FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

After another season of crop failure, it was time for Wilken to set out to make his own life. His only option was to leave the village and find honest work under a different Lord before everyone else. It had been a difficult choice, but the fox had known it was the right decision. The strong communal village lifestyle was about to die in a matter of months once food rations ran out. Despite the warnings from the ferocious canine Lord Royce, commanding them to stay and toil on the broken soil, the warning signs had been there. Wilken's uncle had stressed the importance of securing good grace under another Lord as early as possible instead of scrounging for one at the very last moment. The young fox had taken his uncle's advice to heart the next morning and departed from the village.

Though as he traveled for a few days along the countryside, Wilken had been led astray from his initial path. The fox had quickly become lost during his journey after he had received a bright white vision in a dream. And after he traversed through a strange land of pine trees and rough terrain, Wilken had come across something unbelievable. A living and breathing human! They were creatures of legends, the ones rumored to have created their people in the beginning times. Yet, they were believed to have been wiped out long ago, lost to history.

However, this human was a true living, breathing example. The man had approached him from behind with a large wooden weapon lunge around his shoulder. Wilken had been surprised when the man had pestered him with a plethora of questions. Such as if the fox was wearing an elaborate costume or attending some kind of festival? Wilken had been confused by the questions but had answered them to the best of his ability. The man hadn't seemed awfully satisfied by the answers given. Though when the night had fallen and the temperature had begun to drop, Wilken had asked the man if he could point him towards the nearest place that provided shelter. The human seemed hesitant at first, though after a few minutes of contemplation, he had offered Wilken the chance to stay with him for the night. Wilken readily agreed to the proposal and had hopped inside Hakeem's massive truck.

What was meant to be a single night's stay had turned into two months. Throughout his stay, Wilken began to actively learn from his human companion, a man named Hakeem Jeffries. Hakeem went into simple yet specific details as to Wiilken's current whereabouts. To the fox's knowledge, he now resided in a massive Kingdom called America in the specific province of Georgia. There wasn't so much a community in the area, rather a few neighbors that were a mile or so apart in each direction. It took a few weeks of adjusting to get used to the human customs, rituals, and cultural expectations. Yet, Hakeem had always been willing and patient to answer whatever inquiries the fox held.

Hakeem may not have had the status of royalty nor high society but the technology and amenities certainly allowed him to live like one. Even a King would have been envious of the type of convenience and luxury that Hakeem possessed. It was an unfamiliar sensation to be able to reside and sleep in relative comfort without needing to maintain a fireplace. This only made Wilken wish others from his village and family could have just a fraction of the comfort he was living with, instead of residing most of their lives in squalor.

Yet there was much Wilken needed to catch up on. Not only did Hakeem provide the fox with ample farm work, but the human took great importance in teaching subjects that were exclusively reserved for the royal elite. Literacy, mathematics, geography, world history, and any other subject that would make modern living more accessible and easier to understand. He was even taught the basics of how to use a computer, smartphone, and the living room TV. The fact that this human thought it was worthwhile to provide a robust education to a formerly lowly peasant such as Wilken was never lost on the fox. He intended to pay the kindness forward. And that was to help alleviate much of the work that needed to be done.

Hakeem planned to build a small home in the back yard for Wilken to call his own. The human felt it was important for Wilken to have something to claim as his own. Instead of living in a guest bedroom, Wilken can have his own private quarters and build a cache of belongings in his new home. The fox felt a sense of guilt from accepting such a generous proposal, but kept his concerns to himself. However, because of Hakeem's own daily obligations of work, they were unable to complete the project. So, the fox came up with an idea on his own accord.

Once Hakeem had left for work, Wilken planned to approach the neighbors and ask if they would be willing to help construct the cabin. That way, his human companion would have had ample time to rest over the weekend. Despite the warnings to never interact with the neighbors, Wilken had been adamant that they would at least entertain the notion of helping another neighbor in need. After all, in a small rural area like this, a community was needed for a large project. And if there was one life lesson Wilken had always carried with him from his village, it was that any task could be completed quickly with the aid of everyone in the community, no matter the size.

Friday came with sunlight piercing through the thin curtains inside the guest room. Wilken stretched out his limbs, brushed his fur coat, washed his muzzle in the nearby bathroom sink, and headed to the kitchen. The fox's stomach called out in hunger, demanding sustenance before starting the day. Hakeem was already awake by that time, snacking on an energy bar and guzzling down a glass of orange juice. When Wilken came into view, the human turned his head to the side to avoid looking directly at him. Hakeem's dark brown cheeks were flushed with a heavy rosiness.

“Dude, we talked about this!" Hakeem averted his gaze.

Wilken scratched his fuzzy stomach and yawned, “But you said I don't need to wear human clothes until I'm outside. It's too hot to wear them, it traps heat within my fur."

Hakeem picked up a pair of used underwear from a nearby hamper and threw it at the fox, “At least wear some underwear for Christ sake, man! It's not polite to walk around butt ass naked!"

Wilken rolled his eyes, knowing that it wasn't true in all cases. In fact, Hanna and Jake, one of the neighbors he had thought about asking to help, were themselves practicing nudists. Still, out of a desire to be accommodating, the fox casually slid the fabric over his genitals before it snuggled tightly between his butt cheeks. He found it personally annoying to wear undergarments as they were never designed for anyone with tails in mind. They would sit uncomfortably and chafed the skin underneath his tail. Once he had put them on, Hakeem's complexion returned to its normal color, though his legs were crossed in a way to be out of view of the fox's gaze.

“Heading to work today?" Wilken asked while making his own breakfast.

“Yeah, gotta finish installing the last few solar panels for a couple of clients. I might be comin' home late tonight, so feel free to start dinner without me," Hakeems said as he finished his glass of orange juice.

Wilken set down the breakfast ingredients on the counter before facing him, “You sure? I don't mind waiting, plus I know how it's gotten expensive to eat out. I can have something prepared and ready by tonight, for us to enjoy!"

Hakeem shook his head, “Naw, it's cool man. Honestly, I'm looking at such a long day that I'm gonna eat a heavy dinner before finishing up the last installation. But I do appreciate the offer. And… uh sorry about not building that tiny house of yours, yet. We'll get it done by this weekend; I promise."

“It's alright, I know how hard you work. I'm confident we'll get it done soon enough."

“Good… anyway, ya good? Need me to pick up anything today?"

Wilken nodded and approached him, “I should be fine. Promise to come home safe?"

Hakeem reached up and gently ruffled his head fur, “Don't worry buddy, I'll make it home in one piece! Just make sure to lock up when you're out and don't wander too far off. Anyway, I'll catch you later, alright?"

Wilken smiled and leaned down to tightly embrace the human. Hakeem was always hesitant when it came to physical displays of affection. It was customary to show affection to friends and family members back in his village, yet this human seemed always resistant to them. Hakeem had often leaned over so that the front half of his body would connect with the fox's but never the lower. Welkin thought it was always an oddity but figured it was better not to press about the topic. Though to the fox's relief, Hakeem seemed receptive to the embrace this time and returned it with his own.

Wilken's tail twitched from side to side, his muzzle forming a large smile as he clung to the hug for a little while longer. After a few seconds, Hakeem broke from the hold with a tiny smile and headed out the door. The fox let out a long sigh, longing for the day Hakeem would let him join in his travels. With the knowledge that the world was much larger than beyond the rural area, Wilken wished he could fully participate in human society. But for now, the fox had to be content with building his own community.

After preparing and finishing breakfast, Wilken got fully dressed before paying his first stop to Mrs. Cunningham's home. Not much was known about her as Hakeem had only met her once. While brief in description, Wilken knew he needed to search for a short older woman with a far lighter skin complexion. In terms of the rest of the fox's recollection, Hakeem had explained how she resided a mile west. The fox could easily recall from what direction west was by how the sun in this world always arose in the east. So long as he headed opposite from the sunrise, he should be able to come across her living quarters.

With only a light travel on foot, Wilken soon came across a red brick house tucked away behind tall grass and weeds. The prospect of meeting her excited him. He skipped over towards the back of the house and found the back door. Wilken recalled from the many movies and TV shows he watched with Hakeem that it was always polite to announce a visit to someone's home by knocking on their door. While never explicitly taught to do so, the fox was able to learn many of the social customs that humans practiced through depictions in their visual storytelling. Confident in himself, he walked up and gave solid knocks to the door with his knuckles before stepping back.

Wilken's vulpine ears flickered from side to side, listening to the sounds of someone rustling inside. Perhaps he had awakened her, and she was getting ready to greet a visitor. He gave it a few minutes, having his hands held behind his back and planning to greet her with a warm smile. The back door locks were being undone, and soon enough, the two of them would finally meet. Wilken stepped back as a woman came into view, a large metal long gun held underneath one arm. She pointed it directly at him with furrowing eyes.

She barked at him, “Who told ya you're allowed on my property! Back up, or I'll blow your fucking head off!"

Wilken's body froze as his ears folded backward and his eyes locked on the barrel of the long gun. He recognized it as a weapon, the one Hakeem possessed when they first met. But this time, the barrel was pointed straight at him, and he was hyper-aware of the consequence of being attacked with such a mighty weapon. Wilken thought he had done everything right but was perplexed by the outward hostility of the woman.

“I said back up ya freak!" She yelled, jabbing the barrel against his chest.

A soft whine escaped Wilken's lips as he took a large step back. He slowly raised his hands up to show himself to be unarmed, remembering how other humans reacted similarly.

He pleaded, “I'm sorry… I'm just here to seek the aid of Mrs. Cunningham! Are you the woman I seek?"

She raised an eyebrow and lowered the barrel of her gun, “So what if I am? If ya really here for some help, I need you to do what I say. Turn around and get on your knees with your hands behind your head!"

Wilken slowly nodded his head and followed her orders exactly. He turned around and knelt on the soft grass with his hands clasping behind his head. Mrs. Cunningham slowly approached while holding the long gun with one hand, her finger resting on top of the trigger. Wilken felt her left-hand patting down his body, from his chest, armpits, sides, and jean pockets. The fox let out another whine, not out of fright but resisting the urge to wiggle away from her ticklish hands. Once satisfied by her search, she walked around to face him.

“Alright, you're clean. You can stand up now," Mrs. Cunningham sighed.

Wilken stood back up timidly, “I'm not here to hurt you, honest. I'm living with my companion, Hakeem. He lives nearby."

“Hakeem?" she asked.

Wilken tapped his forehead to think, “Oh, he also goes by the name Mr. Jefferies! He's your neighbor, and we lived just a mile east."

Mrs. Cunningham nodded, “I only met the man once. What is it that you want?"

Wilken cleared his throat, “Well… I'm trying to get a few neighbors to help me construct a tiny house out in Hakeem's yard. We have all the tools and the… plan thingies? The thing used for how to build it! And I want to know if you're not too busy to help out. I can assist you with any house work that needs attending too? And meals will be provided for your labor."

Mrs. Cunningham rested the stock of her gun on the ground and stroked her chin. Her blue eyes studied over Wilken's face, unsure exactly what she was looking at.

“You're an odd fellow, you know that? But if that's all you're here for, I might help if you do something for me," Mrs. Cunningham said.

Wilken's ears perked up, “Name it!"

“I need some help lifting a few things up the stairs. Do what I say, and we can have it done in a few minutes. Alright?" Mrs. Cunningham opened the back door.

Wilken smiled and quickly headed inside, ready to complete any task given to him. Mrs. Cunningham simply needed several pieces of furniture to be moved from the living room to the second-story guest bedroom, something that would have been difficult to do for one person. Wilken obliged and provided his strength to help her with such a task. He had done similar projects with Hakeem before, making the task simple to complete. After finishing in under an hour, he quickly became aware of the layout of the house. The fox took note of the commemorative photos, uniforms, and the awards given to the woman over the years.

When the two sat down on the couch in the living room, Wilken couldn't help but broach the subject, “Mrs. Cunningham, is it alright if I ask you about something?"

She turned her head, “What? Think I'm some kind of nut job?"

“No, no! That's not it. I'm just curious about something. Were you a former soldier for your kingdom… I mean country?" Wilken sharply corrected himself.

She laughed, “Weird way of phrasing it, but yes. I served this country. Not as a regular soldier mind you, but a helicopter pilot during the Afghanistan war."

“I see, so all those men in the photos? Are they your war buddies?"

“Some are friends, others are strangers, and some I wish to never see again. To be honest, when you knocked on my door, I was scared that you were one of them."

“The bad ones?"

“Yeah, something like that. The history with some of those guys is a bit… complicated. I don't wanna go too in depth on what happened, but yeah I'm not on good terms with a few of them."

Wilken glanced down, “Did the bad ones in your group try to hurt you before?"

“Only once… I didn't always live here, you know. I used to live near Atlanta when I first came back, state side. But, it only took a few weeks before someone broke into my apartment." She sighed.

“How do you know it was them?" He looked over to her.

“Because they didn't steal anything. Just destroyed most of my photos and ripped apart some of my medallions. I don't know exactly who did it… but it wasn't worth staying there to find out. They probably have connections with those Deep State fuckers and found out where I lived. But I managed to throw them off my trail. Haven't been bothered since moving here, until you came along that is." She softly chuckled.

“But… doesn't it get a bit lonely?"

“Sometimes, but more importantly it's what keeps me safe. It may not be easy, but I get by just fine."

There was an awkward silence as the two sat on the couch. Wilken wasn't so sure about the truthfulness of her statement. Judging by the amount of work they did moving the furniture, it was probably something she had been putting off for months. But it wasn't his place to judge, especially when seeking out her services. Everyone had their reasons for how they lived, and it wasn't his place to press her, not yet at least.

Mrs. Cunningham stood up and headed towards the kitchen, leaving the fox alone for a few seconds. Within seconds, she reappeared with two large glasses of water, handing him one before taking a long swig from hers. Despite the urge to lap at the clean pool of water in the tall glass, he resisted the temptation and tried his best to form his small lips around the lid before taking a long drink.

After Mrs. Cunningham finished her drink, she turned to him, “So, when do ya need me over to help out with the construction project? If more people are chipping in, we can get it done by tonight."

The vulpine perked up, “Oh, right. Well just give me one hour and I should have everyone together. In terms of food, what would you like to eat if you don't mind me asking?"

*“Ah, I ain't a picky eater. Just make sure it's made properly and I don't get sick, I'm sure whatever you'll make will be good! Anyway, I'll be there." *

Wilken leaned in to hug her, “Oh thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me, I deeply appreciate it Mrs. Cunningham."

The older woman tensed up as the living blanket of fur enclosed around her body. However, after a few seconds of adjusting to the new sensation, her shoulders sloped down before she returned the hug in kind. She chuckled and lightly tapped his backside.

“You're mighty soft, funny enough. Must be hot always wearing that thing. Regardless, I'm happy to help. Need me to drive you to the other neighbors' houses to pick them up?"

“No need, it will be quicker on foot and I should know my way. But thank you so much for the offer! Other than that I will be going!"

Wilken stood up to stretch his limbs, sighing as the muscles in his back relaxed. After giving a few more rounds of goodbyes, he saw himself out from the back door and started to make his way southeast. With Mrs. Cunningham's assistance, he needed to request more help from the other neighbors. The fox made his way around the local lake, already knowing in his mind the next destination. The nudist couple he had met before would surely lend their aid. He sometimes chatted with them near the lake at night and had become intimately knowledgeable of them. If he could get the assistance of both of them, then having three people helping out would make it feasible to finish the project by tonight. Locating the couple's home would be easy, as their house lay behind a few trees sitting near the edge of the lake. The plant life sections off their housing to provide them with ample privacy in case of any stray eyes glancing in their direction.

Though whenever Wilken visited the lake at night to stargaze, he sometimes caught the sight of Hanna and Jake doing their nightly swimming. And before they retreated to their homes, the two would swim over to catch up with their vulpine friend. The couple was eager to tell stories about how they found each other after joining a fanatical cult before escaping together to set out their own life. Wilken was always enamored by their wondrous tales and would often find any excuse to converse with them. Because they had grown a fondness for the fox, convincing them should be an easy feat.

*After a few minutes of traversing behind the bushes and other plant life, he arrived behind their home. When the vulpine appeared in their backyard, Hanna was the first one to spot him. Without any hesitation, she skipped over and lunged at him for a soft hug, pressing her naked body against his. *

“Oh, good to see you, Wilken! Never actually get to look at you in the daytime, you're so beautiful!" She squealed.

Wilken's face flushed from the compliment, always enjoying the praises he received for his fur coat. Outside of Hakeem, Hanna and Jake were the second pair of humans he's known intimately. Their lifestyle and casual nature reflected the many qualities and mannerisms of his homeland. In Wilken's mind, he wished human society closely followed the lifestyle of such kind hearted humans like Hanna and Jake.

Wilken smiled, “It's great to see you as well. Where's Jake if you don't mind me asking? I like to talk to the both of you."

*“Oh, the hubby? He's not feeling so hot right now. He's had a bad batch of mushrooms and I was picking some medical herbs while watching over him. He's fine now, but he may be a little groggy. Is that alright with you?" Hanna cocked her head. *

“Sure, it will just be a quick request. Lead the way!" Wilken nodded.

Hanna grabbed his hand paw and proceeded to lead him inside her wooden home. Plant life adorned the sides of her walls and in certain sections of the ceiling. His feet paws met the soft carpets that connected one section of the house to the upstairs. After a brief tour, Wilken arrived at what appeared to be their master bedroom. Beautiful crystals proudly displayed along the tops of the wooden furniture, with the natural sunlight from outside dancing among its colorful structures. In the center of the room was Jake, laying in bed with his limbs spread out. Jake's forehead dripped with moisture, his hands clinging to a wet cloth as he softly applied it along the sides of his scruffy face. When his gaze looked up to meet Wilken's, a half smile painted across his lips.

He sat up, “Well, well, well if it isn't our handsome fox friend. Pleasure to see you in the daylight."

Wilken walked over to gently embrace him, “It's great seeing you too. Hanna told me you were feeling ill. Are you alright?"

Jake forced a smile, “Yeah, I'll be okay. Just came down from a bad trip so I'm resting. It's awfully sweet of you to check up on me. Is there something you need?"

Wilken glanced over to Hanna and tried to address the both of them. He gave them the same rundown as Mrs. Cunningham, explaining what the job was, what it required, and the compensation for the hard work. By the end of his explanation, the couple understood what Wilken was asking from them. Hanna was the first to comment on the proposal.

“So you want us to help out the neighbor across the lake? He's been a little reclusive ever since he moved here, but seems nice. What do you think babe, feeling up for working in a few hours?" Hamma turned to her husband.

Jake chuckled, “As much as the promise of free food sounds great, I'm in no condition to do any physical labor today. So, I'll have to respectfully decline. But babe, you can go on and help the man if you want to."

*“Are you sure? You just threw up an hour ago. Will you be alright alone in the meantime?" Hanna kneeled down next to him. *

“I'll be fine, hun. I may not be able to keep anything down for now, but give me plenty of water to nurse on and some crackers and I'll be good to go. Hell, maybe you can even save me a plate once you're done," Jake leaned in to peck her cheek.

“Oh, alright if you insist. Since I'll be getting dressed to work on this project, I'll take my phone with me. So just text me if you ever need anything, alright?"

“Of course, thank you babe!"

Hanna softly kissed his sweaty forehead before she stood up. She clears her throat, “Well, as you heard, I'm more than happy to help. When do you need me?"

Wilken tapped the floor with his paws in excitement, “Oh, as soon as you can. Just meet me behind Hakeem's house in a few minutes. I have one last neighbor I would like to check up on before we start. But it shouldn't take long. And thanks again Hanna, you're a lifesaver!"

Hanna smiled and gave him another hug, “Oh, it's just no trouble, foxie boy! You go on ahead and I'll meet you soon enough! Alright?"

Wilken gave one last hug to the woman before departing from their home. The vulpine's fur coat raised with glee, as the sense of accomplishment washed over his fuzzy body. They had been much easier to deal with than Mrs. Cunningham. But now, if he could get one more neighbor then they should be able to finish before nightfall. And more importantly, before Hakeem showed up to make it a surprise.

The sun slowly started overtaking the center sky, signaling the arrival of high noon. Wilken started heading eastward, where the last neighbor was close by. There wasn't much information about the people who lived east from Hakeem. The human caregiver had only briefly mentioned that a family recently moved in just a month ago yet hadn't introduced himself to them yet.

Whomever they were, Wilken didn't intend to make the same mistake as he did with Mrs. Cunningham. He headed straight for the front door as the house slowly came into better view. There was an old vehicle parked out front with little indication that anyone was currently inside. Perhaps the other family members were away for work and there were only a few left? Though it didn't present a problem as the Vulpine only needed one more person for the job.

The housing itself was much larger in comparison to the rest of the neighbors, including Hakeem's. If there was a proper place that evoked similar descriptions of what a castle looked like, then this was the closest one to it. He lightly hopped up the small staircase and stood before a wooden door, giving it a few solid knocks. And after noticing a small doorbell, he tapped it as loud chimes rang out from inside the home. There was a brief pause, the only sound the vulpine noticed was the gentle breeze that passed over. Eventually, he did pick up a pair of footsteps slowly approaching.

They didn't immediately open the front door at first, leaving the tall vulpine outside. Wilken couldn't help but feel as though he was somehow being watched from inside the home. Just a slight unnerving feeling of having someone's gaze upon him without a way to look back. He even got a glimpse of what he thought was a small child peering through one of the curtain windows before retreating back inside. Though after a few minutes of waiting, the locks started to be undone with the door gently opening. A light brown-skinned man peeked his head out, the top of his head and eyes only visible to the tall vulpine. He spoke, but the words were incomprehensible, as the language was nothing Wilken's ears had ever experienced before.

*The fox leaned his head down, “Hello, sir. Are you the current owner of this home?" *

He seemed to understand Wilken, gave a slight nod before opening the door more to reveal himself. Though as he speaks, all of the words simply went over the vulpine's head. Seeing as he wasn't getting through to the fox, the man held up his hand and reached behind his back pocket. He brought out a cellphone and spoke into it. After they waited for a few seconds, a robotic voice erupted from the device.

“Sorry, I don't speak English. Are you here to sell me something?" The man asked through his phone.

When the man held out the phone in front of Wilken, the fox began to speak, “Oh, I'm not here to sell you wares, good sir. Rather, I came to seek assistance in constructing a small house. I live a mile from here, in a tan house with a brown roof. I also intend to bring meals and drinks!"

He waited as the phone relayed the message in another language for him. The man gently nodded along to the message relayed before he spoke once more.

“Sorry, I can not help you at the moment. I am alone and can't leave the house by myself. Maybe I'll come later?" The man asked.

Wilken sighed through his nose and tried not to let the expression of disappointment paint his muzzle. He couldn't win over every single neighbor, but it would've been nice to have one last person onboard. Still, the vulpine felt compelled to ask his name to learn more about him before departing.

“I understand, still I thank you for your time. Would you mind telling me your name?" Wilken asked.

“My name is Juan González. It's nice to meet you. And yours?"

“Wilken… just Wilken. Pleasure to meet you!"

The fox enthusiastically reached out to shake the man's hand. Jaun tightly gripped the fox's hand, a bit in awe as he looked it over. Even though Wilken couldn't pick up on what Jaun was saying, it was most likely the human's fascination with how his hand paws worked. After the polite handshake, Wilken waved goodbye to the neighbor before departing back to Hakeem's house.

By the time the vulpine arrived, he already spotted Mrs. Cunningham and Hanna conversing with each other in the backyard, next to the empty fire pit. They both greeted the fox and were eager to start. Luckily, Hakeem kept all of the plans, tools, and furniture for the new housing in his large shed next to the backdoor. With a little finessing with the lock, they were able to gain access as Mrs. Cunningham took the lead. She claimed to have done construction projects abroad and knew a thing or two about establishing shelter. To her, it was as simple as constructing a Lego set with the instruction manual. Whatever a Lego set meant to Wilken didn't matter. Because underneath her words, she conveyed the ease with which they should be able to complete it within the day.

Hanna and Wilken completed most of the heavy lifting as Mrs. Cunningham followed the directions to the letter. With the foundation, outhouse, and flooring already established, all that was left was building and establishing the walls, building the roof, and installing the installation. All of the lumber was pre-cut and drilled, came with all the windows and doors included, and met all the specifications within their local zoning. Yet despite most of the labor already being taken out when Hakeem ordered the set, there was still plenty of work to be done.

What slowed down the process even more was Wilken's ignorance of modern power tools. Despite Mrs. Cunningham's best attempts to teach him how to handle them, the mechanisms frightened Wilken. So, after figuring out the next phase of the project, Mrs. Cunningham reluctantly helped Hanna out in building and establishing the walls. Though in order to still feel useful in the process, Wilken began preparing the group's meals on the open fire pit. The overall prep and cooking took a few hours, so they started early to have it finished by the evening.

Normally, for chicken stew, he would have dumped the entire chicken in the pot and slow cooked it. That would have meant including the bones, organs, and tendons as well. However, Hakeem had previously insisted that serving a meal made with that process would be unfit for human consumption. So, the fox recalled what the “supposed" proper method was for making chicken stew, which wasn't stew at all but something called Jambalaya. Despite having only been taught how to make it a few times from Hakeem's family recipe, Wilken always prided himself on being a quick learner.

Within the hour, he had already gathered the plant ingredients from his garden, prepped the meal with spices, and started cooking the concoction in the dutch oven over the fire pit. Mrs. Cunningham and Hanna returned to the fire pit to rest for a bit and take a breather. After Wilken fetched the two some water in a makeshift ice chest, both women hydrated themselves as the late afternoon heat cooked them.

Mrs. Cunningham turned to Wilken, “Appreciate the offer for a free meal and all, but I don't think me and Hanna can finish it before sundown. It's definitely a lot more work than for two people in one day."

Wilken's ears flatten, “I see. I apologize for not checking to make sure it was feasible to complete it within the day. I tried inquiring about the assistance of Mr. González earlier but he sadly had to decline. Something about not leaving the house by himself."

“You mean the Mexican family that lives up east near here?" Mrs. Cunningham asked.

“Oh yeah, those guys moved in just over a month ago. Super sweet people and their son is wicked smart," Hanna chimed in.

“Can't say much, but I'll take your word for it," Mrs. Cunningham commented.

“Regardless, so long as we get the walls up it should be alright. Hakeem and I can just complete the roof tomorrow if we're unable to complete it tonight. I'm still grateful for you two for helping me," Wilken bowed his head.

*“Ah, don't mention it. Say you wouldn't have anything else we can snack on while waiting for dinner to be ready, would ya?" Mrs. Cunningham asked. *

“Well, I have a few raspberries and a few baked chips in the pantry we can use if that's alright with you two," Wilken proposed.

“Oh? Are they non GMO?" Hanna asked.

“I'm not sure… as I don't know what that is. But I did grow the berries myself and Hakeem really loves the chips he buys. I'll get them now!" Wilken offered.

With both women nodding in approval, Wilken gathered up his berries, washed them, and brought out a large bag of chips before returning. The three shared a quiet yet relaxing snack underneath the shady part of Hakeem's house. Once the two felt they were well rested enough, they immediately went back to constructing the other walls of the house. Wilken kept close by the firepit, adjusting the flavor profile of the meal so that it suited the humans more than his own. Though as he kept note of time using the sun, a small pit of disappointment sank to his stomach. At the rate both women were working, it seemed unlikely they would be able to establish the walls in time.

They were both in synchronicity while working, yet it clearly took more than two people to finish it in one day. However, before Wilken resigned himself and gave up on the idea of the tiny house being finished in time, something caught the Vulpine's attention. He heard the sound of a vehicle pulling into Hakeem's driveway, following the noise of metal doors closing tightly. Even for Hakeem's shortest day, it seemed unlikely his human companion had come home early. Though when he turned his head towards the back of the house, a familiar figure greeted him. Mr. González softly waved over to them, smiling widely as two figures walked behind him. One was an older adult and the other a small man cub, attentively walking beside the older man as they approached Wilken first.

Wilken greeted them, “Oh, Mr. González, what are you doing here? And who did you bring along?"

While holding one of the man cub's paws, the taller man approached the fox, “My name is David and this is my son Diego. You're Welkin, I assume. The man in the fox costume? The person you were speaking to before is my father, Mr. González. He told me you needed assistance with some construction work and were providing a free banquet for those who helped out. Would you mind watching over my son while my father and I help work on whatever you're building?"

*Wilken's fox tail swished, “Well, I don't know if I call it a banquet, but I'm currently preparing a meal that will feed plenty of people. I don't mind looking after your son while the both of you work!" *

*David smiled, “Great! Oh, by the way my son loves foxes! And we love your costume. Isn't that right, niño." *

Diego rushed over and hugged the fox, “He's so soft! See, abuelo wasn't lying!"

David chuckled, “Well you got me there. Anyway, where do you need us?"

Wilken pointed over to the women near the construction site, “Oh, just ask either of them and they'll direct you to what you'll need! And I'll let you know when dinner is ready!"

David nodded and led Mr. González to the small house, helping out Mrs. Cunningham and Hanna with the construction of the last two walls. Now with two people working on the small home, the job might be done right near sundown at the rate everyone was working. For Wilken, he stayed by the firepit and started answering the curiosities the man cub brought up. Many of the questions were if Wilken truly was a real fox that could walk and talk like in his cartoons.

Yet to the fox's best ability, he took all of Diego's questions seriously and tried to answer how best he could. He demonstrated the authenticity of his being by showing off his hand paws, demonstrating the control over his large bushy tail, and making certain fox calls that no human vocal cords could convincingly mimic. All of which amazed the small man cub, as Diego excitedly ran his hands all over the fox's fur coat. Whatever stray strands of fur fell out from the petting, the small boy stashed in his pockets for safekeeping.

When Wilken wasn't answering the questions of the curious man cub, he observed the group from afar and judged their progress. The two women eagerly welcomed the help of the men and took turns looking over the directions before hoisting the last two walls up. They then started building the roof that was to be attached on top of the living structure and cleaned up the finishing touches. While there was still work left to be done in terms of painting the inside, installing the doors and windows, and finishing up the last bits of insulation, overall the structure was completed by near sundown.

Wilken still felt as though the project was an overall success and welcomed everyone over to sit down and have a meal with him. He generously provided ample portions of food for each one, letting them relax by the fire as the sun retreated from the horizon and welcomed the midnight sky. Everyone found the fox's cooking to be excellent and well worth the hard labor. Even Diego enjoyed the warm meal, sitting beside Wilken and asking for multiple servings of his dish.

Once Wilken finished serving out everyone's meal, he sat amongst the rest of the humans in a semi circle that surrounded the fire pit with his own bowl. The rich savory taste complimented his vulpine tongue, as the chicken flavored rice filled his stomach and satisfied the ravenous fox. Wilken reached for a second serving and noticed David and his son sitting next to him.

After Mr. González spoke to David, the man then asked, “Sorry, but my father is just curious about something. He's wondering how in the world are you eating while wearing all that?"

“Wearing what?" Wilken turned to him

“That costume, you haven't taken it off all day. You sure, you're fine in there?"

Wilken cleared his throat, “It's not a costume. I'm just… me I guess."

David interpreted his answer to his father to which he raised an eyebrow. David followed up, “Really? I'll see if that's the case. Mind opening your mouth? Gotta be something that's controlling your muzzle."

Wilken nodded and sheepishly opened his muzzle, unsure exactly what the man was looking for. Diego and Mr. González looked on curiously, seeing David leaned in close and gently brushed a finger tip along one of Wilken's fangs. He recoiled, feeling the sharpness of the fangs and the realistic nature of his entire muzzle.

David released a flabbergasted chuckle, “Well I'll be… you are the real deal. Gosh darn, I thought you were wearing a costume this entire time."

Mrs. Cunningham shouted, “I knew it! I knew something was off! Oh my God, I gotta know. Where did you break out from?"

*“Break… out?" Wilken asked. *

“You know, escaped, fled for your life, ran away from? Was it from Fort Benning? Or maybe… I got it! Was it Area 51?" Mrs. Cunningham questioned.

Hanna smirked, “He's not an alien, Mrs. Cunningham. He's a part of God's creatures that showed up here one day."

“I didn't say he was an alien. What I'm saying is, he could be some sort of Deep State superweapon. He's clearly been made by man. Just like the lizard people. This is amazing!" Mrs. Cunningham exclaimed.

David tried to clear the air, “Well… how about we just try and ask first before we jump to any conclusions Mrs. Cunningham. So Wilken, where did you come from?"

Wilken shifted in place, trying to recall the story he had told Hakeem. It had been a few months, yet the memories of home were still fresh in the fox's mind. After a minute of thinking it over, the fox took a deep breath and started weaving his tale.

“I hail from the Kingdom of Bethen. While we do have a King, I was mainly raised and governed under Lord Royce in a small village. I don't think I am from your world… rather I was summoned here for a purpose. As for what purpose, I'm not exactly sure," Wilken paused.

“What was life like in your village?" Hanna asked.

*“It was hard if I'm being honest. My parents were killed by bandits when I was a cub, we experienced many droughts, and had to endure multiple plagues. But I recently left the village because we were dealt with a massive crop failure. Before being summoned here, I was originally trying to find another Lord to work under. But it seems my journey has taken me here, to your world. Though there is one thing I do miss from my village. Everyone looked after each other, even if they were not related by blood, they were my family. And I still missed them dearly. But… just because I miss them doesn't mean I can't discover and be a part of another community. Which is why I'm grateful that you all chipped in and gave me aid when I needed it most. And for that from the bottom of my heart, thank you!" *

Hanna came over and rubbed the fox's left shoulder, “And we are grateful to have you. However you ended up here, I can say for myself and Jake that we are fortunate to have gotten to know you!"

*Wilken nuzzled Hanna's hand, welcoming the warmth of it before he glanced around at the others for their reaction. *

“While you may still be some sort of Deep State weapon, you're pretty alright kid." Mrs. Cunningham said.

*“It may be hard to believe, but seeing as you're harmless we're glad to have you," David chimed in. *

Wilken's heart tensed up in excitement as he saw that his plan to bring this small community together had worked. They may have been distant strangers the day before, but after working hard and sharing a meal together, they seemed to have grown accustomed to each other and their new Vulpine companion. If only Hakeem could see what Wilken had accomplished, perhaps this would open up new avenues for him to explore in the human world.

Before he could thank everyone individually, Wilken heard the sound of another vehicle entering the driveway. With the familiar clanking of metal from Hakeem's truck shutting tightly, it seemed that his human companion had finally arrived home. He turned his head towards the back of the house and saw the human briskly walking over to the group converging near the fire pit. Wilken stood up and initially meant to give him a welcoming hug. However, Wilken's expression changed as Hakeem rushed over with a worried look. He glanced around and took note of everyone who was present in his backyard.

Hakeem says, “What's goin' on here? Who are these people?"

Wilken straightened up, “Oh, they're just your neighbors. I thought that if we finished most of the work for the small house you're building me, that you wouldn't have to work so hard over the weekend. So, I enlisted them for help and they came."

A few of them awkwardly waved, sensing the tension in the air. Hakeem cocked his head back a bit, he hadn't received the fox's comments positive about the development. It seemed the small house was far from his current issue with what's unfolding. Hakeem turned his attention towards the group and tried to address them.

*“Hey, um, I'm sorry that my friend here has put you up to this. He's… a little special you see and I try to not let him bother y'all. So, I'm sorry that he's made you do all this work. You're welcome to return to your homes." Hakeem said. *

“Oh don't worry, we won't tell anyone else about Wilken or anything. It will just be our little secret. Right everyone?" Hanna looked around for support.

*The González family nodded along as they showed their agreement for the plan, understanding the gravity of the situation. *

Mrs. Cunningham sat up, “Yeah, ain't nothing gonna happen to your fox friend over here. He treated us to a great meal and it's been nice getting to know him. Though, I'll admit, I almost blew the poor fox fella's brains off when he came a knockin' on my door."

For the first time in Wilken's life, he saw an expression that Hakeem had never made in front of him before. It wasn't a simple flash of anger, but the face of someone who desired to kill another person. The type of expression Wilken recalled many of the bandits had when they assaulted his village. Hakeem's hands tightly balled up into tight fists.

*Wilken stepped out in front, “It was an honest mistake! We work things out once we get to know each other!" *

*Mrs. Cunningham quickly glanced at Wilken, “Yeah, speaking of which I am sorry about all that. I fucked up and that truly was my mistake." *

She tried to laugh off the incident in order to de-escalate the tension in the air. After hearing her words, Hakeem's expression relaxed. It wasn't the expression of forgiveness, but exhaustion reflecting in his eyes. There were still hints of anger in Hakeem's soul, however, it seemed he had a better handle over his emotions. A heavy sigh spilled out from his lips before speaking, “Very well. Listen, I do appreciate the help y'all gave me. But I'm gonna have to start cleaning up back here. Y'all must have had a long day, so best get some rest."

The González family were the first to pick up on their cue and leave, as David gathered his son and father with him. Though before they departed, Diego rushed over to give Wilken one last hug. The fox simply lifted up the man cub and softly nuzzled his forehead, giving him a tight squeeze before setting him down and letting the rest of the family leave. Hanna then gave her a long goodbye, giving the fox a full frontal hug and wishing him sweet pleasantries before departing. Lastly, Mrs. Cunningham left, giving an awkward side hug to the large fox before expressing another apology for the day's earlier incident. As everyone headed their separate ways, Hakeem and Wilken were finally left alone.

Before the fox could speak, Wilken motioned him to stop and asked him to help clean up the backyard. Wilken's ears folded back, nervous about the change in tone and demeanor from the human. Hakeem silently cleaned up the backyard, put all the tools away, and picked up the dishes. Wilken followed suit, helping in the cleanup effort as the combined tasks only took a few minutes.

Though anytime Wilken tried to engage his human partner, Hakeem never responded. He silently brought the dishes over to the kitchen and scrubbed them clean. He even ignored the ravenous growls of his stomach, hyper-focusing on finishing their chores. The quiet disturbed the fox, wanting to talk things out and inquire about what bothered his human companion. Before Wilken could retreat to the shower, the taller fox blocked his path and looked down at him with sympathetic eyes.

“Hakeem… please tell me, what's wrong?" Wilken asked.

“Just thinking, I'm going to shower and then head to bed. We'll talk later," Hakeem tried to move past him.

Wilken stepped in front, “I know I betrayed your trust by talking to the other humans. But I didn't do it without a purpose. I was trying to save you the effort of working hard over the weekend. I was trying to look after you."

“Listen, you're still too naive about how wider human society works. Now I gotta figure out how to deal with the repercussions of having you be discovered."

*“But, I'm not just some wild and helpless fox. Why do you insist on shutting the world out around you?" *

“Because I'm trying to keep you safe!" Hakeem raised his voice, “Instead you chose to ignore my warnings and almost got yourself killed today! What's to stop any of them from reporting you to the local authorities? What do you think will happen once everyone learns about you? Did you ever consider any of that for a single God damn moment? Huh?"

Wilken's tail curled up, “I… I…"

“Of course you didn't. Just… don't even bother trying to help. I gotta figure this out on my own," Hakeem sighed.

Hakeem brushed past the fox and instead of heading towards the shower, he headed out the front door and slammed it behind him. Wilken sniffled, cursing to himself under his breath. Looking back, he was lucky that every single neighbor mainly treated him well and didn't summon the authorities. The situation with Mrs. Cunningham had terrified him, yet he couldn't find it in his heart to have malicious feelings for her. Not after everything had been cleared up already. Still, he needed to get the situation resolved and not let the seeds of resentment grow between the two.

Seeing how Hakeem was probably still hungry from a long day of work, the fox's first order of business was making him some dinner. While using the leftover Jambalaya, he applied it as sandwich spread to make a portable and easy-to-eat heated meal. He brought both sandwiches on a plate as he headed for the front door. He didn't see his human companion right away, but the fox could follow the trail of footsteps that Hakeem left behind from his work boots. After following the trail around the back of the house, he spotted Hakeem sitting in front of the small tiny house. Without saying a word, Wilken set down the plate next to the human before sitting beside him quietly.

Hakeem took notice of the plate but initially didn't say anything. Though when his stomach howled out at the sight of the prepared meal, Hakeem reluctantly took the plate and started eating. Wilken smiled at the sight, knowing that the human must've been aching for some warm and filling food after a long day of work. He let out a heavy sigh before setting down the plate, gently rubbing his stomach in satisfaction from the meal.

Hakeem looked over, “Thanks for dinner."

“It's no trouble. Had a rough day?" Wilken spoke softly.

*“Yeah, management put off my paycheck again this week. And got pulled over by a city cop that nearly scared the shit out of me. Just been a long day." *

“I see… Hey, I am truly sorry about going behind your back like that. I know how much you work hard to support and house me. I just wanted to give back with kindness."

Hakeem sighed, “You have a good heart Wilken. It's just… I've seen and experienced the type of evil people are capable of in my world. And when people see something that's very foreign and alien, they seek to destroy it rather than try to learn and understand it. I just don't want you subjected to a fraction of what I had to go through."

Wilken scooted closer and tightly grasped his hand, “What was it you went through?"

Hakeem sighed through his nose, “What haven't I gone through? I'm lucky to make it past twenty five if I'm being honest. And when I look at you, Wilken, I'm reminded of people I used to love and care for. The very ones I've lost."

*Wilken stayed silent, just giving nods as to not interrupt Hakeems tale. *

Hakeem continued, “The one memory that haunts me the most to this day is my boy, Jordan. He was more than a childhood friend. We survived the streets together, our abusive homes together, and our crazy school together. And just before we both made it out, his life was cut short. A cop confused him for a robber, and shot him in the back several times while he was runnin'. It all happened so fast when I went off to make a living of my own out here. Didn't even have the chance to say goodbye."

Hakeem paused for a moment, cleaning up his face with his arm to wipe the tears away. His breathing was heavy as he tried to catch his breath to finish.

“Knowing all the fucked up things this Country did to my friends and family, I can't imagine what they would do with someone like you? I'm just tired of losing the people I care and love… so that's why I've kept you away from human society. I don't want to risk having you captured and needlessly tortured. Because, I love you man."

Wilken leaned over to give Hakeem a firm hug, clinging to his side. Instead of resisting like he normally would, Hakeem clung to the fox tightly in his arms. Tears soaked into the fox's fur as Wilken tightly held him. He empathized with Hakeem's plight, recognizing the struggles that brought him there. Even if human society made leaps in modern amenities and comfort, they were still plagued with the same troubles of needless violence, poverty, and grief.

Wilken gently leaned his muzzle down, planting a small lick on his forehead. With his long arms gently caressing the human's backside, he let Hakeem compose himself at his own pace to not rush him. Once Hakeem reclaimed his breathing and calmed himself down, he sat up and looked at the fox properly.

“I just feel like I haven't properly prepared you for the outside world. I didn't want to send you out there when you were not ready," Hakeem sniffled.

“I know, and your fears are valid. I'm truly glad you're looking after me. But, I didn't get to this point in my life by going at it alone. The only reason I survived through everything was due to the support of everyone in my village. I couldn't have made it alone. And I want you to have a community that comes to help and support you, Hakeem. Because if you shut the world out… then who will look after you when I'm gone?" Wilken wiped his eyes.

“I know… it's just hard to trust people again. To be honest… I don't think I'll ever forgive Mrs. Cunningham for what she did to you. And I don't know if she'll keep quiet about all this!"

He paused for a moment and tried to find the next words. After some thinking he continued, “As for the other neighbors, I'm open to getting to know them. If they really mean to protect you and keep your existence a secret for now, then I'll have to rely on them. And maybe, they'll help me keep that crazy woman in line so she doesn't ever pull that shit with you again."

Wilken nodded, “Well, it's a start at least. Do you think we can have them come over again?"

*“Maybe, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Hell, we might finish your new home in no time after the work they've done. You'll finally have your own place to call home!" *

“Well… if I'm being honest I don't need my own home or bed to be happy. In fact… do you remember the first night you let me stay over?"

“I think so, you were insistent to sleep in my bed with me if I remember correctly."

“Yeah… it's how I always prefer to sleep. Next to someone, especially a person I care a lot about. I didn't mind sleeping with you in your bed. And, I wouldn't mind continuing to sleep beside you, if you'll have me."

Hakeem's face grew increasingly brighter by the second as he nervously chuckled. His eyes avoided Wilken's gaze, and his body tensed up from the tension. Wilken didn't want his human companion to put his walls up, especially after making his feelings known. Wilken tightly held onto the human's hand, scooted closer, and gently brought his muzzle next to the human's face.

“Oh, wow. I… I mean would you really want to have me? It just doesn't seem like a fair choice to have you settle for me when I haven't let you interact with many people," Hakeem finally looked at him.

“But I don't want anyone else. You brought me in when I had nothing, sought me worthy of education, and sacrificed a lot for my well being. And for that, I want to spend more of my life with you. All I ask in return is to trust me and confide in me whenever you're in trouble. Can you do that?" Wilken gently caressed Wilken's face.

*Hakeem sniffled, “I… well…" *

He took a moment to take a deep breath and spoke, “Okay, Wilken. I'll do my part to be better, for both of us."

Wilken's heart raced at the news, his tail skittishly thumping against the porch. Following his instincts without any hesitation, the vulpine leaned down to gently glide his tongue against the human's lips. This was the deepest form of expression his species could share amongst others back home. Hakeem picked up on the significance of his actions, his eyes glistening.

He leaned up, planting his lips against the fox's. While Wilken couldn't form his lips in the same action, he enjoyed the soft texture of Hakeem's lips as he held the kiss for a while. After the kiss, Wilken helped Hakeem up onto his feet with their arms tightly intermingling each other's bodies.

Wilken broke the silence, “Thank you for today. Though it's a shame you didn't want your own place to call your home. Guess I shouldn't have bought all this stuff without asking what you wanted out of this. Any idea what you want to do with it once we're done building?"

A thought flashed in Wilken's mind before the fox spoke, “It can still function as a guest house with a small bed. But, I love to use it as a separate greenhouse that everyone can use. There's a few herbs and plant life that are easier to manage when given proper temperature control. I would really love the extra space for it!"

Squeezing him tightly, Hakeem replied, “Very well, then we'll modify it to make it an excellent greenhouse!"