Escape.. (Dark themes) I try to stand.. Hunched over in the small cellar, listening to the sounds outside. A carriage pulls up as I tense.. listening closely for danger. The ferret outside signalled the occupants of the carriage to be silent and whistles three lines of a particularly bawdy tune, and chuckling softly I whistled the fourth and fifth. He saunters down the stairs towards me.. "Evening Friend " I reply "What have we tonight?". He smiles back "Two fat bureaucrats running for their lives, 8 followers of Zain, and two Twinks. One of them in bad shape" "How Bad?" "Friend in the guards pulled him out of the body dump". I grimaced, and motioned the ferret to bring them in. The followers come in first, 4 males and their mates. All nod at me and huddle together, tired from the journey here. Next the bureaucrats. "Mayor of Salstren and my Lady" The chipmunk pumps my hand and looks upwards trying to see in my cowl. "Assist me with my luggage Please." "Luggage" I growl "You can carry only what you have on you ". "But it's only a Small chest." I sigh.. Now is NOT the time to be arguing over such matters "Very Well" I bend and lift the chest. Its Heavy.. Full of gold and other valuables no doubt. Next the twinks come through, A young fox and another in a robe leaning against him. That is all.. I turn to the ferret and shake his hand "Take Care " "Take care yourself Marc.. The resistance Really apprec.." I raise my hand "We all have our crosses to bear." He nods and turns as I descend down the stairs. In the cellar they all stand. The followers are holding their beads and praying, the Mayor and his mate are murmuring little platitudes to themselves, and the twinks huddle together unsure of their fate. "You have come here to escape this State and it's doctrines. When we leave this place you Must leave behind All you have and All you are. You may start anew in Vladistan. It will be a difficult journey and We must ALL work together." They look at me waiting for me to finish. "Any who wish to leave.. leave Now. but if you agree you are committed, and you will either finish the journey.. OR die making it." They watch silently. The followers nod first, one of the twinks coughs and leans against his lover who nods, finally the Mayor nods. I turn and toss a package into the stairwell.. There is an small explosion and the entrance caves-in sealing us safely inside. The Mayor squawks.. "What have you done!!!! - We're trapped". I look down at him.. this one Will be trouble.. "I'd prefer not to have someone shooting up the tunnel whilst we travel. I'd at least like to die with a bullet hole in an Appropriate Place!". He glares and steps back but does not want to push his supposed authority further. Sighing I drop my robe and stand erect - my ears pressing against the roof. They look back - fear and surprise in their eyes. Its not often you see a WolfGen Warrior, especially not one who is part of the Resistance. State Storm trooper maybe.. But not the Resistance. WolfGen Warriors.. Take the genes of an Artic Wolf, blend in an additional 200 kilo's of muscle, bone, and sinew. Add a double dose of aggression and temper.. And you have me, or rather the template. 500 of us were grown in the clone tanks, until the 501st. He came out insane and slaughtered the techs. 20 dead in less than 30 secs, including the clone master. From there no more of us were cloned. The State has decayed to the point where such knowledge had been lost. But that didn't stop the State in their bid for warriors. There was a more natural way to make us, even if some the participants were Not willing. I walked up to the followers and held out my hand "I'm Marc", and each of them in turn took mine gingerly and shook it. One of the females was gravid and looked at me cautiously. But I smiled back. "Make sure your cub knows the value of freedom.. " She returns the smile.. "Do you have cubs yourself " she asks. "No " I chuckle "Not yet.. thou my soul mate and I are trying very hard.". She nods. Raunch humour is not the way of their kind, but she accepts my statement as open, with no offence. The Mayor tried to look confident, and fails. I could see the fear in his eyes. But he takes my hand and squeezes it timidly, as does his wife. Finally I turned to the twinks. Reaching down to the one in the robe I pulled back the hood to see his face, and growled softly. What would have been a handsome young wolf stares back at me, his muzzle bruised and scarred, and a Fig symbol crudely burnt into his forehead. The other stepped back, misinterpreting my growl of disgust for loathing of his kind.. But I hold out my hand and he takes it, and gave it a firm shake. This one would survive.. His partner - I sent a quick pray to Zain. Looking back towards the others I spoke again. "My name is Commander Marcus Twurlik. Until recently I was in charge of the 12th Armoured Division." One of the twinks spoke.. The one in the robe. "But your dead..." Chuckling I replied "Dead is a very convenient way for the Ministry of Propaganda to hide the fact that one of their own has said 'No More'. However.. if I am caught then very dead I WILL be." Walking over to the far wall I pull away some rotting boards to reveal a low damp passage, a trickle of muddy water spills into the cellar. The Mayor pipes up "We're NOT going into that" "Look.. you are running for your lives. You have the State after you, what do you expect - a plush underground with your own private carriage, and French champagne to sip.. of course.. if you don't want to go.." I pull my knife out and hold it under his chin.. "You can die here... No-one who has seen me on this side can return and live.." He splutters and backs down.. slowly realising that he is not in control.. Perhaps I should kill him now.. but I shake my head.. No.. not yet. I reach down and pick up a pair of digging mitts and slide them on. "Right.. I will go first.. you four " points to the sturdiest of the followers "will follow me , next you two " points to the twinks " then the Mayor and his mate, and finally you four to follow at the rear.. " this being the last four followers. The mayor mutters to his lady about having the twinks go first and reaches down to his money chest. "What are you doing " I asked.. "Getting my chest." "Sorry.. That stays here. It too heavy to haul through the tunnel.. Make a pouch and only carry about one or two handfuls.. That's all.." He squeaks but my hand is already around my knife again.. His eyes widen as I pull it out and then sighs in relief as I slice my robe into squares.. "Here.. fill your share.. " I say tossing a square of fabric to the Mayor and wife. They scrabble into the box.. Gold.. Emeralds.. all of the trappings of wealth But they can only manage two handfuls each into the squares and tie them. The chest is still almost full.. I motion to the followers.. "Take your share.." "But.. But.. " the Mayor stammers. "It's no good to you.. You have all you can carry. Let the others take their share.." He glares.. but keeps silent.. After the followers have taken their share I turn to the twinks.. "What do you have to start anew?." "Nothing.. just our clothes and a few silvers.. " I nod to the chest.. "Take what you can carry...", and gratefully they kneel and fill their pouches. It is time.. I turn and crawl into the tunnel. It's a tight fit for me.. but the others will manage better. The tang of soil is in my nostrils, and I feel a chill as the dampness seeps into my fur and through my loincloth. There is a whimper behind me. One of the female followers is panicking in the dark and damp. I wave my tail into her face "Take this and hold on.. I'm always attached to it." I hear her breathing quieten as she takes grip and follows, as do the rest. I hear groans further behind. I recognise it as the injured twink. I hope he will make it but what I have seen of his face does not say much for what is hidden beneath the robe. Several hours have passed and I near the end of the tunnel.. The hard work will start now. I dig.. thrusting my digging mitts into the earth and tearing clods out of the ground. There is no finesse required here, just brute strength - of which I have an abundance. Behind me the others take the refuse and pass it down, filling the tunnel behind us. All is going to plan.. I know that the tunnel from the other side would have been well started by now, and all I have to do is to keep moving. Suddenly a piercing sound echo's though the tunnel - flattening my ears with its intensity. Sonar!!!. We have been found, and only our haste will save us. I dig furiously, and the others are hard pressed to keep up with my leavings. Dig, squirm, dig squirm - a mindless worm like motion, but I can do no more and go no faster. Then my mitt hits something.. Metal. Its a Rod.. The other side has pushed a rod ahead of them whilst they dig, and I have less than 12 feet to them. Scrape - Clack, scrape - clack and suddenly I'm though, and look into my own visage. He grins back.. "Welcome back Commander. " "Quick.. We've been pinged." He scrabbles and turns on his tail, racing ahead of us, and I follow. At any moment we could be finished. But I see a light ahead .. A firefly of hope in the darkness. It grows brighter as I reach it and strong arms help me up. Another muddy white wolven form stands before me. Quickly I turn and together we lift the refugees out of the hole to safety. But there is a rumble, and as the last of my party is lifted free - a greyish ooze fills the tunnel, and large bubbles splatter us with its muck. The female we have just lifted screams and squirms as the ooze burns and eats into her leggings, but I am quick and rolls her onto the damp ground dousing her.. My own feet sting and I smell the singeing fur and heat. But she is safe. The ooze in the tunnel steams.. then smokes, and finally hardens. Its catalytic reaction exhausted, and any who would have been caught in the tunnel would have been cooked in its embrace.. Entombed. "How far to the outpost" I asked my counterpart. "About 30 min's drive. The trucks on its way.." We stand around and wait.. tired, exhausted from the ordeal. The fact that they are free hasn't yet fully registered on the others, when a cry behind us. "Kyten... " I turn time to see the robed twink slide down to the ground. I reach him, thrust my fingers against his neck and feel the thin thready pulse. No time to loose. "I can carry him there faster lad.. than wait for the truck." The other nods and stands as I lift the still form into my arms. He's light.. too light. I curse myself for not checking him sooner, or even letting him come at all. I run down the road, The other follows me but I quickly outdistance him. My breath is laboured and my heart pounds, but I am there. Down the ramp to the loading area. "Medic" I shout, and a blue clothed form turns and runs towards me. I lay the lad on a guernsey as the medic strips down the robe to reveal.. I Sigh.. The guards have Not been gentle with this one. His chest a mat of bruised tissue and scars, the sheath a swollen broken tube leaking red, and his sack.. nothing left but bloody torn fur. Strapping IV's and other supports onto the still form the medic applies his trade. All I can do is watch. My job done, and I sink down from combat mode to become myself again. A roaring behind us as the truck arrives, and a thin reddish form leaps from it even before it stops, the other twink arrives and looks down upon the ruin of his friend. Kneeling beside him he take a limp hand in his. The body stirs and a weak smile crosses the muzzle. "Oh Kyten.. Why didn't you say something.." "I.. I was afraid that you wouldn't want me after they took my.." "Shh.. I'd always want you.. always.." I move away.. letting them have their privacy and look around. The Mayor and his wife are trying to impress someone with their past importance. The followers are murmuring prayers to Zain. A quiet step behind me, I turn, it is the priest. "Welcome back Commander" he says. "I am not a Commander anymore" I reply smiling "Ah my Son.. some are Commander in word only, others by deed's. I know which is which..". I smile at him, having spent long hours talking about our respective beliefs. My very existence was counter to his beliefs, as was my choice of lovers. But like all furs of good he looked for what was value within one.. And in a way we became friends. "I think you have some new brethren to take care of" I say , nodding towards the small group of followers. "Yes.. and again.. thanks." He leaves.. A touch.. I turn again. It is one of the followers. The gravid female and her mate. "Warrior.. when I first heard that your kind was being made. I was against it.. but .. I am very grateful for what you have done." I put my hands on her shoulders and smile down at her, she is barely to my chest. "Live well and free.. That's all the thanks I need". Smiling together they turn to walk back to the priest. There is a hand on my shoulder. I do not need to turn to know who it is, but I turn and embrace him in my arms. Green eyes look into green eyes, white fur against white fur, and muzzles entwine with the joy and relief of survival. My arms lock around him.. "Marc.. Bad trip..?" "Yes.. not the best, At least they all made it.." A small gasp and we look at some of the followers watching us.. I nod to them. "Yes.. I am a twink, fig, call me what you will. This is a new place, and we are much more tolerant of.. other beliefs and feelings." They nod, and walk away perturbed. With luck the good Father will make them see that not all is bad.. But we are shattered by a cry.. "Kyten!", we turn to see the medic working furiously next to a still form. I pad rapidly over to the frantic trio.. except one is past caring. His last breath as come and gone, but it was free air he had tasted. I stand behind the other youth, who kneels - feeling the warmth slip from the hands of his lover, his jaw open, eyes wide, he has obviously not seen death this close before. My heart goes out to him, lifting him I hold him to my chest and nuzzle his ears gently and wait.. One sob.. another, then his arms go around my waist, fingers knotting in the fur, and claws tensing into my skin he pours his first grief into my fur.. My own lover stands behind me, and I know his answer, as I have always known, for we are almost as one mind us clones... "Shh.. cub. Stay with us tonight. We will help you grieve." Looking over the sobbing youth I see the light start to brighten in the east, trickling through the window over the barren no-fur-land where we have burrowed under this night. To the dark wall on the other side with the spires, pennants. But my eyes can see further than that. They can see to the camps, the body-pits, and the furnaces that reek of burning fur.. and I know that it will not be next night.. but the night after that I will travel across again and try and quench the fire in my soul.. And find salvation for my past deeds. And I have only one question for all of this.. "Why..... End.