FSE

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I shivered at the realization. We had done some very loud, rather public sex. Shadow could feel my reaction, where we touched, and the slight clench my bowels made at the knowledge. He hummed in my ear before licking with a soft, wide tongue at the sensitive skin and guard hairs.

My knot was still twitching between us, loosing little drops into a mix of black and cream fur. It would start to shrink in a moment with no stimulation to it's hot bulge. However, I knew that Shadow's own knot would take a long time to shrink. I didn't know how long, but it could be close to an hour. We were stuck together 'till then. I clung to the hope that nothing would happen in that time, that no one would bother us.

There was a loud guffaw somewhere outside, and I startled, even as Shadow's cock twitched in a steady rhythm within me. When Shadow raised his heavy head and saw my worried look, he pulled me into a long, soft kiss, not pressing boundaries, just sharing.

He lifted to his knees with a sigh and wrangled my leg around, so he could slip behind me while we were still joined. My breath caught as my pucker pulled with his movement, but having him settle behind me, as we both curled to relax, was reassuring and comforting.

I sighed and closed my eyes, resting. A black wolf arm wrapped around me, flexing twice in the rhythm of his twitching cock. The Camp tents around us were making normal, quiet noise. Had it stopped in furry shock as I was being mated? I hunted my memories but couldn't recall.

I leaned back against Shadow and turned my muzzle to peer over my shoulder at him. He had a content, almost dazed, expression. The black wolf gave me a sleepy grin, and I settled my head back to the tent floor. My paws rested on the sleeping bag, not bothering with my knot. Relaxing with my Wulf was all I wanted.

Minutes passed as I studied my eyelids for cracks, enjoying a warm embrace. My own knot began to shrink away. It shrunk and pulled back inside my sheath, causing me to flinch as the last bit of my over-sensitive bulge was swallowed up.

Someone snickered near the tent as footpaws passed close. "Bet they won't come out for a while."

I didn't know who it had been, but it didn't matter. Either our... indiscretion would be accepted, or it wouldn't. I wasn't about to spend the best time of this long day ignoring the warm, throbbing life inside me, marking me. I would smell of Shadow and like it. I would be known to every fur to be claimed. And Shadow was mine as much as I was his. My heart and guts knew it.

Cares slipped away, and I closed my eyes, too awake to sleep, too happy and content to do anything else. Shadow twitched steady rhythms in my deepest places. He nuzzled deep into my nape fur and sighed. His arm relaxed around me. His breathing was even, but he didn't seem to be asleep. Every few minutes, he would nuzzle into the fur at my nape again, sending little sensations down my spine.

Shadow's breaths against my back shifted me in a comforting, rocking cycle. It took some time, with Shadow's length still deep within me, twitching, but my mind shifted from quiet nothingness. Focus came back after fuzzy comfort.

I thought back to what had triggered Shadow's sudden need and hid my snicker in a paw. Jealousy arising from my attention to a little newborn was to blame. Well, I was glad that he'd 'reclaimed' me too, whatever the ultimate reason. A dark shadow behind me grunted, and I felt a little groan against my back as the wolf shifted.

"Are we okay?" he asked, sounding a bit worried.

"Mhmm," I responded, not opening my eyes.

"You sure?" He hesitated a long moment before continuing. He shifted again as he struggled with uncertainty. "I gave you a mating bite there, and I didn't ask or see if you were ready or-"

"Shadow," I turned my muzzle up to peer over my shoulder at him. I caught his worried gaze as he lay, propped on an elbow, the paw lingering on my belly flexing in nervousness. "I'm... I'm okay with it. Whatever you do, I'm okay with."

He gulped, visible even in the dim light inside the FurShopper. His speech was hurried. "But you're supposed to do that to the one you're mated to. Only do it with one you've committed to. Some never do it, even some mated wolves. My mom insisted it was very special, that I should do it- only do it with the one I'm to spend my life with. Especially for wolves-"

"Shadow, I know." I reached over my hip to flex my blunt claws into his leg. "Do I look upset?"

"No, but-"

"I know it's not something we really talked about, but I think it's something we're both ready for." I hesitated, "Um, at least I hope so? I am."

"I am too," he insisted, clutching at my middle with his own blunt-clawed paw. "I can't imagine being with any other fur the way I am with you now. I feel like I'm sharing all of myself with you."

I relaxed my apprehensive look into a smile. "Then there are no regrets. None from me."

"None from me either. I love you Tyler."

I grinned and gripped his thigh again. "I know I've never felt anything like this with anyone."

"Me neither," he whispered, closing his eyes and nudging his nose into my cheekfur. "It was so sudden, and there was this urge-"

"It's okay, Wulf. I, um, liked being claimed, though I was a bit shocked."

He grinned and winked at me. "You got pretty loud there at the end, I tried to help...."

I snickered at the same time I blushed hard. "I think the whole of Camp heard me."

"Probably." He settled back down, off his elbow, with another long sigh. "At least everyone will know you're mine, and no one will come between us."

"Well, we can hope so," I mused, letting my muzzle fall to the sleeping bag. My muzzle burn grew more. "Furry hells, it's embarrassing!"

"Embarrassment or not, at least furs will have fewer questions to keep to themselves."

I grumbled into my paws, "They'll think we've been humping like rabbits for days."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I've been attracted to you since I met you. 'Course I was too terrified you'd leave me to do anything at first."

I smiled, my burning blush managing to fade, out of his sight. "You seemed so afraid to loose me at the drop of a hat."

"I was." His long sigh rocked me.

"And now?"

"Being together with you, like this... I feel everything is right between us. I don't like it when something is unsaid. It, um, bothers me."

I blinked. There was something new, something I hadn't told him. I needed to tell him. "Shadow, I-"

He waited for me to continue, but the words choked off in my throat. I couldn't tell him there in the tent, with curious ears nearby.

He shifted, pulling at my stretched pucker. His voice sounded worried as he spoke. "Tyler? Is there something you need to tell me?"

"Shadow," I whispered. "Something new came up. I need to tell you."

"Okay." His voice was worried, laden with apprehension and misgivings. When I didn't continue, he said, "You can't tell me here?" At my nod, he whispered, "It's about the Curtain?"

I hesitated, then gave a big jerk of a nod.

"Ugh," he groaned. "I wish the damn thing would leave you alone."

"Later?" I whispered.

"Yes, we'll make time. I guarantee it." His arm tightened around me, holding me close.

I heard him sniff and felt him still a shiver. "You okay, Shadow?"

"I just got you. You're finally all mine. Now I'm about to lose you," he snuffled a damp nose into my nape.

"No, Wulf. No, you won't." I moved my paw off his hip to grip the black arm encircling my middle. "It's not bad, it's... well I don't know. But I don't think I'm in any danger."

At least I hoped those words were true. It didn't feel right to have him feel so insecure about losing me; I knew what a strong, brave wolf he truly was. I felt insecure myself, knowing I was giving Shadow faint guarantee of my being with him. He had mated me in every sense, and all I could give him in return was an unknown problem, which may or may not be something to fracture our new-found join.

Shadow shivered behind me, and I noticed he wasn't twitching inside me anymore. We would soon part, and our joined existence would separate into individual lives. Lives which could be torn apart.

***

>>>>NOTE: DAY 15<<<<

"So what did you want to tell me?" Shadow asked in a low voice, pulling me into the corner. His paws remained on me, trying to maintain contact even as I felt his tension and worry through them. He looked around, his wariness apparent. "Something new about the Curtain?"

I nodded, eyes glued to the floor. Early morning light slipped in through the skylights, not reaching the floor; most furs weren't up yet. We were in a front corner of the FurShopper, as far from Camp as we could get. The area we were in was clear from obstructions, so no one could get close enough to hear without being seen. In theory. Even so, I kept darting my eyes around, afraid that some fur would hear us. What would happen if someone did?

"Shadow. Wulf. I-" I cleared my throat. "The last Curtain, I felt something."

Shadow sighed in some relief. Tension, which had kept him up at least some of the night, released. "So did everyone else. It was worse, stronger somehow."

"Did you feel anything else?"

His footpaws shifted. "Well, just that it was worse and... strange. I was worried about you, since you had a difficult time with it. I worry when you have a harder time tolerating it than the others." He raised his paw to my muzzle, cupping my jaw and cheek in a gentle hold as I stared the floor down.

"I actually didn't, Shadow. Not this time," I whispered, my nose sinking further as I blinked at the floor. "I... faked having a difficult time recovering."

"Why?" he replied in a whisper, confusion showing in the way his paws tightened on me. "Wouldn't it be a good thing if you didn't have as much trouble?"

"I would stand out too much. Also, I felt something during the Curtain... like a -someone-."

He sounded confused in his whispered reply as he stroked my cheek with a firm thumb. "It's like I can feel you during the Curtain too."

"No, not that. Some thing... not fur."

"What?" he blurted, paw dropping from me in disbelief and confusion. His footpaws clenched in my line of sight.

I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head.

"Like a... feather?" he whispered.

I shrugged. "I've never even seen one myself, outside of TV. I don't know. But this.... I don't even know if it's really... alive."

His footpaws shifted, under my watching eyes. "Why?"

My paws began to tremble. "I, um, it felt... so different. Like I could sense its thoughts a bit, but they didn't make sense. No images, no thought. Almost a... search. A... need?"

"And you think it might be searching for what, you?"

I shrugged and couldn't help terrified tears from forming.

"But why you?" he asked, placing paws on my arms, pulling me a step towards him.

"I don't think its looking for me specifically." I shook my head, avoiding looking at him. "It wanted... something. I don't even know what."

"What will it do if it finds you... or someone else?"

I pulled my gaze up to look over his shoulder, into the dark morning distance of the store. "I don't know. I'm not even sure if I could describe it. It felt so...."

"Wrong?"

I shuddered, then nodded. There had been a 'someone' there, but it felt so foreign in my mind, I felt my being rebel against it. Anything alive, some part of me would understand, right? Or was a feather or reptilian mind so very... dissimilar from my own? After all, I had never met one. Pet feral birds and reptiles I'd met and liked okay.

"So what do we do?" asked Shadow, his voice and expression concerned.

I breathed a long exhale. "Nothing has changed. We're still with the FurShopper furs. We *are* FurShopper furs. We... just have a secret."

"A secret they can never find out about," he growled, pulling me against him. His chin tucked over my shoulder, digging into my shoulder bone. "I've made you mine, and I'll make sure it stays that way."

I found a smile to give into his neck, moving my muzzle to rest over a black-furred shoulder, now free of bandages. "Means we both have to live through this, of course. No giving up for either of us anymore, Wulf."

He answered with a firm tightening of his arms. We stood in silence, feeling the world nibble at the edges of our sanity and at our bond. I felt his determination, but also his unease through his firm hold on me.

***

Pancake slipped off my fork. "What?" I gasped, trying to regain myself from my shock.

"I told you," said Jenny with an amused smile, "I heard your name when Steve was talking with Burt."

"What were they talking about?" I asked, feeling a creep of apprehension. I forked up the pancake again.

The pretty, white Jenny shrugged. "Don't know, but it must have been something important, something secret. They hushed up pretty quick when they saw me close."

My sudden shiver was eased a little by Shadow's paw on my thigh under the table, giving me a light squeeze. It was almost magical how a little gesture from the wolf could calm me, bring my focus back to him. My ears perked up a bit as the wolf granted me an encouraging smile.

"I'm sure nothing's wrong Tyler," he mumbled, close to my ear, which flicked at the warm breath tickling the guard hairs. "Don't think too much ahead of yourself, okay?"

I drew in a deep breath and managed a responding smile of my own. My paw reached for his under the table and squeezed it in thanks. I turned to Jenny, who was smirking at us.

"So," the ermine grinned, leaning back a few inches, "I heard there was a strange animal loose in the FurShopper last night."

I blinked at her, not understanding. "What kind of animal?"

Her pretty pink nose wiggled in teasing delight. "That's what we're telling the pups anyway. They did indeed hear - shall we say - 'strange noises' last night."

Oh, that fur could give a wicked humorous grin. But I knew what she was referring to. In vain, I tried to still the blood flushing to my face and the splay of my ears. I turned in my seat to look around at the other furs in Camp behind me, eyes darting around the dining area.

I had noticed a few furs glancing our way and chuckling when we had entered Camp from where Shadow and I had talked. Furs were now giving us no more attention than they did every morning.

"It was something with an extraordinary vocalization," Shadow commented over my shoulder.

I whipped my head back around to see the two grinning at me. I didn't think, even as a fox, I could get any redder.

Jenny's grin grew even wider. "My guess is that Burt or Steve will have a word with you at some point."

As I couldn't get any redder, I settled for an embarrassed slouch. I reached for my cup, trying to change attention to anything but me.

"You're too easy to tease," snickered Jenny as I drank water from my cup. "No one really cares, you know. Besides Sanway and a few other stuffy mentions from furs, I haven't heard anything."

I felt some tension and redness ease. Just a little.

"*But*," she said with a raised finger and my spike of renewing tension. "Every adult fur has no doubt what happened between you two last night. Be a little more subtle next time, unless you want more stupid comments from the likes of Sanway."

"Um..." I managed a humorous glare at Shadow, feeling my redness ease. "Someone has a problem with subtlety."

"They can think whatever they want," Shadow grunted picking between his sharp teeth.

I finished off the last bite of pancake and leaned back. It felt good to ignore the constant worries and have a good breakfast together. My feeling of content quieted as I caught Helaina's pained glare from across the dining area. The wolf couldn't seem to decide between hurt and pure jealous rage. Isaac sent occasional smirking glances our way, followed by whispered comments and loud guffaws from his table-mates. Bradley stared... and stared... and-

With a sigh, I finished off my water and stood, gathering my eating leavings. Shadow rose a moment after me, snagging my cup from my paw with a grin and a wink before setting it inside his own.

"Hold on there, Tyler," a voice called, approaching.

I turned to see Burt clopping up to us. "Hi, Burt," I smiled, turning and trying to not show any wariness at his approach.

"I want to talk to you both. In private," the bull said, trying to keep his deep voice soft.

"Um, what's this about?" I questioned with a frown. From the possibilities popping up in my mind, few would require Burt to talk to us in private.

He nodded his horned head. "I'll tell you in a minute. Follow me."

With a look to Shadow, matching his worried gaze, I followed behind the black bull. Shadow fell in next to me, catching my paw in his. Our near-silent footpaw-steps were a stark contrast from his sure clip-clops.

Had someone heard me tell Shadow about what I had felt during the last Curtain? Was this about the 'noise' last night? Was something wrong with the FurShopper, or our place in it? My frown deepened and my tail held stiff behind me as my mind spun in spurts of fearful possibilities.

Burt walked towards the doors leading to the loading bay. When we were almost there, he glanced around and turned to the side, walking along the outer wall of the store, away from Camp. When I hesitated, Shadow squeezed my paw in his and led me with an encouraging smile.

Burt stopped in front of the automotive entry, where customers could bring in their cars from outside to the shop. The four car bay doors were closed. One lone car was up, raised on an automotive lift which might never lower again. The glass entry doors for furs were barricaded with a pile of pallets, but I could still see movement beyond them. The zombies. What was this?

The bull placed a hoof on my shoulder, looking around for any other furs. "Tyler."

"Ye-" my voice squeaked as soft as my eyes were wide, looking up into the bull's dark brown eyes. I cleared my throat. "Yes?"

"After today's Curtain, I want you and Shadow to come straight here."

I couldn't help the confused tilt of my head. Shadow was stilled and stiff beside me. I could hear a tiny growl of warning under the wolf's breath.

The bull's intense gaze softened. "It's nothing scary, okay pups?" His hoof moved from my shoulder to pat me on the head. "We're going to bring your car inside. But I want as few furs as possible to be reminded there's a working car here. You have your keys?"

My eyes still wide, I nodded. "They're in the shorts I wore a few days ago. In the tent."

"Bring them with you here after the Curtain today. Your radio still works?"

I nodded. "Last time I checked. But... that was a lot of Curtains ago."

Burt frowned. "Let's hope it still works."

"What is this about?" Shadow demanded, frowning.

Burt blinked at Shadow as the wolf's frown deepened. "Steve, Howard, and I agree that we need to see if there's someone out there broadcasting. Any signal at all. Especially after you saw that plane, we need to know."

Shadow's grunt showed what he thought about it. I could tell he doubted there was any kind of organized population of furs out there. In the face of events and the absence of any sign of help, I was inclined to agree. Even if there were furs out there, Shadow didn't care much, unless it affected us directly.

"Okay, Burt," I said with an encouraging smile and a hesitant paw on his arm. "We'll see if someone's out there."

"We will," he nodded his horned head.

***

Hours later, the Curtain calls and whistles sounded. Shadow and I looked up, as did the young we were watching. All of us had the same sinking feeling matching a touch of despair. All went quiet.

"Well," Erin cleared her throat, trying to sound chipper, "Who wants a toy to bring with them?"

The two collie pups and Tara, the young squirrel, said they all wanted one. Their enthusiasm was muted though. Over days of having all the toys available, the novelty was well overshadowed by the prospect of the coming Curtain. The nameless little pika stepped close to Shadow and gripped his fur. As he looked down at the little lagomorph, her eyes watered with begging tears.

The wolf nodded and took the pika's paw, to her great relief. I wished we knew her name. At Erin's smiling nod, we led the way towards the FurShopper restrooms. I looked where Shadow led the little bunny-like thing by her paw between us, and smiled. She was a cute thing. We all went into the females' side, the rest of the young following Erin in.

"Am I your comfort today?" asked Shadow with a slow smile, seeing the pika unwilling to let him go.

"Hmmm," I put on a thoughtful expression, leaning down to the little pika. "Maybe he'll let you come with us, if you tell us your name."

The pika's eyes widened, and she ducked her head behind Shadow's back.

Erin sighed. "We can't get a word out of her, and I think she's too young to write."

I smiled at the pika, giving her a slow stroke to the top of her little head. So soft. "Won't you tell us your name?"

The big eyes squeezed shut, and she clutched Shadow's fur harder, causing him to grunt in surprise.

"Tyler, don't put a condition like that on her feeling safe," Shadow chastised in a light tone.

I felt a little hurt by that. But it faded when I realized where Shadow was coming from. He had not wanted his name known. The tiny female squeezed tears through clenched eyelids. The pika either wasn't willing or able to talk.

At the far end of the room, they were finishing up sealing the door. A firm tap from the butt end of a flashlight signaled our readiness to the other room. Minutes to spare were left.

I sighed, letting the name thing go. "Okay, you don't need to tell us."

The pika relaxed in relief.

"We think the shock of everything has her silenced," Erin sighed. "You have her for this one?" At our nods she winked, "One less for me to keep track of."

Erin gathered up the two collie pups and Tara. The squirrel glanced back at us as she was led away with the pups, questions in her eyes. I turned my attention to the little bunny-thing tucked behind Shadow.

"You need a name we can call you by," I mumbled. "Is there any name you want to be called by?" At the shake of the little head I sighed.

For some reason, my sister's name popped into my head. Kaylee. No, that didn't seem appropriate. That might seem like I was trying to replace my sister, or something.

I blinked, a sudden smile taking over my muzzle. "Shadow."

"Hmmm?" he looked up at me from where he'd been smiling at the young pika.

"Why don't you name her," I said with raised eyebrows. "She seems to like you best."

My black Wulf looked down at the soft young fur hanging onto his leg. "I suppose it's because she was the one I saved when her group came in. Pulled some undead leopard away before it could get her." He sat against the wall with a sigh. "A name, huh. Would you like that, if I picked out a name to call you by. At least for now?"

The little one settled next to him with a smile as I settled on Shadow's other side. She nodded, looking at him with fond expectation. I shook my head, smiling too. Good thing I wasn't the jealous type, and she was far too young for Shadow to get involved with. I understood her attachment, though. She'd been saved by my Wulf. He was her 'knight in shining armor'. Well, he was mine too, and more. I could share him a bit without worry. I knew where his heart lay.

The big, black wolf stroked the tiny gray head. As the one minute warning was called out he grinned. "I have just the name for you."

She tilted her head, waiting. I waited too. What name would he give her?

"I'll call you Brynn. It was my mother's name."

The little pika paused before nodding and mouthed the word silently.

We three settled down on the floor, Brynn snuggling up between us. I didn't mind; she was a cute thing, innocent in her desire to be close to him. I could be generous, there was enough wolf to share. I wasn't about to claim all his time, though he'd all but guaranteed it to me, to watch out for me.

The Curtain dropped.

Immediately, there was a difference. The vibrations along all senses were there. The distress was there. The tune was stronger. But more than that, it had a new focus. Me.

I tried to ignore the tune, which I knew would lift me out of the worst of the experience. It's 'search' was stronger, harder. When it was too much for my strained senses, I would latch onto the tune for seconds, and the... -thing- would latch onto me. Or try to. I wasn't sure what it was trying to do, but I knew I didn't want it.

-It- grasped for me, and my consciousness slipped away, into the maelstrom of Curtain distress. -It- seemed to thrash around in what might be some kind of fit. The Curtain surged-

And I blacked out.

***

A warm paw stroked my brow. Voices mumbled things in an echo-y chamber. I groaned and managed to raise a paw to my pounding head.

"Tyler," breathed out a relieved voice. Shadow.

"Hmmm?" Had I just woken up? I felt all kinds of groggy. I tried to sit up so I could hold my head better.

"Hold up there, Foxy," a wolfy voice mumbled in my ear.

I winced as the sound seemed to echo around inside my head with painful reverberations. I dragged my eyes open. I was still in the FurShopper restroom. Glancing around, I realized I wasn't the only one waking up on the floor.

The warm wolfy paw raised my head and put a cup to my lips. I sucked down the delicious water.

"Not too fast," whispered Shadow.

I avoided a choke and pulled from the cup. "What happened?"

Shadow grimaced and looked around. "A lot of furs had blacked out, or came out of the Curtain throwing up. It was pretty bad. Everyone's in rough shape."

I nodded. Something niggled at the back of my mind. "Um... Brynn?"

"She's okay. Came out of it like a champ and is with Ethan right now, getting some food at the tables."

I nodded. That hadn't been it. Um...

"Burt?" I spoke at the same time I realized it.

"He's waiting for us, as soon as you're okay."

"I'm okay now," I mumbled, placing a paw to my pained skull. At least I thought I was.

Shadow frowned in the dim light from a ceiling-pointed flashlight. I understood his concerns, but this couldn't go on. I needed to do something, to not be a victim of the Curtain day after day.

"Tyler," he protested as I pulled myself to sit up.

My head spun as I rested it on my knees and a firm Wulf paw stroked my head, between my sagging ears. I groaned and reached for the water cup. Shadow was faster and passed it to me. After I gulped it down and sat for a minute, I felt a little better.

"I think I'm ready," I said, though even my voice sounded weak.

My Wulf didn't say anything, just helped me to my half-numb footpaws. Though I swayed as I walked, I insisted we go meet Burt and Steve. Shadow helped me out of the restroom, where furs were recovering with moans and other furs helping them mumbled encouragement.

The rest of the furs were scattered around the dining area of Camp. Few bothered to talk. Most had heads either in paws or resting on a table. Shadow seemed not much better, though he seemed to be supporting me by sheer force of will. I could feel his body trembling with stress and fatigue as he guided us to the automotive section.

A snort and a glare greeted us there. I froze, and Shadow stopped, head sagging down.

"Sanway?!" I gaped.

The springbok rolled his eyes and muttered something nasty under his breath. He remained where he stood, with arms crossed, in front of the empty bay door. The door was open!

"Sanway!" growled Shadow, springing alert and showing teeth as his paws balled into fists.

"What by all the furry hells are you doing, Sanway?!" I shouted as Shadow stepped in front of me, stalking towards the fur.

"Idiots!" the antelope spat in a low voice. "Keep your voices down. Steve and Burt are out there getting the car."

Shadow hesitated his stalking forward and stopped. His eyes widened and focused on the open bay door as he growled. Collapsed zombies were far from the door, scattered and uninterested in the back of the store. Still-

I clutched Shadow's shirt as I saw a zombie crawl. How long had I been unconscious? How long before these things were active enough to devour our hides?

"The things're still incapacitated, and they should only be a few more seconds," Sanway grumbled, pointing out the door.

I leaned to the side and could see Burt and Steve pushing my little Frankenstein car between the scatterings of waking undead. Burt didn't spare us a glance as he kicked one zombie with a solid hoof and hustled the car inside.

Sanway pulled the bay door down and closed it with a comforting rumble. I felt Shadow relax with me once it was closed. We'd rather deal with an irritable Sanway any day of the week than the throngs of undead outside.

Steve and Burt strained to stop my little car, but couldn't help the little bump against the far wall in their hurry.

"Dammit," griped Burt in a soft, deep voice. "Well, at least it's in."

Steve leaned in the driver's side door and set the paw brake. "Let's try this." He looked over to me and nodded. "Tyler, can you come here with your keys please?"

I sucked in my lips, hesitating. My eyes flicked over to the springbok, where the male stood with his arms crossed.

Steve sighed and gestured me over. "Ignore Sanway. He may not like you, but he won't say a word about this either."

Shadow frowned, his growls settling to unhappy huffs. I had to agree. When had the springbok ever shown himself trustworthy before us?

Burt sighed. "He may not look it, but he used to be in the armed forces. Good record too, from what he says. Just tends to be a bit of an ass unless he's trying to be nice."

A surge of doubt nearly overwhelmed me as I stood on wobbling footpaws, peeking out from behind Shadow's strong back.

Steve sighed. "He hates wolves and gays. No offense to you two."

My Wulf harrumphed, and I felt agreement. Maybe we should take offense.

"Let's get to the point of this," Steve stated. "Keys, Tyler?"

I frowned and stepped forward, pulling the keys from my shorts' pocket. I glanced at Sanway, still not trusting the stuffy fur. When Steve reached out his paw, I drew the keys back.

"I'll do it," I grumbled, not liking the whole situation.

Steve nodded and stood to the side as Shadow accompanied me to my Frankenstein car's driver door. With a great sense of nostalgia, I sat inside, leaving the door open so Shadow could stay near. I didn't resist the urge to give the zombie kitty a poke. It swung, grinning at me.

I tapped the front of the ancient-looking radio. It was bolted in place under the front console with duct taped edges, so it wouldn't scratch anyone. Such a hack job, just like everything else on my starter vehicle.

Taking a deep breath and holding it, I put the key in, turned it.

Click.

I reached over and turned on the radio. A slow glow lit the old unit, and long sighs of relief sounded from multiple muzzles.

Static. But that was nothing new. I had it tuned to an unused frequency for my FM transmitter to relay from my CD player. The old radio could handle AM or FM radio. As it was set to FM, I decided to try that first.

I gave the dial a slow, little twist, startling a bit as the passenger door opened and Burt sat inside, door open so Steve could lean in next to him. His gaze was fixed and intent on the glowing radio. I wound the dial by fractions.

Static.

I kept winding. There must be someone out there, right? Some part of Furdom, intact and safe? I turned up the volume. My shoulders remained tense even as Shadow placed a comforting paw to one through the open car door. Anticipation filled me, my sensitive ears straining for any coherent sounds. Any voices.

Static.

There were disappointed sighs when I reached the far end of the dial without success. Nothing. I stared at the radio. Nothing at all.

Someone coughed. I looked up to see Sanway had moved closer to stand 'near' Shadow. The gazelle frowned.

"You have AM?" Sanway grunted. At my nod, he rolled his eyes. "Try AM, it travels a lot further than FM transmissions."

I switched the radio to AM. Starting from where the dial was at the high end, I began the long trek down frequencies.

There was movement out of the corner of my eye, and I spared a glance at Sanway. He was inching closer and closer, his ears perked and his narrow horns tilted forward, listening hard and seeming to ignore the 'dangerous' wolf at his side.

I paused the dial. Did I hear something? Something hidden in the static?

... No. It was an odd throb of electricity on the air. I closed my eyes and continued down the frequencies. Slow turn... slower turn. There had to be something, right? Something more than static. My ears flicked when I kept thinking I heard something.

Silence.

My paw hesitated on the dial. Silence?

Beeeeeeeep!

Five furs jumped, nearly out of their hides.

"Emergency broadcast number: ," a female voice started.

A mechanized voice stated, "2-3-0-5-8."

The female voice continued, "This is a broadcast for Eastern Furdom. If you are receiving this and desire aid, mark the roof of your shelter with something red. Authorities and emergency assistance will arrive to assist as soon as they are able. Please continue to be safe until then. Remember to stay away from the Event Light. Stay alive Furdom."

Silence.

Beeeeeeeep!

"Emergency broadcast-"

I lowered the volume with a sigh as my strung nerves relaxed. There was someone out there.

Turning to face Shadow, I all but touched noses with Sanway. He pulled back with a snort, taking a step away. He looked uncomfortable in the realization he'd been about cheek-to-cheek with a big, black... gay wolf. I gave a smirk to the startled Shadow who had been as intent on listening as Sanway and had not noticed the gazelle leaning in next to him.

Burt cleared his throat before he spoke. "Well, I guess there is someone out there."

"It's an automated message, probably going for a while. Could be no one now," Sanway grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at Shadow as if it had been his fault the gazelle had leaned so close.

"Still," Steve straightened, and it sounded like he rested his paws on the roof, "it means that some part of Furdom survived, enough to make the message, plan to come, and power the signal through all this mess."

"But it could be collapsed and gone, just as everything else is," growled Shadow, drawing eyes. "It means nothing. Nothing's changed for us."

Burt nodded in the seat next to me. "Still, I think it would be a wise idea to put something on the roof. A red sheet or tarp, perhaps."

Steve put his head back in the car. "You'd have to pry it away from furs. And what would we tell them?"

"I don't think we should keep this a secret," I said, staring at the mumbling radio.

Steve hummed in thought. "I think we need to. At least for now." Four muzzles started to counter, but the rabbit held up a paw. "If we tell furs now, they'll want to hear for themselves. They'll want to monitor this radio day and night. And what will happen?"

Burt shook his horned head and tried to rub a horn in the confined space. "The battery will die before we can find out anything else."

Sanway grunted. "Check the rest of the frequencies."

We spent a few minutes listening. No other signals could be picked up.

The gazelle shifted on his slender hooves. "Try at night, we might be able to pick up something from further away."

Steve mused, "Is there any way to change the radio into a transmitter? We could call for help."

Sanway rolled his eyes. "Maybe, but that little thing would have such a short range, it would be useless. We don't even know if anyone's at the other end of that signal anymore, It plays like every thirty seconds, and the count is pretty high."

Five furs sagged in disappointment. We'd found a signal, but nothing else. Nothing had changed but a hint, a tease of help. It was more cruel knowing the 'aid' had been available, and we might have missed it. Was there aid, or had it been throttled and killed like everything else in the world? Had the little plane been some part of it?

EEEEEEEKKKK!

Someone was screaming. Not a playful child shriek, but a terrified end-of-your-life kind of scream.

Five heads lifted and turned and looked back towards the store. I turned the car keys to OFF and stuffed them under the seat. With a last look to the zombie kitty, I joined the others in dashing towards the main part of the store.

When I reached the 'fur' part of automotive, I could see the main store through the entry. Helaina dashed past the end of the isle, past automotive, screaming again. Seconds later, a zombie passed too, hot in stumbling pursuit.

Oh, furry hells....