In the golden evening sun, the ground was covered in masses of the living. It was crowded, more crowded than I remembered furs could get. Weeks around so few had me staring at the mass of furs the bus rolled past. Tents, tarps, and scrap wood housed them behind chain-link fencing. A tarp-covered refrigerator box showed scared pup eyes, seen through running legs. A hulking complex of industrial structures sat in the middle of the tent city. I could only hope the buildings were both safe and large enough for all.

“These are the furs who managed to get here,” McStanz explained. “Mostly from the Yellow Zones. They have to go somewhere, but by all that’s furry, I hate this mess.”

I couldn’t stop from staring out the window. Shadow stared over my shoulder as well. His breath was fast near my ear, and I turned to face him. Subtle panic showed on his face, muzzle clenched in tension. A wolfy arm clutched the backpack close to his heart, the other paw squeezed mine in unspoken fear.

Excited, worried furs gathered around as the bus pulled to a stop. Many were yelling names, trying to see if familiar furs were among us. My nervous excitement was mirrored among the others on the bus.

“Don’t leave the bus, shit-pup. We get off last,” said McStanz, glaring at the chaos.

“Okay,” I whispered. Damn. I’d responded to that name….

Shadow was stilled, frozen in place with the backpack halfway up to his shoulders. He didn’t do well in crowds. If weeks of few furs had me nervous, how was Shadow feeling?

Brynn reached a little paw from the seat behind us, touching Shadow. He startled, then managed a wan smile at Brynn, who looked like she didn’t believe his attempt.

“Brynn,” Shadow mumbled.

When he hesitated more, I said, “Crowds scare me sometimes, Brynn. How about you?”

The little lagomorph shrugged, then nodded. She smiled at Shadow, setting her little muzzle on the back of the seat, watching the other furs file out of the bus. Shadow managed a weak smile and hefted up his pack. I checked my pocket, feeling relieved satisfaction my little items were still with me.

Helaina, Peter, and Michael thumped out last, talking loudly and ignoring my glares. When they were out among the crowd, getting herded toward a set of intake tables, I breathed a little easier.

“Don’t worry, pup.” McStanz scowled into the crowd after them. “I’ve notified Major Jekkers, who’s in charge of this area. They’ll find actions have consequences.”

I could only hope so.

Shadow, Brynn, and I were the last to file out of the bus. Hundreds of eyes searching for loved ones peered at us in the golden evening light. Many were disappointed when the bus was empty and pulled away, leaving us in the pounded-dirt area. More furs were lost than found in the Red and Yelow Zones. We were a lucky few to have made it out of the Red.

The lines to the tables looked slow, and furs were demanding news of loved ones from stressed volunteers. We joined at one end. I hoped it was the correct line. Helaina’s trio were in the next line over, but a few furs from the bus were in ours.

Helaina, Peter, and Michael were fished out of the lines and directed to follow Bill the boar into a nearby military tent. I felt a hollow satisfaction, but the sight didn’t answer my questions or my need to see them suffer consequences.

McStanz took my arm to pull me out of line, bypassing my Wulf and guiding me past the tables. The mongoose ignored the frustrated mumbles of furs still in the line, watching us. We would not be checked in with the other refugees from the FurShopper. Shadow stayed close, taking my other arm. I glanced back, seeing a confused Brynn pointing at us, looking up at Cade.

“Wait. What about Brynn?” I asked. “We can’t leave her alone.”

“There are furs, trained and ready to see to her needs if no one picks up her care.” McStanz sounded so committed to her wellbeing.

Burt and his family joined Cade. The last I saw was Michelle passing little Margaret to Burt and squatting down to console a sobbing Brynn. My heart wanted to wrench from my chest, seeing the little pika so upset. I couldn’t do anything for her, maybe when things had settled some, when I could support her somehow.

We disappeared into the crowd, McStanz pushing past a mix of furs - eager, destitute, and exhausted.

Shouting began somewhere in the crowd, and McStanz cursed. The mongoose pulled me and my Wulf further to the side. Angry, frustrated furs passed us, rushing to the racket. Things were more unstable than I had realized.

We entered a larger military tent, set aside from the low city of camping tents and tarp shelters. Inside was a collapsible table, a few chairs and a single file cabinet. The floor was covered with an over-trodden rug, which might have been red under the caked dirt. A pissed-looking badger in wrinkled combat fatigues glared at us over his paws from behind the table. A white female mouse sat at the side, keeping her many papers at the table’s corner.

“McStanz?” the male badger growled. “That you? Good. You’re finally here.”

“Sir!” the mongoose came to a crisp salute.

The badger flicked a finger in acknowledgment. “I heard of your report. What happened to Daws? Is that wolf really dead?”

McStanz directed me and Shadow further into the space. “Yes, sir. He was with this pup; managed to get his sorry ass out, at least.”

The muscled badger glared at me. “And this is the one the science team has latched their teeth into? You know how much flack I’ve had from them? Completely fussy. All demands, no results. I want results, McStanz.”

McStanz’ ear flicked. “I hope this fox will bring some kind of results. He does seem… sensitive to the Event. Does some things I’ve never seen or heard of before either.”

“Uh-huh.” The badger stared at me. “I’m Major Jekkers. I’m in charge of this mess. It’s a headache. I ask you, young fox: what makes you different than any other fur entering this camp?”

It felt like I might be in front of… Mr. Evans, trying to prove my worth. I cleared my throat. “I- I hear something in the Curtain. When I whistle or sing the tune I hear from it, the zombies go nuts.”

“Nuts, like disordered?” asked Jekkers, looking interested.

“Um. No.” I sighed. “They run like crazy to the sound. To me.”

“Sir,” McStanz said. “They seem to ignore all other stimulus when this pup whistles. I’ve seen it myself.”

“Is it something we can repeat?” asked the big badger, looking more interested. “Can it be recorded?”

I shook my head. “The tune is always changing. I don’t think it works repeated.”

“Hmmm.” Jekkers looked pissed-off again. “Sounds pretty useless.”

I slumped a bit, and Shadow mumbled a growl.

“And just who is this brat attached to your so-called ‘prize’ Mr. McStanz?”

“This is Shadow. He’s friends with Tyler here.”

“Mate,” snapped Shadow.

Jekkers didn’t look like he gave a kitten’s whiskers. “Pass them off to the science team. I don’t care.”

“Give them both access to the bunker?” asked McStanz, looking a little surprised.

“Yes, yes. I don’t care. Just get them out of here. Mates indeed.” He gestured to his side, where the mouse sat. “Set these two up with passes.”

“Yessir,” the white mouse mumbled, scribbling.

Inside the tent was silent, save for the hurried scribbling and rustling of the stressed mouse. Occasional shouting and yells continued outside, but no one rushed out to respond. Jekkers tapped fingers over fingers, clenched together under his chin. He glared at me, causing Shadow to shift uncomfortably. I felt lacking under the heavy gaze.

“Any time now, Sarah,” Jekkers said, not looking away from me.

A hasty moment of shuffling later, the mouse was carefully cutting into a piece of heavy paper. She passed the two pieces to Jekkers, who signed them and held them out.

“Well? Take them, pup,” said Major Jekkers. “I’m a busy fur, and as you can see, there’s chaos out there with no end in sight.”

“Thank you, sir,” I whispered, taking the two passes.

“Don’t thank me. Just figure out if you can do something. Though I doubt it.” He looked away, to some other papers little Sarah was placing under his nose. He sighed. “So much damn paperwork.” He passed a signed sheet to McStanz who saluted in response.

McStanz gathered us up, getting us outside in a hurry. “You were lucky. He’s in a good mood today.”

What was the badger like in a bad mood?

Outside the tent, the sun was getting low. The musk of too many unwashed furs reveled in my nostrils. I wanted to gag through my general exhaustion. Four furs ran past, screeching curses at a couple military types chasing them.

McStanz sighed. “Well, time to round up a vehicle.”

I tilted my head. The ‘bunker’ mentioned wasn’t here? I hoped it wasn’t much further; I’d had enough time on the road. Hadn’t I just had my last roadtrip ever? There was more?

McStanz guided us to a far section of the refugee camp. An orderly line of five small vehicles, all military issue, were guarded by a pair of annoyed-looking lemurs.

The taller of the two white and black furs confronted us when we approached. “State your name and business,” the female snapped with a glare.

“McStanz, assigned by Jekkers to take these two to the bunker.”

The shorter one’s eyes narrowed. “Really?” he said with dripping suspicion.

“Papers,” demanded the female. She held out a narrow paw.

McStanz passed the single sheet Jekkers had given him to the female. “Just need them transferred ASAP.”

“More rando’s to the bunker?” asked the male lemur. “Don’t know what those science-y guys are thinking.”

McStanz was silent. I had to remind myself that the ‘Listeners’ were to be kept a secret. Good thing I hadn’t thought to mention them.

Shadow shifted next to me. I took his paw in mine and kissed it with my smiling lips. At least he was coming with me. I would be an unstable wreck without him.

“Fine.” The male lemur gestured over his shoulder. “Take number four there.”

McStanz nodded and stumped towards the vehicle. Shadow and I clambered into the back, while McStanz took the driver’s seat. He glanced at us in the rear-view mirror and shook his head. Grumbling to himself, he started the sturdy vehicle, and we rumbled off.

The ride was not meant for comfort, and neither were the seats. We jostled over grassy patches, dirt holes, and mini-canyons until we reached a clear, paved road. Settled by the smooth ride, I leaned in close and licked Shadow on the cheek.

His worry disappeared, a smile gaining his muzzle. “Well, my good fur,” he mumbled with fine grandeur. “Where shall our driver take us?”

I snickered over the hum of the vehicle. With a squeeze to his paw, I mumbled back, “To our future I suppose. A wild future with many, many sunsets.”

“Just like that one,” he said, pointing out a small window.

It was a beautiful sunset. As we drove in silence, the golden hues turned a piercing red, fading into nighttime.

Around the time the dimmer stars could be picked out in the darkening sky, the vehicle pulled off onto a one-lane road, surrounded by haunting brush and trees. I couldn’t see the stars anymore, but the low moon lit a few higher leaves and branches. The undergrowth was close and claustrophobic. My tension rose.

What did they expect of me in this bunker? I couldn’t think of any way I might help. I might scream and cry though. Was that all I was good for?

I sighed and lay my head on Shadow’s shoulder. He turned his attention from our surroundings to me.

“You okay, Foxy?”

I shrugged.

“You worry waaay too much.” He touched my forehead.

My eyebrows rose with my grin. “And you, Wulf don’t worry at all. So we even each other out.”

We turned a hilly corner, concealed by trees and dense undergrowth of silver, moonlit hues. It was darker there, and the vehicle pulled to a stop. Beyond us, bright lights turned on, giving no shadow room to hide in the sturdy little vehicle.

“State your name and business,” demanded a harsh tone behind a bright light.

I blinked through my disorientation and felt Shadow cringe into a huddle next to me, grabbing my paw. Reacting to his fear, I felt my lips pull back from my teeth and forced them to release. I didn’t need to escalate things with bad behaviors.

A clear voice from the front of our vehicle spoke. “McStanz on order of Major Jekkers. Bringing another fur the science team insists on checking out. Here’s the paperwork.”

After an eye-glaring moment of rustling papers, the harsh voice spoke again. “Who’s the young wolf? He’s not listed.”

McStanz sighed. “Look. Jekkers aide probably forgot to mark it. They both have passes from Jekkers. I brought the fox, and he won’t cooperate without the wolf.”

“Uh-huh,” came the harsh voice in slight ridicule. “Let them into screening. Pull the fox separate. Wolf to questioning. McStanz, you’re to pull into the vehicle check.”

“What’s happening?” I asked, leaning forward to gain McStanz’ attention as he guided the vehicle through shining fencing.

“Just go along with them, shit-pup.” McStanz’ voice held no sympathy or suggestion as he brought the vehicle past the fence.

“What?” I blurted as we pulled through huge, thick doors. A cemented area sheltered within those massive doors. Large equipment hulked in the far shadows, sensitive and protected from the Curtain.

Furs approached my door.

“Wait!” I called when the door next to me was opened. I tensed, my chest tightening with thoughts of the unknown.

A paw grabbed my arm, pulling me out of range of Shadow’s reaching paw. I squeaked in brief pain, my jostled shoulder protesting. Shadow started to bark something but was interrupted by some scuffle.

I raised my free paw over my eyes, trying to see. “Shadow?” I called, seeing him scramble to get out on my side of the vehicle.

Cast in heavy shadow from the bright lights, a large fur intercepted him, seizing him before he could get near me. Though the wolf froze up, stiff, he was dragged off to the side.

“Wait!” I yelled, desperation clutching at my chest. “Wait! I- I- won’t help! I won’t help without Shadow!”

The fur at my side, her paw on my sore arm, forced me towards a door opposite the one Shadow vanished into.

***

How long had it been? Were they hoping to break me by making me wait?

The gray table and chairs in no way complemented the gray, windowless room. Even the lighting seemed colorless and grayed. How boring. How awful. How disheartening.

The only other feature in the boring, boring room was the camera in the upper corner across from the door. It stared at me, blinking its little red light, etching loneliness and despair into my heart….

I shook my head, starting to grow again. I’d tried to keep up a steady growl, but my voice was getting scratchy. I cleared my throat. They might break my voice, but they wouldn’t break my spirit, my fight to be with Shadow.

“Hey, I won’t help without Shadow!”

There was no answer. I needed to see someone. For any reason.

“Hey! I want to use the bathroom!” I waited through minutes of silence in the gray realm. I could try again. “I need something to drink!”

I was getting a little nervous. I was alone, without Shadow. He was my guarantee of our survival. I couldn’t watch out for him either. “Helloooo!” I called, trying to keep the nervous tremble from my voice.

Still no answer. I was thinking of laying my head on the gray, gray table to pass the time and catch some Z’s, when the door clicked. It unlocked and a fur stepped in. A stranger.

“I won’t help without Shadow!” I declared to the blank faced doe. She didn’t look up from her clipboard of papers, even when I crossed my arms and huffed. I huffed again, trying to find some response in her while the spotted doe sat in a chair opposite mine. When the fur still showed no response to me, I growled. “Might as well be talking to these gray walls.”

My eyes tried to find something to focus on besides the female cervine. Only the camera offered it’s own stare. I blinked at it; how was it still working?

Electronics didn’t work. Some old, old equipment was spared. Something in the sturdy simplicity and older technology standards kept a few things running. The camera was modern, full of little electronics. Did it mean the room, maybe the whole place was shielded from the Curtain?

I blinked startled eyes. The whole place? How big was it? How many could shelter within it? I could bring-

“Your name is Tyler Evans, correct?”

The fur had spoken!

I cleared my throat, staring at the gray walls with a new appreciation. Could four fit in here during the Curtain? Five? Could someone change this into someone’s living space? Could-

“Tyler Evans?” the doe repeated, putting the clipboard on the gray table.

“Um. Yes.” I blinked at her wide-spaced eyes.

She looked at me, showing no emotion. “Keep up, please, Mr. Evans.”

My ears sunk. “Call me Tyler. Please.”

‘Mr. Evans’ was my biological father. I had no desire to be called the same as I’d heard him called many times.

“Tyler.” She was silent another moment. “I need to screen you for entry. We need to determine your general aptitude and quality.”

I stared at her in silence. What did that mean? I settled on a nod as she stared back, emotionless.

I didn’t recognize what species deer she was. She appeared to be spotted, with a white throat. Her clothes were as gray as the room, some sort of issued garments.

I frowned. “Uh. If I don’t have enough of… those things you might want?”

“Then we send you back to the refugee camp.”

“And Shadow? The wolf with me. He-”

“He’s currently being reviewed as well.” She flipped up a page on her clipboard. “He has no reported qualities. He himself reports no qualities.”

“You saw him?” I asked, unable to keep the desperation out of my voice.

“Yes,” her eyes softened. “He was upset, but calmed somewhat with guarantees of your safety.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. I shook my head. How was I grateful? They’d separated us. “I want to see him. He needs to be here.”

“Even if you show some qualities, he will not be able to stay with you. You may see him once you are returned to your designated refugee camp.”

My voice took an unintended bit of growl. “No. If I stay, I must be with Shadow. He’s my mate.”

The doe’s ear flicked, but her eyes returned to be impassive. “The wolf must be returned. He is not necessary.”

“He’s necessary to me!” I shouted. “Sorry,” I said, forcing a calmer voice. “I just want to make it clear I won’t help without him by my side.”

“Your loyalty is admirable, but unneeded. What is needed is any aptitude, any harmony with the Event.”

“I- I have that!” I said, desperate to be valuable enough to keep Shadow. “I want to help. But I won’t without Shadow!”

The doe’s ear flicked again. She scanned the document. Her eyes widened, looking up at me. “You whistle? You whistle the Event harmonics?”

“The what?” I hesitated. The terminology was confusing me. I shook my head and cleared my throat. “I whistle some tune the Curtain- the Event… um... gives me?”

She nodded, finally looking interested over her passive professionalism.

It was progress. “I whistle it, and the zombies, they go nuts trying to get to me. I think just to tear me up, but it’s like they go mindless and desperate.”

The doe nodded, making a mark on the clipboard. “Good, good. For how long after the… ‘Curtain’ do you hear it?”

My brows drew together. “Um….”

“Like it might be detectable just before the Event, and last for a little past it?”

“No.” I shook my head.

Her expressive ears sagged. “I see,” she mumbled with a sigh, marking again on the paper.

“No, I mean I hear it all the time,” I clarified.

She looked startled. “ALL the time?”

I nodded. “It drives me up the wall. I thought it was some song I couldn’t get out of my head. But then I asked around and-”

I stilled, nervous by the hasty marks she made to the paper. She scribbled something out, marking something else.

“Good. Good.” The doe tried, but was unsuccessful in hiding some excitement. She looked up, her eyes eager. “Now have you heard of ‘Listeners’? It’s what we’re calling those who can hear something of the Event, have some kind of harmonizing affinity. Or… well, we’re not sure what, just that some few are sensitive to it and many others are not.”

I nodded, a hesitant hope coming to me. “I have this?”

“Yes. By your report, you have a high affinity and aptitude to the Event.” She scowled suddenly. “Unless your self-reporting is false. You realize, there are harsh consequences to lying, regarding this matter.”

“Of course!” I said. “I’m not lying. I’m telling you the truth. I didn’t know there are others who can hear the Curtain… er, the Event.”

“Well. It’s not that common,” she said, leaning back, still holding her clipboard. “But there are rumors beginning to circulate that some are sensitive to the Event, outside the occurrence itself. There have been… mixed reactions among the public.”

“Mixed?” I frowned.

“Some furs are being attacked for their rumored ‘sensitivities.’ Suspicion is rampant. Fear is out of control in every fur.” She put a hoof down to the gray table top. “If you have as high a sensitivity as I hope, you may be of much use to us.”

“Yes?” I glared. “I won’t help without Shadow. I just won’t.”

“Look, pup. Rules-”

“I don’t care about the rules. You want my help? I want Shadow. End of story.” I was shaking in intensity and nervousness, but I must stay strong. “It’s my one and only condition.”

“What I can do is give you your items back.” She passed me a plastic zip bag of my three precious pocket items. While I snatched them up, inspecting each as I removed them from the bag, she said, “This should suffice for now. You’ll be able to meet with the wolf another time. We might be able to facilitate an outdoor visit.”

“No. I have to have Shadow. By my side.”

The light-colored doe gave me a look somewhere between thoughtful and frustrated. “I’ll see what I can do. The higher-ups are inclined to dismiss your request.”

I growled, crossing my arms and raising my muzzle.

She looked at her papers again. “But, under these circumstances… and considering how important this is, how important you might be to the science operations here….”

“I’ll help you with Shadow by my side, or send us both back to the refugee camp, where I’m sure I’ll be useless. A burden.”

She grimaced.

I wanted it to dig in deeper. “And you’ll always wonder if I could have helped.”

She sighed and stood. “I guess it never hurts to ask. I’ll see what I can do.”

***

“Well, somehow you got them to let you in,” grumped McStanz as Shadow gripped me in a fierce and desperate hug.

It didn’t matter. I had Shadow. We were together.

“Well. This is as far as I take you, shit-pup.” The mongoose tilted his head, his gaze at me for once a little positive and not quite full of distaste.

I nodded. “Thanks, McStanz. I guess.”

“Huh,” he gruffed and let himself out, stalking to the vehicle.

Before he left, Shadow and I were herded through a brightly-lit doorway by a big, scowling fox in the same issued gray clothes. The gray hallway was lit with repeating ceiling lights. Long before we reached the end, the big fox directed us into an elevator well.

I looked around, but didn’t see anyone around while we waited. “Where-”

“Shhh!” the fox demanded. “I won’t answer any questions, so don’t even try.”

I hung my head until Shadow pulled me close around the shoulders, whispering his hot breath into my ear. “At least we’re together.”

“I wasn’t about to give you up, Wulf,” I whispered back.

“Cut the chatter,” the fox said as the elevator arrived with a slight ding.

Shadow rolled his eyes, and I hid a snicker, following the fox into the elevator. The doors closed in, crowding our silent grouping. Shadow eyed the fox with wariness. The elevator dinged several times. Too many times, going down, down, endlessly down. How deep did this place go?

When the doors opened, I was ready for more featureless hallways of repeating lights. I wasn’t prepared at all for the giant… creature blocking the way out.

The creature grinned with a huge mouth, lined with pointy teeth. “And there they are. Word passes quickly down here, you know. We’ve been waiting for a while.”

I stared, my muzzle dropping open in shock, my ears leaning forward. It was far beyond a species of fur I’d never seen. Shadow was next to me, stilled and just as rapt, but I was too occupied with my staring to consider his reaction.

“A- A- A-”

The huge black and white creature grinned, showing all those teeth. The voice was incredibly deep when he spoke. “Guess I’m the first fin you’ve seen?”

It was a few seconds before I could manage a nod. They- They were so… rare! At least inland, and away from the water. No one had any idea of their true numbers, as they were quite secretive and even the locations of their cities were closely guarded.

“I am an orca. I go by Tehma here. I really despise the ‘killer whale’ term, so please refrain from using it in my presence.”

I nodded, managing to close my jaw. I glanced at Shadow, expecting to see him cowering from the huge predator. He stood next to me, enraptured by the large mammal.

I couldn’t call his species a fur. Species of whale and dolphins were not furs, they were fins!

I’d met my first fin!

My grin overtook my muzzle. I felt so many questions rise to mind. Was the robe he wore comfortable? Was he okay for long out of the water? Did he stay here? Did they give him a big tank of water to relax in? Was-

“Enough gawking,” growled the big fox with a scowl. He moved to squeeze out the elevator, past the giant fin.

“Ah, Mr. Kedders. Thank you for bringing more of these Listeners.” He made room for the fox, nodding behind him. “We needed more subjects for the Project.”

“Project?” I asked, trying to get my footpaws to move forward.

Shadow moved first, pulling me out of the elevator as the fin held it open with a thick hand. The fin looked similar in size to rhino I’d once seen, but the figure was streamlined, built for efficient speed in water. He was huge and impressive.

“Yes. I’m a scientific representative, one of three from Findom. I can’t share with you the state of Findom, so don’t ask. If you have questions, I will happily answer them if I can. I’m sure Mr. Kedders has not given you any.”

I shook my head. “We would appreciate any answers. I don’t want to ask too many….”

“Questions are the basis of science, little fur,” said the giant mammal.

I wasn’t that little, but I didn’t want to mention it.

“Now first, which of you is the Listener? I’m sorry, but I can’t tell canids apart very well. I’m out of practice,” he admitted with a deep, deep chuckle.

“I guess I am?” I said. “I’m a fox.”

“And how much of the Event are you able to perceive?”

“A lot?” I admitted, feeling a bit ashamed. Being able to perceive the Curtain to the extent I did must make me a bad fur. There was no excusing it. I hung my head while Shadow’s paw tightened on mine.

“Hmmm,” came the deep, deep voice of the fin. His hand moved forward slowly, to nudge my chin up so he could look at me. His head was turned a little sideways, maybe to see me better. “You have very blue eyes for a fox,” he commented.

I gulped.

“How extraordinary. Perhaps genes have something to do with sensitivity to the Event. Your eyes are quite attractive, you know. Vivid in color.”

“Mate,” Shadow growled, pulling me in front of him and hugging me from behind. His glare was apparent over my shoulder in the way the orca looked surprised.

“Oh. I apologize, canid. Are you a wolf? I didn’t know wolves could form a mate bond so young. You are young, correct?”

Shadow’s growl hesitated. “Wolf,” he agreed with a short nod.

The orca grinned. “Well, congratulations, and I hope you have many pups!”

“Um... we’re both male,” I ventured, looking around the wide underground room.

While the orca gave acceptance and apologies, I stepped further into the wide room. It was taller than I’d expected, but supported by pillars at intervals. Many furs gathered in clumps to talk and around tables to eat. A common room?

“What is this place?” I asked as the fin led us down into the midst of the sparse crowd.

“Ah, the questions begin!” said the orca, looking pleased. “And please forgive my ignorance earlier. My specialty lies in the hard sciences.”

Hard sciences? Soft science existed? I blinked my thoughts clear. I had questions. I wanted answers. I felt starved for answers.

“Um… Tehma, sir?” I started.

“Just Tehma. It’s similar to my name and far more pronounceable by you furs.”

“Tehma. Um… It might be obvious, but what is going on? What is the Curtain?”

He paused at a row of encased food, ignoring others in the big room pointing and eyeballing at the three of us. “Curtain? Oh! You mean the Event. I’ve never heard it called the Curtain. Hmmm, interesting….”

“What is it? The Curtain… er, Event?” I wanted, needed to know.

Tehma served himself several large pieces of what looked like fish and fatty meat, all raw. “Well, you may actually know a bit yourself. What do you know of it?”

I hesitated. Could I tell? Everything?

The thick hand set to my shoulder. “Don’t worry, tiny fox. We probably know it already, and any more information can only help.”

Shadow glared at him, though he was distracted by piling his plate with a little of everything not raw meat. “Mine,” he said, growling a little at the orca’s attention of me.

Tehma nodded to the wolf. “Anything. Truly anything may help.”

I drew in a deep breath. “I think it’s something existing in the light, coming down in the curtain-looking… phenomenon.” I was proud of my word usage. “It’s slower to clear its way through glass.”

“It is known,” agreed the giant creature.

My confidence grew a bit, through my nighttime fatigue. “I think it has an EMP-like effect, killing most electronics.”

The orca stood with his gathered food while I grabbed waffles and steak for my tray. Hey, it was what I felt like eating. I drank down the first cup of milk offered, groaning in satisfaction. So good.

Tehma smiled in what I took as agreement. “It’s strong enough to kill most modern electronics, but some of the older stuff, thicker and more primitive survives.”

“And…” I hesitated. Clearing my throat as I took a second milk for my tray, I said in a lower voice, “I think it’s evolving, improving itself. Just like the zombies are.”

Tehma grinned excitement, causing Shadow to flinch at all the teeth shown. “But what is it evolving into?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

“No one seems to know. It’s evolving into something completely unique. It’s-”

“Don’t listen to this guy,” came a strange-sounding voice. It was thin and fine-toned, not full of varied sounds like voices I knew.

Another first. A feather! A feather who scowled at us.

At least I think it was scowling. It was hard to tell on the wicked-looking beak of the eagle in front of us. Male or female was impossible for me to tell, and it was smaller than I thought a big feather would be. Still larger than me, though.

The feather raised its beak. “I suspect you will fill their heads with grand ideas and idle dreams. It’s time to focus on what’s important. Time to focus on not becoming extinct.”

“Ugh. Feathers.” A fur approached, a wombat. The little male looked up at the taller feather. “World would be better without all of you anyway. Maybe we wouldn’t have to share it with you if the Event would make you all extinct. You don’t utilize your land properly anyway.”

The eagle’s natural glare became more fierce. “Maybe the Event will cleanse you all away. Maybe it was sent by the Gods.”

The wombat showed some teeth. “Or maybe it was because you were messing with what you shouldn’t have-”

“And maybe you shouldn’t have bumbled around with-”

“Enough!” The orca’s great voice drew the attention of many.

I just wanted to sit and eat. Afterwards, I’d find somewhere to sleep with Shadow….

The orca glared at the two very different creatures. “Mistakes were made. Both sides have been deemed responsible for at least some of this mess.”

What was he talking about? “But furs and feathers have been at peace for decades?” I wondered aloud, gaining the orca’s returning attention.

“Yes. Well, some grudges and frustrations are buried deep in the cultures.” Tehma sighed. “I’m here with the other fins to research and bring everyone together, so progress can be made. Without conflict,” he reminded with the deepest growl I’d ever heard.

The wombat and eagle both bowed their heads. “Agreed,” they both muttered, still stealing hard glances at each other.

The two stalked away in different directions, leaving Shadow, Tehma, and me to sit at the nearest empty table with our food.

Tehma sighed again, a huge wafting breath. “I’d get three times as much work done if I wasn’t constantly working to calm things around here.”

I frowned at my steak and waffles. Shadow was already ‘wolfing’ down everything in sight, especially the protein-rich meats. He seemed quite happy with the selection.

What did it mean? It all built more and more questions.

“Why are the two sides blaming each other?” I muttered out the question before I’d realized it.

Tehma slipped raw meat into his giant mouth, swallowing it whole, despite his teeth… which didn’t look up to chewing. “They blame each other because both sides are responsible.”

That made my eyes snap wide.

“Furdom and Featherdom were both conducting experiments at the same time. Both high energy experiments which- well, to make it short, we theorize the gathered energies of the two experiments conflicted and ripped a hole in space-time, and something is coming through.”