FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Love Without Boundaries

Chapter Five

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

3rd May 2023

All Rights Reserved.

Willow stood on the pavement, idly playing with his right ear, as he squirmed and shivered. Impatiently, he started tapping his right cloven hoof on the ground, before pacing back and forth, then shuddering and clenching his paws into fists, before breathing out and shivering.

“What's wrong with me - “ Willow sighed, then forced himself to close his eyes behind his dark glasses, taking several deep breaths until he felt calmness return.

Daniel rounded the corner, then glided to a stop.

“Hi sweety!” Daniel's cheerful voice come from behind the wheel.

Willow reached for the door, then saw his paw begin to quiver and tremble, his hooflets rattling. With a shiver, he forced himself to calmness again, taking a breath before he opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. Daniel leaned over, then gave Willow a gentle kiss on the furred cheek. Willow quivered, then smiled weakly at Daniel.

“You feeling okay sweetheart?” Daniel asked, placing a hand lightly on Willow's thigh, then frowned, feeling him quiver.

“Just...nerves my love,” Willow sighed, then leaned forwards and began tapping on the dash mounted GPS, inputting his parents address. “They're... something...”

*

Daniel pulled up, feeling like he'd stepped back in time itself. Willow's parents house was nestled in a deep clearing in the woods, a good three hours drive from the hustle and bustle of the city. Massive trees abutted the home, their branches shading it beautifully. Externally, the home was made from warm, earthy materials that combined wood and stone almost faltlessly. It had a warm, rustic charm to it, that captivated and entranced Daniel's city-born and bred mind. A large wrap around porch with a lovers swing and a pair of rocking chairs either side of the wooden door – completed this picture of rural bliss.

Immaculate garden beds lined the driveway, busting at the seams with late summer wildflowers that filled the air with their fragrance. Daniel's eyes swept over the clearing, taking it all in, before he raised an eyebrow seeing a rainbow coloured peace flag hanging proudly from the even of the front porch. As Daniel pulled up, he saw here and there, little touches, like various crystals and dream catchers over the windows.

“Welcome...home - “ Willow sighed and hung his head.

Daniel turned off the car, then Willow climbed out and rested against the passenger side, hanging his head and taking deep breaths. Daniel walked around the gently hugged the quivering Cervid.

“You sure you're okay?” Daniel asked, concern in his voice.

Willow laughed nervously, then slowly unclenched his paws, splaying them out against the side of Daniel's car. “No...”

Daniel started, as the door was thrown open, hitting the wall with a deafening clap that made Willow wince and shudder. An elderly Stag come out, a slightly younger Doe following.

“Oh, hey man!” Chuckled the Stag. “Welcome to our pad!”

From his eight tined antlers, crystals sparkled and shimmered. Daniel's mouth fell open taking in the Stag who marched down the stairs, then before Daniel could react, hugged him tight.

“Dad...” Willow moaned, flattening his ears and shaking his head.

Stepping back, the Stag grinned at Daniel, who blinked and took in the Stag's appearance...

He stood about six feet two, his antlers adorned with crystals and etchings that Daniel couldn't decipher. He wore a bright tie-died shirt in a riot of colours, some of which defied description. His fur was a shaggy brown, a beaded necklace around his neck and a handful of patches of grey hairs on his muzzle.

“Hey, peace man!” Snickered the Stag, looking at the startled Daniel. “Be at peace brother, its all cool!”

Willow squealed as his mother, rushed down, then crushed Willow against her chest, hugging him until Willow thought he'd pass out.

“Far out man,” Grunted the Stag, as he looked over at his son.

“Dad, please - “ Willow gurgled, trying to extricate himself from his mothers crushing hug.

Daniel smiled nervously, looking at the doe, who smiled and held her paws out to Daniel. She was about five feet three inches, with long flowing brown hair and an infectious smile. She was wearing a flowing, light, almost bohemian-style dress.

“Cool!” She squealed piercingly, then crushed Daniel in a hug he felt would fracture his ribs, before she let him go. “Please, come in, come in!”

Both Stag and Doe interlaced their fingers together, and walked back inside.

“Willow?” Daniel panted, shocked and bemused.

“Just...don't - “ Willow sighed.

Taking his lover by the paw, Daniel walked upstairs, then closed the door quietly behind them both.

*

“Daniel? My mother, Raine, my Sire? Moonshadow. Mom, Dad? This is my partner – Daniel.”

“Right on man!” Moonshadow grinned. “Weclome, be at peace man, chill!”

Daniel blinked, his senses overwhelmed as he took in the furnishings that looked like he'd stepped back into the 60's. Gesturing to a beanbag, Willow sat down and leaned back, roilling his eyes and gazing up at the ceiling in exasperation.

Daniel looked distinctly uncomfortable, before Willow grabbed him by the ankle and pulled him down, cuddling into him affectionately. When Raine offered Daniel a bowl of sweet scented herbal tea, Daniel graciously accepted and held it up to his nostrils, inhaling it.

“Its...beautiful - “ Daniel spoke quietly.

“MOM!” Willow whined softly. “Stop it!”

Daniel blinked, then turned his head, carefully setting the bowl aside, as he looked at Willow, who glared at his mother and snorted through his nostrils.

“Willow?” Daniel asked.

“I'll...tell you later - “ Willow shuddered, then hugged Daniel closer to him.

With a chuckle, Moonshadow grinned and slapped the Doe playfully on the rump. “Haven't lost a trick, cool cat!”

“I hate you both so much - “ Willow quietly growled.

“So you're the Buck that's stealing my little fawn's heart?” Raine asked as she grinned at Willow and Daniel.

“I...uh, I guess so - “ Daniel laughed nervously, scratching at the back of his neck in awkwardness.

“Hey, its all cool man!” Shadowmoon grinned. “We're all about peace and love, you love, who you love – right?”

“Thats deep,” Raine nodded. “Like, treat our fawn right, you're cool with us!”

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, before he picked up the bowl and drank down the tea, it was only polite after all... When he was done, he shivered and smiled, setting it back down.

“Right on man!” Moonshadow grinned. “Like this cat here said, do right by our fawn, you're right by us – peace brother!”

“Uh,,, thank you - “ Daniel laughed nervously, then twitched as Willow nudged him with his elbow – not hard, but not exactly gentle either.

“We got to go - “ Willow muttered, climbing to his cloven hooves, then hugging his parents gently.

Daniel picked up Willow's increasing distress, then stood up and endured bone crushing hugs from both Whitetail's, each of them giving him an affectionate kiss on the lips. Daniel blushed and smiled graciously, before he was almost pulled out the door by Willow.

As Willow slammed the door behind him, he shuddered and shook his head violently, as if trying to clear it.

“Willow, honey...you okay?” Daniel inquired, as he looked at the panting Stag beside him.

“No...” Willow shivered, his fingers slowly unclenching. “I... take me somewhere, anywhere, please?”

Daniel helped Willow down to the car, then into the car, before he walked around and climbed in himself. Willow's ears were flat and he swallowed in obvious distress, before waggling a paw at Daniel to drive. For an hour, without a set destination, Daniel drove through the woods, before he found a nice campsite, pulling into the carpark and turning off the vehicle.

“I can't believe that - “ Willow suddenly moaned, then clutched his head in his paws.

“Woah...uh... Willow? Sweetheart?” Daniel yelped, then unfasted his seatbelt so he could more easily turn to face the distraught Willow.

“You... - “ Willow alternated visibly between horror and anger – an emotional state Daniel had never seen this side of Willow, and it began to genuinely frighten him.

“My love, please... what's wrong?”

Willow clenched his fingers into fists, before he shuddered and breathed out, doing everything he could to calm his flaring emotions.

“Daniel you...you didn't - “ Willow struggled to get the words out, then he shook his head slowly from side to side. “No...being a human – no offence - “

Confused, Daniel wondered what social mistep he'd made.

“Uh...none taken Willow – now, please? What's wrong my love? What has my dear, sweet, gentle hearted buck's tail in a twist?”

“I... Daniel it's...” Willow bit his lower lip, looking away as if afraid to speak.

“Personal my love? Did I do something wrong? I - “

Willow's eyes went wide, as he turned back and gripped Daniel's wrists tightly, holding them with his quivering paws.

“No, never my love, never!” Willow gasped, looking horrified at the thought. “My mother...”

Daniel wracked his brain for something, anything, that'd seemed odd – or unuusal or...”

“Daniel, please, oh please don't make me tell you - “ Willow begged.

“I – I won't,” Daniel promised, crossing his heart.

Willow swallowed and glanced away again, before he used his fingers to dash away the tears – flicking them so they spattered on the dashboard. Confused, Daniel could only sit beside Willow, who sniffled and shivered, before he leaned over and timidly licked Daniel's cheek.

“It's going to be alright my beautiful, sweet Buck, I promise – I forced your paw into this, if anyone is to blame...”

Suddenly, Willow snarled and smashed his paws down on the dashboard in hysterical anger. “My mother tried courting my mate!”

Daniel was silent, the blood draining from his face and leaving him white as new fallen snow. Willow burst into tears, tore the door open and fled into the forest, hysterical and inconsolable. By the time Daniel had extricated himself from his vehicle, Willow had vanished without a trace...

TO BE CONTINUED...