FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, here it is. For any out there who were anticipating this one, I'm sorry it took so long to get done. School and such things got in the way, and I'd like to thank you for your paitience. For those hopping into this for the first time, welcome! Remember, comments of any sort are always welcome here or by e-mail.

Also, I'd like to give a big thanks to Klesk Vadrigaar for his continuing support and help. You rock, man! :-)

Anyway, without further ado, enjoy.

The Blaze

Episode 3: Falling Prey

Planet Masse

Blitz Baumwolle's Pub

August 2, 2200 AR

Chase landed hard against the table, the force of the blow knocking the wind out of him. "Damn it, if I'd only brought my staff..." he whispered, then inhaled sharply and stood up again. His opponent, a tall black bear, had managed to throw him a fair distance, and was now smirking with glee. He obviously thought that the wolf was done. He would soon realize just how wrong he was.

"Want more, wolf?" the bear taunted.

"Gimme, gimme..." Chase raised his paw, taunting the bear with a curl of his arm. The fool huffed and charged forward, claws out and ready to slash. Before the bear reached him, Chase lashed out with a snap kick to his stomach, then a spinning punch to send him flying backward a short distance.

"Ugh! Lucky shot." the bear said, panting and clutching the point of impact.

"Not lucky. Skilled." The wolf flashed a satisfied smile, then turned to face Pyro, who was busy fighting off a pug. "Yo, Pyro!"

"Yeah?" Pyro answered, kicking his foe to knock him away.

"Can we get some music in here?" Chase nodded at the jukebox right next to his dog friend.

Pyro looked at the jukebox, then back to his leader. "Sure thing, Chase! Any requests?"

"Punch the rock search key!" Pyro obeyed, practically smashing the button with his paw. The jukebox began its randomized search for any sort of rock music being played on or off the planet. It soon returned a good heavy metal track with a fast, pulsing beat and blaring guitar chords.

"Bonito!" Chase yelled. "Some fighting music! Just what I needed!" Chase jumped away from the table, searching for another victim.

Adam and Kai, meanwhile, had been attacked by a pair of identical bobcats. The two birds were backed up against the bar, and the felines were closing in for the kill. Perfect. They had fallen for an obvious trap!

"Up and over?" Adam suggested.

"Do it!" Kai responded. The two ran toward their opponents, only to spread their wings and glide over the feline's heads as they jumped into the air. Of course, the bobcat twins weren't expecting such a move. Adam and Kai each delivered a powerful kick to their opponents backs, which sent them falling forward onto the bar. From underneath the bar, Masaru and Jess emerged, breaking a bottle of liquor over each feline's head.

"Classic." Masaru commented before giving Jess a high paw. The poor cats could only groan and pass out for a short while.

Blake had somehow managed to find a wisecracking tiger to battle. The big cat kept slashing violently with his claws, and Blake just barely dodged each time. The tiger breathed in angrily, obviously a little annoyed that his target remained unscathed. "Hold still, you little fuck!" he suddenly growled.

"Not a chance, man!" Blake quipped, then ducked under another slicing shot from the tiger. Though he seemed calm, in his mind he was screaming "I need some help over here!"

The rat's wait wasn't long. Chase soon came rushing to his aid, head butting the tiger in the ribs. The feline cried out in surprise, then stumbled back a few steps.

"Get away from my little buddy!" Chase said, glaring tauntingly at his opponent. "Why you gotta pick on someone smaller than you?"

"Ass." the tiger mumbled, then glanced around to find the rest of the furs gathered there with him having some difficulty themselves. He flashed an angry glower at Chase, then ran for the door of the pub.

"Retreat, men!" he yelled to his friends. "We're in over our heads!" His group ran out the door, as he stayed behind to deliver his final word.

"Round one to you!" the tiger bellowed. "Don't get used to it! The Hunters don't take to losing! See ya later!" He turned away and ran outside to join his allies.

The song on the jukebox ended seconds later. Chase's gang all made for the center of the room, gathering in a small circle to discuss the events of the past few minutes. "The Hunters, huh?" Chase said to his gathered friends. "Anyone ever heard of them before?"

"I have." Blake chimed. "They just kinda popped up one day. Not a really dangerous group, and they're all hoverboarders to boot!"

"A hoverboard gang?" Kai said, then gave an amused chuckle. "Now, that's something you don't see too much anymore."

"So, is there any reason you know about them, Blake?" Adam queried.

"Heard about them bragging a big heist they pulled off at that department store uptown." the rat answered. "Says in the papes that they just stormed in, robbed a few of the electronics shops, then jet. It's odd, though."

"What is?" Jess asked.

"When they were robbing the place, there was one dude that seemed to be leading them. I think the papes said something about a big green dragon on a nitrous board that made it his job to collect all of the loot and get it out before the cops started showing up."

"So? Pyro inquired, passing out cigarettes to the others.

"I didn't see a dragon!" Blake exclaimed. "Did any of you?"

The others stopped. Suddenly, it occurred to all of them that no one had seen the dragon in question at all during the fight.

"It's probably nothing." Masaru said, lighting up his cigarette. "Maybe he was out swiping some better hoverboard parts or something."

"Maybe." Blake admitted. The gang fell silent and scattered around the pub again.

After a half an hour of hanging around, Jess tossed her unlit cigarette to the ground and walked over to the coat rack.

"What're you doing?" Pyro asked, scurrying over to pick up the cigarette Jess had thrown away.

"I'm gonna take a spin." Jess answered, pulling her jacket on. "Anyone else wanna come?" The others shook their heads. "'Kay, guess that means I'm soloing."

"Careful out there, Jess." Chase called before she got out the door. "The Hunters might be around, and they're probably still pissed off."

"Those wusses?" Jess smirked and chuckled. "I think I can handle them." With that, the rabbit girl gave a salute and walked out the door.

*****

Jess was never a big fan of riding alone, and she could never understand why. She always just assumed it was because of her image that she had to protect. She was the only female in any of the gangs, downtown or uptown. This alone made her an easy target for the prejudice of the other punks in town, and it always made her uncomfortable to think about everything she had to do to maintain her appearance as a fierce girl. Needless to say, most of the other bikers never took her seriously until she'd mangled a few of their limbs. How she wished that, just once, there could be a gang member who would not take her for her gender alone.

There was more to it, though. She had long since given up on having a serious relationship with anyone at all. After all, if she opened up even a little to show the rest of the gangs that she still had a soft side, she'd lose every bit of her image. However, after she saw Chase and Rose together, she had started longing for what they had. Now, more than ever, she wanted to have a caring guy in her life.

Jess shook her head clear of her worries as she rode over the Pass. She felt like taking a stroll in the park for some reason. "Nice day out." she thought. "Hate to waste it cooped up in the warehouse." Her bike hummed softly as she slowed down a little.

No sooner had Jess caught sight of the park gates when a plasma bolt blew a hole in her front tire. She had to bail from the bike as it skittered out of control and fell on its side. Looking to the gates, she saw the Hunters gathered on their matching black hoverboards with pistols in their paws. Jess stood her ground, shaking, as the Hunters circled in around her.

"Hiya, honey." the tiger from the gang said, raising his pistol to his mouth and blowing the smoke off its barrel. "Whatcha doing out here all by yourself?"

"I was..."

"Stow it, girl!" the little pug called out, pointing his pistol at Jess's head. The other Hunters followed suit, and Jess was suddenly overwhelmed with a horrible realization. Chase was right, the Hunters were still pretty pissed off. Enough so that they were ready to kill her if she made any false moves. She considered lashing out for just a moment, but she knew that she would be gunned down if she so much as flinched.

"What's wrong, bunny?" the bear said evilly. "Not gonna fight back?"

"What a shame." one of the twin bobcats chimed in. "I was hoping..."

"...that she'd at least throw a punch." the other one finished the statement.

Jess stared them down, unable to hide her increasing fear. She was gonna die out here! Finally, she looked back to the tiger. "G'night, girly!" he said, nodding to the others. Jess closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the searing pain of the plasma bolts to flash through her.

"Hold on!" a new voice called out. Jess felt her eyes open, and from the park gates came a tall dragon punk riding on a blue nitrous hoverboard. His green, scaly body was covered by a black hoodie and a pair of dark blue jeans. His eyes were the feature that caught Jess the most, though. They were a steely grey, almost emotionless, but they gave off a hint of something deep and hidden. The dragon stared at Jess for a moment, then he turned his gaze to the tiger.

"Cutter!" the tiger cried out, shocked at the dragon's arrival. "We were just... uh..."

"Stripes?" the dragon said coldly.

"Yes?" the tiger answered.

"Come here for a second." The dragon curled his finger, beckoning Stripes over to him. Stripes obeyed timidly, slowly approaching the dragon on his board. As soon as he was close enough, the dragon lashed out, slapping him hard in the face. "You stupid son of a bitch! What did I tell you about pulling this kinda shit?!"

"Come on, Cutter!" Stripes answered, rubbing his face. "She's with that gang from the bar I told you about!"

"I don't care!" Cutter screamed angrily. "You know what your problem is? You don't think before you act! You do anything you feel like anytime you feel like doing it! Guess what. If you hadn't started that fight, you wouldn't have gotten your tail handed to you! Besides, just cause you lost a fight, it don't give you the right to gun down the winner! That's just plain stupid! Now, gimme the gun." The dragon boy held out his hand, waiting for Stripes to comply.

"Cutter-"

"Gimme!" Cutter cut him off, giving an icy stare. Stripes hung his head and put his pistol in Cutter's hand. "That's better. Now the rest of you." The dragon glided through the group on his board, collecting the guns one by one. "Y'all go back in the park, I'll have a word with you later!" The Hunters all boarded through the park gates, and the dragon turned to Jess with his cold eyes, slipping the guns into his pockets.

Jess was thoroughly freaked out at this point. It was fairly obvious that this was the dragon who was leading the Hunters, and after she saw him attack a member of his own gang, she became afraid of what he might do to her. What she was met with was something she would never have expected. The dragon's glare seemed to soften, and his steel eyes allowed a little sympathy to come forth. "You alright?" Cutter asked.

"Huh?"

"Did they hurt you?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Good." Cutter got off his board and approached slowly. "Excuse the rest of the gang. Stripes has a bad habit of taking over my job and pulling dumb stunts."

"So, then, I guess that makes you their leader."

"Correct." The dragon smiled and held out his hand. "Name's Cary Bellingsly, everyone calls me Cutter."

Jess looked at his hand strangely, then realized that Cutter was trying to be courteous. She took hold of his hand with her paw, and she was astonished at how easily it was lost in his grasp. "Pleasure." Jess replied.

"And you are?"

"Jess Baumwolle."

"Jess. That's a nice name." Cutter smiled. "Good to know you."

"Hmm?" Jess hummed, confusion in her voice.

"What? Am I not allowed to be nice to such a pretty girl?" Jess looked up a bit, letting her eyes lock with his. They were almost completely different now, looking softer and perhaps a little kind instead of emotionless and cold like before.

"Sorry." Jess answered. "I really didn't expect to be-"

"Treated like this after you slammed my gang?" the dragon finished her sentence. "Actually, I'm glad you and yours did that. Stripes and the others need to learn to take a beating, especially when they go looking for one."

"I see." Jess giggled and smiled. "Glad we could help."

"Me, too." Cutter let go of Jess's paw and got back onto his board.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Jess said, not wanting to end the conversation too soon.

"Shoot."

"You do stunt shows on that thing?" Jess looked down at his nitrous board.

"Sure do." Cutter replied, performing a perfect kickflip. "Actually, there's a skate contest in this park tomorrow afternoon. Maybe you should swing by and take a look."

"I'll try to." Jess walked over to her bike, picking it up off the ground.

"You gonna walk all the way downtown?" Cutter called after her as she started to leave.

"Sure am."

"You want me to tow that for you? My board's got some serious hauling power!"

"No, thanks. Besides..." Jess hesitated. She didn't want to speak her mind, not on this matter.

"What's wrong, Jess?"

"My leader, Chase. He's... had a bad history with dragons."

"Why? What happened?"

"Maybe I shouldn't say."

Cutter opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He understood that Jess was a little uncomfortable with the subject, and he wanted to respect her privacy. She might be a member of a rival gang, but that didn't give him any reason to invade on personal issues.

"Okay, whatever tricks your ride, Jess." he finally said. "See you tomorrow?"

"Like I said, I'll try." Jess waved farewell as she started jogging back toward the Pass. While she slowly built up speed and ran alongside her bike, she replayed through the events of the past few hours in her head. In a short while, she had helped beat a new gang, nearly died by their paws, and befriended their leader. It was a quick sequence of occurrences, and the final one seemed a little bit strange to her. Had she actually made friends with that dragon? Was she losing it? What if this meant that she would slip soon and let her feminine instincts and feelings take her over? She was overwhelmed by her anxieties, but she was feeling more and more peaceful every second of it.

-The Next Day-

The afternoon was decent enough outdoors. The sun was letting its rays shine past the polluted atmosphere, the wind was calm and cool, and there wasn't as much of a rank smell in the air as there usually was. Jess had been fortunate; Chase had plenty of spare tires stashed in the warehouse and was handy enough with a wrench to get the job done. Now, she was riding uptown again to catch the skateboard contest.

Jess hadn't really mentioned to the others what she was doing. As far as they knew, she was just out for a spin and would return in about an hour or so. If Chase had known she going to watch the leader of the Hunters performing in a stunt contest, he would have dismantled her bike just to make sure she wouldn't leave! She knew that he would never approve of her even looking at the dragon, much less attending any event that he was involved with.

Jess arrived at the park as the light of the sun was beaming proudly in the sky above. It almost seemed to applaud her defiance of her leader's specist views. Ever since he was a young cub, Chase had harbored a deep hatred of all dragons. Jess understood his reasons, and she was always sympathetic to him because of them. After all, she'd probably hate dragons, too, if one had...

"And a brilliant performance from Rancid McJeeves!" Jess's thoughts were broken by the sound of a voice on a loudspeaker and the thunderous applause of furs watching the skate contest inside the park. Jess parked her bike and walked through the gates. A short way down the path, there was a large crowd with an announcer booth behind them sitting in the grass around a makeshift obstacle course. Traffic cones, ramps of various sizes, rails already marred from harsh grinds; standard fare for most hoverboarders. There was even a fake staircase at the start of the course, and it hid nicks and scrapes all over it. Jess guessed that they must have been near the end of the contest. She only hoped that she'd popped in soon enough to see Cutter.

"And now, guys and gals, for the final performance of the day. This kid might be a wingless, but he don't need wings to get serious air! Lemme hear ya make some noise for Cary 'Cutter' Bellingsly!" The crowd obliged, screaming and clapping until their clamor rivaled that of a thunderstorm. While this was going on, Jess looked at the false staircase to find Cutter ascending them with his board tucked under his arm. He looked excited, but intensely focused. Without a doubt, he was going to be attempting a difficult run.

Jess's curiosity was piqued by something the announcer had said. She examined Cutter's back as he climbed the faux stairs, and found that there were no wing holes cut into his hoodie. Jess felt like a complete idiot! How had she not noticed it before? Cutter had no wings; a rather unusual thing for dragons on Masse. Maybe there was more to him than she had first predicted, then.

Cutter reached the top of the stairs and, after flipping a small switch on its underside, let his hoverboard fall to the ground, air pads first. The board let out a small 'whoosh' as the air pads began their work, funneling air from thousands of microscopic holes in the deck and pushing it out at nearly mach velocity. Cutter put one foot on his board as it began to rise, leaving the other on the ground. Jess and the rest of the crowd fell silent. His run was about to begin.

"Are the judges ready?" the announcer asked over his loudspeaker. Two furs from in front of the crowd raised their pencils to signal yes. "Cutter, are you ready?" Cutter looked over to him and gave a slow nod. "Alright, start the countdown!"

The crowd joined in as Cutter knelt down and put his energy into his foot, waiting to start. "3... 2... 1... tear it up!" A fast-paced rock song blasted onto the loudspeaker, and Cutter pushed off with all the force he could find. Jess waited, half afraid that he would fall flat on his face.

Instead, Cutter forced the back end of the board down and stuck the stairs with it as he descended. It sounded like a bunch of firecrackers going off in rapid succession. Cutter landed safely and barreled forward toward a long line of traffic cones. Just before he reached them, he forced his board into a floating 360, and he reached down to slap the pavement with his hands. Next, Cutter went onto a ramp, performing an atomic board grab in midair. He landed with the back of his board grinding against a rail. He continued this all the way down, then jumped off with a perfect 180 kickflip. As he plowed ahead, he hit a vertical ramp at top speed and was slung into the air. He completed a swift 540 with a frontside grab before he landed on the other side and used his foot to speed himself up again.

"Cutter's doing well, but he'd better kick it up a notch if he wants to make a strong finish!" The announcer's voice rang out just as Cutter kicked the nitrous tank on the back of the board. Instantly, he received a speed boost from the momentary burst of fuel through the mini-blasters in the back. It wore off just as Cutter touched onto the final ramp. Once airborne, Cutter's body became a hypnotizing swirl as he began to do a fast combination of 360's and backflips. He looked more like a skydiver than a hoverboarder. It lasted for several seconds, and Cutter touched down five feet away, not even struggling to maintain his balance.

The gathered crowd, Jess included, sat in total awe for a moment or two, then broke out into wild applause. "And there it is, all! Cutter's signature move, the 'Starburst Hurricane!' Wow!" The announcer seemed just as impressed as everyone else.

Cutter stood silently, letting the applause ring clear as he picked up his board and switched of the air pads. After the air had stopped flowing, he walked into the crowd and looked around anxiously. Jess noticed him as he finally got through to the back.

"Pretty impressive stuff, dragon boy." she called out, waiting for him to turn his head toward her with an excited and pleased smile on his face. "Wish I could do that."

"Jess!" Cutter's face lit up even more, and he walked over to shake paws with the rabbit girl. "Alright, you made it after all!"

"Just in time to watch you." Jess admitted, nodding. "I've never really liked hoverboarding stunts that much, but those were some of the most incredible things I've ever seen!"

"Thanks." Cutter replied, modesty in his tone. "I mean, other than my Hurricane, all of those are pretty basic stunts. I never really worked too hard on putting that run together."

"Ask me, I say that last move alone oughta win you the contest!"

"Let's hope."

A few minutes later, after the applause had died down and the judges had visited the announcer's booth, a voice came onto the loudspeaker once more. "Well, the contestants have shredded, the judges have spoken, and Inferno City's champion boarder is about to be crowned!" A few moments of silence followed. "They've gone... for Cutter Bellingsly!"

The crowd cheered loudly in celebration, and Cutter's voice cut through their cries with more vigor than that of the entire audience. He accidentally embraced Jess, who returned it before she realized what she was doing. Even after that, however, she held on and said "Good work, Cutter!"

"Thanks, Jess!" Cutter replied, releasing her. Jess looked him over once more. His smile couldn't be disguised, but it didn't seem like just a smile of victory. There was something else, something... welcoming, inviting, and strangely adorable. It was completely different from when she had first seen him the day before.

"Cutter!" All of the gathered crowd silenced. The announcer, a young timber wolf, had walked onto the stunt area with a wireless microphone in his paw and was beckoning to Cutter. The dragon waved a temporary farewell to Jess, then proceeded to join the wolf where he stood.

"Cutter Bellingsly, in all my time I have never seen boarding techniques of that caliber from someone as young as you. You truly deserve the title of Inferno's Champion Boarder! And, to commemorate you..." The announcer stopped and raised his other paw. In it was a shimmering diamond pin in the shape of an ancient skateboard. The gathered crowd looked on in envy as Cutter accepted the pin from the announcer wolf, then attached in to the outside of his hood.

"Wear that symbol well, Cutter! It shows any in doubt that you are one of the greatest in this part of the planet!" The wolf turned around in a short circle and concluded with "Let's hear it again for our new champion, Cutter Bellingsly!" For the final time that day, Cutter opened his ears and let himself bask in the thunderous praise of the crowd.

*****

Jess and Cutter had remained behind after the crowd had departed and the obstacle course had been broken down. Now they were sitting on a bench, watching the light change as the sun slowly set in the polluted skies. Jess was curious about Cutter, and she decided to ask him a few things.

"So, Cutter, can I ask you some questions?"

"Sure, whatever you wanna know."

"When did you start hoverboarding?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story. See, I was born in a small town really close to here. At first my family was glad to have me, but then they noticed something horribly wrong. I'm a wingless, and my family was totally embarrassed. My old man didn't want a freak for a son, so he kicked me out on my fourth birthday." Cutter turned to face Jess and smiled. "Some birthday present, huh?"

Jess frowned. "Sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. You didn't. Anyway, ever since that day, I've been living on the streets."

"Wow." Jess was suddenly beginning to admire the dragon boy. She couldn't even begin to imagine life without Blitz to care for her, and now she was face to face with someone who never knew what having parents was like. "That must be tough."

"Oh, you have no idea. Soon, I had to start stealing food and money to stay alive. That's what caused me to start hoverboarding."

Jess gave Cutter a questioning look. "How?"

"One day when I was six, I was caught trying to rob a restaurant. The cops got called, and I ran away. They chased me for about ten blocks, and I thought they were gonna catch me for sure. Then, as I passed up the local ride shop, I saw a working hoverboard floating in the window. I busted the window, grabbed the board and took off fast. The cops would never see me again, because I rode until I was inside of this city. I stopped in an old construction yard to rest. I think they were planning to build a big factory there or something. Anyway, before I fell asleep, I realized just how fun the ride had been, how good the wind had felt against my face, how sweet the speed was. In a way, it kinda made up for those feelings of flight that I'd just never get. So, ever since then, boarding's just been a part of me. I've made money off of it, too, whether it was winning bets or performing in nearby contests."

Jess nodded and smiled at him once he had finished. Now her admiration for the dragon couldn't be denied. She felt that he really had lived a pretty bad life so far, and that he was a very strong fur for living through it. Though now, something else came to her mind. Cutter had embraced her after his run. She was certain that he knew he had done it, but had he let it happen on purpose or was it a happy accident? Maybe he was more than just strong. Perhaps he had retained a little kindness as well.

"So, anything else you wanna know, Jess?" Cutter asked, his eyes seeming to sparkle in the slowly fading light.

"Actually, yeah. There was one more thing." Jess turned her whole body and looked him in the eyes. "Earlier in the park, did you really mean to catch me in the hug, or did you even know it was happening?"

Cutter flinched a bit, and he seemed to grow a little nervous. "Well, I-"

"Hey, Bellingsly!" an angry shout sounded from behind. Cutter turned around fast to see a teenage lizard staring him down angrily. The dragon recognized him almost immediately.

"Whatcha want, Rancid?" Cutter asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I'll tell you what I want! Gimme that pin, you cheating shit!" Rancid held out his clawed hand, and something dripped off of his left index claw.

Cutter groaned and rolled his grey eyes, which were slowly becoming cold and unforgiving again. "First off, no. Earn it fair and square, like I did. Second, don't tell me you're trying that old poison-tipped claw routine. C'mon, man! That's, like, ancient!"

"Damn it, that title belongs to me! I refuse to give up my old place to a wingless freak for the second year in a row!" Rancid was obviously growing more and more annoyed with each moment.

Cutter tensed up a little, his eyes immediately turning to their emotionless state. "Big mistake, Rancid." The dragon began to rise from the bench. "Never... mention... the wings!"

"Cutter..." Jess tried to stop Cutter, but to no avail. He began to charge toward Rancid in a blind rage, and his angry war cry echoed through the trees of the park. Just before Rancid could be struck, Cutter was kicked hard in the stomach and sent sprawling to the ground from the hit.

"Nice job, wingless!" Rancid taunted, moving closer and raising his claws. "Fine, if you won't give up the pin without a fight..." The lizard brought his claws down fast across Cutter's face.

At least, they came close. In the nick of time, a furry white paw caught the claws just above Cutter's face. Cutter looked up from his place in the grass to see Jess gripping his foe's forearm tightly, preventing him from moving. "What're you doing, Jess?" he asked, confused and a little concerned.

"I still owe you." Jess responded, then twisted Rancid's arm with a sickening pop.

"Christus!" Rancid screamed in complete pain and fell to the ground clutching his arm, screaming and tearing up. "Couldn't win this one by yourself, Bellingsly? Had to call in your bitch, didn't you?"

Jess kicked Rancid in the stomach, then again in the head. "Shut up, before I break the rest of your bones!" Casually, she turned and walked toward the park gates.

Cutter rose from his position on the ground, looked at Jess walking away, then back at Rancid, then back to Jess again. "Wow!" he thought to himself. "Now, that is one tough girl! My mind's made up. I can't pass up something like this!" Cutter ran to catch up with her, grabbing his hoverboard from under the park bench on the way out.

*****

Jess had just reached the Pass on her bike when she thought she saw someone coming up fast out of the corner of her eye. She slowed down a little to let her follower catch up. To her surprise, Cutter soon rode up alongside her on his hoverboard.

"Hold on a sec, Jess. Can I talk to you for a while longer?" Cutter asked.

"Okay, sure." Jess answered, slowing to a halt. Cutter did so as well, then stepped off of his board.

"That was amazing." the dragon remarked.

"What was?"

"What you did to Rancid. I had no idea you were that strong!"

"Oh, that. That's nothing. Just a broken arm. Besides, you had already saved my life once, so I figured I needed to return the favor."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side, then, if you think breaking an arm is nothing"

Jess turned her face to him, and Cutter could see that she had a severe look of doubt. "Cutter, do you honestly think that we'll ever see each other again after this?"

"Don't see why not." he replied.

"How can you be sure?"

"Look, Jess, I never really answered your question before. That hug in the park, it wasn't something I meant to do. Any other time, I would've just called that an accident and left it alone. Problem is, something like that doesn't just happen outta nowhere. I mean, I'm not a very clingy guy, so contact like that isn't anything that just comes naturally to me."

Jess shrugged, but a little optimism couldn't be hidden in her tone. "First time for everything."

"Not with me. Besides, I gotta say, I've been thinking about you a lot since I saved you yesterday. Now, in my experience, whenever you find someone and can't get them outta your mind, there's something more there than just a new acquaintance. It's happened to me every time I meet a girl who's... well, something special. And, by Dieu, you're definitely a special girl!"

"How?"

"I've never met a girl quite like you. You're tough, brave, but you can be pretty gentle and caring at the same time. Ask me, that's something only one in a million furs can be. Besides, you could've broken off that hold I had you in, but you didn't. Why not? You knew it was happening."

"How could I have-?"

"C'mon. Why would you ask me about it if you didn't know it happened?"

Jess chewed over the dragon's words. It was true, she could have just as easily torn away from him, but she let herself get wrapped up in his embrace. That plus the fact that he wasn't treating her like most of the other gang members would made him almost undeniably different as a fellow fur. He seemed to genuinely respect her for her personality, not to mention that he had saved her from his own gang when they were about to get their revenge for a crushing defeat. Maybe Cutter was right. Perhaps there was more than just coincidence in their meeting.

"Okay, Cutter." Jess said at last. "You're right. About everything."

"Was I?"

"Yeah. And, I admit, I feel almost the same way as you do. I mean, you've been treating me better than any guy I've ever met, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either. Besides, ever since you saved me, I've been feeling something strange. Not bad, just..."

"Something new to you, right?"

Jess locked eyes with Cutter and nodded. "Yes. But, something's still bugging me. No guy's ever just been a friend right away. Why would you?"

"Simple. At the time, you were in trouble. Kinda like a damsel in distress situation. Anyway, after I heard what Stripes said about you being in one of the gangs, I was sold! I never thought I would find a girl like that, and I wanted to at least try at getting to know you a little more. And, now that I do, I have no doubts. It was real, everything I was feeling from the start."

Jess's heart was pounding in her chest. One last question remained. "So, does that mean that you-?"

"Yes. It does."

"I didn't even ask yet."

"You don't have to. I knew what you were thinking. I guess the real question is, can you prove to me that you feel the same way?"

Jess smirked and leaned in close. "You know anyplace really private?"

Cutter gave a confused stare for a moment, then his face seemed to glow with joy as he understood what the rabbit meant. "Sure. Follow me, I've got just the place."

"Right behind you, Cutter!" Jess smiled as Cutter starting moving forward on his board, and she lightly stepped on the accelerator to follow his lead.

*****

Jess and Cutter arrived downtown at a large construction yard with a wooden shed just as the setting sun was turning the sky a pleasant shade of deep pink. The rabbit girl parked her bike and dismounted, looking around. The site looked abandoned, like the area hadn't been used in years. The metal girders were still exposed and several were riddled with rust.

"Like it?" Cutter asked, motioning to the unfinished building.

"What is this place?"

"Remember how I told you I slept at a construction site when I first came here?"

"Yeah."

"I loved it so much, I've been crashing here every night since."

"How could you have slept around here?"

"I'll show you." Cutter beckoned to Jess as he floated over to the nearby shed. Jess followed, and the dragon boy stopped in front of the door as he got off his board. Tucking his board under his arm and putting his hand on the doorknob, he turned back to his rabbit friend and said "Promise not to laugh."

Jess nodded and Cutter opened the shed's door. Inside was something Jess wasn't expecting to see at all. Instead of construction tools left behind by workers, the shed was filled with furniture! A leather armchair in one corner, a black night stand and a bed in another. In the back stood a wooden workbench built into the wall, as well as a space filled with pegs and hooks for hanging small repair tools on. Several types of manual screwdrivers and other small tools were scattered on the workbench, along with what seemed to be spare hoverboard parts. The entire place was illuminated by a single light bulb which shone in the center of the ceiling.

Instead of laughing, Jess let out a gasp. "Nice digs, Cutter!"

"Thanks. It didn't get like this overnight." Cutter said as he ushered Jess inside and closed the door behind them. "When I first came here, it was padlocked and filled with all kinds of crap. I broke in with a rusty crowbar. After I got a little money, I was able to buy the bed and the chair from a used furniture store uptown. I raided that night stand from a landfill, and all of those tools were already here when I came."

"Now I can see why you've been here every night."

"It's the closest thing I have to a home."

"What do you do for food?"

"Let's just say that once you've learned to mooch, it stays with you."

Jess chuckled. "I see."

"Anyway, I'm glad you like it here." Cutter slid his board under the bed and took a seat in the armchair. "You're one of the few fortunate furs besides me who's ever seen the inside."

Jess gave a curious glance at the dragon. "I'm not the first?"

Cutter suddenly took on a more serious look. "Nope. I've... invited plenty of ladies inside."

Jess began to worry a little. "You have?"

Cutter heaved a weary sigh. "Jess, I'm not gonna keep secrets. If you can't accept me for all I am, then it won't work between us. The truth is, I've seen a lot of girls in the past. So, needless to say, I haven't always been alone in that bed. But, as always, there is a drawback to that." The dragon paused and hung his head, and his tone betrayed a feeling of desolation and loneliness. "Every time, I thought I'd found the right one. Every time, I was wrong. I failed time and time again, but I never really gave up. I just wanted to believe so badly that I could be like any normal fur out there, but I guess that my obvious condition kinda scared all of them off. Just like my folks, they didn't wanna be known as someone who loved a wingless." Cutter body began to shake, and his steely eyes filled with tears. "I miss being able to love. How can I ever be sure it's real anymore? I don't know what to think."

Jess stood silent, watching Cutter break down in front of her. At this point, she wasn't concerned with Cutter's past womanizing. No longer did he seem like the powerful fur she had seen the day before. Instead, he looked like a helpless child that was only waiting for a friendly paw. She could hardly believe it. Maybe Cutter hadn't weathered life as well as she thought at first.

"Cutter." Jess choked out, walking over to him and kneeling down to bring her face level with his. "Please, calm down. It's alright." The rabbit leaned in, kissing away a single tear that rolled down Cutter's left cheek. "There's someone here for you now, and she doesn't give a shit whether you're a wingless or whether you had the most gorgeous wings on Masse!"

Cutter's tears seemed to disappear almost instantly. "You mean that?"

"Of course. Cutter, it's not you're fault that you were born that way, and you shouldn't have to go through hell because of it. Trust me, I've felt the same way as you do right now. It sucks being a girl in a gang, cause nofur ever takes you seriously until you teach them respect the hard way. The gang's my only way to survive, and I hate having to take all the crap from the others around. But, you wanna know what the worst part of it is?"

"What?"

"I never thought I'd find the right guy. No guy would ever go for the 'tough girl' type. At least, that's what I thought until you came along. You were friendly from the start, you didn't even seem to care that I was in a biker gang. And now, here we are."

Cutter could feel his composure return as he absorbed Jess's speech. "So, I guess we were kinda good for each other, huh?"

"Yep." Jess smiled softly and brought her arms around the dragon's neck, nuzzling against his face scales. "Why else would I have come here without a fight?"

"What about this Chase guy? Aren't you worried about what he'll do if he finds out?"

"Forget him! He's just being a specist bastard."

Cutter's eyes widened in awe. "Jess! Pretty bold thing to say about your leader."

Jess stopped her nuzzling and looked into Cutter's eyes once more. "Look, don't get me wrong. Chase is a great guy and I really do like him, but I don't think he really needs to feel anything against you. Dragon or not, you're a friend, and nothing he can say or do will change how I feel."

"Why's he hates dragons so much?"

"He... has his reasons, Cutter. I don't think you really wanna know, though."

"'Kay. I won't pry." Cutter's mouth loosened into a warm smile. "Now, back to business. Who said I wanted you to stop cuddling?"

Jess returned his smile and went back to rubbing her face against Cutter's. The dragon responded by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. For both of them, the feel of their partner's face against their own was new and more than pleasant. For long while, neither even so much as breathed, merely closing their eyes and letting the loving feelings flow through them.

Cutter pulled away gently after a while, looking into the rabbit girl's eyes. In his mind, they held a rare beauty, an understanding and empathy that no other fur could ever give. Had he been able to see it, he would have known that Jess was seeing the very same thing in him. Everything that neither had dared to hope for from the other was coming forth and mingling contentedly.

Jess suddenly closed her eyes and took Cutter's face into her paws. Pulling him forward, her lips touched his, and the dragon let out a muffled breath of surprise. After a moment, he found his own eyes closing and the same sense of absolute joy engulfing him. With his arms still around the rabbit girl, he gently caressed her back as she deepened the kiss. Cutter parted his mouth just as Jess did, tempted to slide his tongue inside.

At that same moment, he realized that he was giving in to something dangerous. Lust was attacking him again, as it had in the past. This time, however, it wasn't just his heart on the line. What if this Chase found out about what he and Jess were doing? What would he say? Cutter opened his eyes and looked down to see Jess's paw moving toward the bulge in his jeans. His own clawed hand came down quick, catching hers.

"Wait." he whispered through the kiss.

Jess stopped and looked up at him, confused. "Cutter?"

"Jess, we shouldn't." He looked down at her paw and released it from his grip. "It's too soon for something like this. Besides, it's getting late. You'd better get home soon, or Chase is gonna get worried. Or suspicious."

"But, Cutter, I'm not afraid of that."

"I am." Cutter gazed into her eyes and spoke softly. "Jess, I'm not taking any risks here. I only just found the one girl who'd ever keep me as I am, and I'm not gonna throw that away. I don't want anything to happen to you, especially not at your own leader's paw. Understand me, I love you. That's why we have to let this wait."

Jess could feel her eyes fill with tears, but she held them back. "How long?"

"Until we both know it's time. I hope that won't be very long."

"Me, too." She gave Cutter another quick kiss, then gently lifted his arms off and rose from the floor. Just before she got out the door, she asked over her shoulder "When will I see you next?"

"Whenever fate decides to deal me a good hand again." Cutter replied sadly.

"Alright." She waved farewell. "Until then."

The dragon returned the gesture. "Good night, Jess, and drop by soon. If I'm not here, check for me uptown."

"Will do." Jess walked outside and got onto her bike. She did not notice that she had forgotten to close the door.

As she began to ride away into the last scraps of light, Cutter watched her leave through the open doorway of the shed. "Stay safe, hon." he thought. "Long as I live, my heart is yours. If you really do feel the same way, then something good'll happen for us both soon." With that thought, Cutter closed the door and turned out the light. It was time for him to get some sleep.

-TO BE CONTINUED-

Next Episode: Switchblade Rave