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1.

I always considered myself a crusader. My life was predestined for a greater cause than the furs around me, right from the start. I was literally trying to save the Earth.

At a young age I learned all about how we were pushing ferals to the brink of extinction, how we paved the lands we could use and poisoned the rest. I knew what needed to be done to save the planet. I could solve all the world's problems if I was just given the chance.

There was only one problem.

I'd just turned eighteen, and I had to start my senior year of high school in less than a month.

It's almost cliche for a fur like me to think he knows everything. Except in my case, it's true. But try convincing anyone else of that!

Until the rest of society wakes up and recognizes my brilliance - or at least until I graduate - I was stuck on a more local level. Life is so unfair.

"-ex? Alex!"

"Huh?" I snapped out of it. Mores was waving his sign to get my attention. Mores was a lion, his mane dreadlocked and was nearly as long as my tail. He was our de facto leader, even though we all agreed final decisions would be made by popular vote.

"Head in the game, my wolfy friend. Here comes the fuzz!"

I looked to where he was pointing. The fuzz was nothing more than Zev, a raptor who worked mall security. I looked to my comrades. This wasn't the epic clash I'd once thought it was, but the four of us who made up the Northeast New Abilon Environmental Advocacy and Action Group steeled our resolve and prepared for the wrath of Zev.

The raptor slowly walked to where we stood in the mall's parking lot, exactly far enough from the entrance to legally avoid any charges of obstruction. He sighed. "Dudes... c'mon. Can you give it a rest? I've got this date tonight, and you know they're not gonna let me knock off early with you out here."

"We're getting to them," Mores crowed.

Zev shook his head and ran a claw through his feathers. "Look, if you cut me some slack on this, I promise you, I'll take one of your flyers up to management."

It might not sound like much, but we've yet to be sure the mall's management was aware of our demands. We've emailed them, but I'm pretty sure the administrative assistants filter anything from us. We tried to arrange a meeting, but naturally they're too afraid to see us. We even put flyers on the windshields of every luxury car in the parking lot, but none of us can say with any certainty that any of the furs who own the mall even park here.

Mores turned to us and shrugged. "I dunno. Sounds like a good deal. Vote?"

We huddled together, inching further away from the establishment's proxy.

"I'm for it," Kate, our resident raccoon and webmistress, said. "It'll give us a victory to build on."

Brad nodded emphatically. His wild mane danced as the equine tried to explain why he agreed, without mentioning how he was getting desperate for a hit. I've never seen him go more than a few hours without indulging in his pot habit. "Like, we could give them an ultimatum. Give the, uh, manager prick our list of demands... or else."

Mores patted the horse's back. "Love the enthusiasm."

Maybe next time, don't show up high, I thought to myself.

"I agree," Mores continued. "It's not much, but it's progress. Alex?"

All eyes were on me. It would have been three to one. Our goal was to stop the parking lot from expanding and ruining more of the surrounding woodland. This felt like capitulation. "Ok," I conceded. "But, let's at least make him take a pic of the owners getting our list of demands."

"Alex's right!" Mores smiled. "We need to ask for proof."

"Or else." Brad added menacingly... before getting a case of the giggles.

We broke from the huddle and faced Zev with a united front.

"We're willing to accept your terms if you promise to text us a picture of the manager holding our flyer, as proof you really followed through," Mores said.

Zev groaned. "Be reasonable."

"Hey, we've got all night," Mores smirked.

I wished I had that kind of confidence. We might not be making a lot of progress, but that lion made it look like we were.

"Fine."

We cheered.

"But if I get fired because of you fucks, I will personally buy a case of aerosol cans just to go outside and spray them at the ozone."

"Just make sure to text me that picture, or next time we'll have to play hard ball... Like a hunger strike!"

***

It wasn't quite six o'clock yet. The day's battle had been won and I had the whole evening with nothing to do. And I need something to do. Ever since my parents threw this dinner party last Sunday, I've been... out of sorts.

The whole thing had been about meeting my brother, Trent's, boyfriend. My trouble started long before that, but I only realized how much trouble I was in that night.

Like I said, I always defined myself by my actions. And those actions did not extend to the baser needs of our nature. In short, I put physical relationships pretty low on my list of priorities.

Sure, I am a hormonally charged young fur with natural needs. But I've always been able to sate those needs on my own... with the help of a high-speed internet connection. It was mechanical to me. Just a way to clear my head and burn off the weird chemicals my brain was producing by the gallon. I never even gave much thought to what I was getting off on. Just videos of females, usually by themselves, sometimes with each other or a male. It was just a way to chase off my body's screaming needs.

Enter, a fennec named Jody.

Jody is my brother's best friend. He was always in the background of my life, having grown up in the same neighborhood. We might not have been friends back then, but we were acquaintances. For a while he seemed to disappear, moving into an apartment downtown near where Trent used to have his place, and I didn't see him. But lately he and I had gotten closer.

Trent had been under a kind of house arrest with work release after his reckless partying finally forced our parents to step in and cut off his money. Jody started making regular visits to our house again, to see his friend. If I was there, he would always try to make me feel included, asking me about what I was up to, that sort of thing.

Even when I was younger, Jody was never mean to me. He even showed me when he got his first piercing. I was in the know before his parents got a chance to freak out. But now it was like I wasn't just the kid brother of his friend. He saw me as my own fur.

If Trent wasn't home, Jody would still come in for a soda, or ask if I had any petitions he could sign - I always did. Sometimes it was like he knew Trent wouldn't be there and he only came over to see me. And it made me happy to think of us as friends.

Then came that stupid dinner. I was told to bring someone so the seating would be even. Thinking nothing of it I told Jody and he offered to join me, no pressure of having to ask some other fur. That was fine by me. How was I supposed to know I was supposed to bring a date, not just a friend? I must have missed a memo.

If that wasn't awkward enough, Trent's boyfriend got into an argument with Dad. As we all watched the drama unfold, Jody grabbed my hand. He held it for the entirety of the dragon's outburst, squeezing at the appropriate high tension parts. Jody had always been rather emotional. I like to think of myself as more level headed, but maybe I'm just cold.

By the time the evening took an even stranger twist and Trent and his boyfriend, a dragon named Valmick, professed their love for each other, I was at the limit of my mushiness tolerance threshold. I started looking for an escape, planning how I could get to the kitchen while all eyes were on Trent and Valmick. Without thinking, I looked in Jody's direction, he picked that moment to look at me.

Tears were starting to stream down his face. His manic excitement at the blossoming love had turned to something else. He wasn't crying tears of joy, even if he tried to fake a smile.

He leaned close and whispered. "Hold me. Please. Just for a minute."

***

Mores's van door slammed shut and I started.

"You alright?" he asked.

I stretched a kink out of my neck. "Yeah. I've just got a lot on my mind."

He nodded. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I did take intro to psychology last semester." He reached over and ruffled my already messy hair.

I batted his hand away with a laugh. Mores and the others were all enrolled at the community college. I met them over the internet and managed to convince them of my dedication to our shared cause enough for them to let me join the NNAEAAG. They still thought of me as a kid sometimes, despite the big deal I made on my eighteenth birthday.

"It's nothing like that. I'm just thinking too much."

"I've got the cure for that," Mores said as he chucked our picket signs into his van. "There's a kegger tonight. Come with us."

"Nah. I'm not really into wild parties."

Kate popped around from the other side of the van. "It won't be that wild, the frats down at Uni are paranoid about bad press. And we'll watch out for ya," she winked.

The back doors of Mores's van swung open releasing a not so mysterious puff of acrid blue-gray smoke. "It's, like, a chill place to unwind after all the negative vibes we got hit with over here." Brad coughed, another puff of smoke rose from his mouth.

"Yeah," Mores put a hand on my shoulder, "it'll take your mind off of whatever troubles you got."

I did need to get my mind off my troubles. "Alright."

The four of us piled into Mores's van. The gentle rocking and the psychedelic jam-band music the lion loved had the unfortunate effect of sending my thoughts wandering again.

***

I held Jody, that night, at the dinner party. It wasn't for long, and all the attention was still on Trent and Valmick. He was so warm. I felt him shiver, trying to compose himself. Before the main spectacle was over, Jody wiped his red eyes and forced another smile.

The rest of the night was a blur. I don't even remember if Trent made another scene, and watching his party scenes are usually the only upside to me being there. I do remember how the party ended though. That is something I'll always remember.

The festivities wound down. We all drifted to the front yard to see off Trent and Valmick. From what I can piece together, Trent's house arrest seemed to be commuted to a form of parole. Whenever Mom or Dad calls, he better pick up. They were going to keep a close eye on him, and, from what I could eavesdrop, my parents weren't above giving surprise drug tests.

The rusty hunk of scrap metal that Valmick call his car rumbled down the drive, effectively bring the evening to a close. I was about to go back in and work on a new picket sign -the same one I used today - when a hand caught my arm.

It was Jody. I prepared for his aggressive parting hug. It was slower this time. Not the near tackle he usually gave. His arms wrapped around me and he stood on his tiptoes, putting his mouth to my ear.

"Thanks for being here." He pulled back, looked like he was going to say something else, then leaned back in, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

My perception of time was already out of whack that night. I couldn't tell you if I stood out there all night in a state of shock, or if I was back in my room before Jody had even made to the end of the driveway.

I analyzed his words to death, sitting there in front of my black computer screen. And that kiss... was it platonic? I saw him kiss Trent sometimes before Trent got serious with Valmick. But I'd always looked away, so I had no reference point.

Why the fuck was I looking for a reference point? That was my first mistake.

My second was trying to get my mind off the evening in my typical fashion. I logged on to YiffHub, glanced to make sure my door was firmly lock by the chair I propped against it, and got down to the business at hand.

I clicked the first title that caught my eye. Horny tigress home alone. I yanked off my sock, sheathing my already stiff cock, and hit play. Thirty seconds in and I was there with that lonely tigress, keeping her company instead of her vibrator. Things were looking good. I shut my eyes and leaned back, planning to finish, and who should intrude into my mastabatory fantasy?

That's right. One second a tigress with tits the size of watermelons was riding me like a mechanical bull... the next second a decidedly smaller, sandy furred fennec, with enough piercings to sink him like a stone if you tossed him in a pool, was in her place. His tight embrace and the kiss he left on my cheek replayed themselves.

Don't analyze. Just finish.

A few more pumps and my sock was thoroughly defiled. I felt more spent than I usually did. I threw my sock into the depressingly large pile that some unfortunate housekeeper would end up dumping into the wash. My normal guilt at that thought was put on the backburner.

I'd just jerked off to my brother's best friend.

***

Mores's van came to a stop. I shook my head clear of the confusing thoughts. I could hear loud music and the raucous shouts of other furs having a good time. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

Mores opened the back door and Brad and I hopped out. Kate was already shouting something about beer-pong and running toward the two storey house that was the focal point of all this anarchy.

"'Ey, Imma hit the basement. Y'all need to get mellow, jus' come find me," Brad grinned dopily and shuffled after Kate, giggling to himself.

Mores smiled and shook his head. "Let's go have some fun." He put his arm around me and half guided, half pulled me into the alleged fun.

"If anyone gives you shit about an I.D., tell them you're with me and I'll vouch for you."

I nodded a thanks, looking at the ground to avoid tripping over the littered cans or slipping a puddle of vomit.

"Don't worry," Mores seemed to read my mind. "The pledges clean this place up after the party. And they recycle." He led me to one of the eponymous kegs and held up two fingers. A buck wearing a t-shirt with Aegean letters on it passed two plastic cups filled to the top with a foamy beer. "Here. It'll take the edge off."

I watched him down his in one drink. I tried to do the same but ended up choking and getting beer down the front of my shirt. We both laughed. It's not like I never had beer, but this stuff was obviously cheap.

"Good start," Morse chuckled and got us two more to pound. "Now, the real fun part of these keggers." He pointed at the furs, all looking like they were having a better time than me. "Chicks dig eco-warriors," he looked at me and hastily added, "some dudes, too."

My brow furrowed.

"I mean, whatever you're into. Uh... what are you into, if you don't mind me asking." He flicked back a loose dread, something he only did on the rare occasions he felt flustered. "Only to point you in the right direction, mind you. It really doesn't matter to me," he laughed nervously. "None of my business. Hey, I'm gonna get another beer. You want one?"

He was gone before I could answer. What the hell was I, anyway? Bi? Gay? Straightish, with a small exception for sex-crazed fennecs? The beer was not kicking in fast enough. I followed after Mores, guzzling more beer and wondering if they watered it down. The lion started to apologize, and I stopped him.

"It's ok. I just don't like to put a label on myself."

Mores nodded. "That is a very good philosophy. Let's go inside and see what's happening."

***

The music was even louder in the frat house. I'd have a headache in the morning, but at least I didn't have to think. We made our way to one of the couches, Mores greeting furs he knew along the way. So this was college.

"You think Zev is gonna follow through," Mores shouted over the thudding bass of the EDM.

I shrugged. "I hope so. Are we really going to try a hunger strike?"

Now it was his turn to shrug. "Well, we'd have to put it to a vote. I said the first thing that came to mind, it was more of a bluff than a threat. Hey, lookit that!"

I followed his pointing finger. A tipsy vixen and a lanky giraffess were definitely checking us out. I swigged whatever was left in my cup. "I'm going to need more beer."

Mores smiled. "Ok, you wait here. Chat them up and see which one you want."

"Wait. What?" But I was too late. Mores was on his feet, jogging across the crowded room. He said a few words to them, pointed in my direction, and flashed me a thumbs up from behind the females' backs.

Fuck. They were coming over. Be cool. "Hey. I'm Alex," I said before they were close enough to hear.

"Hi! Are you Alex?" The tall giraffess bent over to get close enough for me to hear.

I nodded. Apparently I'd been struck mute. And I'd lost my manners. I should have stood.

"He's cute," the giraffe whispered just loud enough for me to hear, which really took some skill given the noise level in here. The vixen nodded in agreement. "I'm Cass," said the giraffess, "and this is Amy. Do you mind if we join you? Your friend, Mores, said it'd be alright."

"Uh, sure. I mean, yes. Please sit." They took the invitation to mean they could surround me, Cass to my right and Amy to my left.

"Mores say's you two organize protests," Cass was clearly the more talkative one.

"We're just trying to save the environment," I said humbly.

"That is so cool," Amy spoke up, leaning in. I'm not sure if it was to hear me better, or to press her ample breasts against my arm. "Do you guys live on campus, or are you in a frat?"

Uh... "I live off campus," with my parents.

"Oh, cool," said Cass. "We live in the dorms, but we're thinking about pledging next year."

"Oh..." Where the hell was Mores? I'm dying over here!

"Did you get your classes picked yet?" Amy, who couldn't take a hint, asked.

"Not exactly. I, uh, I have a lot of classes so I guess it's taking longer to process."

Amy nodded in sympathy. "So, what's your major? Maybe we'll be seeing more of each other."

Yeah, maybe. Are you taking any senior level classes at the local high school? "Psychology." I winced. It was the first thing that came to mind. Damn Mores for bringing it up.

"Oh," Amy sounded disappointed.

Cass laughed, deeper than I would have pictured from her slim - if not towering - frame. "Amy's in pre-med. She's sad because she's so into you."

I felt my face start to burn and my eyes widen.

"Ohmygawd, Cass! Shut up!" Amy leaned over me, giving her friend a playful slap. The jury is still out as to whether the boobs were purposefully press in my lap while she administered the friendly assault, but were were having an effect.

This got Cass laughing hysterically. "Hey! Alex, I bet she would love for you to get her on the couch!"

A high pitched exchange with plenty of laughter was fought above me. So, this is college? I took it all in again and failed to see how this was any different than high school with more alcohol. I was disappointed.

"Then you can show him how to play doctor!" As Cass cackled out those words, Amy made a diving tackle that ended midway, with her grinding into my grindables.

Honestly, I felt more like an adult when I met with Mores and the others in the community college's cafeteria.

Finally Mores reappeared. I was starting to think he was constructing his own craft brewery to get the beer. Then I saw he was empty handed. The disappointed look on my face must have been the mirror opposite of the ear to ear grin he had at seeing the two females going at it.

He stuck his fist out. I used the hand not pinned under the vixen to bump knuckles. Not that I was seeing this as anything I'd want to celebrate. I was about to pitch a tent in the midlands of Amy.

"Beer?" I pleaded.

"Oh!" he held up a finger and turned to motion to someone behind him.

Whatever it was, it caught Cass and Amy's attention enough for them to cease their infernal writhing. And when I saw it, it was enough to still me, too.

Wearing only a dog collar and a jockstrap that was way too small for its cargo was easily the most ripped otter I'd ever seen. What the hell is going on? Was I being tested? Was the universe out to fuck with my happy statis quo?

"Ain't it cool?" Mores laughed.

"Uh-huh," the females and I mumbled in a daze.

"They've got the pledges pretending to be slaves!" Mores clapped his hands, delighted by the novelty. It made a little more sense now. I admit, my eyes had been fixated elsewhere until Mores pointed at the otter's chiseled chest and the Aegean letters dyed into his fur.

The otter dropped to one knee, he was carrying a tray. Had he arrived with that? With athleticism that would have been amazing even in an environment not crawling with intoxicated furs and dancing scalies, he balanced the tray and passed us each a cup of beer.

"Thanks," I said, when he gave me mine.

The otter winked at me. "I live to serve, master."

Thank God the beer was starting to kick in, I don't think I could have spoken to him otherwise. "Um, pledge? Slave?" I cleared my throat. "C-can you bring me one more beer? Please?"

The otter bowed, grinning as he backed away.

Mores flopped down on the couch, squeezing between me and Cass. I guess he could see who I had the best odds with. He leaned over, whispering in my ear. "Go easy on the drink, Alex. Trust me, a hangover is no fun."

Between Amy throwing her boobs at me, and an essentially naked otter who looked like he walked right out of a pantheon, and me having no fucking clue which was turning me on more, I fully intended on getting fucked up.

***

I began to have a hard time following what Amy was saying to me by the time someone brought out a beer-bong. A lesser wolf would have called it a night then, but not me! I jumped off the couch, kissing some part of Amy - I had my eyes closed, and I think she said ouch, so I'm pretty sure I missed whatever I aimed at - and howled like a crazed feral.

There was some cheering as I put the end of the long rubber tube in my mouth and really, really, really, tried not to picture Jody.

It didn't work. But I think I swallowed most of that bitter swill they poured in from a pitcher while chanting chug, Good thing they advised me to chug or I might have got confused, right?

God, what a bunch of idiots.

I used the commotion over the next fur to suck on that big rubber pipe to make my escape from Amy. I don't know how, but I managed to find my way down stairs. The frat's basement rec room was fucking awesome... I think. They had some tables full of cups. Kate found me and we played some beer pong.

"Are you ok?" I heard her ask.

I opened my eyes to see she was on the ceiling. Scratch that. I was on the floor. "Kate," I said to her, "Kate, do not put this on the NNAEAAG blog."

It was weird. She said I tripped, but that I'd played a mean game of B-pong. Almost won, allegedly. I, for some reason, do not recall playing at all. She led me to pile of bean bag chairs in the corner of the basement.

"I'm fine!" I told her. "Let me just stand here and get my balance back." Turns out I was already sitting.

"Brad, watch Alex for me. I think he's drunk."

Brad? I turned my head. Horsey-McSmokes-A-Lot! He was on the beanbag next to me, puffing away.

"No prob, Kate. Where are you going?"

"I think I need to find Mores. Dude needs a designated driver."

Was I going somewhere? "Wait! I can't leave. I think I'm going to join this frat. Find me a naked otter so I can question him."

"Yeah. I need to find Mores. Watch him so he dosen't hurt himself." Kate walked away. And did it before I could think to ask her to show me her ass so my fickle hormones could have something to compare with the otter I hoped she was going to retrieve.

"Hey, Alex," Brad poked my arm. "Don't run off. I'm not sure I can chase you." He held out the blunt he was smoking.

"No thanks. I don't smoke. I hear it isn't healthy." I then reached for the cup resting on the floor next to a sleeping fur. I sure hope whatever I drank from it was beer.

Brad giggled. "Dude, you are so drunk!"

"No. I am not." I might have been. "You know whose fault this is?"

Brad shook his head. Of course he wouldn't know.

"Jody." It was the first time I'd said his name out loud since that dinner. Saying his name sobered me just enough to wonder why I'd kept track of the last time I'd said his name... The party wasn't fun anymore. I wanted to leave.

Brad was still staring at me. Either he had amazing focus for a stoner, or he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open.

"He's got me feeling all these things," I said mainly to myself. "I'm so fucking confused."

I might have said some more things to the horse, but I don't remember what they were, or if they made sense. The next thing I knew, Mores was lifting me out of the chair and I was struck by how much his dreadlocks made it look like a huge spider was eating his head. If you looked at it from the right angle.

***

My eyes snapped open and I was with Mores in his van. He was talking.

"What?"

"I said, I'm sorry you missed out on banging Amy. She's in to you. But, hey, I got her number. I'll give it to you tomorrow, when you're not at risk of making a drunk call."

"Aww. You always look out for me. When I get in the frat, I'll make sure they don't make you walk around naked serving drinks."

He laughed at my sincere promise. But that's ok. One of us was drunk.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You are going home to sleep this off. I'm going back to see if Cass wants to sign a petition, if you know what I mean." He chuckled for both of us.

"Hold on!" I urged my brain to wake up. "You can't take me home. My parents will flip their shit if they think I've been drinking."

"Oh," Mores pulled the van to the curb. "I didn't think about that. Where else can I take you?"

I knew I'd always be welcome at Trent and Valmick's place, but I really didn't want to deal with my brother's disapproval, or interrupt their... whatever it is they do. Who else do I know around here?

Jody. There were a thousand reasons it was a bad idea. Maybe closer to a million, seeing I was inebriated. But I had questions. And I think I was drunk enough accept the answers.

"Do you know where Two Pillars Discotheque is?"

"Alex, you are in no condition to go clubbing."

I shook my head. "The apartment building across the street. That's where I need to be."

Of course it never occurred to me what I was going to do after I had my answers. Maybe I'd find a park and sleep in a bush. I like nature. It was fucking awesome and it never judges.

We came to the apartment building. My determination had been building. I was going to march right up to Jody and ask him point blank, what the hell? All the going out of his way to make me feel accepted, all the interest in how I was doing, that fucking kiss. All of that. Was he teasing me, or did it mean something? Was I just a fool, letting my hormones make a mountain out of a pile of crap? He had to tell me. Before these doubts and feelings consumed me any further.

My door opened. Mores was unbuckling my seatbelt. "C'mon, buddy. Let's get you inside. What's the apartment number?"

I pulled away once I was out. "I've got this. Thank you for a lovely night, but you should get back there and tap that giraffess." I swayed but remained upright.

Mores looked at me. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" I gave a thumbs up.

Mores still looked doubtful. "Alright. But I'm waiting here until you make it in the building."

I bit back a sigh. "Fine. But you really don't need too." I staggered my way to the building's door.

A good yank on the door's handle did nothing. Fuck. It was one of those places you had to get buzzed in. I squinted, trying to make out tiny, blurry names written next to the apartment call buttons. Thank God Jody was needlessly flamboyant. His name was written in a fluorescent red ink, with the O made in the shape of a heart. Easy to spot.

I'm not an idiot. If Jody really was playing with my emotions and I was showing up in the middle of the night, kinda drunk, and kinda pissed off, there's no way he'd buzz me in. At least that's the way my impaired judgement viewed it.

I ran my finger down the rows of buttons, hitting almost all of those that weren't Jody's.

Between garbled curses and questions shouted at me through the intercom, some fur must have been expecting someone. I pulled the buzzing door and it opened. With a deep breath I stormed into the apartment building, ready and determined to confront Jody.