Chapter 25

Comfort for the Wounded

The Next Day...

10:00 AM

Tommy began to awaken, his eyes fluttering a bit while he returned to consciousness. After his eyes finished focusing on the world around him, he realized he was laying down in a bed. The sheets were very high-end, feeling like silk against his scales, and the two pillows cradling his head were soft and supportive.

Tommy took a quick glance at his surroundings while he fought his way back up to full alertness. The room, like the bed, was high-end and classy, despite its minimalistic décor, as well as spacious. There was a nightstand next to the bed with a clock and a lamp, along with two doors in the room. One was cracked open, leading out into a hallway. The other most likely was a closet. Also, there was an open window in the room as well, adorned with open, lace curtains that fluttered in the breeze, letting air and sunshine into the room, engulfing the bed and Tommy's body with comforting warmth.

Tommy then bolted up in the bed after getting the rest of his bearings. The staff of the brothel had gassed him, after the fox and fennec had looked him over. Tommy's eyes lit up in rage, remembering the way he had been groped and touched while they looked him over, examining him with hungry and lewd glances. His face set into an intense scowl as he recalled the memory.

After realizing his obedience collar and cock ring were gone and he was no longer chained up, Tommy stood up from the bed, quietly yet swiftly going over to the window. He looked it over and realized that it wasn't big enough for him to fit through. The glass was also very thick. Tommy wouldn't be surprised if it was shatterproof.

Tommy then realized that his wings were no longer restrained as well, the belts and coverings gone. Despite his rage and confusion, he took a few seconds to stretch out his arms, legs, and wings as they unfolded and stretched out to a wingspan of seven feet on each side. Once he had finished his quick stretch, Tommy looked himself over, folding his wings around his shoulders, letting them hang down cape-style. He was now wearing a red speedo, no longer bearing all to the world like he had been forced to do in the brothel. Tommy was clearly confused at this. What was going on?

"You are awake. Good, we were all worried about you." A friendly-sounding voice said from the door.

Tommy spun around, seeing the owner of the voice: A beefy, muscular lion that was roughly two feet taller than him, a unicorn and tiger at his sides of similar height, and identical build. The lion wore a black and red thong, with bandannas tied around his right elbow of identical colors with black fingerless gloves and anklet socks, dog tags hanging from his neck. The unicorn wore a purple g-string with a gold-embroidered pattern on the pouch, cloth arm bands going up to his elbows and a high-cut vest. The tiger wore a blue fundoshi with silver embroidery, along with a necklace of Buddhist prayer beads, and a short, blue-colored satin cape as well as anklet socks, also adorned with silver embroidery. All of them looked at Tommy with concerned, yet friendly glances.

Tommy wasn't taking any chances despite how friendly they appeared or sounded. He assumed a fighting stance, spreading his clawed fingers apart on his hands as he primed his tail to strike and opened his wings to their full wingspan showing all his threat displays clearly!

"Stay away from me..." He growled through partially clenched teeth.

# # # #

"I can only imagine what that kid has went through... Despite how tough he looked I could tell he was very scared. And after me and Jet having to fake that whole bit with Pete, when we were pretending to examine him... I mean, I just feel so bad for the kid, you know?" Mick said, his hair let down around his shoulders as he talked with Egad, Symon, Zarch, Jet, and Xen in the kitchen over coffee. Zarch was fixing a simple, yet nice breakfast for Tommy, consisting of scrambled eggs, sourdough toast with a small selection of jams, whole wheat pancakes with maple syrup, along with some fried potatoes and some orange and apple juice.

"I know it's nagging at you, but you must try to forget about it, son." Symon reassured. "Try to look at this on the bright side: You just freed this poor chap from a life of continuous pain. It's all in a good cause."

"Exactly." Xen agreed, placing an arm over Mick's shoulder. "Try to view this from a more positive angle, Mi Angel Oscuro: You saved this young niño. Besides, I saw the way you were looking at him while he's been sleeping, and I really can't blame you: Tommy is very cute and has a sexy bod... Believe me, I would like to snuggle up with him too if I could, ay caramba." Xen chuckled a bit at the thought.

Mick gave Xen a smirk. "I'm starting to think that uncle's coven is rubbing off on you, and I'm totally okay with that."

Egad laughed at that statement. "I can see that, now clear as day-"

He was cut off when they heard a loud crash echo through the villa, followed by loud yelling. Then, there was more crashes, along with the sounds of fighting and loud slams!

"Oh, boy..." Mick sighed as everyone set down their coffee cups. "Sounds like Tommy woke up, and he's not happy."

# # # # # #

Tommy stood up on the bed, his back against one of the corners of the room. His wings were fully spread, pressed up against the walls, his long tail slithered around his side, waving back and forth in front of him. He had already picked up the nightstand and thrown it across the room at the lion and his friends when they tried to approach, though they managed to duck just in time. The nightstand ended up crashing into the wall behind them. The tiger had tried to charge at him after that only for Tommy to end up whipping him away with his tail, knocking him into another wall. Then Tommy beat his wings a few times, flying up onto the bed into his current position. The unicorn tried to approach with his arms raised, but Tommy once again foiled the attempt by whipping at him with his tail, forcing the unicorn to withdraw as he stumbled backwards and tripped.

"BACK OFF!" Tommy yelled at them with a continued leer. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!!"

"Kid, calm down!" The lion said firmly, walking up alongside the unicorn, who had just got back on his feet after the lion helped up the tiger. "Just relax, we're not going to hurt you-"

"LIAR!" Tommy yelled, whipping his tail again, cracking it like a whip in front of the lion, causing him to jump back in a reflexive dodge. "YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO SOFTEN ME UP FOR KYLE AND SAM!!"

The door then opened, more people walking inside. Tommy took a glance over and saw both the fox and fennec from earlier, Kyle and Sam, as well as two older-looking foxes behind him with another lion.

After seeing the nightstand crumpled over in the side of the room, as well as the damage to the wall, Tommy watched as Kyle facepalmed. "Oh, good god..."

"Trust me, that's only a fraction of what I can do! Try to get near me and I will thrash you good!" Tommy threatened with clear intent.

Kyle then looked at Tommy with clear irritation, his teeth bared. "Uncle Ryan, I apologize in advance for this..."

Kyle then ran up around the first lion and the unicorn, going straight towards Tommy! Tommy tried to snap his tail into Kyle, but he surprised Tommy by ducking down as he ran, then jumping up and running on the wall, grabbing Tommy by the shoulders with a hurricanrana, and slamming him down onto the floor, leaving Tommy stunned as he impacted!

"Quick! Help me restrain him!" Kyle shouted, sitting on Tommy's torso. Both the lions and the tiger then ran up, and aided Kyle. The lions held down Tommy's arms, while the tiger covered his legs and tail.

Tommy, after getting his bearings back, started struggling, thrashing around desperately but was unable to throw them off. "LET ME GO, KYLE!! I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE INTO YOU, I AM NOT YOUR SEX TOY!!!"

Kyle then grabbed Tommy by one of his horns, pressing Tommy's head down against the floor with a slight slam.

"First off, my real name is Mick Daniels, nice to meet you by the way. Second, I don't intend to hurt you Tommy, SO CHILL THE FUCK OUT KID!!!" The fox roared in Tommy's face angrily, losing his patience. "That whole thing at the brothel was just an act!_Pete is dead, and so are his lackeys! We _never intended to harm or rape you, or anything of the sort! If we did, we would have left you tied up in your chains and shock collar, as well as the ring around your dick! Also, third: Show some consideration and thankfulness, you little ingrate! Not only did we put you in a nice soft bed and give you something to cover yourself with, we also just brought you breakfast!" Mick then motioned over to the door with his free hand, loosening his grip on Tommy's head to allow him to turn his head in that direction.

Tommy turned to look at the door. There was a black-furred wolf with horns standing there, and sure enough, he was holding a tray of food and drink in his hands.

Tommy's scowling expression softened up as he took all this in, ceasing his struggle.

"Wh... Why? What's going on?" Tommy looked at Mick with clear confusion. "You... saved me? Pete is dead?"

Mick nodded, his irritation and rage starting to fade. "Yep. Saw to it myself. Me and Jet over there cooked their sorry hides with laser fire." Mick motioned over to the fennec. "They most likely ended up over-easy if you get what I mean. Probably good eating for the local crows and buzzards." He quipped jokingly at the end. "So, feeling any calmer kid?"

Tommy nodded after a pause, taking in all this new information.

"Good." Mick said. "Now, if we let you up, you must not try to hurt anyone. Okay?"

Again, Tommy nodded.

"Good." Mick said, standing up and looking at the lions and tiger. "You can let him go now."

The lions and tiger then let go of Tommy, standing up. Mick then held out his hand as he stood over Tommy.

"Let me help you up, Tommy. Don't be scared." Mick said.

Tommy, though hesitant at first, ended up taking Mick's hand, letting the fox help him up. He folded his wings back onto his shoulders, cape-style.

"I... I don't know what to say..." Tommy said, looking around at everyone in the room. "I don't understand what's going on..." Tommy then went back over and sat down on the bed, starting to cry as he held his head in one hand, sitting in a sad thinker pose.

Mick's expression of jaded irritation finished fading away, now changing to one of sympathy. He went over and sat next to Tommy on the bed, gently rubbing the dragon's back. "I know you're scared right now. I can tell you've been through a lot Tommy..." Mick wiped away some of Tommy's tears with one hand. "You are carrying a lot of mental and emotional scars right now. I know Cailus has that kind of effect on people but trust me: We are nothing like him. We are here to not only help you but to bring Cailus down so he can't put anyone else through your torments ever again."

Tommy raised his head at this, looking at Mick with teary eyes. "So... You're one of Cailus's enemies?" He guessed out loud.

"Yes, we are his enemies. Probably number one on his list right now." One of the older foxes said in the room. "My name is Ryan Foxmoore, but please just call me Egad Nob. I am Cailus's brother, but I am nothing like him." Egad explained with a kind grin, sitting next to Tommy on his other side. "I've been fighting against him and his ambitions for a very long time. I have yearned to free people like you from him that he puts in your situation, Tommy... But it has been very difficult for me to do so. However, today I feel I have finally succeeded in that by rescuing you, with help from Mick, along with my coven."

Tommy looked at Egad as he continued to explain.

"Yes. Aside from Mick, Xen, and Symon here, the rest of the people in this room are slaves in my servitude, however, I am not abusive and harmful to them like Cailus is to his slaves." Egad explained. "I not only strive to take care of my subjects in the best possible manner, but I also show them love, kindness, and most importantly, pleasure. I do not echo the cruelties of my brother, and I never will. Trust me, Tommy... You are among caring, and loving friends here."

Tommy, once he absorbed all this news, broke down in relief. He hugged Egad, who returned the embrace as Tommy cried.

Zarch set the tray down near the door. Then he and the other slaves in the room, along with Symon, Mick and Xen walked up to Tommy and everyone embraced him as well, situating themselves around Tommy on the bed, gently surrounding the weeping dragon in support and comfort.