling him to the back of the box, where he failed to resist the urge to press himself into the corner.

"Let me give you a hand," the son offered as he smiled a toothy grin at his first pet.

"Wow, she is quite striking," he heard the new voice declare, but he couldn't force himself to look.

"Come out of there," the father demanded forcefully.

"Please be gentle with him... his programming is flawed," she urged with concern.

"What do you mean flawed?" the father questioned with a frown.

"It didn't take. I heard the others on the ship talking about it and I have talked to him on our way... here," she answered nervously once she realized she didn't know exactly where here was. "His vocabulary is limited... and... he still has a hard time understanding what has happened to him," she tried to explain with a great sadness and pity for the poor creature.

"Well, that is just great," the father grumbled as his frown deepened. He was sure he would never hear the end of this from his mate. He could hear it now. 'Your cheap ass had to try to save a credit once again,' his mate would scold him.

"Please give him a chance... I think... I feel he has a good and kind soul," she begged as she tried to understand her own feelings towards the huge brute.

"How do..." the daughter began. However, she realized she didn't know the name of their new pet. "Have you two named them yet?" she asked as she turned to her father and brother. It only took a glance and she could tell they hadn't even begun to think on it. "Do you or did you have a name you may prefer?" she inquired as she looked over the striking female. She couldn't resist running her fingers through the thick soft pelt and was shocked at just how soft it felt in her hands. Her pelt was the purest white except for the light pink, which seemed to accent her breasts and her round rump. The female had large enough breasts to make nearly anyone jealous. Her hips were wide despite her light frame, while her legs were long muscular and well defined. She couldn't believe they had actually managed to buy such a fine specimen. This creature should have been snapped up by one of the breeders.

"I think it would translate as snow flower or winter rose," she replied after some thought.

"My name is Sylvania, but my friends just call me Sylvy," Sylvy introduced herself as she hugged the obviously nervous new member of the family. "I think the name Rose suits you just fine," she added and was rewarded by a petite smile. "Rose, this lummox is my brother, Tyrell and the big stern grumpy fellow is father, Tiberius," she introduced and was surprised when Tyrell actually hugged Rose who was still nervous. She almost laughed as she watched her father shake hands while Rose's hand shook like an asper leaf caught in the breeze.

"Can you step this up? I have other deliveries to make," the driver shouted from the front of the cargo transport.

"What about you little fella? Do you have a name?" Sylvy coaxed the poor critter tucked into a ball in the far corner of the dark transport. It nearly broke her heart to see the poor thing twitch as it seemed to tighten into a tighter knot. "Come here little fella... come on... We will not hurt you," she continued coaxing in what she felt was her most soothing tone as the small critter began to unfold. However, she failed to contain her gasps as the small critter did unfold itself from its corner.

He heard the female voice talking to him. He understood her words... but this was a dream. No, it was a nightmare. It was impossible, as it was illogical. Nevertheless, he felt compelled to obey her commands. He couldn't comprehend why he began to make his way to her. Was it his wish to see her or was it the thing in the back of his neck compelling him to obey?

"Holy mother of Petra," Sylvy cursed as the huge Canis emerged from the container. "He is so... so... huge... and look at him... he is handsome. How in the Hades did you two cheap asses manage to buy a matching set of white specimens? You know mother will be pissed when she finds out how much you have spent," she warned as she circled the beautiful specimen to examine him once the cargo container departed. His pelt was as white as Rose's was except for the few thin streaks of silver along its sides and back, which seemed to catch the afternoon sun's rays with a remarkable sheen. He was over a head taller than her father was. She had never even heard of one of the Canis species that came close to the size of this brute. She reached out to run her fingers threw the fur of his massive chest and found it nearly as soft as Rose's but not quite. However, his fur was as long as her fingers. She began to rub his belly as she had her friend' s pet Canis, but was disappointed when he backed away from her. "You don't like your belly rubbed?" she questioned as she continued to study him. She felt herself blush once she noticed his pink maleness at the tip of his sheath. It was just the pointy tip, but she wasn't sure it had been present before she had touched him. However, that wasn't as shocking as the huge testicles, which hung between his legs. They appeared as large as her fists put together. This brute was just massive in every proportion to her friend's pet.

"Don't become too attached to him until we can figure out if we can keep him?" Tiberius warned as he pulled his daughter away from the beast.

"So do you have a name?" Tyrell asked once he regained his composure after the shock at just how big the beast was now that they were standing on level ground.

"I... means... shadow... killer... night slayer... death in the darkness, he who comes in the night, night hunter," he admitted as he listed some of the things he had been called despite his desire to remain silent while he studied those around him. The large frowning male appeared even more impressive now that he could see him in the light of the bright afternoon sun. If being a large talking lizard wasn't enough to impress him, the strange horn like protrusions, which started at his brow and ran down the lizards black back to the base of his tail, were enough to for him. He knew of a small lizard, which had similar protrusions. It was small but with razor sharp teeth that would hide in the grass and cut the tendons of the legs of large careless animals as they passed. They would cripple and kill animals twenty times their size. The thought of what these talking lizards could be capable of doing if they were anything like the one in which he was familiar was enough to cause him to shudder. The large male scowling at him was covered with black scales with such deep blackness it shined in the sun with a gleam to give the illusion he was wet. Nevertheless, he could see sparkles of red from those black scales that reflected in the sun's rays as the man moved about. The young male was thin and frail compared to his father, but still managed to appear sleek and sinuous in his slight but defined and muscular frame. He could see the resemblance despite the lack of development in his knobs along his brow and down his back. He was sure it was the glistening red streaks, which accented his row of small knobs, which made him, resemble his sire. However, it was the green female beauty, which consumed his attention in this flat, warm, and humid world. He was amazed as she circled him. He couldn't take his eyes off her as he stared at her dark green color. It almost appeared black along the center of her back, only to constantly fade towards her front. She was accented with small licks red streaks that faded to orange and yellow like flames of a fire. She was stunning in her array of luscious colors.

"Hunter would be a great name for you," Sylvy declared with a grin.

"How in the Hades did you get all those names?" Tiberius demanded as he tried not to panic. He just couldn't believe he had bought this monster. What in the Hades, had he been thinking?

"When I was young...," Hunter began before he attempted to shut his mouth. He did not want to tell this story. What in Hades was wrong with him? What was Hades for that matter? He was shocked as his mouth began to tell the story once his concentration faltered at the thought of the strange word Hades. "My mother was slaughtered... I... tracked... her murderers down... as darkness spread its vale across the land..." he paused as he refocused in an attempt to hide his crimes. However, a shot of pain to his head shattered his will. "I ripped her murderers to shreds and spread... their carcasses across the land in my rage," he admitted as tears began to roll down his cheeks while he unconsciously stroked his ear.

"By the gods, that is a sad and tragic story," Sylvy declared as she began to stroke the giant's ear as she had witnessed him doing in an effort to comfort him.

"I slaughtered the alpha... I was too young to fulfill my duties. The tribe is no more," Hunter continued despite his shame.

"But they killed your mother," Tyrell questioned as he attempted to sympathize with the poor beast.

"You can remember all of that? Most of my memories are gone," Rose said as she tried to understand. "This has to do with his programming. Most of his memories should have been erased," she theorized as she wondered if she had any such tragic stories she had forgotten.

"I believe Rose is correct. He should not remember all of that. That is why they have guidelines for an age limits on what they can harvest from other planets. Of course, the scanners are not extremely accurate when it comes to aging a specimen. Anyway, I read a paper on the theory of emotions relative importance to memory. Of course, it hadn't been concerning programming, but I suppose it could be related. His strong emotions could be tied to his resistance to the programming. Of course, it may not have been tuned to his brain frequency properly as well. There are cases where a slight deviation of frequency can cause similar effect. However, most interfaces are specific to each species. They are supposed to scan and match any frequency of that species range. Of course, if they had placed the wrong species..." Tyrell was explaining until interrupted.

"Who cares about that? What I want to know is how many have you killed or murdered?" Tiberius questioned as his heart pounded in his chest.

"I... don't think... I can't recall everything I have harvested to feed. There are holes in my memories," Hunter tried to explain.

"No, I want to know if you killed any more besides those who murdered your mother," Tiberius snapped at the monsters absurd answer.

"I don't believe... No... but you don't understand. I have no people. I have no family... just mother. Then I was responsible for... the tribe no longer exists. I am exile... self-exile. I know... no other. Her touch is new. It is strange. It has been so long... I have not social... I am one," he tried to explain as he gently removed the female lizard's hand from his ear. The sensations he felt were beyond pleasant to the point it was indescribable. Yet, it was frightening beyond his ability to withstand. He was so confused.

"Would you be willing to show the same loyalty to your new family?" Sylvy questioned with great compassion for the unfortunate soul.

"I would fight until the last drop of my blood quenched terra's thirst, to protect or avenge you for the simple kindness and touch you have shared with me," Hunter admitted in a whisper as he wondered what was to become of him, when they realized he should not exist here or anywhere.

"You understand that will not be necessary," Tiberius warned with a frown. He had read this species could be territorial as well as loyal to a fault, but he had never heard of anything like this. Was it because some of the creature's memories remained intact?

"So you do like your ear rubbed," Sylvy inquired with a grin as she tried to resume her attention to her big protector but was disappointed as he slipped away from her again.

"It... was... what is the word... is divine... is that right?" Hunter questioned with a whine as more shivers ran down his spine.

"But why do you resist," Sylvy questioned with a frown.

"It is frightening. It has been a long time," Hunter, answered with a frown for his illogical answer. How could it be both? His mind was broken. He should have been sent to the grinders... He still wasn't sure what that meant.

"See what I mean. He is a good soul. Please give him a chance," Rose pleaded as she tried to look into the alpha's gaze... No, he was the father... alpha was a term used by... she did remember some of her old memories, but nothing to the extent that Hunter did.

"You can stay for now, Hunter," Tiberius declared but before he could lie down the ground rules for the monster he was nearly knocked to the ground as Sylvy squealed in delight and leapt at him.

"For Petra's sakes Sylvy calm down. You nearly frightened them enough to cause them to soil themselves," Tyrell complained as he tried to calm Rose. He couldn't believe how soft and warm she felt to his touch.

"I am sorry," Sylvy apologized as she released her father, who appeared nearly as shaken.

"You are right. Your mother is going to kill or at least maim me for this," Tiberius assured with a genuine grin of his own. He just hoped that monster didn't kill all of them before his mate got her own satisfaction first. "Well, Tyrell, you better get in the house and put that computer of yours to good use for a change. I want you to find a good program to download to Rose on housekeeping. Make sure it has updatable, culinary support. I don't want to spend a fortune, but you can use my card in the office drawer," he was explaining as his son bound away. "Why don't you go make sure he finds something decent," he added as he looked at Sylvy.

"What are you going to do?" Sylvy asked curiously.

"I better set up some sort of stall in the barn for these two," Tiberius answered as he wondered if he should make their bedding in separate locations in the barn. It would really piss his mate off if one of their new pets ate the other one.

"Let me take care of that later," Sylvy urged as her mind began to consider the possibilities. "For now, let's think about feeding and watering these two," she suggested as she licked her lips as she eyed the handsome male Canis again.

"I could use feeding... but I have been wasting. Look at me, I have lost... mass," Hunter complained as he examined his weak condition.

"I think he needs exercise. I have to admit that I have been in rather cramped enclosures for too long. I could use a nice run," Rose suggested as she examined her thin spindly legs.

"Yes, run, run," Hunter declared energetically with a wolfish grin.

"I suppose exercise isn't out of the question, just don't run off too far and get lost," Tiberius warned with a scowl.

"Can we run... to... as far... as the group of trees... the forest," Hunter questioned as he turned his nose into the breeze.

"What forest is that?" Tiberius questioned as he wondered what the crazy monster was referring.

"That direction... I smell... it has a scent," Hunter explained as he longed to visit the trees and wondered if those in his memories were of his own or trees of this strange place.

"Well, that is rather impressive," Tiberius, replied in disbelief as he looked across the seemingly endless grass pastures. He knew the pasture gave away to a forest and game preserve but he could not see it from this distance. Hell, he wouldn't walk there even if he had to do so. It was a decent drive at that. "I tell you what, I will stand next to that fence post and I don't care how far you run as long as I can still see you. Do you understand?" he offered with a shake of his head. However, the monster's slow nod didn't exactly instill confidence. "Do you have any questions?" he finally added with a sigh.

"What are you?" Hunter asked curiously.

"I am Tiberius," he answered with a frown. He was sure they had already covered this. Maybe, the critter was just too slow witted. Not all species in the many worlds were evolved far enough to allow the interface to work. Nevertheless, the blank look he received told him the brute failed to understand.

"Yes, name Tiberius, Sylvy, Rose, Hunter," Hunter repeated as he indicated everyone and their name. Then he repeated the same mannerism while explaining "Rose... rabbit, Hunter... Lupus," before he pointed at Rose and then himself.

Sylvy was sure she understood the question so she tried to explain. "Rabbit or Lepu, Canis," she declared as she pointed to Rose and then to Hunter. However, Hunter's shake of head stopped her. "Lupus?" she questioned as she pointed to Hunter and she was rewarded with a nod. Well, how was she to explain, his species was called Canis here. Besides, it was irrelevant at this point in time. "Draconis," she assured as she indicated her and her father.

"Dragon!" Hunter exclaimed in horror.

Sylvy didn't understand their reaction to this information. "No Draconis," she corrected with a grin.

"Dragon?" Hunter repeated questioningly.

"Yeah, dragon... Any other questions?" Tyberius snapped with irritation. He had bought two defective specimens because they were cheap. His mate was sure to kill him.

"You breathe fire!" Hunter exclaimed with open amazement.

"No, we don't breathe fire!" Tyberius snapped as his patients wore thin.

"Large talking lizard," Hunter mumbled with disappointment.

Rose was sure the oversize brute had insulted their new owners by the looks upon their faces. "Are you going to stand here jabbering or are you going to stretch those legs? I bet you can't catch me!" she challenged before she swatted him across his rump and bound for the open field. She leapt over the simple wooden fence as she began to lengthen her strides. However, the sound of heavy footfalls behind her forced her to look back over her shoulder. The sight of the overgrown brute as his large feet pounded into the soil was nearly more than she could stand. She could see his claws digging in to the soil as he pushed himself forward as her fright forced her strides to lengthen even more as she began to speed across the flat land.

"He doesn't know what he is saying father," Sylvy assured as she tried to sooth his temper while the two pets began their exercise. She wasn't surprised by Rose's speed despite how impressive it appeared. It was Hunters speed, which shocked her. He was actually beginning to close on Rose at a rate, which made her a little nervous. However, that changed soon as Rose noticed he was going to catch her. "It looks like they are having fun," she declared with a giggle.

"It looks like he wants to eat her to me," Tyberius complained with a grumble. "Maybe, we shouldn't let those two play together. She could get hurt," he added with a shiver as he thought about how much trouble he was going to be in with his mate.

"He will never be able..." Sylvy began as she watched Hunter drop to run on all fours. "Holly mother... have you ever heard of...," she stammered in disbelief as Hunter closed the gap quickly. Her heart nearly exploded when he reached out... "Did you see that!" she exclaimed once she restrained her laughter. She was sure Hunter was going to seize Rose, but instead he had swatted her across her rump as she had his. She could hear his howls of what had to be his form of laughter as he sped away from a rather furious appearing Rose. She was even more delighted when Rose took up the pursuit of Hunter as he circled around her playfully.

"Your friend... Alicia, doesn't she have a Canis. Has she or have you ever seen it run like that?" Tyberius questioned as the two frolicking creatures began to make their way in an erratic zigzag pattern back to them.

"She does live in town, but I have seen him run in the park a few times. No, I have never seen it or heard her mention it. However, the park is much smaller than our pasture. Maybe, he doesn't have the room to run there as Hunter can here. Of course, it could be part of his flawed programming," Sylvy answered while watching the two new pets play in the pasture. "He may not be perfect... okay, he is rather strange, but those two are gorgeous together," she declared with a smile. "Thanks daddy," she said again as she pecked him on the cheek.

"I just hope we can get them trained halfway decent before your mother comes home," Tyberius grumbled before Hunter leapt over the fence to stand before him panting.

"Thank you... I... needed that," Hunter admitted with a blush. He should have run more but he must have been locked in cages longer than he could recall.

"Yes, that was very nice. However, I am exhausted. It is quite frustrating to realize my stamina has diminished as much as it has. I... would it be permitted for me to run when I am not needed for other responsibilities," Rose requested as respectfully as she knew how.

"I don't see why you couldn't," Tyberius replied with a grin. He would not admit it to anyone else, but she was quite pleasing to the eye as she ran. He wasn't sure why that pink rump and tail of hers was so inviting. Of course, it was nearly as hard to pry his eyes from that full breast as she ran towards him as well.

"Let's go to the house and see if we can find something for you two to eat," Sylvy declared as she took Rose's hand into hers to lead the way.

---

"Is there something wrong Hunter," Tyberius asked with a frown for the beast, which hesitated at the door of the house.

"It is another box," Hunter complained with a shudder.

"It is our house," Tyberius snapped with a scowl.

"Don't be silly you two," Sylvy declared with a shake of her head for their behavior. "Look Hunter, you can open and shut this door with your hand. See," she explained as she demonstrated a few times. "He had been in a cage for a while daddy," she added with a frown for her father's callousness.

"I know it... is wrong... but I don't like boxes," Hunter replied as he opened and shut the door a few times before he began to feel more comfortable. "You know... inside is new to me. There was no such thing as inside such as this," he tried to explain as he indicated the structure before he resumed following Sylvy further away from the door. He tried not to dwell on the door, but he couldn't help but to look back at it a few times as if he was afraid it would disappear, before he lost sight of it. It was even harder to continue once he had as well. "This box is huge! How many are kept here?" he asked as he marveled at all the space. He had taken shelter as he could from caves smaller than this passage.

"It is called a house," Tyberius corrected with irritation.

"House, domicile, residence," Hunter replied as the foreign words popped into his thoughts.

"Yes, exactly," Sylvy encouraged with a giggle as she opened the vegetable cooler and began selecting various choices for Rose to try. "Daddy, can you grab a couple of things from the meat locker for Hunter to try," she added to get her father to stop glaring at the poor thing as opposed to actually needing the help.

"I can eat almost anything," Hunter assured as stomach once again began to announce its existence.

"I thought Canis were mostly carnivores," Sylvy questioned as she handed Rose her first selection.

"Oh this is very good. I think I have... No, that is not my memory. I can eat any of this. Can I make a salad?" Rose requested with a frown. "Do you suppose that is part of my species programming? I mean to make a salad for my self-care. I am not sure I have ever had a salad, but it seems I want one now," she added with a frown. Now, she almost understood Hunter's confusion.

"Meat is best, but I have sustained my existence on much less. Terra tastes... well I don't care for it, and rocks give me a headache when I chew them," Hunter tried to explain while he watched Rose use a shiny... it was a metal. "Knife! That is a knife," he announced once he recognized it. "It is a tool... Kitchen tool... or utensil," he continued as things continued to distract him from his thoughts.

"You chew rocks," Tyberius questioned as he returned from the meat locker.

"I can eat them if nothing else is..." he began until he realized he didn't know the next word. "They need to be small. I need to be able to fit them in my mouth to chew them. Too big and it is harder to chew them. I can swallow small rocks. They do not..." he paused again as he tried to figure out how to continue. "They are smaller... but when I shit..." he tried to explain until Tyberius spit a fluid, which he had been drinking, all over the place.

Tyberius couldn't stop laughing. He knew it wasn't funny but it was. "I hope you never discuss this while my mate is at the table. She will tan both our hides," he declared as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Did I say something wrong," Hunter questioned in his confusion.

"You meant to say pass the stones," Sylvy corrected with a giggle.

"Pass, throw, toss," Hunter replied as he wondered if this was a joke. He didn't know these words well, but they didn't seem to fit what he wanted to say. "Okay, when I toss the stones, it can be uncomfortable," he tried to explain again. However, the whole room burst into fits of laughter. He didn't understand, but that didn't bother him. It wasn't as if he had any familiarity with humor. It was a new word placed in his head by the damn thing in the back of his neck. However, what he did care about was the things Tyberius had carried when he had returned. He wasn't sure what was polite or proper etiquette... He wasn't even sure if he understood etiquette, but it sounded right in his head. Nevertheless, he was very hungry. He didn't know how long it had been since he had eaten, nor did he understand what had sustained him while he had been unconscious. He felt as if he hadn't eaten for months and the faint scent of blood from the frozen flesh was nearly too much for him. He slowly and careful took a piece while he watched the alpha... no... His name was Tyberius. He watched Tyberius for any signs of wrongdoing. He slowly began to chew... "Is it wrong, I am sorry...?" he declared as he put what was left back down quickly and jerked his hand away. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. He couldn't force himself to meet Tyberius' eyes nor could he continue chewing.

"You... How?" Tyberius stammered as examined what remained of the frozen roast.

"You... you can... really chew rocks?" Rose stammered in open amazement.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Hunter. It is just that we usually thaw the meat," Sylvy tried to assure as she went to him and tried to stroke his ear.

"I am not in trouble," Hunter questioned as he tried to look up, but could not.

"No... no trouble. I just can't believe... that boy will be doing some more research. It is about time he uses that over priced gadget for something other than porn," Tyberius grumbled with a frown. He wondered if Hunter was so different because his memories were intact. Could the programmers be erasing some of these creatures' abilities by accident? Could eating rocks be considered an ability for that matter?

"I have a program for Rose," Tyrell announced as he entered the kitchen. "Alright what did I miss," he demanded with a frown.