[b][RICK][/b]

Rick Alekhine hadn't been in Fort Yeller in a long time. About six years, to be precise. It took him way back. Last time he was here, he'd been chased around by a young-ish MP with a sexy face and an unfortunately  even sexier wife. Rick had been up to his usual pursuits - namely causing mayhem and leaving bodies behind. This had been a year before BB had found him, and with a mix of blackmail, intimidation, and carefully selected enticements, got him to sign on as Head of Security. Before then, he'd been making a name for himself on government watch-lists, cheekily evading capture and doing whatever he damn well pleased, wherever he damn well pleased to do it. 

Rick was something of a legend among soldiers, cops, and criminals alike. He'd been a simple murderer and general terror before he'd joined America's Army at sixteen, but military training had turned him into a national security nightmare by the time he'd been kicked out, three years later. He'd had to lay low abroad for a few years, becoming familiar enough with his opponents at InterPol to send them personalized consolation cards and a black chess knight every time they failed to arrest him for something. Between all six agents that had been assigned to his case over the five years he was in Europe, they accrued a chess set's worth of the little black horsies.

His return to the New World had been with little fanfare, but he'd quickly established his dominance over everybody with a gun in Miami. No one could catch him, no one could [i]kill[/i] him, and before he'd gotten bored with [i]la Florida[/i], he'd briefly had the [i]Policia Colonial[/i] seriously considering working paw-in-paw with one of the largest and most violent crime syndicates in Miami - [i]Cuidad de la Muerte[/i], more commonly simply known as '[i]Cuidad[/i]' - just to take him down. 

He'd liked his odds - [i]Cuidad[/i] was tough, but poorly organized,  and the PC were a fucking joke. There was a reason New Spain (or the small peninsular colony that was left of it, anyways) had had a reputation as a 'wretched hive of scum and villainy' for the past two hundred years. But when InterPol showed up to crash the party, it became a little too much heat for Rick's tail. 

He'd taken a boat (they called it 'comandeering') across the Gulf of Mexico and into Texas Territory, honestly disappointed there hadn't been, like, every SWAT team in the Territory, the FBI, or at least one goddamn [i]border guard[/i] waiting when he'd arrived. Texas had gone much the same as New Spain, at first, but [i]Cuidad[/i] started muscling in on the gangs there, and the Mexican branch of [i]Cuidad[/i] did [i]not[/i] fuck around. He'd actually gotten into a few incidents where he'd been unsure if he'd come out on top. Though he'd enjoyed the challenge, his increasingly collateral-damage-filled feud with them was garnering him attention he couldn't handle while in a bullet-pissing match with such a powerful gang. As they said in Texas, 'know when to fold 'em' - he'd taken the next flight out, once things got too hot. 
His next stop was Old Yeller - Fort Yellowstone itself. Capital of the territory, and holding a special spot in the hearts of American Wolves like himself, it was practically calling him. The Territories east of the Mississippi were all-human, and while it might've been fun to return to his old stomping grounds in Maine and scare the shit out of his former Owner's friends and relatives (not that he'd left many around, when he'd last left them)...it was too much hassle. Missouri Territory, or at least folk from there, had always been nice to him, and so he chose to spare them having to actually [i]deal[/i] with him. And who wanted to sweat their balls off in Sonora, except wannabe movie stars and Coyotes?

He'd tried to stay low and be a proper citizen in Old Yeller, he really had. But by that point all his friends (for what definition of 'friend' could be applied to them) were either corrupt cops, or criminals. Or those guys from InterPol who were so delightfully incompetent that Rick actually liked them. In any case, not exactly a stellar social network to get himself started on the good and proper side of things. He quickly returned to old habits and landed in trouble with the local MPs at the actual Fort. [i]They[/i] were no InterPol, and one of the only times in his life that he'd ended up in prison had been at their paws. Those motherfuckers had [i]caught[/i] him! Him! Rickard fucking Alekhine! All these years later, he still wasn't sure if he hated or admired them for it. He'd had to spend a whole year figuring out how to break outta the military prison he'd been tossed into.  No sooner had he done so, than BB himself showed up. Rick had been hostile, at first - after all, what was this [i]old man[/i] doing, talking to him like that? Blackmailing [i]him[/i]?

BB had an ace up his sleeve, however, and Rick still remembered the words clearly, "Mr. Alekhine, if you agree to my terms and come work for Wildfire, you'll be truly free for the first time in your life. No Owner, no cops hunting you down, no gang you're waiting to stab you in the back,  no...military police with something of what I hear is called a 'hate-on' for your head on a stick...you'll be free."

Of course, that freedom had come with a lot of rules and an awful short leash, but the Old Man hadn't lied. He'd never had a home like Wildfire, and he was willing to do anything in his impressive arsenal to defend it to his last. 

Which was how he'd ended up as not only Head of Security for Wildfire in general, but also the Old Man's personal bodyguard-slash-attack dog. Attack [i]Wolf[/i], whatever. 

Well, he wasn't [i]always[/i] an 'attack Wolf'. Sometimes, like today, he was an errand-boy. He checked the house numbers to the information on his phone, and nodded to himself, boldly heading up the driveway and up to the front door. He rang the doorbell, and waited. It was just after seventeen hours, so the Skirmish Captain should be home. 

The door opened to reveal a thirty-year-old Dobermann, naked from the waist down (half-dress was currently fashionable - even Rick himself was so dressed) and [i]very[/i] familiar. "Hawlesie!? Oh my god! Small world, huh? Ack!"

The Dobermann was burlier than he remembered from when he'd been a young MP, and Rick wasn't the only one who could remember a scent. He found himself slammed against the porch by an impressive pounce he honestly hadn't seen coming, the Dobermann's paws wrapped around his throat. "You've got a lot of fucking nerve, showing up at my door, Alekhine!" the Dobermann snarled. 

"Fuck! Aw, geez, have [i]you[/i] been holding a grudge! I see the Skirmish corps made you a lot less scrawny - good for you!"

"The Colonel doesn't let us get soft, even in peacetime. Now give me one good reason I shouldn't shoot you right now! We both know you'll worm your way out of the brig if I took you in proper."

Rick grinned up at his assailant, "Well, cause you're unarmed and you --Urk! Oh, you little [i]bitch[/i]!" Hawles had tightened his paws around Rick's throat. 

"Got my paws, don't need a gun."

"Yeah, with me, you [i]do[/i]," Rick growled in turn, finally getting his arm out from between them, and bringing his little snubnose revolver to the former MP's temple, "Let me up, Hawles, I'm not a fan of breath-play."

Outmaneuvered, the Dog loosened his grip on Rick's throat, eyeing the gun incredulously, "Where were you [i]hiding[/i] that?"

"Belly holster on a harness under the shirt - what, did you think I was wiggling around so much just because our balls are touching?"

"Why are you [i]here[/i]? I heard you ran underground after busting out of Fort Carson, and haven't shown back up on radar for six years," the Dobermann asked, still watching the gun carefully. 

"I've been running Security for Wildfire and body-guarding the Old Man. Lately, been running errands for him."

"You're the very last person [i]anyone[/i] should have guarding their body! I don't believe a word of it!"

"He's telling the truth, dear. Hi, Rick! Point that gun away from my husband, or I'll waste you."

Rick craned his head back to look at the Beauceron holding him at gunpoint, one arm full of a paper groceries bag. She was even sexier than he remembered, and his sheath agreed, filling out a bit and making the Dobermann who was still straddling him mighty uncomfortable. "Laiya! Oh, wow, is that my dirty harry!? I thought the MPs confiscated it!"

She smiled, wiggling the gun in his face, "It is the very same. George gave it to me for protection when they just had you in the brig. Thought you'd try and come after me, if you broke out. Gun, Rick. Down."

"That thing can't be good for your wrists! Laiya, I [i]insist[/i] we trade guns. My little snubby here is much more your style, anyways," Rick said, letting the snubnose fall slack in his paw and offering it freely, fully aware that this was almost exactly the same way Hawles had caught him, last time - using his affection for Laiya against him. He couldn't help himself, though, not with her. 

"I'll consider it, Rick. For now, unless you two are gonna have a [i]really hot[/i] make-out session, I'd prefer you both get off my porch if you're gonna brawl. I don't want my furniture smashed up," she replied, snatching the gun away from Rick. 

Her husband was far less casual about Rick's reappearance. As soon as the Wolf was disarmed, the Dobermann had his paws on Rick again. But he hesitated, hearing Laiya clear her throat pointedly. When his hesitation went on a little too long, Laiya said, "You're still on thin ice for this mess you made of Joey and Warrant. Take it [i]off[/i] my porch, or you'll be [i]sleeping[/i] on it."

The Dog quickly got off of Rick and the porch in general, saying "Yes, dear."

Rick was slow to follow suit, grinning foolishly at Laiya, "He thought I'd [i] come after[/i] you? I would never hurt such a pretty face, Laiya. Even if you did break my heart."
She put the .44 right between his eyes, "[i]You[/i] will be sleeping [i]under[/i] the porch. Off, now." Despite the threat, she was smiling. Just like old times. 

Rick held his paws up and slunk off the porch, looking hurt, and he and his former nemesis were left to stand awkwardly in the yard as she headed inside and shut - and locked - the door. Sexy Bitch.

"So...ah...she clearly has only gotten better with age," Rick commented, still showing pink. The Dobermann growled warningly, "Rick..."

"Ah ah ah! [i]She[/i] gets to call me Rick. You, I still dislike," Rick tutted.

"Why are you [i]here[/i]!?"

"I'm with Wildfire! Apparently, your son and his boyfriend got a little carried away with their petplay, and now they both have regrets and aren't sure they can still come to Wildfire. I was sent to assess the situation, and unless I don't believe they'd be a fit, escort the boys to Wildfire, personally. I'm telling the truth, here, Hawlesie," Rick replied coolly, using the name he'd called the Dobermann back in the day, just to rile him.

The Dobermann looked uncomfortable, now, "And what are your orders for if you assess that they can't go?"

"In that case, I would explain to the boys that they lost their shot at Wildfire, and why, then let them cry on my shoulder a bit if they were so inclined, and then [i]leave[/i]. I've never harmed a cub in my life, Hawles. And as much as your relationship makes me jealous, I'd never hurt you... well, much...because that would hurt Laiya, which is unthinkable."

His honesty actually surprised Hawles, "You still hold a torch for her?"

"She's the only female I ever almost loved," Rick replied, looking away. It was a hell of a thing to admit, especially for Rick. 

"Almost?"

"Well, she was married to [i]you[/i]! And clearly, that wasn't a short term hook-up! That was a fucked-up way to tell me I was barking up the wrong tree, by the way! I still can't believe you used her as [i]bait[/i]!"

"You're one to talk about fucked-up!" Hawles snarled back, shoving Rick, "I still have a scar from your teeth in my shoulder, you psycho!"

"You were wide open! What was I supposed to do, [i]not[/i] take the opportunity?"

"I didn't expect you to [i]bite[/i] me! Even drug addicts don't do that!"

"That was the point, moron! It got you off of me, didn't it?"

They were about to start fighting again, when the front door reopened, and Laiya called out, "Rick, are you going to be staying for dinner?"

[b][WARRANT][/b]

Dinner had never been so awkward. If this hadn't been the first time he'd been allowed back inside in a week, he would've opted to have his bowl of kibble outside.

When Mam had found out what he and Pas had done with Stray, she was [i]not[/i] pleased. Petplay was alright, but Joey had [i]signed his life away[/i]. On top of that, they'd had the boy get [i]modifications[/i], when he could no longer really consent. The Biofoam insert in his knees was benign, even beneficial - he'd never get hip or knee problems, ever. The false-estrus gland, his mam had called 'disgusting', but since it also produced behavioral conditioning compounds that meant that at this point he and Stray couldn't even think about mating with anyone else, she said it was 'gray', especially since the procedure could be undone. Severing the nerves that allowed Stray to control his bladder and bowels? Stray would never regain that. If he left Warrant and tried to regain a normal life, he would need to wear a diaper for the rest of his life. Warrant had gotten a [i]beating[/i], and she'd threatened to divorce Pas, when they'd admitted that last part. 

Instead of divorcing her mate, or having Warrant neutered like she'd threatened, she'd brought Stray inside and had chained Warrant up [i]outside[/i]. The false estrus gland that had been put into Stray was designed to increase its scent proportionally to how long it had been since Warrant's cock was in him...and it had been nearly a week, now. Warrant couldn't even taste his food, he was so aroused, his cock fully out and twitching beneath him with Stray [i]right there[/i] next to him. But he was fearful he'd lose his balls if he dared mount. So, that was reason number one why dinner was awkward. 

Reason number two was sitting across from him and the human boy. The burly Wolf with reddish fur was from Wildfire, and was here to 'assess their situation'. He'd heard them both out, separately. He had no idea what Stray had said or done, but [i]he'd[/i] groveled shamelessly, telling everything he'd done or caused, the Wolf glaring more deeply with every word. But judgement had been delayed by dinner, and he still was glaring at them. They were toast, Warrant was sure of it. He wanted to, but couldn't bring himself to, grovel a bit more for the Wolf and beg him to at least let Joey/Stray into Wildfire. That was his one chance. But, perhaps selfishly, Warrant knew that if Stray left him, he'd have to have himself neutered or go mad, and he wasn't about to let that happen.

Reason number three [i]also[/i] centered around the Wolf, but it was different. The Wolf and Warrant's parents had [i]history[/i], apparently. It was perhaps the most awkward thing about dinner, actually, listening to the Wolf [i]flirting[/i] with his [i]Mam[/i]. And Pas was letting him, for the most part! Actually, Pas and the Wolf [i]both[/i] were flirting with her, competing! Warrant's balls were hurting enough right now that he didn't want to even [i]think[/i] about his parents having a three-way with the Wildfire Wolf.

He ate quickly, and politely tried to excuse himself. He didn't look over at Stray, who he saw hurrying to finish his own bowl. That made Warrant feel a little better - Stray was just as pent-up as he was. They both were hoping to get in a quick knot while Warrant's parents were preoccupied with the Wolf. 

Of course, the Wolf didn't let them out so easily, "I believe we still have business, pup. About Wildfire."

Warrant cringed. This was it - the Wolf was going to tell him that he'd ruined his chance at living in the one place in the country where Ferals were considered 100% equal, and that he'd ruined Stray's chances as well. He might as well face it with as much dignity as a Dog with his whole ten inch rocket hanging out could. 

"Warrant, Joey became Stray for you. He had several opportunities - your father offered him no fewer than four times to tear up the contract demoting Joey to nonhuman status. He refused, all four times. For you. And instead of leaving it at that, you and your father had a slave-modder make [i]alterations[/i] to him to suit your fancies. You, a Fourlegs, [i]should have known better[/i]! You should have [i]been[/i] better than those psychos in Maine territory! I am disgusted! But! I'm here to assess whether you can fit in at Wildfire and not be a danger to our cubs, and I do not believe you are. Stray's residency offer stands, and yours was always dependent on his, so it stands also, so long as you accept [i]my[/i] terms."

Gulping, the young Dog asked what those terms were. 

"Your parents will sell you to a buyer in Missouri who is friendly to Wildfire. You will spend a week as [i]his[/i] pet, without your parents or anyone else you know to help you. I have trust in this man that he won't do you any lasting harm - and I say that about very, very few humans - but you [i]will[/i] be his pet, and completely under his dominion. For one week. At the end of that week, you'll be sold by him to Wildfire, and reunited with Stray."

Warrant would've cried if he could. Instead, he just whimpered and bowed his head. "I accept your terms, sir."

The Wolf smiled, "Good boy. Now, you and Stray should go say your goodbyes, and you can get one last rut in before I take you to your new Master. No paperwork will be done with this - unlike what you did with Joey, [i]you[/i] at least will have an escape available. I want to see if you'll do the same for him as he was prepared to do for you."

Warrant nodded and Stray hugged him and then got down between his legs and took the young Dog's cock into his mouth, suckling eagerly and without the slightest shame in doing so in front of Warrant's parents or the Wolf. Warrant had to use every ounce of his self-control not to hop on Stray's back and face-fuck him ruthlessly. He wanted to show that he didn't just think of Stray like his mounting toy. Stray was his boyfriend, lover, mate, whatever you called it. So, he kept on his haunches while Stray gave him an amazing blowjob.

The three adults weren't completely unaffected by the display, either. Both the Wolf and Warrant's father were fully erect, and because she'd been working through most of her Heat, Warrant's mam was definitely up for some out-of- season fun, "So, boys... what do you say to a Wolf sandwich?

Both of the males stared at her, then each other, then back at her, "Are you serious!?" they yelped at the same time. 

She nodded coyly, "Think about it. Rick could mount me - I won't say I was never curious how he'd be in a rut - but he'll pay for the privilege by giving his tail to [i]you[/i], dear. Just think about how few males he probably lets do that! It'll be fun for all of us, I bet."

Rick started taking his shirt off and undoing the harness he'd strapped his gun to, "Look, George, if you wanna sit this out, that's cool. I know you're not into males, and I definitely ain't into getting buggered...but if Laiya's gonna offer, I can't say no. She's worth any price."

Warrant's father growled, "Not a chance! I'm gonna make you a right [i] bitch[/i], Wolf!"

Warrant shut his eyes - why did he have to think of them doing a three-way earlier!? That had almost been asking for this to happen, and now he was forced to stay in the same room as it! He tried to focus on what Stray was doing beneath him, but attention to a Canid penis' shaft and head weren't stimulating enough, and the occasional loud moan from one of the three adults would make him open his eyes briefly, usually taking in images he didn't want to see. Anthros didn't bother hiding sexual play, and Warrant had seen his parents mating before...but the addition of the Wolf was jarring.

Despite their apparent rivalry, the Wolf and his pas were a hot pair, and even if he disliked the Wolf, Warrant's father still genuinely tried to make things pleasurable for him. He thrusted with slow, deliberate motions, and paid attention to the body language the Wolf was giving. He did speed up as he got closer to his finish, but by that point all three of them were fully into what they were doing.

The Wolf and Warrant's mam were a different story, seemingly using the opportunity to get out all their unresolved feelings for each other. If Warrant hadn't been living proof of his parents' relationship, he might've thought [i]the Wolf[/i] was his mam's mate, he was mating her so tenderly. It was clear that he wasn't in it for his own pleasure, but was holding himself back to make absolutely sure that she enjoyed herself. Watching the Wolf tie with his mother just moments before his father knotted the Wolf sent Warrant over the edge. With a paw on the back of Stray's head, he shoved his knot into the boy's mouth, instantly spurting thick ropes of jizz into Stray's throat. He quickly stepped over, and he could hear Stray moaning and feel the boy's throat convulsing as he came as well.

Warrant's orgasm was more intense this time than he'd ever experienced before, and he quickly fell into the hazy state of bliss that came with a solid knotting. With ten inches of Dog cock shoved down his throat, Stray would choke to death if they didn't separate, but Warrant held off until he felt Stray start struggling to open his jaw wider and release the knot. A little teeth scraping at the height of his orgasm was OK - his pleasure overwhelmed that brief pain. He let his cock slide out of Stray's mouth and throat, feeling a bit bad about the choking and coughing noises he heard from behind him, but Stray's hand soon  wrapped around his knot and he heard noises indicating that Stray had gotten into his back and...yep. His cock now once again partially enveloped by wet warmth, Stray was now on his back beneath him, a firm grip on his knot to keep his orgasm going as the boy eagerly guzzled the cum spurting from Warrant's penis. 

Despite Stray's grip around it currently, his knot 'knew' it had been dislodged, and so Warrant didn't get the lovely thirty-minute orgasm that came with a long tie, only managing to spurt for another couple of minutes before starting to go soft. Stray didn't begrudge his body's response, simply helping it along by licking at the swollen knot until Warrant was presentable again. With one look at the adults, who were locked in their own embrace of nuzzles and licks and twitching balls and spurting cocks, Warrant and Stray slunk outside into the back yard. 

As soon as Stray had closed the door behind them and dropped back down onto all fours, he said, "My god, Warrant! When you came in with that hardon, I felt so bad for you! How could you stand having it out like that all through dinner?"

"It was really hard. Ignore the pun. Ugh - that estrus mod really bit me in the ass. But...it seemed like you were just as pent up."

Stray flopped onto his back in the grass, enjoying the feel of warm sunlight on his nude body, "Oh, yeah. After the first day of us being separated by your mam, I started getting this [i]itch[/i] in my butthole. Like, really bad. I...uh...ended up begging your pas to fuck me, just to get the itch to go away for a bit."

"Did he?" Warrant asked. Stray shook his head. 

"No. Your mam told him he wasn't allowed. She made up for it though, by showing me her dildo collection and showing me how to use 'em. She has really soft sheets, by the way. I slept like a baby."

"She let you sleep with [i]her[/i]!"

Stray grinned, "Hoh, yeah. I think she wanted to make sure your pas got his punishment, too. The thing they were doing in there was probably the first he's got his rocks off without his muzzle all week. It was kinda fun - she likes to snuggle."

"You lucky bastard," Warrant grumbled, laying beside him, "I haven't seen her bed except through the doorway since I was weaned."

"So, you're gonna be spending a week as someone's pet for real. You scared?"

Warrant sighed, "A bit. I guess this is how you felt, signing those papers. But Wolf guy said I won't be really harmed, and I can't imagine Wildfire would let him let me get fucked up...so...I dunno. He's right, though. So far, all I've done was get you to do stuff for me - I ought to put my own tail in the docker, too."

"Docker?"

"You never noticed how my Pas' tail is just a stump?"

"Well, he's in the military - I thought it was shot off or something, and didn't have the courage to ask."

"He got it [i]docked[/i] so it [i]couldn't[/i] get shot off. The tail bleeds a [i]lot[/i], enough that an Anthro can bleed out quick if it gets shot. Docking is done under controlled conditions, using a special tool called a [i]Docker[/i], and afterwards your tail is a much harder target. For most units, it's a voluntary procedure, but it's required of the Skirmish corps, cause they're usually in the vanguard of a formation, and their tactics put their tails at risk much more frequently."

"So what do they actually [i]do[/i]?"

"The Scout/Skirmish corps is usually out in front of the main army. Their job is twofold:  to provide early warning of enemy attacks against the main force - which is [i]scouting[/i], and to engage them in light combat to delay the enemy long enough for the main force to be brought to bear - which is [i]skirmishing[/i]. Except for officers like Pas, their basic platoon is usually set up in ten teams of two - one Anthro or human and one Feral per team, for a total of twenty, plus NCOs and Officers. We Ferals are prized by the Skirmishers because we are lower to the ground and can sneak better - oftentimes we're the ones doing the 'scouting' part, and  mostly leave the fighting to the two-leggers."

They lazed in the sun for about another hour, talking about various things, until the Wolf came out, "Oh,  good! I was worried I'd have to wait another hour cause you two would be boning again. You boys do your business, then we'll be heading out."

Warrant and Stray complied, and after very emotional goodbyes from Warrant's parents, allowed themselves to be leashed and led out to the Wolf's car. Warrant's few possessions were promised to be sent on to Wildfire, and his mam gave Stray a big hug, telling him he was welcome back in her Den anytime. 

There was a bit of hassle getting Warrant into the car, not because he struggled, but because the Wolf insisted on belting him in. Warrant was left sitting up awkwardly, the seat belt strapped across his front as though he were a two-legger. "This is ridiculous! You're doing this just to mock me, aren't you!?"

The Wolf snickered, "That's just a bonus. No, recent events have made it Wildfire's policy that seatbelts are to be worn by all cubs traveling to and from Wildfire, for the duration of their time in the vehicle in motion. Since you're to be a Wildfire cub, the rule does apply."

Warrant grumbled, but didn't argue further. 

As they got on their way, the Wolf explained his car rules, "This thing's a rental, and the Old Man specifically told me I'll be paying for any damage out of pocket, so if you two have to relieve yourselves, let me know as soon as you feel the need. Stray, I know you don't get much warning with that anymore, and I'd hate to put you in a diaper, but do your best, please. Now, it's a thirteen-hour drive to where Warrant's new owner lives, so we'll be stopping along the way at a hotel overnight, and finishing the trip  tomorrow. Stray, if you want, we can stay a night with Warrant's owner and get a flight to Wildfire on the second day."

Stray spoke up, "Aren't you the Head of Security? I thought I remembered you saying that. What're you doing, escorting us?"

"Around the time you were in that hospital in Maine, a group of...cultists, I guess you'd call them... attacked Wildfire and one of our summer camp busses. The Old Man sent me out for you two, because we believe these cultists are based in Yellowstone territory somewhere, and he didn't wanna risk sending someone without a gun this time - dammit, I forgot to get my old gun off of Laiya!"

"So you're unarmed right now? Good job, Mr. Head-of-Security," Warrant mocked, getting a cuff from Stray. 

The Wolf was unperturbed, "Nah, I still got snubby here, and a bigger gun in the glove box...and a marksman rifle in the trunk. If anything, I'm over-armed, but it's better to have and not need, than need and not have, I say."

Stray enjoyed the ride, though by the second hour mark, he was already itching - literally - for sex. Warrant seemed to be as well, and it only got worse from there. By the end of the third hour, Stray finally spoke up and asked for the both of them, "Sir, can we pull over so Warrant can fuck me? Please?" Warrant eagerly nodded his agreement with the question.

"No way. Next stop is about forty minutes ahead, though. We'll get some food there, and such."

Warrant whined, and said, "Please tell me Wildfire's gonna get rid of that estrus thing! Oh, Dog, this is torture!"

"Pup, I've [i]done[/i] torture. This ain't torture. Torture breaks you. Besides, you do realize I can smell it, too, right? Do you see [i]me[/i] squirming in my seat or calling Stray up here to learn why Wolves are everybody's favorite Canid? Or, think of this - male Anthros are susceptible to [i]any[/i] Tribe's Heat. On any given day, there are usually a few dozen females you'd interact with, who'd be on their cycle. And we [i]control ourselves[/i]." 
"You don't react to it the same way we do! This is starting to hurt!"

The Wolf scoffed, unimpressed, "You know, I've always thought that whole 'Ferals react to Heat a thousand times worse' thing just utter bullshit. Since you're only susceptible to your own Tribe, it makes sense you'd get a reaction at a lower concentration of the scent, sure, but all that whining about your balls hurting is purely psychological. You're just not used to denying yourself instant gratification. Have you ever tried ignoring it? Or have you always used that mounting toy, your muzzle, or lately, Stray, as soon as you felt the urge? Tell you what - you keep your muzzle shut and your cock in your sheath until we're done with lunch, and I'll let you two bugger."

Warrant whined again, but didn't reply. He tried ignoring the feeling in his balls, but at first ignoring it just made it worse. He kept his muzzle shut about it, though, and by the time they reached the stop, he was still in control of himself, and his balls were [i]uncomfortably full[/i], but not painfully so, unless he focused on it. As they pulled into a parking spot outside the twenty-four-hour diner Rick had chosen, Warrant grumbled, "Fine. You might be right. How do you explain wild Ferals raping people, though? I saw this show in Missouri --"

"I know the kind of show you're talking about. [i]Of course[/i] humans trying to get people to mutilate their Feral pets would stack the argument in their favor. As far as 'Feral rape' goes, I've never talked to anyone who's either a victim or an eyewitness. I'm not saying the stories [i]aren't[/i] true, but there's also a strong possibility they're made up to keep up reasons for your kind to be euthanized or made into pets. [i]Anyways[/i], come on. Let's go make people uncomfortable."

The Wolf led Warrant and Stray into the diner, both on leashes. The waitress - a pretty Collie lady - doing the seating tried to protest, but Rick pointed out that the diner had no sign forbidding pets of any kind, and in fact the door [i]did[/i] have a sign saying 'Leashed Pets Welcome! Ask about our free Kibble!'. She clearly disapproved of Stray - who was, after all, a naked human boy crawling around on all fours - but couldn't dispute the point after Rick showed her Stray's papers.

Rick insisted on a central table, though the waitress very clearly had wanted to tuck them away in a corner. She ended up compromising, by seating them in a booth along the front wall. Still in view, but less than Rick had been trying for. Warrant and Stray got the sense that he was very much enjoying the discomfort of the other patrons and staff, and for Stray that turned the affair from being something humiliating, to something he was doing on purpose for shock value. When the waiter came over to take their orders,  he and Warrant both ordered 'Kibble', and got to eat before the Wolf did, as he'd ordered a burger and fries. They ate on the floor, out of normal bowls, both standing on all fours to show off their status. 

A few people tried to chastise Rick for owning a Feral. He pointed to Stray and said, "I note you're not saying jack shit about my other pet, here. Double standard, much?" They shut up quickly, though from their expression, his point had been scored. 

Another fellow, a Lion sitting in the both next to theirs with his wife and as-yet maneless son, pointed out that Rick's 'collection' was incomplete - he ought to have an Anthro as well. Rick, who had just been interrupted from biting into the burger the waiter had just brought him, set the thing down and turned around in his seat, "You're right. Your kitten there is pretty cute. Is he still a virgin? I'll buy him off you for sixty grand, right now. Oh? That piss you off?"

The Lion snarled and started getting out of his seat, but Rick was faster, getting up at the same time as the Lion and pulling his snubnosed revolver in the same motion, quickly grabbing the Lion's mane to pull him close as he jammed the gun between them, snarling, "You know what pisses [i]me[/i] off? When high and mighty fucks like you try to take the high ground when you've never worn a collar yourself! I was born in Maine - in a [i]pet store[/i]! First thirteen years of my life were [i]nothing[/i] but the collar. So, don't you dare act like [i]I'm[/i] the one doing wrong, when [i]you[/i] probably voted in those motherfuckers who keep this shit going just to line their fucking pockets! Let me eat a goddamn burger in peace, or Canis help me, I will shoot you."

The Lion was so stunned he just stood there as Rick sat back down. No one but the Lion and Warrant had seen that Rick had pulled a gun, and the Lion slowly sat down himself and called for his check, without raising further fuss, while Rick started in on his meal. For a few minutes, no one else moved, everyone - even the two pets - staring at the Wolf. Rick wasn't oblivious to the stares, but didn't show it, eating at a perfectly normal pace. And when the waiter came over, bravely relaying that management had decided he, Warrant, and Stray had to leave, he nodded amiably, "That's fair. What do I owe for the burger? Sign said Kibble was free."

"$12.77," the kid replied, clearly thinking Rick was going to do something violent again. 

Rick pulled a C-note, then a second, from a small pouch on the harness under his shirt, and pressed them into the kid's hand, "Keep the change, kid. Your service was excellent, though you should tell your chef 'rare' means 'bloody'. Boys, heel."

Warrant and Stray got on Rick's heels as he started for the door, but he stopped and called the waiter back over, putting a business card in his hand, saying quite loudly, "If your boss forces you to split that tip I just gave you, gimme a call. I'll make sure the 'mistake' gets corrected."

It was only once Rick was belting Warrant back into his seat that anyone spoke. "Well. That got awkward fast," Warrant observed.

"Shut up, Mutt. Stop giving me star-eyes, it's weird," the Wolf growled, but not forcefully. 

Warrant may or may not have stopped with the 'star-eyes', but he did press further, "So, uh...how'd you lose the collar?"

Rick tugged the belt extra tight on the Dog before replying, "With that Dirty Harry your mam has, now. Blew my Owner's brains out, and his wife's, their three sons, and a farmhand. Next, I spent two hours with a Sawzall blade, getting the Collar off - fucking nylon piece of shit....then, I reloaded, took clothes and other shit I needed from the house, and ran my tail off before cops started sniffing around. Hitched a ride on a train heading to Carolina territory, and lived in a homeless shelter there for three years until I was old enough to join the Army. OK, storytime's over, pups."

[b][RICK][/b]

He was in a bad mood for the next couple hours, but tried not to take it out on the cubs. Even when Stray said, quite suddenly, that he needed to 'go', forcing Rick to pull over and let both of them relieve themselves, he kept his temper to himself. Bringing up his history always made him [i]remember[/i] it, and that was a sure recipe for a foul mood. 

His mood did not improve when a set of red and blue lights appeared in his mirror. Rick pulled over, hoping the cop was heading off to another call, but no. His luck had never been [i]that[/i] good. The cop pulled over behind them.

A few things caught his eye. For one thing, they were still in Yellowstone Territory, but the car behind them wasn't in the black-and-tan colors used by Territory Police, here. It was the generic black-and-white generally used by local police in other Territories. Secondly, real Ter-Po used a blue-red-white-red-blue pattern on the top lights - this car just had blue-red-blue. Finally, the figure who got out of the car was wearing a black uniform, with a bright silver badge on the left chest. Territory Police wore theirs on the right. 

"That ain't a cop," Rick growled, "Pups, unbelt and get low in the foot well."

He reached over and opened the glove box, pulling out a much larger revolver than his (Laiya's now) 'dirty harry'. He held it low and next to the door as the fake cop neared. The dark finish on the weapon helped it hide in the shadows of the interior of the car. "What seems to be the problem officer?" 

The false cop was human, but something was just...off about him. He was wearing a false smile and not even trying hard enough. "You Rick Alekhine?"

Rick fired the gun, yelping as the cylinder flash from the revolver burned his paw and some of his belly fur. Holding the huge revolver like that had been dumb, and his wrist now hurt like a motherfucker, but that had been 
his 'oh, shit!' gun, anyways  - for emergencies only. Loaded with the .500 'Bushwhacker', it was a gun that could easily drop a charging Elephant in one, maybe two shots. Even a [i]Bear[/i] would hesitate when Rick pulled that thing out, as it was a Bear's gun in the first place. 

The fake cop lost his head in a very literal and gory fashion, spraying blood everywhere as the remaining body collapsed. Rick calmly got out of the car, fussing over his burns, and searched the body. There were no other cars on the interstate, but Rick had no idea how long that would last. I-90 wasn't exactly an underused route. Searching the pockets, he found an all-black keycard and a sodden rag that, even at arm's length, made Rick slightly dizzy and woozy to smell. He threw [i]that[/i] away quickly. The fake cop had had the wrong kind of equipment belt, but it was near enough to fool someone who didn't know what they should look for. Rick quickly divested the belt of the gun, baton, and pawcuffs, tossing all three onto the passenger seat of the rental. 

He then hefted the corpse onto his shoulder, scurried over to the other side of the highway, and tossed it. He then returned to the other side of the road and checked on the cubs, "You two okay?"

Warrant couldn't hear a thing - the gun's report having set his ears ringing hard. Rick himself wasn't much better - Anthro firearms almost always had integrated silencers, but the 'big daddy' (as Rick had nicknamed it) was one of those that you just couldn't use one with. Stray had wisely covered his ears, not that it had helped him much. But they were alright. "Stray, grab that stuff I just tossed into the front seat, and then get over to the patrol car - we're ditching the rental."

The boy and young Dog complied - Rick still had Big Daddy held loosely in one paw, and Wildfire or not, they weren't about to argue with the Wolf they'd just seen straight-up murder a guy without even slight hesitation. 

Rick popped the trunk and hefted his rifle out, setting it on his shoulder by the sling strap, and quickly tossed Big Daddy into the duffle bag with all his other equipment and ammunition, snatching that up and slamming the trunk shut. His luck was holding - so far - no one else had come by. If someone saw the scene, it might cause suspicion enough to call the real cops, and that would be annoying. Rick was getting too old for the stunts of his younger days. 

When he unlocked and opened the trunk of the cruiser, he hadn't expected it to be occupied, let alone by a naked Lion boy, gagged, bound paw and footpaw, and lying in a puddle of his own piss. The poor thing was maybe ten - he had the beginnings of a mane and the other 'accessory' fur male Lions started growing once they hit puberty. He looked up at Rick with fearful, tawny eyes, and wiggled as far back into the trunk as he could. 

Rick dropped the duffel to hold both paws up, "I'm not with whoever put you in here, okay? I'm going to reach in and cut you loose, okay?"

The young Cat nodded, even holding his paws out, but Rick reached past them to get the gag out of the cub's muzzle, first, saying, "I'm not dumb, cub. We're gonna [i]talk[/i] before I let your little razors free."

The young Lion hissed and spat at him as soon as his muzzle was free, snarling, "You're just gonna hurt me like that man!"

Rick couldn't smell any semen, but he did see the small burns on the cub's chest and belly. Cattle prod. He spoke softly, "I promise you, I won't hurt you unless you attack me. I understand if you don't trust me, but I'm not letting your paws loose until I get a promise from you in turn to keep your claws [i]sheathed[/i]."

The boy considered it, finally nodding, "I'll be good."

Rick leaned in and carefully sliced through the duct tape binding the cub's paws with a claw, watching him carefully, ready for the claws to come out. The cub didn't attack, but meekly offered his footpaws to be freed as well. Neither of them bothered to try removing the remaining tape, knowing it would just rip fur out. "What's your name, cub? I'm Rick."

"Iosef," the Lion answered warily. Rick was blocking his way out of the trunk, and he clearly still didn't trust the Wolf. He also didn't seem to think well of his chances against the older, stronger Canine. He'd seen that Rick's claws weren't his natural set, but mil-spec full-steel combat replacements that were more literally 'razor sharp' than his own could ever be. If he were an adult, he'd have size and mass on the Wolf, but those claws could cut through sheet metal like it was rice paper. 

"Well, Iosef, I'm [i]really[/i] eager to get moving away from where I just shot a guy in broad daylight, so if you could get your cute butt out of my trunk, that'd be great," Rick said, standing aside so the cub could climb out.

The young Cat climbed out, and stood awkwardly nearby as Rick tossed his rifle and duffel bag into the trunk. As he shut the lid, he looked over at the cub, "We're a few miles into Bighorn Forest. I'm not going to [i]make[/i] you, but it would really improve your survival chances if you came with me. I'm dropping off a couple cubs already, and I can take you wherever you want when I'm done. Sure, you could try your luck in the woods, or try and hitchhike, but both of those options are gonna end badly for you,  trust me."

Iosef nodded, and followed Rick to the rear door of the car, which he opened and poked his head inside, "You two, scoot over."

The Lion recoiled, seeing the naked human boy and Feral Dog, both collared, "You're a slaver!"

Rick held in his growl, mostly, "I am [i]not[/i]! [i]He[/i] is a Feral, and [i]he's[/i] his boyfriend, and I'm...well, I am selling one of them, but it's temporary, and a long story -- just get in the car!"

Seeing no other realistic choice, the young Lion got in the back seat with the other two. Rick slammed the door shut and got into the driver's seat, growling and swearing about lost time. 

[b][IOSEF][/b]

Iosef tried to watch all three other people in the car simultaneously as the Wolf - Rick - pulled back onto the road. The Wolf was dangerous - Iosef could tell that much instinctively. The Wolf had mil-spec claws, clearly defined muscles, and carried himself like one of the gang members Iosef saw around his old neighborhood. This Wolf was a just like them, a killer through and through. 

The human and Feral Dog were cubs, like him, but the human stank of body odor and semen and...something, and the Feral wasn't a bouquet of roses, either. The human was obviously a sex slave, and perhaps the Feral was as well. They both crowded together on the far end of the seat from Iosef, clearly just as disturbed by him as he was by them.

No one spoke for a few minutes, until the Dog spoke up, "So, uh, sir? We should probably have asked earlier, but [i]where did this Cat come from!?[/i]."

Rick glanced into the rearview, "He was in the trunk. That scent you smell on him is chloroform."

"How did he...was he cubnapped?"

"Don't ask me! Ask him! I'm trying to drive, here!"

Iosef relaxed a bit. Neither Dog nor human seemed frightened of the Wolf, and the Feral had sounded genuinely horrified. Iosef figured someone who'd been cubnapped himself would be more numb to the thought. Iosef was. 

Before they could start asking questions, though, Iosef growled, "I don't wanna talk about it."

The human boy, who was taking the middle seat between him and the Dog, said, "OK. But you should at tell Mr. Rick where you live. Your parents are probably --"

"Dead. My parents are dead. That...man...shot them. Pasi fought, but he got shot in the nuts, and thrashed around, screaming. Then he was... really still. Mami tried to run, but the...man...shot her in the back. Then he walked over to me and told me to sniff this rag - it was really wet and smelled all chemical-y! Next thing I remember, I was bound up in the back of this van. He was driving, and playing with his... with his peep. When he saw I was awake, he told me he'd cut my skin off if I struggled. I got still. We drove for a while, and ended up in this...I think it was a warehouse. He took me out of the van, and he put me in this cage. He said if I struggled at all, he'd cut my skin off. A lot of people came by the cage, and some came in and touched me all over - even my tailhole! They talked to the...man. He went into another room, that he needed this card to get into. When he came out, he told one of the people who'd touched me that 'the deal is done - I'll have it delivered'. Next, I was tossed into that trunk, and they put the rag to my muzzle again."

The whole story had come out of him, even though he'd intended not to say much more than that his parents had been killed. The Wolf tapped something against the partition dividing the front and back seats, a black keycard, "That card he used - did it look like this?"

Iosef shook his head, "No, that one was white and had this black tree on it. [i]That[/i] card might go to the box in the trunk. It had a swipey thing on it."

"Hmmm," the Wolf looked thoughtful, "So, where are our manners? Iosef, meet Stray - the human - and Warrant - the Dog. Boys, this is Iosef. Also, change of plans - we're going directly to Wildfire. I don't like the way the winds seem to be blowing - it's too much coincidence that that guy knew my name. This car used to be a cop car, maybe in Ohio or Virginia territory - but there's no dispatch computer and that guy had no radio, so even if he had been a cop, there was no way for him to know who I was. What else can you remember, Iosef?"

The intensity of the Wolf's gaze on him in the rearview made Iosef answer, "Not much. I woke up in the trunk. We were driving for a while, but then we stopped for a long time. I could hear the engine, still, though. I had to pee, but with that cloth in my muzzle, I couldn't ask to be let out, so I had to just...go. I tried to get the tape off, but it kept pulling at my fur and hurting, and I couldn't get a claw to it. We only started moving again a little before we stopped again, and then there was this loud bang? And then you opened the trunk."

The Wolf nodded, "What about before? The warehouse - could you tell if you were still in your hometown or somewhere else?"

"Somewhere else," Iosef replied instantly, "I could hear people outside the warehouse, speaking Canid, but it didn't sound like what you hear near the temples. It was more casual sounding. There were also a lot more people there, I think. I lived in a small town - wherever that warehouse was, it was a city."

"Cheyenne. One of the few places in the States that Canid is still in common use, other than some smaller neighborhoods in Fort Yeller. Fuck. I'd been hoping it was like Wildfire - out in the wilderness or somewhere else not six minutes away from a police precinct."

"Why?" the human boy asked, "What does it matter?"

The Wolf snarled to himself, "Because, Stray, if it were somewhere less populated, I could go waltze in and fuck their whole day up and teach them a lesson in bullets. In a city, though? Pah! I'll have to set up a proper op for it. Pain in my tail. Speaking of which, you three be quiet for a bit - I'm gonna make a call."

Not really wanting to chat with the other two cubs, Iosef eavesdropped on the Wolf's phone call. His Feline ears easily picked up both sides.

"Rick? What's the issue?" The voice on the other end said, first thing. The voice sounded old, and maybe human - Anthro voices were usually a bit more gravelly.

"Well, firstly, I think our friends with the masks know I'm out and about. We got pulled over by a fake cop - don't worry, he's dead now - and that leads to the other thing, actually: the fake cop had a cub in the trunk of his car."

"Rick, see, this is why the Old Man keeps you at Wildfire most of the time. You're some kind of violence magnet. How do you know this cop is associated with...our friends?"

"Dog dammit, Early, I don't [i]ask[/i] for shit to happen to me every time I walk down the street! Anyways, the cub's story makes me think of cub trafficking, which we already know They are into. Plus, the cub described seeing a key-card, with a black tree, just like the ones we found on the bastards who attacked Wildfire. Anyways, I'm gonna need the southwest road opened up - I'm high-tailing it home with all three cubs. If They are after me, I'd rather not have cubs to look after if a firefight breaks out. The Old Man wouldn't have signed off on my original plan, anyways."

"You might not ask for it, Rick, but you sure do seem to revel in it when it happens. Need backup out there?" 'Early' asked. 

"Nah, they'd just get underpaw. If you could send some guys to pick up the body and my rental, that'd be sweet, though. Also, what's the Biofoam window on burns?"

"Oh, God, what did you do to the rental?"

"Nothing! It's perfectly in order, it just wasn't an armored police cruiser. About that usage window?"

"Six hours for first degree, two hours, forty-four minutes for second, roughly an hour and a half for third, pray that Dog delivers you from your agony for fourth. Assuming an adult. It's, like, triple those times for cubs, double 'em for human kids."

"Sweet. Anyways, while you're getting that road opened up and sending out Wolves, can you send the Old Man an emergency asylum request for this cub? He's a Lion, roughly ten, male. Name's Iosef - with an I, I think. Red Collar until psych clears him."

"Our Psychologist already has backlog with Simon's cubs, Rick, just so you know. Anyways, I'm gonna go before you dump anything else on my lap."

Rick hung up before the other person could, and tossed the phone into the passenger seat, pointing out a sign they were about to pass, "We're gonna stop here real quick. Iosef, do you want clothes?"

It took him a moment to realize he'd been spoken to, "Huh? Uh, yeah. Please."

The Wolf nodded, "Sure thing. Stray, what about you?"

The human boy blushed, "I thought pets couldn't wear clothes."

"Yeah, but you're [i]my[/i] pet, for the time being, and if you want clothes, I'll buy you fucking clothes, so do you want 'em or not?"

The boy looked over at the Dog, who nodded subtly. Turning back to the Wolf, the boy said, "No, I'm fine. Thank you, though."

Rick shrugged, "Suit yourself. Alright, now we're gonna haveta stick together. Stray, you'll have to two-legs, and hold Warrant's leash. Stay close to me, all of you. Iosef, I won't chase you down if you wanna run, but it would probably be smart to wait until after you're dressed again."

Iosef was a little offended, "I [i]said[/i] I'd be good!"

The Wolf chuckled, "Fair enough, kitty. Let's go."

Iosef felt very awkward in this group. The human boy was buck-naked, and currently holding the Feral's leash. The Wolf was holding the boy's leash, and Iosef felt out of place as the only one not part of the chain. He stuck close to the Wolf, covering his privates and trying to hide behind the Canine as much as possible. The Wolf was bottomless, and had no problem walking around exposed like that, and 'Stray' didn't seem to even [i]notice[/i] his nakedness, and the Feral Dog obviously was naked, too...but Iosef wasn't used to that kind of thing. 

The strip mall they had pulled in to was mostly empty at this time, it being almost three in the morning. The clothing store Rick took them to was not 24-hour, but was open midnight to noon, apparently. Though there was literally no one in the store but a very tired-looking cashier,  he still hurriedly picked out an oversized hoodie for himself. It was long enough to cover his privates, and Iosef had always liked the feel of oversized clothing. For below, he picked out a pack of colored briefs that had an elastic-rimmed hole instead of a velcro strap for the tail. Those kind required a parent's - or someone's, at any case - help to get one's tail through, and were a pain to take off when you needed to go to the bathroom, but they also didn't look like underwear at all, and were very light and breathable. His intention was to get the 'bottomless' look that was in style, without actually lacking coverings for his privates. From the dressing room, he meekly asked, "Mr. Rick? Can you help me a minute?"

Rick slipped into the small booth, and the young Lion suddenly couldn't speak. The Wolf's musk was heavy in the small room, and Iosef felt a powerful urge to bend over and groom the Wolf's sheath and big nuts. Instead, he controlled himself, and held up a pair of the briefs, "Can you slide my tail th-through?"

The Wolf nodded, telling him to turn around and pull the underwear most of the way up. Iosef did the second part, but bent over still facing the Wolf, giving him a golden opportunity to have his nose brush against the Wolf's sheath. He even pretended to have trouble getting his footpaws through the leg holes, an excuse to stay in that position a little longer. He gave himself away, though, letting out an involuntary moan as the full strength of the Wolf's musk hit his nose.

The Wolf chuckled, and bumped his sheath directly against Iosef's nose. The young Cat licked it impulsively, but immediately stood straight again, covering his muzzle. Some instinct of his told him that that act would have ended him up with a Wolf Cock in his throat, and he balked, even though a part of him was now fantasizing about it. He'd never really thought about sex before, but he knew he liked the musky scent coming from the Wolf's crotch, and having him so close was confusing and exciting and...his peep was hard. 

The Wolf knelt down and - oh, Bastet, his peep was hard right in his face! - helped him get his footpaws through the leg holes of the underwear, then slowly pulled them up his legs. When he got to Iosef's tail, he leaned close, letting the young Lion's penis press against his cheek, and quickly got the tip of the Cat's tail into the hole. The Wolf turned his head, nuzzling Iosef's penis, and the Cat's young body couldn't take it any more. He slapped both paws over his muzzle as he quivered and moaned, spraying a shot of watery cum onto the Wolf's face. 

Iosef was horrified, he couldn't believe he'd done that! The Wolf was sure to get mad, but other than holding one eye shut to keep semen from getting into it, he said nothing, and merely pulled the briefs the rest of the way up with a quick grope of the Cat's now-hidden package. He then licked away the seed that had landed on his face, and stood up.

He was 'showing pink', and Iosef wanted to taste it, but that was gross! Why did he want the Wolf's penis in his muzzle? He [i]peed[/i] from that! Grinning, the Wolf held up the hoodie, which he'd scrunched up, "Paws up, Kitty."

Iosef complied, letting the Wolf pull the hoodie over him and pull it into place,  making completely unnecessary gropes to Iosef's crotch and butt. Iosef had never done anything like this, but wasn't about to argue with the thrill that shot through him whenever the Wolf touched him. Once Iosef was dressed, the Wolf ran his fingers through the short mane on Iosef's head, "A little pent up, there, buddy? It's OK. You don't have to apologize. I've been at Wildfire for six years - I've had cubs piss, shit, cum, throw up - you name it, they've done it on me. Comes with the job."

Iosef nodded, his ears flushing pink. He stared openly at the couple inches of Wolf penis jutting from the adult's sheath, "Can I...?"

The Wolf smiled down at him, "Don't worry about that - it'll go down. And we don't have time, anyways, sweetie."

Iosef normally would've been mad to be called 'sweetie', but when the Wolf said it, he shivered with delight for some reason. "OK," he said, privately thankful the Wolf wasn't going to shove his cock into his throat. He wasn't really ready for that, yet, and the feelings the Wolf was sparking in him were scary and confusing, and he wanted to process them, first. 

Rick seemed to understand, ruffling his mane, "C'mon. I can't leave the other two unsupervised or they'll start fucking."

[b][RICK][/b]

The young Lion's actions in the changing room had come out of nowhere, and though Rick [i]did[/i] have a thing for young, male Felines, he wasn't about to take advantage. Rick had just rescued the cub from what was certainly a horrifying situation, and the cub was probably latching onto him simply because of that. Rick was not above having a little underage kitten riding his cock - it was one of the main perks of working at Wildfire, as long as no one forced the kitten in question to be there - but he had his limits. 

Damn, the boy [i]was[/i] cute, though. He had much darker coloration than most Lions Rick knew - most of his fur was this chestnut-y mahogany, and his mane and tail-tuft were both black, as was the cub's pubic fur surrounding his sheath and the little tufts on the young Lion's elbows. And he was fucking adorable in his XXL hoodie that he had to seriously scrunch the sleeves up on to have his paws out. 

As they exited the dressing room, the cub stayed close to Rick, and he couldn't bring himself to impose a more professional distance between them, even going so far as to put a paw on the Lion's back as they headed over to check out. The cashier gave the four of them an odd look, which Rick ignored. He paid for the hoodie and package of underwear, and got a big bag of plain beef jerky for all three cubs to share - jerky bring the only snack-type food both Anthros and humans enjoyed. Humans preferred their sweets, especially chocolate, and neither Warrant nor he could eat such without a prompt and lengthy stay in the hospital. He didn't know if Cats had that problem. Potato and corn chips and the like were OK on their own, but humans liked to put all sorts of seasonings on them that, again, weren't good for Anthros or Ferals, though they usually just resulted in diarrhea. Dairy [i]anything[/i] was a gamble for Anthros - small amounts could either be perfectly fine or life-threatening, depending on how much the gods hated you that day. Fucking Doritos were Russian Roulette in a corn chip. 

Anthro snacks were usually the same way for humans. The same company as made Doritos made an Anthro-centric snack called Muttos. Thick-ish slices of raw mutton, drizzled in a very savory dressing made from pig's blood and then flash-fried on a pan so hot that it [i]glowed[/i] (at least, that's what the commercials showed). Oh, Dog, it was delicious. And guaranteed to make humans throw up after only a dozen. "And one bag of Muttos, please," he added at the last minute, just for himself.

They exited the mall, happily munching on their snacks, when a Pitbull came up to them, holding a gun, "Gimme your money, Wolf."

Rick really was a violence magnet, apparently. He smiled, already planning what was going to happen. He tilted the bag of mutton chips toward the Dog, "Want a Mutto?"

The Pitbull blinked, clearly not used to someone ignoring the threat he thought he posed. Rick wiggled the bag, "Listen, I'm not in the mood for this, so why don't you take a pawful of chips, put the gun away, and decide [i]not[/i] to fuck with the Wolf with the really short temper, hmm?"

The Pit's gun twitched just a bit towards one of the two standing cubs behind him, and Rick tossed the chips in the Dog's face while at the same time slashing hard at the Pit's exposed wrist, his mil-spec claws slicing through fur, skin, tendon, and artery as though through butter. Even if he'd wanted to fire the gun, now, Rick had just slashed the tendons in the Dog's wrist, making that paw useless. Not to mention he was now bleeding profusely. And had Muttos all over him. Rick made sure to catch the weapon as it fell out of the Dog's paw. The Dog instinctively clutched at his bleeding wrist, staring wide-eyed with shock at the now-pouting Wolf.

"I [i]told[/i] you I wasn't in the fucking mood!" he growled, looking into his now quarter-full bag. "You made me waste most of my Muttos, you prick!"

Trying to shoot the Dog with his own gun, Rick actually [i]howled[/i] with fury, "A fucking spray-gun!? You tried to rob me with a fucking toy? Me? Do you [i]know[/i] who I fucking am!? I should rip your fucking dick off, you little gangster bitch!"

He lunged towards the Dog, who bolted, yelping in fear. Rick was back in control the instant the Dog was out of sight. Tossing the squirt-gun after the fleeing would-be mugger, he looked sadly at his remaining Muttos. "I was gonna share with you boys,  but now there's too few."

The three cubs were also staring wide-eyed at him. He got that a lot, he  was starting to notice, "Oh, come on! It's not like you three didn't know I'm a bit psycho! Come on, let's go before someone [i]else[/i] decides to have a bad day." 

When they reached the car, Rick said, "Stray, Warrant, if you need to go, do it now. We're still about four hours from Wildfire, and I ain't making any more stops." 

He opened the driver's side door and sat in the seat, while the two pets did their business. Iosef looked shocked to see Stray relieving himself on all fours like Warrant, and followed Rick to the driver's side and timidly asked if he could sit up front. Rick was not sure what to do. His 'Wildfire Staff' side said that Iosef had just come out of a traumatic event, and his sudden infatuation with Rick was a red flag...but his 'Bad Wolf' side said that the young Lion was cute as [i]fuck[/i]. He compromised, "Sure, cub. Come sit in Pasi's lap." Okay, maybe 'compromise' wasn't the best description. 

The young Lion's eyes lit up, though, and soon he was sharing his remaining snacks with a very snuggly young Lion. He boned up quick, and made sure the cub felt the full sheath pressed between his butt cheeks, leaking pre all over the new underwear. The cub definitely seemed hesitant about this, but not in an uncomfortable way. More like he was confused as to why he didn't want to move away. Rick didn't push the issue. If the cub decided he didn't like it, Rick wouldn't stop him from climbing off. And even if he did decide he liked it, Rick wasn't going any further than this. There, that was a compromise. 

By the time the remaining Muttos were gone, the young Lion had decided in favor of 'like', and was leaning back against Rick's chest, quite relaxed.  Oh, Dog, how he wanted to touch the boy. It took all of his self-control not to. Wildfire had taught him that, with cubs, there was a very fine line between 'grooming' and seduction. He had to let Iosef take the lead. He could make it obvious he returned the interest, and that he was open to the possibility, but essentially he had to allow [i]Iosef[/i] to pursue [i]him[/i], making no overt moves of his own. It was incredibly frustrating. 

Of course, even some of the Wildfire Counselors did things differently. Some of them did take actions that amounted to grooming, but let the cubs have full control when it came to 'play'. The Old Man disapproved of this, but as long as the cubs weren't harmed (physically [i]or[/i] psychologically), he didn't forbid it. Before Wildfire, Rick had had a few experiences with cubs, experiences he now repudiated. Looking back, he'd acted like a predator, and though he hoped the cubs he'd rutted hadn't been damaged by it...he didn't really know. Rick didn't want this Lion to join that list of his regrets.

So, even though he wanted to grind his very-full sheath between Iosef's cheeks, he refrained, instead acting as though it were an ordinary erection, nothing to be ashamed of or necessarily acted on. Good prey comes to the patient hunter, after all. 

Iosef yawned and turned himself around in Rick's lap, and Rick couldn't help himself. He wrapped one arm around the Cat, pulling him closer as the young Lion snuggled against him. The back door opened, and Stray and Warrant got in, giggling. Both of them had obvious erections, and Rick grinned. They were cute together, and - being 'pets' - were quite uninhibited about, well, anything. They had just relieved themselves in a parking lot, after all. A lifetime ago, Rick had been much the same, taking pleasure in the freedoms he had as a 'pet Wolf' that his 'master' and his stuffy upper-class family didn't even know they lacked. 

"OK? Everybody ready? Let's get this show on the road," Rick said once the boys were belted in. He'd have to put Iosef into the passenger seat and belt him in before they reached Wildfire, but the exhausted going Lion had already fallen asleep in Rick's lap. No need to wake him, Rick figured.