Sergeant Daws’ lips pulled into a frown. “A ‘Thing’? Something more than the sound you perceive?”

I nodded through my shiver, wishing I could forget. “There’s this… ‘Thing’ in the Curtain. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve felt it a few times now.”

The military wolf’s eyes widened, and the mongoose gave up the act of not paying attention. Daws put his forearms down on the desk between us, leaning forward and studying me. More unnerving were the mongoose’s eyes, harder than the Curtain, boring a hole in my skull. A long quiet moment, laced with tension, stretched in the windowless office.

“What is it you feel?” Daws asked, caution in his voice. He glanced at the mongoose, his eyes becoming guarded.

I pushed aside a screaming worry they’d lock me up forever and throw away the key. My paw in Shadow’s was sweaty, clutching tight. My red-furred knees, under the heavy, metal desk twitched and jumped with my heart. Maybe the wolf and mongoose wouldn’t believe me. Perhaps they’d laugh it off, decide I was making everything up. I gritted my teeth, feeling my fangs poke my lower gums. I exhaled slow to calm myself.

“It feels… I don’t think it’s alive. It’s more of a presence and a feeling of… search… want. I don’t know it’s hard to describe.” I drew in a shaky breath and looked at Burt. “I’m sorry, Burt. I didn’t want to tell anyone, even about the tune. I-” I dropped my muzzle, feeling a heavy weight sink in my stomach, “I was scared. I didn’t want us to get thrown out. I didn’t want everyone… to hate us.”

Burt stepped one hoof forward but stopped. His expression relaxed, and he managed a nod and an encouraging smile. The big black bull’s eyes were sad though; he understood. A heavy fore-hoof settled on my shoulder and gave me a firm squeeze. He might not understand what was happening to me, but his message was clear. He’d be with me, with us.

Shadow’s concern had overtaken his wariness for the two strange furs. His focus was on me, though his eyes kept flicking, tracking the others crowding the little room. His paw, tight and trembling in mine, showed he was far from any relaxed state.

Shadow was here, even through his fear. Burt was here, even though he had others to watch out for. Other furs too. I had allies, furs who cared for me regardless who might think me a freak. I couldn’t give up trying anything to help them too.

Daws cleared his throat. “Whatever you went through before, I assure you, you will not be thrown out. You may be the single most important fur here.”

My eyes blinked wide, then narrowed. Important? I knew I was important to Shadow, important to a few others. No way could I be important in any world-saving sense.

A scoff blasted out my muzzle. Shadow flinched a little next to me, though my glance his way showed nothing else.

“Don’t believe me?” Daws leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms, fingers tapping one arm.

I waited, eyebrows quirked and doubtful. I didn’t want to be ‘important’. I wanted to be safe, happy, and with Shadow. Nothing more.

Daws dropped his paws to his knees, staring at me. “What I say will not leave this room, understood?” At our varied nods he frowned. “There are rumors of a breakthrough involving the Event. More than rumors, we need facts.

“They are looking for furs, anyone with knowledge or any ‘connection’ to the Event and the associated light. It is the secret focus of our mission here. ”

I gulped, trying to save my stomach from free-fall. “There are others?” I squeaked out.

“I believe so, pup. I’ve heard a few things. Nothing specific, but there do seem to be others with connection to the Event.”

My ears froze. “What do they want these ‘connected’ furs for? I didn’t cause-”

Daws held up his paw. “No, Tyler. They’re not looking for anyone responsible.”

Shadow’s paw gripped harder into mine, claws digging into the back of my wrist. His lips were twitching as his eyes began restless routes between Daws and the mongoose.

Daws’ voice was low and firm. “I don’t know much. I have heard they’ve identified what happened. Last rumor I heard sounded hopeful for a solution. The details are need to know and classified, I'm sure.”

I glanced at Burt’s hopeful face, but most striking to me was the glimmer of hope in Shadow’s eyes. The wolf's lips were slightly parted, more relaxed. His otherwise fearful eyes slowed in their dart between the wolf and mongoose. The two less-known furs ignored his unease.

Daws frowned. “This is privileged information. McStanz  and I are the only ones in my squad who know,” he gestured at the mongoose. “Now you know. I expect this not to leave the office.” His eyes flicked to Burt, before focusing on Shadow, who dropped his own eyes with a shiver.

Intense amber eyes turned to me. "My priority here has now changed. I was to check here, and return with any survivors I could. With the large number of survivors here, however, it was going to be delayed and a long process. Now we have you. You're the priority."

I gulped, feeling my stomach go cold and hard. I couldn't be the priority. I didn’t want it.

Taking my silence as agreement, Daws folded his paws on the desk and nearly stared me down. "A chopper will be here tomorrow for you. You will leave with it."

I glanced down at Shadow's paw, his spike in tension making my paw ache. "And?" I mumbled.

"What?" Daws' eyebrows raised.

"And... who else?" I met his eyes with my own, hard ones. "There are young here. Vulnerable furs. Injured furs. And I won't go anywhere without Shadow."

Burt cleared his throat and spoke in his deep voice. "This is important, Tyler. I want to get Michelle and the calf out. I want to get the young out. Hell, I want out of here too. But Tyler-"

He dropped off with a sigh. The bull’s heavy hoof dropped on my shoulder again, and I had to crane my neck back to meet his gaze from high up, behind me. I blinked up at him, his worried eyes, his heavy horns.

Burt sighed and rubbed a horn with his other hoof. "If you have a chance at ending this, you need to go. You MUST go. For all of us. For all our futures."

"Burt, I don't think it's guaranteed. I might not be able to help at all. Even a tiny bit." My shoulders and muzzle sagged with my pained heart, and my tears blurred my eyes.

Old feelings, deep feelings. I didn't want the rejection, the helplessness. I didn't want the disappointment I'd seen in Dad's eyes. I’d see it in others’ eyes.

"Tyler," Burt nudged my chin up with a hoofed finger. "Sometimes you need to look after yourself too. Sometimes you need to take the leap, even if it turns out to not be right."

What if I took that leap? If nothing came of it and every one of the FurShopper furs perished, would I be okay with that? Would I be okay with it if I succeeded in helping? No. No. Definitely not.

The feeling again. I hated the self-sacrifice they offered. I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t want it, didn’t want to live knowing I’d left them all behind.

I frowned and turned to Daws. "I'm not going by myself. You take me, you get us all."

Shadow’s tightened grip shifted the small bones in my paw, and I almost yelped. Tension rose in the room. The ‘inattentive’ mongoose straightened off the wall.

"Young pup," Daws' friendly demeanor slipped, his eyes turning hard, "it may not come down to your choice. As a matter of national security, of Furdom security, we insist."

"You won't get me to help willingly without everyone safe." I grit my teeth so hard, my nose wrinkled. "You'll need my cooperation to get this tune and whatever else you need out of me.” I couldn’t help the rise in my voice. “You think I’ll be in the right mind to help if I’m grieving them?"

The mongoose, McStanz, took a step forward, growling. "Dammit, shit-pup. You have no idea the risks we took getting here. There’ll be more risks to get you to safety. Trample your own life, but not others'!"

Shadow jumped up from his seat, paw leaving mine as he readied for any attack, snapping his shining teeth. But his eyes…. His eyes were wide in fear, his fur all standing on end, puffed down to his tucked tail.

McStanz didn’t take another step; his paws gripped into fists in front of him. Shadow’s paw left mine to also clench into a fist, ready to add force. McStanz showed his teeth. Mongoose eyes sparked at Shadow’s eyes, and I almost fell out of my chair.

Burt took a heavy step forward and stomped right in, making the floor vibrate. He put himself right between the two, using his mass in the small room. "Hold it!"

But it was Daws slamming his fist to the metal desk, snapping out a, “Stand down!” which reached the two who looked ready to fight through Burt.

My heart raced, my chest tight and hard. Shadow continued to snap his jaws between growls. A sudden rise of my own fear caused sudden images of Peter grabbing at me, forming before my eyes, obscuring my attention of reality. I blinked them away in time to see Burt press Shadow back with a spread hoof.

“Shadow,” I called to him. When he didn’t respond, I yelled, “Wulf!”

When he met my eyes, I saw more fear in them than anger. He reined in his upset, but didn’t sit. Yellow-gold eyes glared at the floor.

“We’re done here,” Shadow growled, reaching to grip my shoulder with a shaking paw. “Tyler, we’re leaving.”

“Um….” I was trying to calm myself down, but I wanted answers. Daws had some. I reached to my shoulder and placed a paw over Shadow’s. I didn’t stand, and it left my Wulf bound in place by my lightly trembling fingers. Furry Hells, I was so nervous!

“Stay, pups.” Daws settled his folded paws to the desk top. He sighed, “Please?”

Shadow tugged my shoulder over my paw, but when I didn’t move, he hesitated. It seemed a great effort for him to stay. When I looked back at him, his spare paw was clenching over and over, as if missing something. My dad’s bat was missing from his grip, and he clearly regretted not having it.

“Look,” I took a breath as Shadow tightened on my shoulder, hard. I squeezed my paw over his. “I’m aware it must have been difficult to get here. It will be more difficult to get us all back. I don’t care what it takes, you’re not leaving them here.”

“Be realistic, pup,” Daws threw up his paws. “We have a single functioning helicopter for this region. The whole of eastern Furdom. One! Plus the limited fuel available.

“There is no way we can back and forth everyone here in it. Beyond that, your help is needed to save far more lives than the ones here. Let us do our job and just focus on getting you out of here.”

I dared to show some teeth, though I was starting to shake. “So, I’m supposed to be happy abandoning furs here because I’ll save so many more?” I frowned, “No. Figure it out! I don’t care. I won’t do a thing until I know everyone’s out of here.”

I frowned. Everyone. Even Sanway. Even Isaac. Even that bitch Helaina.

McStanz’s voice raised into a yell, causing Shadow to startle. “You know nothing of what’s out there! Furs are dying, our whole civilization is crumbling more each day!”

“Can it, McStanz,” Daws’ warning came with a glare and a growl.

“More blood for your paws, shit-pup! We’ll take-”

“Can it, Soldier!” snapped Daws.

McStanz froze before snapping an impressive - though stiff - salute. “Sir.”

The room fell into silence, tumbled into discomfort. The mongoose leaned back against the wall again, and Daws’ let his silent displeasure pressure me. But I was tired, so tired of dealing with everything.

I stood, rubbing at my eyes with my free paw. I felt the need, the impulse to leave. I didn’t want to be there.

Shadow pulled at my arm, trying to guide me to the door. I had to go. I must have answers. Damn, I felt so confused, so turned around. My head wasn’t up to this.

“Pup… Tyler. You-” Daws sighed and set both paws back to the desk.

I stopped, torn between my need to leave, and the need to know, know anything. Damn, I hated being so tangled in the unknown.

Daws nodded to me. “You need to understand something. It’s chaos out there, even in the Green Zone. Even without a lot of Creeps wandering around, furs are out of their mind with fear.”

I turned back with a nod and crossed my arms as Shadow stared at the floor, his arms drooping. The first couple Curtains had seemed enough to drive me nuts. What would it have been like with more furs around? Mass hysteria? Riots?

Daws nodded again at my silence. “I don’t have a pack in the traditional sense, I’ve made the Furdom army my pack. I know where you’re coming from. I’ve wanted to save all my friends from being killed. But reality never lets up. Furs die. Maybe you hadn’t seen it much before the Event, but you just can’t save everyone.”

I broke my firmed silence. “So what? I should leave everyone for ‘The Greater Good’?”

Daws ignored my words. “I volunteered to come out here. No one else wanted to go so far into the Red Zone, to risk their own furry asses. You’re lucky anyone showed up at all. I may not get the resources I’d need to get this many back safely.”

“Your point?” I growled, feeling my sense of will falter. Be strong, Tyler!

Daws shook his head. “I want you to know the reality of the situation. We can get you out, maybe even your wolf friend. I can’t guarantee anyone else. We just don’t have the resources to take multiple trips with the helicopter.”

A chill went up my back. Was there no way to get everyone out?

“But,” Daws raised a paw, “it never hurts to ask. I’ll see what I can arrange. I’d prefer to get every fur out of here too. Especially since you’ve all made it this far.”

I nodded, feeling a little appeased.

Burt sighed. “On that note, the raccoon is still in the closet too. She survived, though the rest of the gang is dead. What do we do with her?”

“Yeah, do we leave her, Sir?” McStanz spoke up. “I didn’t sign up to rescue druggies.”

Daws frowned at his subordinate. “She is a survivor, a valuable survivor. Anyone alive in this zone is a walking miracle. Never forget that.”

“Sir,” the mongoose acknowledged, looking like he wanted to argue.

“On that note,” Daws continued, “We’ll rescue any we can. I’ll give it 24-hours, Pup. See what I can do. No promises.”

I nodded. “That’s all you can do.” I turned back to the door, Shadow was already opening it. Though Daws’ earlier refusal still smarted, I spoke to him in a low voice, “Thank you, Daws. Thank you for coming.”

“Just doing what I can,” he spoke absently, rustling papers behind me.

Shadow’s relief was palpable, the further away we got from Siku-Radi’s old office. He was silent as we walked, threading our way through Camp.

>>>>[[[[NOTE: DAY 19]]]]<<<<

Breakfast seemed so… ordinary, as if everyone gathered during a hosted camping trip. Only the furs present in military uniform broke the general vacation mood of the early hours. Tasks were passed out by Burt and Daws, allowing order and meaning to return to the overall Camp mood.

Shadow and I lingered at a picnic table, having woken to the general huh-bub and not having received any instructions. Few other furs were nearby; most had moved elsewhere in the store.

No bodies of the masses of dead remained in the area, so that was good. There was food available on one table. Shadow and I had helped ourselves to seconds. Someone had found more non-perishable bacon. Yum.

Without sharing any words, we left the dining area and wandered nearby. Passing by the couches, where Shadow had ‘introduced’ me to some play, I spotted some familiar furs. I blushed at the memory, stealing a glance to the black wolf in the hope he’d not noticed.

The furs?

I didn’t try to hide a wide grin as I saw Rusty over by Michelle, checking on the little calf Margaret. When he looked up and caught my eyes, his were glowing. The otter army medic standing nearby had a satisfied smile too.

I was relieved. Little Margaret was a new life, something to appreciate and honor in these crazy times. If Rusty was that happy, I was sure our little ‘niece’ was just fine.

We would be okay. Daws’ and his squad would find a way for all of us, right? But we knew them even less well than the ‘new’ batch of FurShopper furs. Look what chaos had come with them.

During my distraction, Shadow had led us to the loading area’s swinging doors. While I wondered on how much we could trust Sergeant Daws, my Wulf guided us to my Frankenstein car. But when we got there, Shadow poked around the empty car and came out with a huff.

“It’s not there,” he grunted.

“What’s not?”

“The bat,” Shadow replied to me, leaning his head into his rubbing paw. “Dammit.”

“You pups looking for something?”

I whipped around, spotting a suspicious male kangaroo stalking towards us. His eyes narrowed when Shadow flinched away from the car.

“This is a restricted area,” the roo rumbled. “Return to the civilian area immediately.”

“This is my car, we left something in it,” I said, trying to focus on the roo’s camo uniform name tag. What was his name? Melpin? Murkin?

“Likely story. In any case, this is now Furdom property. I’ll need you to step away from the vehicle.” The roo made an uncompromising gesture towards the entry.

“Wait,” I said before I could be prompted into taking a step. “We’re here for the baseball bat that was in the car. We need it back.”

The roo shook his head. “You’ll have to ask the Sarge. We’ve been encouraging the civilians to relinquish their various weapons. Once we’ve done a full account of what weapons are available, and who is best to wield them, you may get it back.”

Shadow seemed to shrink into himself. It didn’t escape my notice.

“That was my Dad’s bat,” I allowed a whine to fill my voice. “It’s the only thing I have left of him.”

The roo, I could see his nametag better, stepped closer. Murphy’s eyes softened. “I would, if I could. But you’re going to have to take it up with Sarge.”

“Okay,” I mumbled. “Ah, wait!” I poked my head back into my Frankenstein car. Shadow’s backpack wasn’t there. Something else was.

“Pup, I’d prefer you didn’t do that,” warned Murphy. “You need to step away from the vehicle and return to the civilian area.”

I found what I was looking for and withdrew from the dark interior. “I just wanted my photo and the toy. That’s all.”

I held them up for the roo’s suspicious gaze. If they weren’t allowing access to my car, then I wanted these most important things from it. They were no longer safe there. It seemed the squad had ‘claimed’ the Frankenstein car. My crazy bundle of metal welds and ducktape.

Murphy frowned. “Fine. Just leave. Now.”

I nodded and pulled a nervous wolf along behind me. I pushed through the swinging doors feeling just a little irritated. Only a little.

“Guess that’s it for my car,” I muttered.

Shadow was silent next to me. I stopped and he did too. His head was down, and his paws were shaking. Damn.

“Shadow?”

He didn’t respond.

“Wulf?”

His ears splayed to the side. “I don’t know what to do. Without the bat. My pack. Without anything….”

He shivered so hard, he stumbled. Was he okay? I reached over to his paw, but it flinched away from my touch.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, sounding even more upset, before he fumbled to take my paw in his shaking one.

I pulled him into a gentle hug. “Are you okay, Shadow, I mean, really?”

The black wolf clung to me. It took him a minute to respond, “I don’t know.” His bony chin dug into my shoulder.

We hadn’t been told to do anything. Even though I could see other furs doing chores and activities, no one asked anything of us. Shadow needed some space. I could tell by the tension and stillness of his body.

He was struggling to not go into the strange state he seemed prone to. When I finally pulled away, Shadow’s eyes seemed off, like they were slow to focus on me. Well, that won’t work.

I reached up and pulled his muzzle to look at me. It took him a moment to focus, his slow-blinking golden-yellow eyes meeting mine. He reached up a paw and cupped my cheek, managing a tiny smile.

I released a breath of partial relief, placing my paw over his and leading us away. Shadow was cognizant, aware of me. I needed to keep him here with the present, not slipping into the past.

As I led him towards our tent and some relaxation, I glanced back over my shoulder to my Wulf. “Shadow? I’d like to get something for Brynn. A gift. Any ideas?”

Shadow blinked several times before looking up. “I don’t know. Um… what do girls like?”

I chuckled, reaching our damaged tent. Opening the ripped tent without further damaging it was, well, a task.

I glanced back at him. “My sister liked dolls, flowers, and unicorns?”

“I guess the toy isle,” came the mumble.

“After all the days the young have been playing there? I’m sure it’s a worse mess now. Besides, haven’t they played with everything?”

“I guess,” he sighed, climbing into the tent after me.

His eyes were a little clearer. I needed to keep him talking. The last thing I wanted was to talk about anything upsetting; it might send him tumbling back through his numb state. He had other ideas though.

Shadow settled next to me and seemed to twitch. “I have to get the pack back. I have to get your dad’s bat back. Damn, what am I going to do?” his voice was rising in vague upset.

I pulled his paw to my lips. “We stay calm and figure things out. We have time. Those are just things, you’re more important. And I don’t think the military has any interest in an old, bloodied baseball bat or your backpack.”

Shadow shivered and snuggled close. I slipped an arm around his middle, and he responded by nuzzling into my shoulder.

“You smell nice.” At my scoff, he continued, “You smell like you, Tyler. We’re pretty dirty, I know. But... you smell like you.”

“Well, I’m glad you like it. I can smell myself.” I sniffed my arm for emphasis and made an exaggerated face of disgust.

“I like it.” Shadow nudged into my neck, causing my shiver. He took in a deep breath, scenting me.

I tried to view my reflection in his eyes, but in the dim FurShopper interior, I could only see a pale green hue taken from the tent walls. We sat there for minutes, lazing in each other’s company. He leaned into me getting heavier and heavier. I looked at him, and felt alarm rise when I noticed eyes unblinking and a little glazed.

“Shadow?” I wiggled my shoulder.

He didn’t move. He kept inhaling my scent, breath slow… breath shallow?

“Shadow,” I turned to lick his cheek. “Come back. Please don’t slip away.”

The black wolf blinked twice and licked his lips, a little more awareness coming back to those golden eyes.

“Are you scared?” I whispered into his ear. It didn’t flick me away.

It took him a moment, but he nodded. My heart twinged, hard. Fear persisted in my precious Wulf.

He was with me, but his fears were all real. I could dismiss mine, not having seen or experienced any of the trauma he’d been through. To have memory of furs’ ability to hurt you….

“Shadow, can I tell you a story?” I reached into my pocket and pulled out Kaylee’s cat angel. The plastic felt hard and smooth in my paw, the drawn-in flowers barely visible in the dim light.

“My sister was scared of dark places. That’s why we had the utility room set up the way we did. She thought that the room was where evil things came out of. Where darkness came from or something. I don’t know.”

It was too late to ask her. I shuddered in a breath, feeling too teary to resist one dropping down my cheek. Blinking several times, I reminded myself Shadow needed me; Kaylee was beyond help. It hurt to admit, a stabbing pain. My heart settled into an ache, wanting to see Kaylee and Mom again.

I gathered a shivering breath. “It all started when Dad disappeared for a month. He worked as some kind of consultant; I don’t know what kind. Dad told me long ago, but I don’t remember. It was too uncomfortable to ask Mom about Dad.” I spent a moment to lick Shadow’s cheek, up to his ear.

“Dad came home, snuck into the living room in the dark. I guess he thought it’d be funny to surprise Kaylee. She was watching TV and completely freaked out when he jumped her, taking a picture with a flash. She wouldn’t calm down for hours. After that she was terrified of the dark.

“Mom was so mad, and it made things more difficult  between them. He’d been separating me out, and Mom was noticing. I heard them arguing some nights. Dad was gone even more often after all that.”

I was remembering how things had become awkward at my house, in my old life. Was I in a new life? Was I simply ending my old life? Hearing Shadow’s breathing even and feeling his long sigh made me tingle warmly inside. The past didn’t matter; Shadow did.

“Kaylee thought Mom would leave too. That’s when she got scared of the utility room. She thought we’d all disappear. She’d be all alone. The darkness would take her.”

I felt Shadow tense, and I had to remind myself he had difficulty with claustrophobia. Closed in darkness would be worse. Or was he just remembering our time in the cramped, dark closet only a couple weeks ago?

I kissed a wide, wolfy brow. “I told her to draw flowers on her cat angel, and to keep the toy with her. It would bring Dad home. Back then I think I believed it too. I was about 12.” My long pause stretched, and I used the moment to breathe in Shadow’s scent from his shoulder.

“Shadow?” I whispered into his fluffy ear.

It took a moment for him to manage a “Hmmm?”

“Talk to me Wulf. Please?”

A sound like a groan and a hum together wafted out of him.

“Please?” I repeated.

“Your Mom and Dad-” he drifted off a few seconds. “They loved each other? Why did your Dad think….”

When he didn’t continue, I nodded, understanding. “They loved each other. But love doesn’t always come with trust, I guess. As soon as the thought of her betraying him entered his head, he couldn’t drop it. Every argument led to it.”

“It got bad?” asked the breathy shadow next to me.

“One time, I caught Kaylee searching the house for Dad. She was only about 4 then. She found his ‘toy’ collection. Mom called it that. He was a weapons enthusiast, you know? Like Sanway.”

My Wulf licked my neck and breathed in fresh scent mixed up with his saliva.

With a shiver, I struggled to continue. “She wanted his collection gone. He started yelling it was his right to protect his family. The supposed betrayal and the subject of my birth got brought in, and everything just blew up that night. Mom insisted later he move the ‘toys’ out of the house, but Dad ended up getting an apartment somewhere.

“That fight… I don’t think they got over it.”

Shadow breathed into my neckfur, clinging to my arm and shoulder. He seemed calmer, his breathing even.

Shadow’s voice broke the dull noise of distant activity. “My parents loved each other too. But my Father…. Power changed him. Rejection changed him. Responsibility became easy, and he left it behind, along with me.” Shadow paused a moment before continuing. “You’d think that if you really loved someone, they’d be enough for you. They’d be everything you ever wanted or needed.”

I shifted in his clinging arms, “Shadow, am I enough for you?”

His voice snickered, but then stilled. “Tyler, you’re more than I ever dreamed of having.”

“There are other furs.”

“Tyler, I’ve told you before, you’re the one I love. As long as you’re here, I’m not even gonna consider anyone else.”

“I guess. But what if I’m not around?”

“You’ll still be wrapped around my heart. I mean it, Tyler.” His voice was gaining strength. “I might lose sight of you in all this, but I want you to understand, we’ll always be together here.” He tapped his chest over his rising heart.

“I’m sorry, Shadow.” I mumbled. “I don’t mean to be a pain.”

The wolf chuckled, sounding more like himself. “You say you’re the pain? I’m the one who skips out on life.”

I huffed, “Don’t say that, Shadow. Your system’s just sensitive.”

“You’re sensitive,” he snickered into my neck, giving me a delightful shiver.

“Yes I am, around the Wulf I love,” I grinned and licked his cheek.

“Ugh, so sappy,” Shadow laughed, sounding like himself again.

“So what do we do now? No one has asked us to do anything, but we could join some work crew, I’m sure.”

A wolfy head snapped up. “Food?”

***

“FIFTEEN MINUTES!” hollered an annoyed military boar. He was gesturing to us ‘civilians’ as we were slow to gather before the FurShopper restrooms.

We all noticed a new addition to the furs gathering. The druggie raccoon. She was twitching, and her eyes darted. She seemed to be having some sort of issue, but Daws had insisted he didn’t have the manpower to babysit a single troublemaker.

No one wanted near her though. The FurShopper furs were well aware of the incident she’d been involved in. The military furs  were too busy with their ‘official’ tasks. She wandered into the females’ restroom, and I was relieved when a familiar roo sent Shadow and I into the males’.

If I thought the narrow room was crowded before, well it was packed tighter than sardines! Furs grumbled and there were small conflicts between individuals over space. Shadow had to growl at Helaina to get her to move aside so we could go further in; she was flirting with a distracted Daws near the entry.

We found a bit of space near the collie family and Brynn. Diana managed to perk up a little when the pika threw herself at Shadow, causing him to make a funny wuffing grunt.

Daws and the roo Murphy were gesturing over a clipboard, and Daws nodded, looking satisfied. Murphy saluted and darted out to the other restroom.

“Quiet down!” Daws called everyone’s attention as one of his underlings worked to seal the door.

As the room stilled, Daws nodded. “The Event will happen soon. I want all of you to relax. Know we have the situation under control. See you on the other side.”

With a nod to us all, he began his own routine of settling down near the door. Other furs began to settle too, many seeming calmer than other days.

Shadow pulled me in close, to lie down. I could feel him twitch every time someone else bumped him or touched him. He’d not be able to relax well for this round of the Curtain. Minutes passed.

I could tell it was coming. My ears didn’t hear anything, but the tune in my head strengthened. Was that a small tremor in the ground? No.

When it came, it came with a steady rise.

Prickles turned into stabbing pains. My mind shrieked with too much of everything as the ‘everything’ vibrated right through me. The world disappeared in spikes and screaming pain, growing distant.

The Curtain. It knew of me, and I knew of it. The entity, or whatever it was, seemed to reach for me, but I knew its tune and danced away through it in my mind.

It surged, and somehow, I perceived colors. Colors in the sound, a vile taste in the touch of it. Then it was gone.

And the rebound of nothing smashed into whatever was left of ‘Tyler’. I managed to hold on to a thread of self, which rebuilt until I grew into awareness of my panting, stressed body.

Shadow moaned and whimpered in my pained ear. He’d been tense with all the warm, living bodies around. My Wulf had suffered more because of it.

Damn. There was just no winning, was there?

When my body calmed and my mind cleared, I turned in Shadow’s arms to hold him in mine. Ignoring the furs around us pulling themselves together, I began a thorough licking of Shadow’s head and ears.

I paused, frowning. I tasted tears. Shadow tried to be a tough male, trying to hide his weaknesses. Was he in such distress, he couldn’t hold them back?

“Shadow?” I whispered into a black ear.

He groaned twice before he found his voice. “It hurts, and I thought I’d lose you. The Curtain. I saw you disappear.” He snuffled into my shoulder, clinging to me. “I just don’t want to be alone.”

I couldn’t do anything but be there for him. That, and give his ear extra licks. At my steady licking, he calmed and seemed quite content.

“You pups okay?”

I continued my licking, looking up to see the military otter med-tech standing nearby. I gave a confirming hum, and turned my attention back to my black Wulf. His bright eyes flickered, but settled to stay closed.

The female grunted, then walked off. “You’re the last ones in here. Better places to do that than the bathroom floor.”

I grinned when I heard Shadow snicker. It interrupted my licking an the big canine tilted his head, bumping into my muzzle. I felt a flood of happiness there on the floor, and resumed my licking, knowing we’d be alone for a time. A bit of solitude we’d have a hard time finding with all the furs running around the FurShopper.

***

The evening sun touched the mountain-ridden horizon with golden rays, streaking between peaks and scattered, glowing clouds. It was quite possibly the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. Well, that and Shadow’s eyes when he was especially happy.

Even better were Shadow’s bright, happy eyes reflecting the beautiful golden evening rays. I wanted to live in them, feel the magic all around me. I wanted to live in the happy contentment I saw within.

Different realms, the sun and the eyes. Like comparing apples to bricks; both red, but completely different. But some realms can share boundaries, to the improvement of both.

Shadow and I sat on the storefront facade, seeing who could spit on the furthest of the struggling zombies. While Shadow tried his next attempt, I eyed the death-grimaced faces, wondering if anyone I had known was down there. Shadow nudged me with his paw, and it was my turn to try.

Hawking a great wad of spit and phlegm, I threw my head forward, trying to propel further than last time. Shadow laughed when it struck a big rhino in the eye and the thing staggered forward in the mass underneath us.

Daws and the roo, Murphy, were in the distance of the roof; they were messing with some equipment they’d brought with them, removing it from shielded packaging. Something important, but something I didn’t care much about.

It was calm and golden, with birdsong cheering the coming night. The easy quiet was misleading; Shadow and I knew it but didn’t care.

Shadow and I had spent the day doing absolutely nothing of much importance. We’d played with little calf Margaret. We’d bounced between the couches until Erin, the collie mother, chased us away. Brynn had followed us to the toy isle, where I’d found a toy koala on a high shelf to give her. Between all that was some snacking and wandering.

No one had asked us to do any tasks, though many were busy themselves. We’d received a few looks, but I didn’t care. We’d needed the break. After everything happening to us, didn’t we deserve some time to ourselves? Shadow at least needed it, and seemed to have recovered well after his difficult morning.

A more perfect afternoon… I’d have to search my memory for one to compare. Every other moment, Shadow was touching me, smiling at me, or in other ways making my day infinitely better. Warm paws, tender smiles, exchanged between us.

I turned to look over the far end of the roof. Burt had emerged from the roof’s hatch, and Isaac was following. Of course Bradley was right on the lion’s tail. Howard came up after them. Their fur all glowed in the low light.

Daws waved high, gesturing the group over. I wondered what was going on. Shadow and I were up here to enjoy the fresh air, since the FurShopper air seemed to be getting ever more stuffy and heavy with the scents of unwashed furs.

My ears twitched. I smiled at Shadow’s exaggerated hawking and spitting. My ear twitched again.

Looking up, I realized I heard something in the distance. The zombies did too, and a few further members of the horde below turned towards the new noise. From the West, near the sun, a speck approached. A rhythmic whap filled the air as the object came closer.

The helicopter approached, then slowed. I wondered how it had survived the Curtain? Where had the military put such a thing to protect it?

It was a metallic wonder of technology and hope. My heart rose, trembling inside before it took a sinking dive. Was I supposed to go on it?

The machine descended, its complicated body alighting to the FurShopper roof. It stirred up a wind, chasing away dust and feathers across the roof expanse. The propellers cut through the air, not slowing down.

No. Daws had told them I wouldn’t go. They must be here for some other reason. They must.

A pawful of furs appeared to exit on the far side. They approached Daws and the greeting members of the FurShopper furs. Pulling myself out of my daze, I took Shadow’s paw to stand. We waited a moment, staring at the footpaws showing beneath the chopper as they approached one another.

“Let’s see who it is, Shadow!” I couldn’t wait any longer. Aside from my worries, the isolation of being trapped at the FurShopper was getting to me. Much as I didn’t mind being alone with Shadow, I wanted to remind myself of the greater world.

The helicopter blades whipped, not slowing down, competing with the evening breeze. Shadow and I trotted towards the chopper paw-in-paw, passing it slowly until we could see around. I was grinning in joy, Shadow was too, catching my excitement. Furs survived, survived with modern technology!

The wide grin froze to my face, and I slowed, my paw pulling away from Shadow’s as I came to a dull stop. A familiar fur was shaking Burt’s big black hoof, while the bull grinned at him.

Everyone was celebrating, but my heart froze, and my stomach dropped to my toes. My ears splayed in dismay, my whiskers twitching. I wondered what the new fur would bring for me, for us all.

Dad.