A solder's leave

Story by delete341 on SoFurry

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I took some time to get through the backlog of my to-do list.

I wrote this last year after reading the book, 'All Quiet on the Western Front'. I have a few more stories to upload later this week, if I have time.


Blitz was a bit depressed as he lost another friend as new troops came to the front. He was hiding his feelings well.

Joking with his unit and making bets, "I bet the flareon, roast poke balls and sausage. I get to go on leave with my primary in 'fun' season. I need all the help I can get."

His tone was dark as a new trooper overheard and said, "Joking about death? Why are still in the army?!"

Blitz smirked and had a big hard laugh with his teeth showing, "What else is there to talk about. The army brothels with poor service. The food, if you get some is poor at best. Good food is a bad sign you are likely going to die. We are running out of solders and you are barely a stud."

A human solder said, "Blitz, seriously if you are rusty and need to go to those brothels to get some practice in. Elsa will be not be pleased at all with your performance be all pent up like that."

Blitz was speaking in a sly tone, "Not really, you know of the rumor of the enemy using female poke'mon in the battlefield. It's true, they are in small numbers and a prize to catch. I've done a few corpses with the 'right' part still intact. I got a few in night patrols in 'no mans land'. I set one free for a bit of passion those fun ladies in the whore house can't give. And another, she was a chest shot and still so warm, I could not help myself."

?, "stier"

Blitz replied, "It's only been a few weeks, but if you don't believe me, step up and find out for yourself. Cannon fodder."

The exploding shells were overhead as the ground was muddy and wet. It was too sticky for him to move fast. With the rain it made Blitz smell and wet fur was a mud magnet.

Blitz hated the rain and wanted to go to a shelter. It meant he was a space heater and possibly, if he was lucky, the stove to get some food. The smell of unwashed men and poke'mon all male was not a pleasant smell at all it made him want to wear a gas mask in the shelter.

** A train ride home stopped in a small town. His grey uniform and helmet were hot as his pack was heavy. He had signed up in the army in return, his promise was liberation from ownership and one other.

He had not seen her in two years and the army brothels were like a slaughter house. Get in do it rough and fast, then get out for another to take your place.

The ninetales was tired and walked home, hoping to see his mate, an Absol female raising three older pups alone. It was inexcusable to the humans that also inhabited the home. He pulled the rope on the door and it opened. A female absol was preparing lunch and stopped. The cheese and bread fell on the floor as she ran to him.

Her happiness was stifling him as his helmet hit the wood floor. His pack was slid off, the sound of glass rolling got her attention.

He said, "I got it on a trip to the enemy and snagged it a few days ago. Don't mind the blood. And, a few new tricks in the bed."

She looked and it was her favorite wine she had not gotten since the war stated. Her eye's narrowed, "Oh what luck and I am fertile now. Lets have a bit of fun a little later, lunch is almost ready. It that honey?"

He finally got up and had a time to show her what he had got. A bottle of wine, honey, some dried meat, a little berry jam, and some cheese.

She looked around and lifted the floor boards. He knew why, she wanted to hide the sweets from the human children, and strangers wanting to rob the house for food.

The lunch was smelling bad, the meat was likely scavenge and was not the freshest.

"It was the best I could do. Ponyta stew with what was the best meat that was left. I lost some weight and so have you. The rations are getting slimmer now." she said with a bit of jealously.

Her mate was lean and muscular as she was malnourished.

The humans living there had the stew to and slices some cheese and bread for their warrior that was on leave.

The humans were joking around as the wine was given. The absol was looking at her life mate and pulled his ear. Everyone in the room knew she was in the mood.

What was the ninetales to do, he loved her. Monogamy was a human thing. They both had sired with other but, she was his primary and he got first rides when she was in the mood. That was how it worked.

***

The two went to the basement and he started some oil lamps and she was on her mattress. He rolled her on her back. She looked surprises to see his stud gear almost full. She was not use to this posture but, he learned by doing the human females at the army brothels when poke'mon females were full of youngster just out of basic. Those females were sore and did not care for pleasure. The officer females were in better shape between their legs.

The officer females were less bloated with male seed and had time to eat more.

His absol lover felt his shaft rubbing her belly. His tip was sliding up and down as he was searching for his lovers sex. Finally he found it and started to thrust. Their bodies were so pent up and needing each other. She licked his nose and he pressed down as his hips where going up and down. His knot was expanding as she felt him go deeper. He was stuck and pushing in as signals were going in her brain to lubricate and expand her sex. His body was loaded with seed as he released in her just before she did. She was panting he kept going as he was giving her his seed.

She screamed, "Absol!" and felt the joy of her lover.

***

During this lust the humans were cleaning up and picked up the ninetales helmet. Letters from his mate were inside it with fur from her winter coat.

An officer came to the door and knocked. The ninetales was expected to report to him first. The humans that lived there pointed to the basement and the sounds. The officer knew that and waived. He knew cardinal desires tended to make solder poke'mon on leave ignore some policies. He also knew that the ninetales was probably going to show up after some passionate time and a bath.

***

The ninetales was sore and slept for a few hours before getting all the mud and improvised fur dye out of his fur. The abosl looked curious.

"My dear Elsa, the battlefield is brown and being clean white fur and a fire type is a good way to get yourself killed. The pill boxes and all the humans shoot the men with the flamethowers' and fire types first. No one wants to die that way. They only last a few yards before a wall of lead hits them. I lost three friends that way. I wait for about half a minute before leaving the safety of the trench." he said with a bit of humor.

"How can you joke about getting killed in battle?!", Elsa said in shock.

The ninetales looked calm, "Instant death is better than moaning and dying of blood loss or dehydration."

He was clean and held his mate down as they decided to add to the family again before reporting in.

*** The ninetales reported in to the local command and stood at attention as the commander took in the papers and signed it.

The human commander said in a sly tone, "Contributing to the war is important but, do come here first next time. I know she was good but the late paperwork is a pain."

The ninetales said with his head tilted, "Commander, and you haven't decided to leave for the day early to sleep with your mistress or wife when she was in the mood."

The ninetales pulled out a cigaret and lit the end before flipping it in his mouth. Then he walked out of the office and strolled down town to see young poke'mon and human children playing together. He knew they were not free poke'mon. His fur smelled of smoke now as he came to his home and put out his smoke. His oldest male child was getting ready to leave for boot camp.

His father looked at the pup like a dead body. This scared the young absol.

"Father, it is our pride as poke'mon that was are destined to win the war." the young absol waited for the answer.

His father said, "I don't want to see you die so pointlessly. Keep your head and just don't die. We have to eat something in the front and I think it is bad taste to eat your own blood."

The pup was shocked and said, "That has to be a rumor father! Wait, it's true?"

His father said, "The rumor is liberation though service is becoming a lie. We as a nation are losing this war. Hunger is constant and the fleas are tiresome. Every day, (he paused) every day you are there is a day you could die. I just can't see you thrown a sixty meters in the air just to die slowly. I'd rather slit your throat with a knife or kill you with my fangs than see you die slowly in this terrible war."

The ninetales looked away in shame for what he had said, but it was the truth. He was a seasoned solder and losing another of his precious children to the war was just twisting the knife in his soul.

*** The ninetales leave was over and had to return to the front. His love had a clutch of eight eggs he had fathered in the six weeks. He wished that Elsa was with him at a time of piece. The train ride was longer as his heart sank, his devoted son had just finished the shortened training camp. All the ninetales could do was look away. His sons' best chance of survival was as a support troop. All covered in brown fur dye and shades was just humiliating to him and it kept him alive. His child was marching a half a klick back off the train when shells came down hard. Everyone took cover.

All the ninetales could do was keep his head down and find a destroyed truck to hide under. As the dust cleared he noticed blood. His son was dying in front of him. His mind had become a father as he dragged his son under the truck.

The young absol had bleeding from his leg. Shrapnel had entered a vital artery; removing it was sudden death. All the ninetales could do was sing a lullaby as his child lay dying and protect him from becoming part of the cooking pot.

The young absol looked terrified as his father tried to keep him calm. Calls for the stretcher bearers were everywhere and no poke'mon specialist was near. The ninetales knew there was no chance to save his son, he has seen it before and it was painful to watch.

As his son lay dying the ninetales said, "I love you and will protect you from the butcher. Please believe me just a little longer."

"Dad, I feel dizzy. What is wrong with me?" The absol asked.

Before his father could answer, he had used his last breath. The ninetales had his ears low and had no time to morn his son's death.

His child had died without seeing the battlefield. A pine box was to be sent home as the child's father kept him from being cooked. The war was taking everything from him. Duty and freedom came at a price but, this was hard to accept. The absol eyes' were open. Those lifeless eyes bothered his father so, he closed his child's eyes.

The ninetales wrote to his Elsa about how her son had die and how much it hurt. It was with the box to be sent home. The rest of the day was just hard to believe. As his unit came to pick him up and heard the story. The humans held him and one knew the pain recently. Strong booze would not help with the pain, just make him forget the loss.

One said, "I bet those whore's can help you feel better?

The others looked at that solder and he backed off. One had a small glass jar filled with the ninetales's childs' fur.

It was a ritual keep sake to remember those who you lost in the war.

The ninetales said in a depressed tone, "He was still too young to sire anything and they drafted him. I volunteered for what, freedom from ownership when the bullet has your name on it."

The others picked him up and took him to the food line, watered down stew was more like water than meat. Hunger drove him to eat. The smell of new coffins was downwind as the green brigades were looking at the ninetales and his unit. They seem undisciplined but, survival was the greatest teacher.

"I pity the young, so prideful and wanting to seen on the battlefield to get glory. All that gets you is dead and dragged into the pot. It keeps the butchers busy. Your buddies are your best way out of that fate." the ninetales said out loud in a morbid tone.

He was angry and tired. He needed some time to grieve as the new battle plans came out.

The new pups were charged and many fire types covered in dye.

One of the growlithe asked, "Why ruin my fur and pride."

The ninetales said overhearing it, "They see a fire type and a wall of lead comes right at you. No one wants to be burned alive. My job is to clear the enemy trenches and kill the ones in the bunkers. That is your job and the screams of the one's burning to death is horrific. Even though it is illegal both sides do it and they kill you on the spot. We are losing this war and have not real replacements. Look around and assume only a third will live. Death is all around you and pride is nothing when they stab you and watch in glee as you drown in your own blood."

The growlithe asked in fear, "Why not just shoot us?"

The experienced ninetales said, "Saves bullets."

Leaving the growlithe and heading to the front was easier now. The night was loud as the groups slept soundly except the guard.

In his sleep the image of his mate getting the notice was grinding in his head. He felt sorrow and just hoped to die in his sleep. The room was suddenly and deafening as everyone woke up and were ready to hold their ground.

** In his dreams,

A few minutes later they were safe as a shell had hit nearby the shelter. The ninetales used ember to lite a few lanterns. Being awake was just annoying as they were hungry and now had to work.

The red light of the dawn was a shock. The shells fell silent ready for an attack his unit was ready and the news came down the lines, the war was lost.

His heart sank further, going home was going to be a long ride home. His first son would have never had to fight as the young absol volunteered from the media telling everyone the war was necessary and national pride.

What was national pride when half your family and loved ones had to suffer and, die for nothing.

Seeing his mate the ninetales just was silent. He had earned freedom for him and his mate. Now, his new pups had been born free. War weary eyes looked at her.

All she could do was say, "I know it hurts now but, you are safe and I saved the wine. Please don't worry anymore. You are home and we can bury our child together. He arrived yesterday and, and I knew he could die. He and a female he was dating and she just told me he was going to be a father. Maybe you should take his place?

"Blitz are you listening to me?" Elsa said to the ninetales.

Blitz was just silent and suffering, she knew it.

"Think about it, your grand pups no longer have to fight. The war is over just say something, please." Elsa pleaded.

He said angerly, "All for nothing, friends and family lost? Why not just live or listening to others!? You seem to think I have something left, I lost so much and it is worse than losing everything or dying! Please give me time to greave!"

Her eyes were closed, "Fine, give it some time but, the funeral is tomorrow. Please just be there for me and his mate. I know you can be a caring male."

He just laid on the floor and was quiet. He wanted to hide under a blanket.

His dream ended with the sound of a crash.

**

With a crash and bang at the shelter an enemy shell had landed, but did not explode.

The ninetales came close, the fuse was a dud. They came out of their shelter slowly as the ninetales felt wet and fell in the mud. His leg was broken and bleeding. Fragments of another shell exploded over head. His comrades picked him up washed the wound out. It was bad, like going home bad. Losing blood quickly made him a bit delirious with a vague memory of a red hot entrenching tool.

He was in pain and the medic was had to amputate his leg. They tied his leg tight and took him to the field hospital. Anaesthetics were gone and the doctor gave him a piece of a worn out gun barrel to bite into. The cut was fast as the worst part was next. Carbolic acid was poured into new stub and bandaged tight. The pain was immense, he wanted to whimper in pain he was just too weak from blood loss. His testicles were damaged as well, but could recover. A wooden leg would have to be fitted over the stub.

Two letter came from home and one from the army at the hospital.

From home, "My dear and loving Blitz, I read your letter and I found out our son had a female and was a new father. She has agreed that you should help raise them if you can. Love, Elsa"

The one from the army said, "The war department has determined that you are now unfit for duty and are to be discharged. Please be aware that your time serve and type of discharge has earned your freedom and one other."

It was weeks for him to released and the train ride home was long. He had his liberation papers in a tan leather bag on his chest. It was on tight as his gear was in the luggage car. Others looked at his new leg and his old uniform. He was still a bit brown of brown on his fur.

He was home and still at the front, in his head. It was weeks before he got any real sleep and social unrest was growing. When the news came through. The nation had unconditionally surrendered.

*** A century and a bit later, Blitz was drinking at the bar and the date was ominous to him. Next to him was two glasses of foreign wine and some whisky.

The bar tender asked, "Why that much today, every year?"

Blitz said, "Today marks the anniversary of my son's and first primary mate's death. One on the way to the battlefield. And the other, was twenty years later and one leg short. Carpet bombing took her from me. I was given a fake leg and drafted in a home defense division. I was cleaning the rubble from our home with the woman who we lived with. Her husband died in an earlier raid, she watched as I pulled Elsa, my absol mate out of the rubble. I watched her die in front of me. I had no time to morn her death, I found an oak box that fit her and we burred her in the family plot. Pine is traditional, but that is all I could find at the time to keep scavengers away from her."

The bar tender said, "Harsh, when did you lose your leg?"

Blitz just said before his emotional pain overwhelmed him, "Before my leave I was joking with my friends and making bets on which of the new troops would die first. The winner got their choice in cut of meat, sometimes parts they liked. Unlike the movie that came out, which was total crap. Fire types came out and every pillbox turned towards to them like the man with the flame thrower. Or worse, blasting caps in explosives with very short fuses as traps. Your body would be in who knows how many pieces. If you lived we had to put them down. I can still hear them screaming in my head and watching them burn alive. I killed them, I don't know how many. I raped enemy females and screwed them in shell holes in exchange for sparing their lives. Why did I live and he had to die? He was so precious as a new hatching, I watched him grow up and I, I watched him die. I could not give mercy to him. We were starving and had to eat our dead poke'mon comrades to survive. I was lucky to get a casket before the butcher got to him first. I was sinful and I got away with it?"

The bar tender just listened and by tone Blitz hurt from things he did.

Blitz said as he was paying the tab and finishing all the drinks, "I lost my leg in 1917 on the western front. I came into this world in 1912. Now I did earn freedom through service but, now I own half a bakery, 'The Imperial Bakery' so I need to get some sleep soon, if I can sleep. Three in the morning is when I start the fires and start baking. When will Arctic come by to pay the invoice, it is late?"

The bartender said, "Listen sweety, she sleeping off three days awake on maternity. I will forward the message. She has a foreign veterans help group she runs. Sometimes the regular veterans come by, don't be ashamed to show weakness. I've seen you beat the crap out of noisy pardons in bar fights. Jack is on his day off, I'm sorry for asking. I did not know how much it still hurts. (She looked sad and down with a morbid tone.) I lost my whole family in a liberation war. My mom and three brothers. I was raped and beaten by thugs and left for dead. Arctic took me in and I am recovering. This world is savage and half the staff here have no idea how tough it is to keep yourself when you lose everything."

Blitz could barely think. The bar tender tried to calm him down; his mind was somewhere truly dark. She knew how that felt.

She said, "I was basically a sex slave when they beat me down. I was beaten by clients and starved to keep me docile. It hurt so much and when Arctic set me free, I asked to be spayed and she arranged it. We all find others like ourselves, troubled souls find each other to help heal. I learned love is not about eggs but, companionship."

Blitz was stumbling home on a fake leg and being drunk.

He said to the bartender, "Later, Lora."

Then he left to take the late night shuttle into town.

She felt her belly and looked down and thought, "Pain is everywhere in war. I never wanted those eggs and was forced to hatch them for war. I never wanted that to happen again and I hope those twelve are still alive."

Her shift was going to get busy as the shift change was near. Her greatest grievance was all the males tying to get her into their bed all the time. It disgusted her and she had to show a kind face. The glameow was just tired from a long shift.