FSE

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I wasn't always an anthropomorphic lion, covered head to toe in sandy yellow fur with a neatly trimmed brown mane instead of hair. I had originally been born a pale, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy with loving parents and everything I could ask for. Just another bog-standard boring white child right? Well a group of irresponsible prats thought so too, at least, that's what I tell myself.

Two years before I was born, a virus had emerged and rapidly spread throughout the population. If you got infected, you would change to be an animal of some kind, well, mostly. See it didn't change you all the way into an animal, just mostly, taking a normal looking human and turning them into something like me.

When I was five, my parents had taken me out to a nearby park and playground. It was a standard day out, sun in the sky, not a cloud in sight, and plenty of other kids in the playground to play and run around with. My parents sat at a pick-nick table close by talking to each other and not really paying attention to me, but then there hadn't really been any signs of trouble.

That was until I tripped and fell into the sandpit and was stabbed by a discarded syringe. My parents had thought it was a bee sting at first and handled it how most parents treated such an injury. A simple kiss and band-aid before deciding that I had had enough fun for the day and took me home. The police investigation later discovered the source of my infection, but by then it was far, far too late.

That night the changes started, I awoke screaming in pain as fur rapidly sprouted over my body. My parents, for all their pros, had been anti-vaccination proponents and so, I wasn't immunised against the virus. To be honest, the immunisation only delayed the change, slowing it down and making the transformation take days instead of hours.

Before the immunisation, the rapid and painful changes had killed anyone who wasn't able to cope with the change. The elderly, very young, and physically challenged all suffered greatly. The resulting death toll had been high, so the desire to create the immunisation had been almost desperate.

My mother did everything she could to help me try to endure the change, but, as the bones in my legs started changing causing unbelievable amounts of pain, they had been forced to call for an ambulance. The rest of my change happened over the next twenty-four hours as I lay in a hospital bed in a drug-induced stupor.

Other than being one of the lucky children who survived an unvaccinated transformation, I had also been one of the rare few to get a secondary effect. See sometimes, if the virus likes (or it's more like hates) something about you enough, it will add an extra little twist to the change. Sometimes it's nothing more than a simple change to fur/scale/skin colour, sometimes it was something more.

Now being five years old, I barely knew the intended purpose was of my penis. Yet it was still worrying to me when it disappeared over the space of a few hours leaving me with its polar opposite, a vagina. I even grew four extra nipples on my belly just to add insult to injury.

While the nipples weren't a problem, the change in physical gender was a big issue with my parents and the doctors. Both were unsure if I should be reclassified as a girl or stay on record as a boy, even with my insistence for the latter. After a week's worth of uncomfortable testing, it was discovered that while I had female reproductive organs, which from other such cases elsewhere in the world, worked in every sense of the word, they produced testosterone instead of oestrogen. So my classification as a boy remained intact.

Once that issue was resolved a new one cropped up. My grandparents, aunts, and uncles decided enough was enough with the morons they called family. The fact that my parents were staunchly against immunising and inoculating their child had never sat well with them, and I can remember fierce arguments whenever we had been to see them. They had always been worried that something severe would happen, and this event was the final nail in the coffin.

With backing from the doctors and nurses at the hospital, Child Protection Services had been contacted and I was taken from my parents. I was still in the hospital when it all happened and so was not exposed to any of the legal nightmare. On the day I was to leave the hospital, I was greeted by two nice men in CPS uniforms and taken into their care. I later found out during the custody hearing that my parents were being charged with reckless endangerment of a child.

The case lasted a few days, but in the end, the judge ruled against them. This had a profound impact against the anti-vaccination movement as the court ruled that such treatment was now illegal. My extended family declined to take me in, stating that it would be too tempting, and easy, for my parents to get access to me. They loved me enough to realise that I was not safe with them. That was how I found myself in the foster care and orphanage system.

For years I bounced from one foster home to another, never really staying in one longer than a year. Many of the families that took me in tended to find it difficult to care for someone who was infected, couldn't cope with my extensive changes, or in the case of a few, were discovered to be unfit for fostering infected children.

The worse case was a Christian couple who would beat me when I wouldn't identify as a female or go to church with them on Sundays. Even with my fur, the bruises were easy to spot for the agents who came to do checkups. Thankfully I wasn't with that couple more than two months, but the damage had been done.

The orphanages were a different kind of nightmare. With group dorm rooms, I was often the target of ridicule and harassment by the others, be it human or infected. They experimented with bunking me with males or females, never really sure where to place me. The boy's physical abuse was more tolerable than the girl's psychological forms of harassment, yet it all culminated in me sitting on my bed or in a corner, drawing or reading alone, and suffering terrible depression and self-image issues.

Looking back on it I never really tried to attempt suicide whenever I would cut myself. It was more just extreme cases of self-harm, attempting to get attention of some kind that was loving and caring. More than once I had been found in my corner, blood matting the fur on my arms and legs from fresh deep cuts and crying silently to myself. One hospital trip later I would be transferred to a new location upon my discharge.

I always attempted to shower alone, however it rarely ever worked out that way. More than once I was beaten to a pulp by the boys whenever they found me. The girls on the other hand would cut off the water, steal my towel or clothes, lock the doors and turn off the lights or simply tell the boys I had been creeping on them and then I would be beaten up again.

At school I was a loner, avoiding everyone and treating any attempts to become friends as suspicious. I would give them the cold shoulder till they left me alone, never responding to their attempts at interaction. It was rare that I found they actually had wanted to be friends, more often than not I would later spot them with the bullies in the class. That isn't to say that I had it easier there than at the orphanages or foster homes. It was as if I had a sign over my head that only others could see; abuse and bullying always followed me.

Once puberty set in things only got worse and the bullying dynamic seemed to shift somewhat. I had gotten used to the beatings from the guys and insults from the girls, yet once my mane started to grow in and I started having periods, the guys seemed to act more under the instructions from the girls. More than once I was pinned down and my fledgling mane shaved off carelessly, resulting in several trips to a barber to have the rest removed so I would look presentable.

I was thirteen years old when the worse bullying event happened. I will never know if they got inspiration from movies or had come up with the plan themselves. Blood was poured over me in the middle of the schoolyard during lunchtime while I had been sitting at a bench drawing, trying to ignore the gnawing hunger in my stomach as I had once again had my lunch stolen from me earlier that day. The teachers had been quick to act to clean me up, hand out detentions and send me home in abject misery, but that day something snapped in my head.

The trip home I had been quiet, withdrawn into my own head and world of self-loathing. The little voice in my head was louder this time than it ever had been before. No one loved me, I was barely tolerated by the orphanage staff and alone in this world. In my mind, they treated me more like cattle than a person who needed love, just another piece of stock to ship off.

Once back at the orphanage, I was made to shower more thoroughly and then told to just sit quietly in my room. Instead, I tore up some sheets and made a makeshift noose out of them. One thing about being a loner with only books for company, you read books others normally wouldn't look twice at. A book of knots and multiple stories with just such events in their plot now played in my head as I worked. Standing upon a tall stool, I tied one end to a rail in the hallway and looped the other around my neck before, with tears matting the fur on my face, kicking it out from under my paws.

Bed sheets probably weren't the wisest of choices however, because instead of snapping my neck like I had expected when I dropped like in all the stories I read and movies I saw, the sheets had more stretch than a rope and I just started to slowly suffocate. I attempted to claw myself free, but my claws had been cut in an attempt to reduce my self harming so they were utterly useless.

I had been unaware of a couple who had come to visit and potentially adopt that day, what a first impression I must have made. Rounding the corner with a worker to see me dangling from my makeshift noose, dangling about two feet off the floor and slowly losing my fight, and will, to keep living.

The subsequent hospital trip and checkup by a psychologist had been as productive as I could have told them it would be. I was prescribed anti-depressants, that I refused to take, often just ignoring the pills when they were offered to me, and referred to see a specialist psychologist for sessions, which, while forced to attend at the hospital, I never participated in. I just closed myself more from everyone and everything around me until I was returned to the orphanage.

The week after I was returned, I was taken to the admin's office. She was an elderly human, hair greying and face full of wrinkles. A nice enough person, even if she did tend to favour the humans over the infected, she always seemed to have a grumpy look even when she was in a good mood. She was also known for being less than diplomatic when she spoke, getting to the point with a painful, and sometimes rude, bluntness.

She shuffled through paperwork and tapped away at her keyboard as I sat in the chair on the other side of the desk to her. She was taking her time, well aware I was there but seemed more than content to finish filing her paperwork first. I wasn't concerned either way, content to sit silently and let her work. My gaze drifted about the room before turning to the carpeting. Stains, stains, stains, it was like the poor floor hadn't ever gotten a good shampooing in its life, which was entirely possible, the workers at that orphanage tended to focus more on us than on themselves or their comfort.

“So," she finally spoke up making me jump a little but not lift my gaze “It seems that during your little, outburst, the other week you made an impression on someone. I must say I am disappointed but not surprised."

“Yes Ma'am," I said softly, pitifully and morosely. I knew what was coming, I was going to be transferred again. This happened whenever something happened to me that they couldn't sweep under the rug. While in the past it had been little offences that all culminated together, this was by far the worse thing I had ever done.

“I do hope you are pleased with yourself," she continued, not acknowledging my response in any way. I was used to that, it tended to be their behaviour when they were going to transfer me. “All this paperwork that we now need to fill out, sheets to replace, and a thorough investigation to endure. Honestly I thought you had more brains than that. At any rate, what happened, happened, you have made your bed and must now lie in it."

In the past, this kind of treatment would have brought tears to my eyes. Being guilt-tripped for something that had been out of my control had always been their favourite tactic. This time I knew I had been fully in control and the guilt laid squarely on my shoulders. However I had grown to accept that there was no sense crying; I never had any friends or connections to lose.

“So, despite everything, I guess some level of congratulations are in order," she then announced and stood up, the door behind me opening. “You have been adopted, the couple who helped save your life have settled on you, despite us showing multiple other candidates who frankly, would have been better choices."

I blinked and my attention to the floor was broken as my gaze snapped up to meet her face, my own an expression of pure shock and surprise. I searched her face trying to see the telltale signs that she was pulling my leg, why would they want me after seeing I had tried to kill myself? It didn't compute, my brain unable to fully register the information it had just received.

“Really Abigale? We heard everything you said, did you have to word any of it like that?" a male voice asked from behind. I rotated as best I could in my chair to see a tall chestnut stallion and a deep blue dragon walk through the now open door.

Both were tall, easily seven feet tall but seemed to downplay their size as they walked in. They had amused smiles on their faces, the dragon looking directly at me while the horse held his look at the headmistress.

“I prefer to be honest, Andy, this is Eric and Sam, your new parents." She announced gesturing with an open hand. The two of them nodded when their names were said and the stallion, Eric, stepped forward and knelt down, his amused smile turning to a loving one, an expression I had barely even recognised anymore.

“Hello Andy, it's nice to see you again," he said reaching out to rub between my ears comfortingly. I almost pulled away on reflex, but as his fingers rubbed gently over my sensitive ears, warm tingles shot down my spine and I couldn't find the desire to pull away. “I know it hasn't been easy, and I'm sure I know what you are probably thinking, but right now, let's get your stuff and head to your new home hmm? We can talk in the car on the way there."

I simply nodded dumbly as I got up, walking with them back to my dorm room. I didn't see the facial reactions on anyone's faces as we walked. Lost in my own little daze still not believing that my lowest of moments had somehow turned in my favour.

Collecting my paltry possessions had been easy enough, I didn't have much of my own other than my school supplies, some books and a couple of plush toys. I was surprised at the luxury car that I was guided to in the parking lot, Eric placed my bags in the back while I got into the passenger seat. I watched in the rear vision mirror as he gave Sam, the dragon, a loving kiss to his cheek before the large beast flapped his wings, lifting into the air and flew off with surprising speed.

“Sam will meet us at home," Eric said nonchalantly as he started the car, making sure I had my belt on before be began to pull out of the parking lot. “He's too big to fit in the car and we only use the dragon float when we are going long distances." I just nodded remaining silent, watching as the orphanage disappear in the mirror.

The sudden positive change my life wasn't something I had been prepared for but was more than open about. Eric and Sam turned out to be reasonably wealthy, owning a successful hotel and law firm respectfully. They bent over backwards to accommodate me and get my life back on track. They had given me a set of basic rules, respect them and our home, don't bring strange boys home, try to keep the noises down after ten PM, and never be afraid to talk to them if I was having any problems.

I hadn't been placed in a private school like I had expected to with them being so well off. Instead they continued with public schooling explaining that it had made them who they were today and that private schools harboured snobs and spoiled brats. They kept a close eye on my education and school life too, helping me with my homework and anything I struggled with.

They were as loving as any parents could be. Eric would play video games with me when he wasn't busy and would always ask how my day was. Sam was always available for hugs or snuggling, laid out on the floor as he usually was, more often than not I would be resting against his side as I played games or did my homework. If I ever had nightmares, they would always be there to comfort me, helping me through my night terrors till I was once again asleep.

That wasn't to say they weren't scary at times. Just because I was now part of an affluent family didn't mean I was safe from bullying. More than once I returned home with an injury that was not caused by my own misfortune. Once they managed to get an explanation out of me, they quickly became angry and would contact the school. The three of us would then head back to speak to the staff and contact and confront the bullies in question.

Sam, despite his dragon appearance, was usually the calmest in the room while Eric was the one who was openly angry and antagonistic. However I knew that even if he was a dragon, Sam's brain, and the legal knowledge therein, was the part of him to be feared more than the stallions fiery behaviour. The one time I had been given a broken arm I knew the school feared most, despite the fact they had done everything according to legal processes. I never did see that particular bully again.

My adoptive grandparents were just as loving as Sam and Eric were. Eric's parents were human but Sam's adoptive father was an elderly doberman infected. They got along well together and they all seemed quite taken by me, intent on spoiling me rotten whenever we were together.

Eric's mother ended up being a great source of support for me, at least when it came to the female side of my anatomy. She was always willing to answer any questions, and always had suggestions on how to better cope with my monthly cycles. Admittedly it was embarrassing to talk about it, and I still loathed to think of it as a part of my body, yet she helped me come to terms with my anatomy while simply living with Eric and Sam helped me come to terms with my sexuality.

When I finally graduated high school, I had decided on a direction to take in my life. I wanted to follow after Eric and run a hotel of my own, even inherit his when he retired. As a result of this decision, I was sent to the same University that they had attended together when they were my age. Sam was upset that I hadn't decided to take after him and go into law, but I just wasn't comfortable taking that route and he accepted that I needed to find and walk my own path in life.

It had been a sad parting when I was dropped off. Sam had flown me there upon his shoulders, Eric taking the slower way with the luggage in the back of my car. They had told me to call them whenever I needed or wanted to and had both hugged my tightly, telling me that pass or fail, they would still be waiting for me to come home. Not wanting to drag out the goodbyes longer than they needed to, they left together, Eric riding his dragon home.

My room was in the 'infected' dorm building on the fourth floor. The floors had been set up in a specific manner, the first floor and basement were for those with aquatic changes to aid with plumbing, fish, sharks, dolphins, and amphibians inhabiting those floors.

The second floor was for dragons and other mythical creatures. They were usually larger than those who took up the higher floors. Third floor was canines, wolves and dogs, felines on the fourth from lions to tabbies. The fifth floor was avians, ranging from crows to blue-jays to bats, this was due to the fact that they used the roof as a platform to take off and land from.

Of course, the fights between the male lions started almost immediately. Each one vying for position of pride leader and top cat in the dorm. In the starting years of the virus, infected didn't give in to their instincts to this degree, trying to show they were still human underneath the savage appearance.

The younger generations however were starting to act more like the animals they had been changed, or born, into. It was primarily the more wild, pack-orientated species such as lions and wolves, although the wolves never took it to the extremes that the lions did. I took no part in it, and unlike most of the lionesses, I didn't see the appeal of the meatheads trying to out testosterone each other. It was sad to watch, but yet, somehow, slightly hilarious.

To start with, I was seen as competition and they tried hard to get me involved in their pitiful antics. To be honest, if they wanted to get in a 'dick-waving' competition with me, they were born with the worlds cruellest handy-cap. That was until they found out about my unique biology. Then they regarded me as someone to woo, a trophy to hold over the others to cement their position as the greater example of masculinity.

The university had never encountered this kind of issue in the past. The whole 'alpha male' thing was new to this generation. Heat's were a common occurrence for a large majority of female infected, and most of the time, the males respected the rule of 'no means no'.

For me however, the male lions seemed to see it differently. I was a male true, but I had a cunt, not a cock, so I was seen more as a female than a male. They left the lionesses alone, seeing them as too common, they were everywhere. I I did ask them once why they didn't try each other, but I was answered with a 'No, that would be gay!'. Instead they would fight each other or compete against one another in sports and drinking.

This only confirmed to me that this was a machismo thing. The same mentality that caused people to go out and hunt wild lions and bears to make themselves appear a bigger man. Effectively I was being seen much the same as a wild lion, being hunted by the other males to prove they were bigger than the others.

I never contemplated moving room or off campus. In reflection I was either too stubborn or too proud to move. I figured I could fend them off on my own and would be safe locked in my room. The staff would always come to my aid and I could always ask for help from downstairs if I needed it.

For weeks I received love letters and propositions, some cornering me and getting aggressive when I turned them down. It only got more lewd and crude when I went into my heats. Many banging on my door, demanding they be let in so they could ease my pain like no one else could, and promising that they would treat me so good and fill me full of so many kittens I'd look like a blimp.

I would, of course, lock myself in my room, not coming out for anything but my classes. That too, eventually, was put off when I was approached on my way back from class one day and nearly assaulted.

I had managed to make a few friends during my time in University. An anthro griffon in particular named Thomas had become my closest companion. We'd met, accidentally, one day in the library. I had been browsing for anatomy books to help my drawing hobby, something that I still held onto from my days in the orphanage. He was doing an arts degree and we had gone to grab the same book. Since then we spent as much time together as we could, drawing and talking about the events of the day or different drawing techniques.

Thomas was slightly taller than I was, standing roughly 6'5" tall with a plush black fur. Like all gryphons he was a mix of lion and eagle anatomy, yet they rarely ever had the same mix. His legs and arms were avian, with talons and orange scales on his hands and feet, a large pair of black feathery wings folded comfortably against his back. The rest of him was lion in appearance except his mane which was a plume of feathers. He exercised frequently and had a pleasant physique, which I had seen almost in full one day when I met him in the gym, after that I joined him in all of his workout sessions.

The day I was attacked he had been returning with me to the dorms after our trip to the gym. Our session hadn't gone very long as I was in heat, something that was attracting unwanted attention in the weights room. Thomas had made a note of it, but he was more concerned for my safety than flirting with me.

The lions had tried to corner us outside of the dorm building. Thomas managed to hold them off long enough for me to retreat back to my room and lock myself in. After that I didn't go out during my heats, not even to eat, usually having Thomas deliver my meals.

Three months later during another strong heat, the male lions were practically trying to break down my door to get to me. I had needed to prop a chair under the door handle when they tried to pick the lock and retreated as far back as I could before contacting Thomas for help.

He, in turn, contacted the R.A. but told me that the way up had been blocked and they were struggling to get past the barricades they had set up. It took some doing on his part, but eventually he talked me into calling Sam and Eric as he doubted they would get to me in time.

Twenty minutes after the call for help, the wood of my door was starting to splinter from them ramming their shoulders into it. I heard a loud and familiar roar followed by something large stampeding down the hallway and yowls of fear with scrambling to get away. Everything was silent for a what felt like an eternity before a knock made me jump and yowl in fear.

“Andy? Hon? It's Eric, can you open the door for me, sweety?" Called the very comforting voice of my adoptive father. I scrambled to my paws and ran to the door, moving the chair out from under the handle and opened the door seeing the worried stallion standing outside in the hall. We looked at each other for a few moments before I burst into tears and fell into his arms, letting him hold me close as Sam walked up.

He explained that after my call, they had flown at what had to be a record speed to my aid. By landing on the roof and taking the stairs down, a path that hadn't been blocked as they probably assumed main threat was to be from downstairs. Sam had been able to charge down the hall, scaring off the randy felines who decided not to try tackling a very large, and angry, dragon.

Once I had calmed down, I was escorted to the Dean, riding atop Sam who had insisted upon carrying me. Dean Cilia Westerlan, had apparently, been Dean back when Eric and Sam were going to the university. She recognised them instantly and greeted them like old friends.

“Lovely to see you two again, when do I get to stay at your hotel, Eric? You haven't invited me once yet." she chided with a smile and he rolled his eyes as we took a seat in her office.

“Cilia, you stayed last October, remember? I booked your room personally," the stallion remarked with a chuckle. “But that isn't why we are here, we have big issues to discuss Cilia, and I would hate for Sam to become professionally involved in them."

This seemed to catch her by surprise and the smile left her face. She immediately snapped her eyes to me and regarded me carefully. As elderly as she may have been, even I knew she was not stupid, and was well aware of what profession she had been trained in before becoming dean of the university.

“What happened?"

*****

The explanation was uncomfortable from my point of view, having to explain my special situation and the events that had lead us to her office. I even had to explain how I had been missing classes due to the ongoing events, and that Thomas could vouch for the encounter that caused that decision. The outcome from it all was my relocating to another dorm room off of the feline floor, and harsh punishments would be handed out to the perpetrators. In exchange Sam and Eric promised not to press charges.

I was moved that night into Thomas's room, he was the only person I could think to ask who could possibly say yes. Sam and Eric agreed with my choice, stating that the other students on that floor would help protect me. Some of the dragon students even helped me move, assisting with carrying the larger items or standing guard as my room was emptied out.

For the next few weeks I was jumpy. Understandably so whenever there was another lion around. The Dean had waded into the entire affair among the male lions with the grace of an ice breaker into a fleet of dinghies, ending it all within a week. Multiple were expelled from the university, mainly those who attempted to continue the ego-stroking more quietly where and when they didn't think anyone was watching.

Thomas became a lifeline to me. Always there when I needed him the most, he was a comforting presence when my panic attacks would begin to flare up. While we still shared the same bedroom, we didn't share the same bed, the gryphon respecting my boundaries and even helping me with some of my personal image issues.

As time passed we grew more and more comfortable with each other, growing to the point I never cared if he was nude, and he in turn when I was in only a pair of panties which was a great boon during the hot summer months. Sure lions are a species that evolved in some of the hottest climates in the world, but I was not one of them; I preferred the cold.

More than once he had requested I pose for him to draw or paint, each time I had turned him down stating that I wasn't comfortable with it or embarrassed by what I called my 'deformity'. Yet as time went on it changed from 'I'm not comfortable with that' to 'Maybe later'.

In that time we had actually gotten closer as friends, pushing into relationship territory without either of us realising. When out and about together, we would always be practically attached at the hip. Sharing meals and drinks was common between us, as well as hugging, straightening each other's fur or feathers and just sitting pressed side by side.

He finally managed to convince me to pose for him after a lot of nagging one particularly slow Saturday afternoon. I had just gotten my mane clipped the day before and I had agreed after he promised no one would ever see it other than us.

I stood naked before him in the middle of the room, left hand covering my privates, right hand on my left shoulder. My tail was wrapped around my leg and I watched him with a shy, nervous look/expression which he said was perfect for the picture. To his credit he handled it professionally, not caring about my nudity in the slightest and worked diligently on his painting.

After that day I posed frequently for him, again and again so he could finish it. He never showed me the work, stating that it would be a surprise for me when he inevitably finished it. Somehow it brought us closer together, especially after he started painting while in the nude as well. He said it would help me feel more comfortable, but I think it was just because he preferred being naked.

It was getting close to the winter holidays when the requests stopped and I was concerned why at first. I had thought he enjoyed the sessions and feared something had changed. To the contrary however, he told me that he had everything he needed to finish it, stating that I didn't need to pose anymore. Although he did encourage me to go nude if I really wanted to, even giving me a coy wink and smile leaving me confused if he was joking or just being a randy gryphon again.

The week before Christmas, we were busy decorating the dorm room and talking about what we were going to be doing on that day when Eric called me. Thomas had taken to calling him my 'Daddy Pony' and I nearly answered the phone with such. He explained that they would be visiting his family for the holidays and so I wouldn't get a chance to see them till afterwards.

That was fine with me, I hadn't been looking forward to their visit anyway, dreading needing to feed Sam and find space for us all in the tiny dorm room. It eased the burden somewhat on Thomas and myself just needing to provide for ourselves.

As the day approached the two of us placed more gifts for each other under the tree, usually when the other wasn't looking. It almost became a game to see how secretly we could place them there, culminating in my sneaking out of bed at two AM the night before to place a box towards the back of the tree.

Opening the gifts that morning, we had mainly gotten practical gifts for each other aside from the usual clothes. For him a feather preening kit, art supplies, claw sharpeners and a scale and fur care kit. He had gotten for me art supplies as well as, a new phone case, some pots and a new game for my console.

However it was after dinner that he exposed his last gift for me as we were getting for bed. I was curious at first, pondering what it was before unwrapping it. I was shocked to see it was the painting I had posed for, finished with exquisite detail almost going as far as painting every follicle of fur. I couldn't believe this was how he, or the world saw me. I had always pictured myself as some reject, a freak, but a note he had written on the back explained that I was far from it, especially in his eyes.

“You're a rare gem you know that?" he had written “A perfectly cut diamond that has been buried in mud for so long you could no longer see what you really are. Over the last year I have seen that mud wash off to show how beautiful you truly are. You may only see flaws, but let this painting be proof that you are unique, and breathtaking when you let your inner self shine through." finally it was signed with his name, painted in with beautiful cursive font.

“Well?" he inquired snapping my attention away from it and to his face. “Do you like it?" he looked so hopeful, so worried that I might hate it. I returned it with a soft smile and placed the painting down on my bed and stepped over to him.

“I..." I hesitated, trying to think of an answer. I was a mix of emotions, and I couldn't place my finger on just any one of them. Confusion, fear, pride, love, happiness and disbelief rolled through my head like hot soup, yet out of all of them there was one that stood out the most.

To this day I don't know if the alcohol I had with dinner that made me do it or something inside me that drove me into motion. I reached up and grabbed his fluffy mane, pulling him down and kissed him deeply, shocking him with my actions. While at first, he wanted to pull away, he pressed into it a second or two later, wrapping his arms around my torso and pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Does that answer your question?" I asked him once we broke apart. His expression was warm, and soft and he gave me a soft kiss to the cheek while nodding. He pulled me towards his bed, hands on my hips as he moved and pulled me to lay down with him.

“Yes, yes it does... and let this answer the question you had hidden in that kiss." he replied confusing me somewhat. Yet as he pulled me into another kiss it clicked what he was referring to. I hadn't realised that the question had even been there when I kissed him, but now everything made total sense.

It may have been our hearts that did the talking with those two kisses, but I will say it was the alcohol that drove our actions after the second one. We only broke our kissing to remove out tops, stripping off the rest as we made out passionately.

He was hard before either of us realised and I was more than ready for him. He pulled back, breaking the kiss leaving us both panting, and I blushed deeply as he looked me up and down, clearly liking what he saw due to his deep rumbling purr.

“Andy, you have nothing to be embarrassed about, not with me, you are beautiful to me, in every way," he told me before we shifted a little getting ready for the next step.

To this day I will blame the alcohol for not remembering what happened that night after those words. At least that is my story and I am going to stick to it.

It may have been our first time, but it certainly wasn't our last, and those times we didn't need liquid luck to help us along. We hung the painting above the window in our dorm room, each day reminding us of the love we now shared.

Life had other plans for us however. Several weeks later I began to be ill, mainly in the mornings. To anyone else the cause would have been obvious, but we just thought it was a bug I had picked up from somewhere. By the end of the first month however, Thomas had become worried enough to drag me to the doctor. Neither of us had even thought of the stupidly obvious things that they had asked.

The penny dropped when the doctor asked the most telling question of all “When was your last heat cycle?". It shook me to my core that I could only remember my last one, which was well before Christmas, knowing I definitely should have had one since then.

I returned back to our dorm room with a bag of pregnancy tests to try, not having wanted to use them at the doctors office and felt shaken to my core. I can't even remember the walk back, only the terror going through my head and Thomas's worry as he walked alongside me. I hadn't told him yet, I didn't know how I would, how could I possibly explain to him that I might be pregnant? That I might be having his child?

Back at the room I excused myself to the bathroom and used the tests. That was difficult in itself seeing as I couldn't stop shaking. As I watched each one come up positive, I sank to the floor and started crying, loudly.

Thomas walked in to check on me once he heard my sobs. He hugged me from behind firmly and pet my cheek as he tried his best to silently comfort me.

“Andy, what's wrong?" he asked softly and I couldn't think of a way to answer him. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out, my brain going blank on what I could even say. After mimicking a fish for what felt like an eternity, I simply handed him the last of the pregnancy tests I had used.

“What's this?" he asked before looking at it. As it registered in his head, his eyes widened in shock. A large number of scenarios ran through my head as I watched his reaction. All of them ended in pain for me of some kind, each more graphic and violent than the last.

“You're... pregnant?" he asked in shock looking up at me from the test and I simply nodded. I hid my face at that point, fearing some kind of outburst from him, in my mind I had ruined what we had and I would now be seen as an enemy. That was how everything had been in my past; if I wasn't a friend, I was a target.

I flinched away as he tried to pry my arms away from my face, but his grip felt softer than I expected, and I relented after a few attempts. I felt his lips against mine before I had a chance to see his face, and when he pulled back it was one of happy concern.

“Andy, sweety..." he started, his warm hands cupping my cheeks and he wiped my face dry with his thumbs. “This changes... well it changes a lot, but it won't change my feelings for you. I love you too damn much for this to change that."

Those words lifted the crushing weight from my heart, all of those scenarios in my head shattered in an instant and I threw myself at him, this time crying from joy and relief. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, letting me ugly cry myself out.

I called Sam and Eric the next morning after much insistence from my gryphon. After the two simple words, 'I'm pregnant', left my mouth, they hung up. As I tried to call them back, I received a message from Eric's mother demanding to know what was going on, saying that the two of them had gotten in the car and driven off without a minute's hesitation.

I lied to her, simply put, saying I didn't know and I felt bad for doing so. If anyone could have helped me through the emotional roller-coaster I was facing, it would have been her. I just wasn't ready to tell her, if Eric and Sam had acted as they did, I had no idea how she would react.

I was distraught for the rest of the day, stressed about what was going on and how the two of them had reacted. Thomas did his best to try to settle me, fussing over me all day trying to make me smile or just distract me from the thoughts in my head. As we were settling down for dinner, there was a knock at the door.

“Coming!" Thomas called out and grumbled about dinner being interrupted, when it opened on its own, at such a speed that it left a dent in the wall. We both jumped, heads snapping round to look, and see Eric standing in the now empty space, with Sam just behind him.

Neither looked happy, the scowl on Eric's face told me as such and I was suddenly shaking in fear as they stormed in. I had never been on the receiving end of their ire before, and I never wished to be.

“E...Eric..." I started but snapped my maw shut as his eyes focused on me, on the other side of the room Sam had Thomas penned in meaning he couldn't come to my aid, or escape.

“Stand up Andy." He commanded and I obeyed, getting to my feet to stand uncomfortably before him. “So, you're pregnant are you? You've done tests and everything?"

“Y...Yes." I answered him, whimpering loudly and looked down to the floor. “I have... all positive... Thomas is the father." I didn't expect his arms to suddenly pull me in tight, hugging me close. I yelped loudly at the sudden movement, utterly shocked by the action. When I managed to look to Sam and Thomas, Sam had him encircled tightly in one of his unique, whole-body hugs.

“That's great news! We're so happy for you!" Eric said and gave my cheek a paternal kiss. I was relieved that they were happy for me, but that quickly turned to irritation and anger and I pulled back giving him a firm punch to his cheek.

“YOU DIDN'T NEED TO COME IN THE WAY YOU DID YOU ASSHOLE!" I yelled at him. Sam snickered and I snapped my head in his direction, deciding not to give up on this bout of rage just yet. “DON'T GIGGLE! WHO'S FUCKING IDEA WAS THIS!?" The dragon, to his credit, did seem apologetic, cringing back a bit and simply nodded his head in our direction.

“Heh, guess I deserved that," Eric said rubbing his cheek but was still smiling. “Wish I had taken a picture of your face though, was totally worth it."

“You drove all the way down here for some stupid prank?!" I demanded, irritation still simmering in my body.

“No, we drove all the way back here to see our son, and get the news from him in person, not over the phone." the stallion corrected and his smile widened as he gave a soft chuckle. “The prank was something I thought of as we pulled into the parking lot."

“You really shouldn't stress a pregnant person you know, it's bad for the baby." Thomas piped up amidst giggles and I snapped my head round to glare at him.

“C'mon you three, it's been a long drive, and I'm starving. Let's go out to dinner, Eric's treat." Sam said, breaking the tension as he let go of the gryphon.

“Wha... why me?" Eric protested and the dragon smirked as he smoothed down Thomas's feathers with a fore-claw.

“Because the joke was your idea."

*****

Thomas and I got ready while Eric put what we had prepared for dinner in the fridge. Sam had to explain to the irate R.A. about the damage to the wall and how he would pay for the repairs. Dinner that night was at a little Asian restaurant that, apparently, they had frequented while they were students at the university.

It was an uncomfortable occasion, having to explain to them how the two of us had ended up in this predicament. We explained that we did want to keep it, but I didn't want to just, drop out of university. I wanted both the child and a career, regardless of the challenges it may bring, I would continue with that mindset and determination.

They stayed at a little hotel that night before heading back the next day, making sure we had notified the medical faculty of my new condition before they left. As I watched them go, I called Eric's parents to explain everything. Contrary to what I had feared, they were over the moon excited, just as the stallion and dragon had been. Although his mother said she will get revenge on her son for me for what he did.

I was later informed by Sam that she had given them one hell of a lecture. Even whacking Eric over the head with a wooden spoon when he didn't seem the least bit remorseful for his behaviour. His punishment had been to do the longest list of housework she could come up with, including shovelling snow, clearing the gutters, moving furniture and painting the garage.

Life continued on as normal after that, well aside from my bouts of morning sickness, increased appetite, cravings at odd hours, and growing baby bump. I had to wear Thomas's shirts as my belly continued to swell and he didn't seem to mind one bit, although he would take them back once we were inside our room, meaning I would be in only my pants.

To his credit, the gryphon took everything in stride. He was always there to comfort me when I was sick, there to give me paw massages when my feet got sore, there to cook dinner when I was too tired and there to give my belly rubs and tell me just the right things when I was feeling fat and unattractive. Nothing seemed to phase him, even when I was emotional and hurling insults, and sometimes objects, his way.

Sam and Eric played their part too, sending an increase in allowance to help me with my doctor's visits and food budget. They would call once a week to make sure we were ok or if they could help in any way more than they already did. The two of them were over the moon when they received the letter I sent them containing copies of the sonogram we had printed of their soon-to-be grandchild.

Thomas's human parents, on the other hand, were less than supportive. They accused me of being a slut or whore, of drugging, seducing or corrupting their boy, would call at all hours to the point we had to disconnect our phones at night, tried to pull Thomas from the university and even attempted to sue me.

They hadn't expected a dragon lawyer, Sam, to turn up on their doorstep when they tried that rout, filing a counter case against them for harassment, defamation of character, slander, abuse, and racism. The charges they tried to file were promptly dropped, but the stress was starting to take its toll on us.

Sadly we eventually had to file a restraining order against them. It broke my gryphon's heart to do so against his own parents, but as he worded it “I have my own future to worry about". Sam handled all of the paperwork for us thankfully, sparing us from the hassle and additional stress.

As the year progressed, so did my pregnancy. Each month brought new and, sometimes, terrifying experiences. The first day we felt kicks, Thomas spent the night pressed against my belly to feel them as we slept. Classes became a challenge as I was stared at constantly by other students, the gossip mill running wild as usual. I became tired quickly on some days, nearly falling asleep in class several times. Thankfully my professors understood what I was going through, and I was at least grateful that they didn't call me out for it as often as they could have.

When my pecs started to swell up I had become even more emotional, only compounded when the area around the nipples on my belly did the same. They became sensitive to the touch, and I disliked wearing shirts once that started up. This only seemed to please Thomas as I would usually rush back to our dorm room and strip down to my underwear as quickly as possible after classes.

Being the sneaky gryphon that he was, Thomas had managed to get a picture of me laying on our bed asleep one day and took his time to paint that scene. I was irate at his tactics to make said painting when he revealed it but couldn't find it in myself to be angered by it. He'd done another superb job and, thankfully, had not included the growing teats on my belly in the painting.

I was still pregnant when graduation rolled around. We had both passed with high marks, the dean even commenting that we in particular had a bright future ahead of us. I was grateful that Sam, Eric and Sam's adoptive father, Mark assisted with packing up our dorm room. Mark spent more time fussing over me and trying to feel my belly than packing, but at his age I hadn't expected the grey-muzzle to do more than drive a car for us.

“Now I don't want you to worry about a job," Eric said as we got situated in my old bedroom, now with a much larger bed to accommodate myself and Thomas. “I have a position lined up for you already. However it will wait, you have a more important job to work on right now."

“I do?" I asked curiously and he stepped over to me, placing a hand on my stomach and nodded.

“Yep, this is your job right now." he answered, giving a gentle rub over my belly and levelled his gaze at me “And I expect you to perform it to the best of your ability, understand?" I blushed but smiled, nodding as I rested a hand on his, feeling a kick from within.

“In the meantime, Thomas! We have an art commission for you." Sam announced from over Eric's shoulder “Andy, you wait here, come with us, little gryphon, and we shall discuss it."

I gave Thomas a loving kiss as he followed after them, leaving me to lay on the bed and rest. So much had happened in so short a time. I had always heard that university or college was a life-changing experience, but I had never expected it to that extent. A diploma in one hand, a mate in the other, and a baby in the middle, if anyone had told me this is where I would end up back at the orphanage I would have laughed in their faces.

The project they gave my gryphon to do was kept under wraps. Simply telling me I would find out when the time was right. Apparently though, they were ready to pay big for it upon its completion. Thomas always looked tired when he returned home, but when I asked him how his day went he would brighten up and seem to regain his energy. The secrecy, however, remained ironclad.

We were visited frequently by my adoptive grandparents over the next few months, my pregnancy seeming to pick up speed in the last few. My swelling belly grew daily and we knew I was getting close when the weight dropped, lowering down on my torso ready for birth.

Contractions were something I hadn't be ready for, nor was I impressed that for weeks I was having false labours. The doctors explained it as my body preparing for the end, and that we should expect it more often as the due date grew closer. When I asked how I would know if I was experiencing the real thing or not they said simply 'You just will'.

We had stockpiled on everything we thought we would need. Knowing there was no way to have enough diapers stocked up, but we had everything else we thought we would need. Eric and Sam graced us with a large cot and a changing table to somehow fit into our already cramped room. I had planned to breastfeed my child so we didn't buy many bottles.

“I'm building up a supply of milk myself, why buy it unless we need it?" I told Eric one day as we walked, well he walked and I waddled, through the shopping centre. It had become a chore just to do shopping, but I insisted on getting out and joining in on the activity, not wanting to be stuck at home with nothing to do.

At least if I grew too sore and tired to continue walking, Sam was always with us to carry me on his shoulders. His face would instantly become a beaming smile when he carried me through the shops, so how could I ever tell him no? It did stop people from asking uncomfortable questions, so that was a bonus.

Sam particularly enjoyed the time we spent together now. Always napping curled up together with his nose pressed against my stomach, he seemed to look forward to whenever we did. None of them minded that I would walk around with no shirt on at home, wanting me to be as comfortable as possible.

“I'm always naked anyway." Sam explained with a chuckle “It would be hypocritical of me to complain about your state of undress."

“I hope you will be ready for more uncomfortable scenes when it's finally born," I muttered eyeing the large dragon's face as I laid against his side watching the stallion and gryphon struggle with assembling the playpen we had gotten. “Namely when I am feeding the cub."

“Nonsense!" the dragon responded with a happy rumble. “It's a natural act and part of life. Why would we be uncomfortable because of it?" I gave a sigh and shrugged.

“I guess I just assumed, with so many out there protesting against breastfeeding, especially in public..." I replied and had a piece of cardboard thrown at my head by Sam.

“Don't worry about what other people think, do what is right for you and your baby." he said firmly, next to him Thomas nodded in agreement. I smiled and nodded in agreement, leaning back more against Sam as I felt a particularly hard kick from within.

It was a few days later that I was woken at 3 AM by another round of contractions. However as the doctor had told me, something just felt... different about it this time. Call it instincts or whatever you want, somehow I just knew this was it.

I woke Thomas gently and tried to urge haste but not panic from him. Subsequently his then panic roused the other two in the house, who were less than impressed at being woken so early. When they realised what was going on, however, they dropped their attitudes and did what they could to assist.

“Why is it these things always happen in the wee hours of the morning?" Eric asked asininely as he drove us to the hospital.

“Because life HATES ME!" I retorted irritably due to the mounting pain and Thomas chuckled softly gently petting my head gently trying to soothe my growing stress.

“Calm down, hun, we're almost there, focus on your breathing, we practised for this, remember?" he instructed and I rolled my eyes. We had indeed attended classes for this, getting a fair share of odd looks each time. The lessons had been uncomfortable at first but after some reassurances from the midwives, we grew more comfortable with attending.

I would love to say that I remained calm, cool, and collected during the delivery, but that would be a bold-faced lie. I yelled, I screamed, I cried, and I insulted everyone inside the room and out. Eric and Sam had been told to wait in the hallway with only my gryphon permitted at my side, so only he really got to see me during one of my least dignified moment.

Nine hours I was in labour, and by the end of it, I was exhausted. Thomas gave me what encouragement he could, trying to be as supportive as possible. My gryphon says I nearly broke his hand with all the squeezing. In the end it was all worth it to hear that first cry and the declaration that I had a healthy baby boy.

I can remember crying with joy as Thomas pressed his head against my own as he repeated that it was a boy and that it was over. The doctors and nurses acted quickly to dry, weigh, measure and swaddle our infant before handing him over for us to hold.

He looked a lot like his father, avian arms and legs with wings on his back, however his fur was the same sandy tan colour as my own. Time would tell if he grew a mane like my own, or plumage like Thomas. He was placed in a warm cot nearby as I started to doze off, fully feeling how tired I was from my ordeal and we were wheeled out and down the hall to our private room.

When I awoke the next day, my gryphon was waiting close by, watching over both of us as we slept. It warmed my heart to see him standing over the cot and watching our baby with a smile on his face.

“Hi there." I greeted softly and he almost jumped looking up at me and his smile widened.

“Good morning sleeping beauty," he replied and shuffled over to stand at my bedside. “How do you feel?" That was an interesting question I had to admit. Truthfully I felt like shit, my whole body ached yet I felt good.

“Sore," I admitted truthfully “Duh... but oddly good." He chuckled warmly and nodded leaning down to plant a kiss on my forehead.

“Feel up to having some visitors?" he enquired and I gave a soft chuckle in return.

“Can I have a drink first? Then sure I guess, what are we going to tell them otherwise? 'fuck off and go home, the lion is grumpy'?" I retorted then started giggling as he rolled his eyes and gave his head a soft shake.

“Yep you're definitely back to normal," he responded and handed me a glass of cool water, letting me drink it before adjusting the bed to a sitting position. He then left the room, leaving me to sit and wait before the door opened again. My gryphon walked in with everyone in tow, Sam, Eric and both their parents. I was surprised the room could hold so many, especially with a large dragon among their number.

Sam and Eric greeted me first with warm hugs, kisses, nuzzles and congratulations before the dragon curled up by the window. Mark then repeated the soft hugs and nuzzles, Eric's parents giving me tight hugs. Then the two humans in the room started fussing over our baby boy.

“So, what are you going to name him?" The elderly canine asked drawing our attention and both Thomas and I blushed. Out of everything we had yet to settle on a name for our child. We looked at each other trying to see if the other had any ideas. We spent the next hour talking about it, trying to settle on one of the many possible names for our kitten.

The midwife, an elderly kangaroo, was assisting with my first nursing session when we finally decided on a name. I was struggling to get the kitten to latch on, he was being fussy and fidgety, making the task harder than it needed to be. The others had departed at the midwife's insistence, going for lunch and coming back just as I was finishing.

“Evan," we announced at the same time after they had gotten situated. I looked to my gryphon and we both chuckled.

“We have settled on Evan." Thomas said once our giggle fit had ended “And he probably won't be our last." I perked at that point and eyed him giving a light growl.

“He will be for at least two years," I said irritably “Unless you want to try being the pregnant one? Two years, or I'll use your nuts as earrings." If it wasn't for his thick fur I swear I would have seen him go pale.

“Guess I'm getting condoms for you two then," Sam announced and there was a round of chuckling from the room as together Thomas and I blushed deeply.

I was released from the hospital a week later once I was recovered enough. I was unsurprised that Sam had kept to his word and a large stash of condoms was now stored in my bedside table. To be fair we rarely had time to use them now we had Evan to care for as well.

He was good most of the time, even if he did wake us at all hours of the night wanting a feeding. Thanks to my multiple nipples, I guess, I had more than enough milk for him when he was hungry. Eventually, we managed to get him used to a regular sleeping pattern, then life settled down into a predictable, and more easily maintained, pattern.

Eric had decided to act much like Sam's father had for him, and became the financial backer for my own hotel. We decided to build one much like the stallion's own, staffing it in the same way. Thomas was commissioned for artwork that would be displayed around the building, and he seemed overjoyed by the opportunity.

The 'secret project' that Sam and Eric had commissioned Thomas for was a set of lion shifted statues to be placed at the entrance to the new hotel. He admitted later that he had used me as inspiration for them, but thankfully he had generalised most of the details.

The Lion's Den became just as popular as Eric's own, the Barnyard Hotel. Then again with the connections that Eric and Sam pulled on opening night, I wasn't surprised that it started off as successful as it did.

Thomas cared for Evan when I was at work, even if he was busy himself with commissions he tended to our growing kitten. He was reasonably popular, especially amongst guests who stayed at either hotel. We made sure however to prioritise Evan over our work, no matter what the cost.

My life may not have had the best of beginnings, but as the years went by and Evan grew, I realised that it was certainly wasn't going to end the same way.