FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Dan awoke the next morning to the smell of eggs and bacon, and went downstairs to eat with her family. Julia filled a plate for her, and she sat at the table and ate.

"I took half the day off work, so we can go down to the WIC office for you", Julia said.

"Thanks, Mom", Dan replied.

Eric ate his breakfast in silence.

When they where done, Julia and Dan left the house and got in Julia's old Subaru, and then drove out of the neighborhoods to Boone, the nearest city, where they went to the WIC office.

Dan followed her mother in, but was stopped by the security guard. "Ma'am, you can't bring an animal in here", he said.

"I'm not an animal, I'm one of the Changed", Dan told him. The security guard stared at her for a moment, and then said "All right."

They took a number and sat down. Dan couldn't help but stare at all the pregnant women and women with baby strollers in the waiting room. She put her paw to her swelling womb and whined: she couldn't believe she was going to be a mother, too.

Of course, they drew their own share of curious glances.

Finally, their number was called, and the went to the front counter to speak to a civil servant. "You're here to apply for WIC?", asked the woman whose nameplate read "Emily".

"I'm here for my daughter, Dan. She's one of the Changed. And she's pregnant", Julia said, putting down Dan's birth certificate.

Emily stared at her, then at Dan. "You're one of the Changed?", she asked.

"Yep. I was a guy, but now I'm a female dog", said Dan. "Hence my name."

"Let me get my supervisor", said Emily.

Emily's supervisor, Mark, was an easy going fellow in a suit, and apparently he'd dealt with the Changed before. He had Dan put an 'X' on the appropriate forms, to the best of her abilities with her paws, and signed off on them.

"Well get you supplemental food assistance right away, Dan. And I want you to see a doctor, so we're going to set you up an appointment", he said.

Dan was given an appointment to see an obstetrician in a month, and Mark gave her mother a SNAP card. "You make sure she eats well", he said.

They got in their car and headed back home. Dan thanked her mother, and then ran from the driveway to Marlin's house. She rang the doorbell, and Marlin answered.

He licked her muzzle on seeing her, and she licked him back.

"Mom put on me on WIC this morning, so no more food problems...", Dan said.

"No more dog-food and hunting rabbits?", Marlin asked.

"Well, I still want to go hunting", Dan replied.

Marlin sighed and let her in, closing the door behind her.

"Your dad didn't seem too pleased", he said.

"Yeah, he wouldn't talk to me this morning", Dan replied.

They walked into the living-room, and up to the giant-screen TV. Marlin clicked it on, and started going through Netflix.

"I'm surprised at how well you're taking this", Marlin told her.

"I'm worried, and still sort of in disbelief", Dan replied. Then she wagged her tail. "But it's sort of exciting. I can't believe I'm going to be bringing new life into the world...."

Marlin could only lick her head and try to re-assure her: "You're really tough, I know you can handle it".

"My whole life's going to change when I become a mommy", she said, looking down at her paws.

"Yeah", said Marlin, looking into Dan's eyes, "And I'm going to be a daddy".

They nose-booped each-other, and went back to watching cartoons, spending the rest of the day watching TV and eating.

The weeks passed peacefully as Dan's pregnancy progressed. Julia took her to her appointment with the veterinary obstetrician, and they shaved a patch off her belly fur and gave her a sonogram: Dan stared as the image showed four tiny puppies in her womb. The doctor told her they all looked normal, and that her pregnancy was progressing "just fine".

Dan and Julia smiled at each-other, and Julia took her paw in her hand. "Four puppies", Julia said, and Dan wagged her tail a bit and said "Yeah". Julia petted her head.

They asked her if she she had had her shots. Dan said no, so they gave her the rabies vaccine and the CAV-1 vaccine. They also gave her mother box of chewable flea and tick killer.

When they got home, Dan rushed to Marlins place to tell him the news. She rang the doorbell and Marlin answered, and they licked each others muzzles in doggy greeting, tail wagging.

"So how did it go?", Marlin asked.

"I'm going to have four puppies", Dan replied, "and they all looked healthy on the sonogram".

Marlin sighed. "Good", he said. And they went inside to watch TV.

Summer ended and the beginning of school approached. By then, Dan was very obviously pregnant, and her teats where starting to swell. At first, the flesh around her nipples felt hard and itched a little, and sometimes felt warm. Marlin commented on her condition one afternoon as they watched videos.

"Dan, your growing teats?", he said one afternoon.

Dan frowned at him. "Yeah, I am. Thanks to you. Because I'm a mammal", she said.

Marlin licked her muzzle. "It took both of us, you know that, right?"

Dan sighed. "I love you Marlin. I'm going to have your children, whatever that means. Just be here for me, right?"

"I will", Marlin replied, and cuddled up into her. "Just be brave. I can't imagine having to give birth to a litter of puppies".

Dan sighed again. "I can't either", she said.

Then Marlin popped the Question: "Do... you want to get married?", he asked.

Dan stared at him. A moment of silence passed. "We can do that?", she asked.

"Yeah, I saw it on the news. A lot of the Changed are getting married."

Dan closed her eyes and sighed. "I'll ask my parents and see what they say. Can your parents pay for it?"

"Yeah", Marlin waged his tail. "They suggested it to me. We all saw the same news show".

Dan's heart swelled and she booped him on the nose. "When?", she asked, thinking: I can't believe I'm going to become Mrs. Dan Peterson....

"We'll call the Church of the Resurrection. My parents are Episcopalian. They drag me there on occasion, so they know me."

Dan stared him, and tears started to fill her eyes. "I love you Marlin", she breathed, choking slightly.

"I love you too, Dan", Marlin replied, licking the tears from her eyes.

They rubbed against each-other, and went back to watching TV.

The Peterson's made arrangements for the ceremony in two weeks, and the Browns agreed. Dan's father informed them that his relatives couldn't make it, but some of the Peterson's could. It was going to be a small reception, but at least it was a reception. Then next day John and Laura took Dan and Marlin to the church to see the priest.

Dan was stunned at the ornate beauty of the stone brick-work church, with it's huge glass windows and intricate frescoes. "Dude, this is where you go to church?", she asked Marlin.

"Yeah", he replied.

Marlins parents opened the doors and together they walked into the vestibule. At the end of the nave was a man in suit at the ambo (the pulpit), reading a Bible. He looked up at them, and smiled beatifically. "You must be the Peterson's. And are these your Celebrants, Dan and Marlin?", he asked.

"Yes, Father Dave", John replied.

"I've never performed a marriage ceremony for the Changed before, but I've had some ideas on what the liturgy should say, and what I want you to do", he said.

The Peterson's nodded their heads.

Father Dave looked down at Dan and Marlin. "Have you both been baptized?"

"Yes", said Marlin.

"No", said Dan. "Do I have to be?"

"Only one of you needs to be baptized", said Father Dave. "Although you really should consider it, Dan."

He then began to explain what the ceremony would entail. Since they couldn't put rings on each others fingers, Father Dave said they should use necklaces instead, and he would put them on them. He suggested a gold chain with a diamond pendant, and the Peterson's agreed. He told them they would need to go the county clerks office right away to sign the marriage certificates, but he had called ahead and all they had to do was put their right front paw to an ink pad and press it to the signature line, and the county clerk would notarize it.

So after a road trip in the Peterson's SUV, they got all their paperwork done and headed home. Together, they talked about what a big day it was for them all. Dan teared up a few times thinking about it, and Marlin tried to comfort her. Mr..Peterson petted Dan on the head and told her not to be nervous.

When the first day of school started, Dan was fixed with mixed emotions: what would the other kids think when they saw how pregnant she was? She was sure she was going to face some awkward questions, if not outright ridicule.

But every female dog in her class was pregnant.

She stared in shock at her old school friends with rounded bellies. Bob, who had become a golden retriever, was just as pregnant as she was. And then she spotted Brad, the bully who used to beat her up after gym class, who had become a little chihuahua: she was pregnant too.

She shook her head in disbelief as her home-room teacher entered the room, followed by a male German Shepard, and the national anthem played on the loudspeaker.

"Boys and girls", he said, "there are going to be a few changes to the curriculum. The school has decided to mandate we have parenting classes, and attendance is mandatory. I know that many of you are pregnant now, and are probably wondering how you will cope with having puppies..."

"God-damn right!", shouted a female voice from the back of the room. There was nervous laughter.

Then the German Shepard began to speak. "My name is Shelly", he said. "I know you've gone through a lot of trauma", he continued "I was originally a woman, and I have three kids. So it hasn't been easy for me either. But I've been doing government service for all of my life, so if any of you need help, I'm here for you."

"I need an abortion, and my parent's won't let me have one!", shouted a female dog from the back of the class. "I was raped!"

Everyone stared at her. Dan blinked, not recognizing her - some kind of border collie.

"Meet with me after class", he said. "Do you know his name?"

"He was... just a dog", she replied, shaking her head.

Jesus, Dan thought, I least I had Marlin.

Then the entire class began to erupt into questions.

"Can I sue?"

"When will it happen?"

"Can I get hospital care, or do I need a veterinarian?"

"Will our puppies just be ordinary dogs?", was the one Dan shouted.

The homeroom class descended into chaos. Shelly didn't have many answers, just promises of support. But slowly Dan and the other dogs grew to accept that.

The government, it seemed, was trying it's best.

Dan sat through her regular classes. The other kids where giving her stares but where not saying anything. About a tenth of the class where dogs now. Martin had a similar experience, but had to be kicked out of shop class for having no thumbs. The instructor was quite frank about that.

Dan and Marlin met during lunch on the playground. Dan was having a conversation with a group of other mother dogs. One, a German Shepard, was talking about how lucky Dan was - she had been raped by five other dogs, and was going to have mutts, as she explained. "You are so lucky to have Marlin", she said.

Dan looked away sadly, but then from out of nowhere Marlin walked up to her and licked her ear. "Hey, I hear they have Frisbee activities on the playground. Want to go?", he said, and Dan smiled, her tail wagging a little.

"Yeah, sure", she said with a grin. And together the two dogs walked off to play together.