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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire Chapter 26: The Fear And The Frightened

My conversation with the professor disturbed me. So much that I had trouble sleeping that evening despite being within the embrace of my females. We were lying on our sides. Lady Ursa embracing me from behind her chin resting on the back of my head; our traditional sleeping position. I was also doing the same to Shakara- my chin was on the back of her head and my hands were resting on her hips, very near to her goodies.

Day 34 (morning)

As dawn broke (above ground) the horny lioness moved my hands up to her breasts. Seeing no reaction from me, she then took my right and moved it down to touch her sex.

"Good morning little cutie." She said to me.

"Hmm?" I said in a daze. "Morning all ready?"

"You didn't sleep a wink at all did you?" My mistress said nuzzling me.

"Alex is something wrong?" Shakara asked turning over to talk. "After our activities yesterday evening, you should have been shut down for the night."

"I was talking with the professor about the recent monster attack."

"What did she say pet?" My warrior bear asked.

"Two in the past few days. She thinks we are being targeted." I said to my perfect person and my devious person.

"The group that saw Corbin, Corey and Rumble when they dug out the exit must have spread the word, they know we are here and that is probably why they are attacking." My warrior bear concluded.

"Easy meal my lady?" Shakara asked.

"Yes." My fierce ursine warrior said. "But the commander, myself, Corey and Rumble will vanquish all who threaten our survival."

"I noticed that you excluded Russel from that statement." The lion lady said.

"Mr. Ferguson is a coward." The bear said to the lion. "Do you know why Russell was nearly killed?"

"I assume it happened when the five of you confronted the creature?" I said to my brown bear.

"Make that four. Russell saw the lone monster, dropped his spear and ran in the opposite direction. The head sucker sensed weakness and attacked."

"Oh wow." I said.

"Not all of us are warrior material my lady." Shakara said. "Although he has a long, thin butt and spongy genitals."

Lady Ursa looked at the horny lioness.

"I mean I personally made sure that there were no traces of the head sucker on his fur after the attack. He may be small in stature but he is really hung like a...."

"What if the creatures tell the Others?" I said interrupting the lioness.

"I am not following pet." Lady Ursa said.

"The recent attacks prove that the monsters can communicate with each other and obviously pass along information. What if one of them passes off that information to ONE?" I blurted out. "Either willingly or unwillingly?"

"It would mean our own extinction." Lady Ursa said.

"I don't like that at all." Shakara said.

"I have personally seen a monster become an Other." I said to my two females.

"What can we do?" My devious person asked.

"I guess we could place the prototype at the south entrance and obliterate anything trying to enter without authorization." My she beast said thinking out loud.

"That is one idea." My lion lady said smiling. "But I have a better idea."

"What is that Shakara?" My bear asked.

"We save it for the morning meeting and help our little cutie forget his and our problems. All of them." That broad smile of hers turning predatory.

As a result, the three of us missed breakfast and were late for the morning meeting. I was also sore and walking funny, but satisfied (as were Ursa and Shakara) after taking care of my bear and lioness.

"Sorry we are late everyone." I said walking in to the eating area of the central building. I took a seat next to Corey and Rumble. Shakara sat next to Corbin and Russell and my mistress next to the professor and Rhinox.

"Long night?" My sister's doppelgänger asked.

"I didn't sleep a wink after our conversation." I responded.

"Nor did I." Dawn said. "Corbin on the on the other hand was out like a light."

"We had been discussing our precarious position before you walked in." The commander said. "This would be justification for ridding the forest of monsters."

"But our numbers are too small and there are so many of them!" Russell said quivering.

"That is a fact I know too well. We really need an army." The commander said.

"...attacks must stop..." Our resident were-creature said.

"It doesn't seem likely." The little mongoose boy added. "It looks like they are going to increase."

"Does anyone have any suggestions?" Dawn asked the eight of us.

"In the short term we should establish night guards at the south entrance." The commander said.

"Permanently?" Russell asked.

"No. The monsters are only active at night. So we should have some type of rotation." Lady Ursa said.

"Good idea Ursa." The commander said. "You and I will guard the entrance tonight."

"Rumble and I will take the second night." The black haired teen said as the werewolf nodded.

Everyone in the eating area then turned to look at the last remaining 'warrior' on the commander's defense force.

"Um thanks but no thanks, I don't think I am cut out for this." The miniature horse admitted. "I realized that while my head was being sucked."

"Perhaps there is another way you can contribute to our community Russell." Shakara suggested.

Of course everyone face-palmed at that statement.

"No. Russell." The commander said. "That was only your first confrontation. I believe that more training is necessary."

"...little horse must mange his fear..." The were-creature snorted.

"So I am not out?!" The grey and white pony said nervously.

"Looks like you are still part of the defenders." The black haired teen said.

"If there aren't any further items professor my team has some more training." The rhino warrior said. "Corey, Rumble, Russell and Ursa meet me at the north maze in fifteen minutes."

Commander Rhinox had Lady Ursa, Corey, Russell and Rumble train the rest of the morning. They started by running laps around the perimeter of city and then focusing on combat techniques and then sparing.

The commander paired Russell and Rumble together to force the tiny horse to manage his fear and cowardice. I heard Russell only wet himself a couple of times.

Dawn went back to her research with Corbin's assistance, Shakara returned to the infirmary and I decided to clean the eating place after everyone had left before heading to the roof. The dark tan lioness found me there thirty minutes later.

"What are you doing little cutie?"

"Just listening to the hum of our city a buzz with activity. The defenders in training and Dawn working downstairs with Corbin."

"Yes, we do have a budding community." My she beast said. "Not as big as the Grand Kingdom mind you, but better."

"Yes my lioness- but this new era we are in will we survive?"

"We have to Alex. There are more out there just like us trying to do the same with much, much less and I seem to recall my little human saying we must help those who are in need."

"One soul at a time." I said watching as Lady Ursa, Corey, Rumble, Russell and the commander sprinted by below.

"I finished taking inventory. We are fully stocked and ready for whatever the future for us."

"You know I was thinking about our bear Shakara."

"Yes little cutie?"

"At some point commander Rhinox will want to resume the search for Lady Barq. He will most likely want to take Lady Ursa with him."

"Which will leave Corey, Rumble and Russell to protect the rest of us." The dark tan lioness concluded.

"Yes. The point I am getting at is how long before we can safely say she is free from the influence of the entity and can return to full duty?"

"You are thinking about Tina at the Seven/Seven Club right?"

"And the other Rejects we encountered." I said to my lion lady. "They had no compunctions about rolling over their fellow beastials to be with ONE."

"That is hard to say." The dark tan lioness said thinking. "I suppose, it will be when she can fully focus without longing to be with the entity.

"And how will we be able to determine that Shakara?"

My devious person started to respond. Paused, thought about it and then said- "When starts enjoying sex again."

That was such a Shakara answer.

"You mean acting the way she did before she became an Other?"

"Yes little cutie. When she starts moaning, groaning, oh-ing and roaring during sex."

"I think we still have a way to go Shakara- at this point she is only grunting when we climax." I said thinking. "Which brings me to a certain self medicating lioness I know."

"That is a permanent condition regarding lifelong treatment." She said taking my hand in her paw.

"I did not know." I said.

"That is what makes me the healer and you the medic my little cutie. Anyway, I hear the relaxation pool calling me care to come?"

"Sure."

Shakara and I spent an hour talking and unwinding.

"It is amazing how our lives have changed." I said to my lioness as she looked at me. "A month and half ago during this time of day I would be performing chores around the lair or assisting the knights on their missions."

"A month and a half later you are living with a bunch of refugees in a ancient underground city." The lion lady said.

"With a lot of time on my hands and a very uncertain future for us all."

After decompressing, Shakara returned to the infirmary. I decided to tidy up our home especially the bedroom before returning to the central building. I headed to professor Stern's office first.

"Afternoon professor."

"Hi Alex. How is your day progressing?"

"A slow day to say the least. Which means it is also a good day. What is that there you are working on? Some ancient document?"

"No. I decided to start cataloguing the night creatures we have encountered. It may give us some insight on their methods, patterns and weaknesses." She said to me.

"Can I see?" I asked.

She handed me her notebook which I carefully flipped through. There were illustrations of the creatures we had encountered so far the blob, the slender thing that turned us against each other and the harpy that attacked Shakara.

"I can help you add to this. There were a few monsters that Lady Ursa and I encountered at Capital Stadium and some at the Grand Kingdom as well."

"Great, pull up a seat and write down what they looked like and as much as you can remember."

I spent the better part of an hour helping my sister's doppelgänger with her side project. Afterward, I decided to head to the eating room. Corey, Rumble, Corbin and Russell were there on break from their activities.

"I like the remodeling job you did here Mr. Collins." The miniature horse said.

"It was something to do to pass the time while everyone was waiting for Corbin here to complete his food run." The snarky teen said.

"Speaking of that, I was working on something and I was wondering if I could get your honest opinion."

"Working on something?" Corey asked.

"...opinion...?" The werewolf asked looking at the grey and white pony.

"About what?" The little mongoose boy asked.

"I am thinking about trying out for the food preparer position here."

"I see, a warrior and a chef." Corey said.

"Um kay." The little mongoose said.

"I made something- lunch." Russell said proudly.

"What is it?" Corey said cocking his head slightly.

"Chicken, beans and rice." Mr. Ferguson said placing three bowls in front of his would be customers. "Let me know what you think."

Rumble sniffed curiously at the dish as Corey and Corbin watched. Slowly the were-creature lowered his muzzle and started eating. Corey grabbed a utensil and started eating as did Corbin.

"And what do you think?" The grey and white horse said as his test subjects swallowed.

*BLECK!!* The black haired teen said running out of the room. He was followed by the mongoose who was retching and then the were-creature at top speed as they tried to make their way to the wash rooms on the second floor.

*BLARFF!!!*

And it sounds like one of them did not make it in time.

"Afternoon Alex would you like to have a sample?" The pony said smiling at me.

"HOW COULD SOMEONE SCREW UP CHICKEN, BEANS AND RICE?!" I heard a distressed teen shout from down the hall.

"Um, no thanks Russell, I was just passing by- I have to be somewhere, anywhere bye-now!"

Further down the hall next to professor Stern's office, I found the commander carving out a room of his own as well.

"Afternoon commander." I said walking into the formerly vacant room."

"Mr. Winter." The rhino warrior said to me.

"New office?"

"When I am finished with it." He yawned. "Excuse me."

"You are tired too?"

The former commander of the Knights of Sovereign nodded.

"It is many things son, the destruction of the empire, its aftermath, protecting and defending this city, Russell."

"Russell?!" I said looking at him. "Your living situation is not working out?"

"He was a mess when Shakara finally released him from observation."

"I guess being the victim of a head sucker will do that to anyone sir." I said to the jolly rhino warrior.

"Well, Russell is not brave person to begin with and nearly dying last night didn't help. It brought up memories from the Grand Kingdom when the Intendant tried to do away with him."

"I see." I said as the rhino commander sat down on a chair.

"He was so upset and distraught that he slept in my bed with me. It was the only way that he would feel safe." The commander said as my eyes widened.

(Well why not? Corbin and the professor sleep together as do Ursa, Shakara and I and so do Corey and Rumble.)

"These are very challenging times and I guess there is safety in numbers commander."

"Well he is going to be alone this evening- Ursa and I have the night watch."

"Geez I hope he doesn't come pay me a visit. So is this office larger than your last one?"

"Actually bigger, but maybe it is because there is only a table and chair here. But, I plan to have a few more items in here when it is finished."

"Like files on threats to this community, a strategy map?"

"Something like that son. By the way what is Russell up to with his free time?"

"He tried making lunch for Corbin, Corey and Rumble. He wasn't entirely successful." I responded meekly.

"I thought I heard retching and vomiting coming from the second floor." The rhino said.

"It was amazing how almost immediately those three fell ill. I guess I better check up on them sir. Duty calls."

Corey, Rumble and Corbin wound up visiting Shakara at the infirmary who gave them something for their upset stomachs. Corbin vowed never to eat anything Russell made ever again.

That evening I decided to check up on the three to see how they were doing. I found the three of them at Corbin's home.

"So this is where you three are hiding." I said as the little boy answered the door. "Wow and nicely decorated."

There was a rug on the floor. The table in the center had a cloth on it and some of the walls had been painted.

"The professor decided that since it is our home- it needed to be more welcoming." My little brother said.

"Guess what? Corbin and I found something interesting on one of the cubes he brought back from The Madam's hideout." Corey told me.

"What's that?"

"A game." Mr. Collins said motioning me inside.

The three of them huddled around the cube on the floor in the middle of the room.

"...game...?" The were-creature asked lying on his tummy transfixed at the cube.

"It is something we use to amuse ourselves Rumble." Corey said.

"And to pass the time." The little mongoose said as the escaped lab creature continued to study the cube.

Intrigued, I joined them.

"What type of game?" I asked the three of them.

"It is a chose your own adventure. You are trapped in a unknown structure and you must try to get out." Corbin said touching the cube.

"...but we are here..." Rumble snorted.

"Yes big guy we are here physically, but in a minute we will be inside the game in a weird structure trying to make our way out. Like that morning we met."

The were-creature looked at his boy confused.

"You will see what I am talking about. Let's begin Corbin." The teen said to the mongoose boy.

Corbin pressed a button on the cube. The room we were in vanished- and we found ourselves in what looked like a upper floor of a old spooky mansion.

"What do you see Rumble?" The little mongoose asked.

"...unfamiliar surroundings..." Rumble said looking around.

"Correct." Corey said to his were-creature this is just an illusion, a projection like the holograms from the prototype."

"...not real..."

"But a convincing illusion." I said to the werewolf.

"There is a sign here." Corey said holding Rumble's paw.

"What's it say?" I asked.

"You are exploring the upper floors of a old, creepy, spooky mansion you come to a hallway. To your left there is a closed door. At the far end of the hall there is another closed door. to your right a staircase leading downstairs. What do you want to do?" Corey said reading the description.

"Let's let Rumble decide." Corbin said.

"Which direction should we go big guy?" Corey said looking at his wolf.

Rumble tried to sniff the air, only smelling the scents around him.

"Um, that won't help." I said to him.

"...roof..." He rumbled.

"That is not one of the choices." The little mongoose said. "We can only enter the door to our left, the one at the end of the hall or go down the spooky staircase."

The were-creature pondered for a minute and pointed to the door at the end of the hall.

The four of us could hear something coming from behind it! Something foreboding and dark, like an entity waiting to be released from its cage to to bring misfortune on all of us.

"Are you sure about that?" The snarky teen said to the wolf.

Rumble grunted.

And so we made our way to the door. The sounds ever growing louder as we approached. Corbin pressed the button on the wall and the door slid downward to reveal what was behind it. Behind that door was the source of the sound- the creature making the dark, foreboding noises!

"Corbin! Time for bed!" The being said stepping into view.

"Professor!!!" The little boy pouted as his guardian interrupted the illusion.

"Nuts! Just when it was getting interesting." Corey protested.

"Well, you four can continue playing tomorrow. Now to be bed with all of you!" The archeologist ordered.

"Can Corey and Rumble sleep over?" Corbin asked.

"You mean so that the three of you can play this game of yours all night?" Dawn asked.

She scanned the room and the smiles coming from the mongoose boy, the teenager and then the former lab experiment.

"Corey don't you and Rumble have guard duty tomorrow night?"

"Yes professor."

"Perhaps it would be better if you caught up on your sleep then." Corbin's adoptive mother said.

*Alert! The South Maze Has Been Breached Lady Ursa and Commander Rhinox have engaged multiple targets!* The automated assistant shouted.

"Oh no!" Dawn said.

I was in a daze as we walked out the front door. Shakara and Russell met us at the prototype.

I sat down in the driver's seat and professor Stern in the passenger's seat.

*Emergency Authorization Alex Winter*

*Recognized Dawn Stern Lost City*

Quickly she activated the copilot monitor and keyboard as Corey, Rumble, Corbin, Shakara and Russell gathered around.

"I have four signals moving around rapidly in the south maze." The blond female announced.

"Where?" Corey asked.

"Towards its center." The professor said.

"Wow, it looks like it is a fierce battle." My lion lady said.

"Or they are losing and fighting for their lives." The little mongoose boy stated.

Russell dropped his spear on the cobble stone sidewalk. Shakara was nice enough to hand it back to him. As Corey ran back into his and Rumble's home to grab his weapons.

He and Rumble shared a glance and ran toward the south maze. Russell just quivered.

"Russell!" The black haired teen called out to the cowardly provisional warrior.

"Coming!" The miniature horse said running after the teen and his wolf.

"Alex." My lioness said.

"Yes, we should prepare for casualties. Corbin." I said getting out of the prototype.

The little mongoose boy jumped in and followed Corey, Rumble and Russell to the where the south cave exited into the city.

**Side-pods engaged.* *

"This is starting to become a habit." Corbin said to his adoptive mother as the three defenders entered to see if they could assist their comrades.

They were gone a brief second before remerging again with Lady Ursa, the commander, Corey and Rumble were hauling the remains of more night creatures who tried to force their way into the lost city.

One creature looked like a cross between a snake and dragon. It had the long body of a snake but the fierce looking head of a dragon. Grey body, sharp fangs and horns and its head alone was four feet tall.

Corey, Rumble and Russell were carrying what looked like a fish, but its body with the exception of its head was a large spiked spiral.

"Is that a fish?" The professor asked stepping out of the blue coupe.

"It was, one that can traverse on land." My warrior bear said. "It can't anymore."

"Let's make sure." Corbin said coldly.

The remains of the night creatures were placed in front of the prototype where Corbin made sure they were dead.

Mean while I ran to my she beast she had additional scrapes, cuts and gashes from the spiked fish.

Shakara realized the commander had also sustained some injuries in his battle with the snake- dragon thingie.

"Commander we better see to your wounds." The lioness said to the rhino noticing that his horn was dripping with blood.

"You three secure the maze." Lady Ursa ordered the werewolf, teen and horse.

"We will assist as well." Corbin said motioning the professor back into the blue coupe.

Shakara and I escorted our bear and the commander back to the infirmary to be patched up.

"Congratulations on successfully defending the city commander." I said to the rhino warrior.

"It was a wise decision to guard the entrance to the south maze." The lion lady added.

"It was, but something concerns me." The former leader of the knights of Sovereign said.

"What's that?" Shakara asked.

"Is it me Ursa or have you noticed that each adversary we have encountered is stronger than the last?" The rhino said to the bear.

To Shakara and my shock the bear agreed.

"These two presented quite a challenge commander." The bear said to the rhino.

"There may be a time when we encounter something that is near impossible to defeat." The jolly warrior said grimly. "It may not be that far off.

Alex Winter February 4, YOE 34