FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A Sibling for Hunter

By: Jenny Harlow

Hunter woke up, still feeling Tim breathing softly on the back of his neck. The husky's arms were wrapped gently around his stomach. Hunter knew there was no way the dog was really comfortable, but it was still nice to have him there. Tim, unlike the wolf, had not quite woken up yet, spending much of the night before awake and checking on Bridget. As Hunter cuddled back into his mate, he let his eyes slowly open. Bridget was sitting up in bed, playing on Hunter's DS. He rolled his eyes slightly. "I hope you don't delete my save this time." He said with a grin, letting his eyes close again for a moment, soaking up the husky love. His voice was still hoarse.

"For the thousandth time, I'm sorry. I just clicked the wrong file, okay?" Bridget stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at him. "If you want to play though, I am almost back to a saving point. Sorry I didn't really have a chance to ask."

"It's fine, if I want it back I'll say something." He rolled over gently, careful not to wake his sleeping fiance. He softly rested his muzzle on top of Tim's. He nuzzled the husky, before gently kissing him just above his nose. In his sleep, Tim hugged the wolf a little tighter. "Tim," He said, kissing the dog again. "I don't want to wake you up, but I've gotta go babe..."

"Go where? I don't want you to leave..." Tim said, almost unintelligibly in his sleep. Once more tightening his grip on the smaller wolf.

"No, babe, I've gotta pee. You're squeezing my belly." The wolf said, trying to get the husky to wake up.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Tim woke up finally, kissing Hunter on the muzzle. "You need any help?" Tim asked. He sat up with his eyes still closed. When he opened them, he took a second to realize where he was.

"No, I think I'll be fine. If I can get my cane."

"Sure, sure." Tim said, rubbing his eyes. The husky picked the cane up, and passed it to his fiance. "If you need any help, you know what to do." He lowered the bed rail, letting himself off. He turned around to watch Hunter get off. The wolf slid to the edge of the bed, got his cane under him, and slowly slid his feet off. He looked utterly surprised as both legs went out from under him, not just his right. Tim's reflexes kicked in, and he pulled the wolf to him. "You may need help after all." Tim said, looking down at the frowning canine in his arms.

"I don't know what happened..." Hunter said with a shrug.

"It's okay, you're still recovering from several things. On top of which, you're probably hungry."

"I don't feel hungry..."

"We'll get you checked out, just to be sure. I'll get you some lunch too." Tim kissed him on the head, as he gently lifted the wolf off the ground. He carried him in and gently set him down to do his business. He walked back out, leaning against the door after he closed it.

"I can help him back out, if you want to go take care of getting him food and such." Bridget said, closing the DS. "After all, I'm clear to go home tonight, though they said I shouldn't be driving and I don't have a car anyway." She shrugged slightly, tilting her head a little.

"Don't worry, I'll get you a ride home. My mom would probably be able to do it... I don't really want to leave right now. Not until he does." Tim said, flicking his eyes up to meet hers.

"I understand, if she can't do it, I'll call one of my brothers. They live a little further away but I'm sure they'd make the drive." She smiled slightly.

"Thanks Bridget, I'll go get us all some lunch and send a nurse in to check on him. Would you mind tacos? I'm thinking tacos."

"TACOS!" Tim heard from the bathroom, despite Hunter's hoarseness. He laughed, shaking his head.

"Okay Hunter, tacos it is." He kissed his fingers and touched them gently to the door. He turned around and smiled at the ocelot. "Tacos?"

"Tacos." She said, nodding. With a smile Tim waved and left out the door. Bridget stood up and stretched her back, her joints popping slightly, she slipped her house shoes on and walked over towards the bathroom door, she leaned her back against the wall, "So how are you feeling?"

"A little better, I'm finished by the way, if you can help me get back to bed."

Bridget opened the door, Hunter was still wearing the gown that mostly covered him. Bridget put an arm around him, and helped the wolf up, together they moved him back to bed, and laid him back under the covers. "You good?" She said, hopping back into her bed.

"Yeah... Thanks," Hunter sounded distant, it was a sudden shift. The ocelot cocked her head slightly.

"What's up?" "I... I want to see my sister." He said, lowering his head.

"Hunter... Do you really think that's such a good idea?"

"I don't know, but I have to. There's just something I need her to hear... Something I need to hear from her."

"I understand..." Bridget said, she stood up and took his hand for a second. "There were some things I needed my Dad to know too." She squeezed his hand slightly. "Tell Tim when he gets back. He'll be able to get you over there at least."

Hunter went back to napping as Bridget quietly continued the borrowed game. A nurse came and went, checking the sleepy Hunter's sugar and vitals and assessing Bridget before leaving. The ocelot sat with her tail curled around into her lap, fixated on a boss fight, as the husky returned. The smell of food hit her before she caught sight of the dog. Hunter softly snoring into his pillow. Tim shook his shoulder slightly and the wolf happily awakened. He caught Tim's hand as he was pulling it away, and brought it to his lips momentarily. Tim leaned down and kissed the wolf on the ear. When he stood back up, he noticed the large grin on Hunter's face. "Kisses and tacos, this is a good day for you after all." Tim teased, rubbing the wolf's tummy softly.

He divvied out the food, sitting once more in the chair between the two, Hunter ate one and a half of the dozen soft tacos. He leaned back smiling at first, but over time it faded. "Tim, there was something I was meaning to ask you." He said, shuddering slightly.

"What is it?" Tim said, taking his hand, Hunter's eyes met the concerned blue. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine... I just..." Hunter took a deep breath in, rubbing his arm. "I know it sounds crazy but I want-" Hunter broke into tears, "I want to see Jackie. At least one more time."

Tim had a hard time finding a reaction. He stood up and pulled Hunter into his chest. "Okay. If that's what you really want, I'll see what I can do." He rocked the wolf back and forth slightly, as Hunter gripped his shirt. "I'll talk to the officers outside, and some of the other nurses, but I think that can be worked out."

The rest of the meal was silent, Hunter staring off into space, his chest rising and falling shakily as he steadied himself. After Tim finished his food, he once more disappeared into the corridors of the hospital. A good ten minutes passed before a green-scrubbed mouse came into the room with a wheel chair. He helped Hunter into it, and began rolling him towards Jackie's room. Tim stood outside, still talking with the ocelot officer from before. She nodded a couple times before casting a sideways glance at Hunter. With a small nod, Tim walked up next to the wolf. "What is it?" Hunter said, looking up from the chair.

"They said you can see her, but not until after her lawyer leaves the room. He should be finished soon." He placed his hand on the wolf's shoulder, Hunter rested his own gently on top of it. "Do you want me to come?"

"No... I need to do this by myself." The wolf said. Hunter swallowed nervously. "If you... can wait outside though. Just so I know you're there?"

"Sure." Tim kissed him on the ear.

After a few anxious minutes, the door the room opened and a coyote stepped out, still talking over his shoulder. He nodded to the officers by the door and left on his way. Hunter held Tim's hand tightly as the husky rolled him into the room. Jackie was cuffed to the bed, allowing her very little movement. Everything heavier than the light whiteboard in her hands was moved out of reach. Her fur was pinned to her skin with sweat, and her hair matted. She looked at Hunter her mismatched eyes widening with confusion and surprise. She attempted to say something but couldn't move her jaw. With a frustrated sigh, she picked up the whiteboard and the marker too. Hunter nodded at Tim and he left, casting a dark glance towards the female wolf as he walked away. Jackie held the board up, tapping it with the marker, Hunter turned his head back towards her. "What are you doing here?" The board read.

"I wanted to see you... I wanted to ask..." Hunter took a deep breath. "I wanted to ask if my sister was still in there. I don't know who the person was that came to my house, but it certainly wasn't my older sister. So I just have to know... Is she in there?"

Jackie blinked, she looked sick. She wrote on the board again, her eyes closing. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? No, this time it's moved beyond sorry. Just answer me. My sister the only one I knew I could trust as a kid. My sister was the only one who took care of me, remembered my birthday, cared for me when I was sick. I don't know who this monster is or where she came from, but she isn't my sister. Sorry won't bring my sister back..." Hunter was trying to reign in his anger and pain but it forced it's way out. Jackie looked stung. She didn't quite know what to say. Hunter kept going. "I almost died twice now, once to Mom and Dad, and once to you, I starved, I was almost..." Hunter calmed and swallowed, "I was almost raped. If it hadn't been for a lucky chance taking me to Tim... I... I would have died, and no one would have cared, not even you."

Jackie looked at the board for a minute, staring in thought. Finally she started writing, tears openly falling from her eyes. "I wanted to stop Mom and Dad. When they were kicking you out... I realized, you were still my baby sibling."

"Then why didn't you?"

"What was I supposed to do?"

"Anything."

"H-" There were scribbles where she had crossed out an 'A' "Hunter I tried looking. As best I could." She erased the board. "But what was I supposed to do? I had no place else to live and an addiction to feed."

"If you wanted to find me... Why am I here? Why should I believe you?"

Jackie looked at the board, she really couldn't think of a reason why Hunter should believe her. She looked up and met his eyes. "Open my belongings bag." She wrote.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Hunter called in Tim and had him pass the bag to him. The wolf opened it, Jackie's clothing was inside, along with a hairbrush and some grooming supplies. Yet none of that mattered to Hunter. It was what he found in the bottom of the bag. A teddy bear, the size a child can wrap both arms around, white fur dimmed with age, yet still well maintained. The bear's name was Cloud and it was Hunter's favorite stuffed toy. Bought by Jackie after Hunter had his tonsils out, she had spent all of her birthday money from her grandmother on it. Hunter hugged the bear close, crying audibly. He looked up at Jackie. "How?"

"Mom and Dad wanted to throw all of your stuff out or donate it." Jackie looked down at the foot of her bed, "Pretend you never existed. I snuck in and grabbed him before they could throw him out." Jackie erased the board, her own body shaking. "I slept with him in my arms, I didn't wash him for a while... because your smell was still on him."

Hunter looked down at the bear in his arms, then back up at the bed. He didn't see a twenty six year old woman, he saw a ten year old girl, frightened and sad. "Tim," Hunter said softly, "Can you push the chair closer?" With only a brief hesitation, Tim pushed the chair closer to Jackie's bed. Hunter stood, propping himself up on the bed rail, Tim holding him from behind. He hugged his sister tightly as they both cried into one another. When they broke, Hunter laid his head down on the bed towards Jackie's hip. The railing on the bed allowing him to do so. "Tim, I think it's okay... I need to be alone... with my sister." Even with her limited movement, Jackie was able to stroke his ear. The two siblings just sat quietly, unsure of how much time was passing. Hunter sat up, looking at his sister. "So, was what you said true? You have a girlfriend?" Jackie nodded. "So Mom and Dad kicked you out too?" She nodded again, picking up her board.

"We shot up and you know... I thought I locked the door." Jackie lowered her head, erasing her writing. "She was the one that got me into it. After I got kicked out, she got clean. I told her I did too." Jackie looked towards the ceiling. "I remember watching her suffer, feeling guilty but not caring." She looked at Hunter, "She came to see me earlier, said she isn't angry with me. I guess I'm lucky."

"I'll say you are." Hunter said, reading the small print.

"What about you? What about your husky?"

"W-we're engaged... It happened the night you knocked on the door. Just after." Jackie looked incredibly guilt ridden. "I know what you want to say, and I'm sorry too but I still can't forgive you yet. You're my sister, I love you, but I can't forgive you yet."

Jackie just nodded. "How is the ocelot?"

"Bridget's okay, they're treating her for hepatitis and monitoring her blood work for the next while. You exposed her to a lot of risks... Sorry."

Jackie just shook her head. "I deserve it."

Hunter's leg shook as he thought about how to broach this next question. "So... What's going to happen to you now?"

Jackie started to write but a voice interrupted her. "Jackie..." The voice was strangely soft, with a cold edge to it. It sent a chill down Hunter's spine. "I heard you were here and- Oh sorry sir. I didn't realize you had company." Hunter's mother didn't recognize him at first. "Anyway I found out you were here and I decided to take you home. Your father and I have had a talk and...' Her voice trailed off. How could she not recognize him? It was like looking at a smaller, more masculine version of her own reflection.

Hunter once more stood, propping himself up as best he can. Fighting appearing weak in this moment. "What are you doing here?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I came to take Jackie home. Now if you'll excuse me I was talking to my child. You may leave."

"I was talking to my sister before you came here." Hunter said, once more trying to bite down rage. "You may leave."

Mrs. Greyson simply rolled her eyes, she reached out to take Jackie's hand. "Just as soon as you're recovered we'll get you home. We'll... overlook... what happened. In lieu of what we SUSPECT is the cause of it." She almost spat in Hunter's direction. "We can't blame you for being tainted, don't worry though. We'll fix it." Hunter blinked, unsure of how to react. If he wasn't aware of how out of touch with reality his mom had been, he was now.

Jackie wrote something on her board. "I'm not going home after I'm well. I'm going to a mental hospital." She held it up where Hunter could see it as well.

"Well that's just nonsense... Why can't you come home?" It was then that she noticed the cuffs on Jackie's wrists. She turned to Hunter, fuming. "You did this didn't you? I don't know what you did, but whatever it is, you're going to fix it right now. You ungrateful, perverted little bitch!" She virtually shouted at the smaller wolf.

Jackie tapping on the board made her turn her attention away from him. "He didn't do anything. I did." The board said.

"Oh sweetie, no... Hayley you fix this right now! I don't care how just do it!" She moved to strike at Hunter but her hand was caught. Hunter flinched causing him to drop to the ground. The ocelot officer caught his mother's hand and pulled it behind her back. Mrs. Greyson was taken kicking and screaming from the room. Hunter sat on the floor, hugging his knees. Jackie could see the panic written on his face. She picked the bear up off the bed, and tossed it to her brother.. He snapped back to reality just in time to catch him. He pulled the bear to his nose. It smelled of Jackie, of hugs and french toast and morning cartoons at the neighbor's house before school. Hunter flinched as he felt Tim's hand on his shoulder, he felt remarkably like a child again, lost and afraid. Tim looked surprised, it had been years since Hunter last flinched away from his touch. The wolf looked around the room, dazed. Finally he cleared his throat, allowing Tim to help him back into the chair, the husky turned his head and gave it a small shake, causing an approaching nurse to freeze.

"Are you okay?" Tim said quietly, resting his muzzle between the wolf's ears. Hunter didn't answer, he had his face buried in the soft fur of the bear. "Hunter babe, talk to me, are you okay?" Tim repeated, rocking him gently. Hunter's eyes were wide, he seemed to be focused on something far away from their present location. Tim kissed the wolf behind the ear, fighting hard not to cry. "Hunter..."

"I'm okay." He said at last, his voice tiny. Tim nuzzled him softly, tears openly falling down his face. "It showed me something I needed to know. I am strong... and I have my sister back." Hunter looked up at Jackie. "So what's going to happen to you?"

"Lawyer made a deal. I plead guilty. Going to mental hospital after trial." Jackie wrote, "After cleared, have therapy for even longer. If I miss therapy, jail. Caught with drugs, jail," She looked tired, her eyes heavy.

Hunter reached over and took her hand. "Okay, you can do this... I believe in you." She smiled as best she could at him. "I've got to go Jackie... I need to rest too. I missed you."

Jackie wrote one last message on her board. "I missed you too."

Hunter noticed her hand was burning hot. He let go and Tim rolled him back out of the room. Hunter looked up at his fiance on the way back. "Is there... Is there a chapel here?"

"Yeah, it's on the other side of the building. Why?"

"Can you take me?" Hunter said, looking down at his feet.

Tim stopped pushing for a moment, he turned the wheelchair around and pointed his mate in the other direction. There wasn't much talking as they traveled the length of the building, Hunter deep in thought, yet happy for Tim's presence nearby. As Tim approached the double doors, he pressed the wheelchair button. It was a small area, with an almost floor to ceiling stained glass wall at the back. Tim rolled Hunter in next to the pews. The wolf held out his hand, his mate took it and knelt beside him as Hunter bowed his head.

It both was and was not odd to Tim, that Hunter had kept at least a small part of his faith. It had been used as a weapon against him, but in Hunter's eyes it brought him the husky too. He took a long look at the wolf, every day he looked less fragile, and stronger than ever. Yet, now however, with his eyes closed and his head bowed, he felt small and delicate. He turned the wolf's hand over, noticing how small his bones were, as if for the first time. But when his eyes opened, and he turned to meet Tim's, when he kissed him softly on the lips, he felt it. He felt Hunter's underlying drive and fight. The drive that pushed him through school, and the fight that kept him so positive after a life so hard. He rolled the wolf back to his room, only to find a surprise waiting for them there.

"Happy birthday!" The husky said as the wolf came around the corner. She bent slowly down, holding her arms open. Hunter half-leaped to meet her and they both giggled happily. The events of earlier forgotten. That's right, Hunter thought, even with everything that happened I still had a sister. He held Sarah happily. "I flew in early, I called Bridget to find out where you guys were and came straight here." She looked at Tim "Don't tell Mom though okay?"

Hunter sat, holding his bear, Sarah's hand rested gently on his shoulder. He felt happy, even though it was a long road to forgiving Jackie, he still had plenty of family to help him on his way. Bridget winked at him around the wolf, making a heart with her fingers. The four sat talking happily well into the night.