FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Jason stalked through the tall grass, listening, breathing the scents around him. His prey was nearby. Silently, he pushed forward, his stealthy movements barely rustling the grass. It could have been mistaken for a light breeze. His prey would never see him coming until it was too late.

Finally, Jason heard the sound of munching, his prey feeding on the very grass that hid him, that his prey thought hid it as well, but the grass couldn't hide it from Jason. Jason padded just a bit farther, and then he could see his prey's long white ears sticking up in the grass, swiveling to catch the slightest noise. But Jason didn't make any, and now he was within pouncing distance.

Jason crouched, and then he sprang. Flying over the grass, he stretched his claws wide to grab his prey. The rabbit's head shot up and her mouth opened in a squeal of terror, but it was too late. Jason had her. He would grab her as she tried to dash away, but then the rabbit leapt right at him! Her head collided with his belly, forcing his air out in a whoosh. Unbalanced by the blow, Jason landed hard on his side and scrambled to his feet. He saw his prey haring away through the grass and, with a growl, raced after her. The rabbit was fast, but Jason was right behind her. He could smell her fear, and the scent made his blood rise, made him push harder. She wouldn't get away! Jason saw a hole in the ground a short distance ahead; the rabbit was making for it, but he would catch her. He was almost on her heals. He could hear her gasping and sobbing.

"No, no, oh please no, oh Zeus!" she gasped breathlessly.

The rabbit dove for the hole, and Jason dove after her. She slipped through the opening, but the hole was too big. It should have only fit her, but instead it had foolishly been dug amply large to fit him. It provided no protection. Jason dove in after her. He would have to run on all fours to follow, but that's how she'd be running too. He'd catch her.

Suddenly, he tripped. A piece of string leapt up out of the floor and snagged his back right foot. Jason flopped hard onto his belly, but leapt in surprise as the tunnel rumbled behind him. He turned just in time to see a heavy stone roll into place, blocking the way he'd come and sealing out the light.

Jason pushed forward. He'd still catch the rabbit and force her to show him the way out before he ate her, but after a short distance, the tunnel narrowed sharply, forcing Jason to stop. He reached into the hole, groping, trying to see how long the narrow section was. At first, it seemed the section was long and too narrow to fit through, but then Jason realized he could actually squeeze inside. He pushed himself in and writhed forward. The tunnel widened as he went, and soon he was crawling easily again. It was dark, too dark to see, but he would still catch the rabbit. In fact, he could smell her close ahead. Perhaps she'd thought he'd been closed out behind the stone. Jason grinned; she'd be in for a big surprise!

Jason's hand slipped over a ledge, and he halted. He carefully felt around the edge of the now quite wide tunnel. He found he could even stand if he stooped slightly. He felt all along the edge but found nothing. He didn't know how high the ledge was, but it seemed the rabbit had made it down without trouble. Jason cautiously stepped up to the edge and vainly peered into the darkness. He'd have to jump and hope it wasn't far. He took a deep breath to fortify himself.

Suddenly, giant hands grabbed him pinning his arms to his sides. Jason yowled in shock as he was plucked from the ledge. Then a light flicked on. Jason blinked in the bright lights, trying to see who or what had grabbed him. His eyes adjusted, and he saw it: it was the rabbit! The somehow now enormous rabbit who was holding him easily between her gigantic hands! Jason squirmed in terror.

"Wh-what?! How?!" he yowled fearfully.

The rabbit grinned, "Got ya! Ha! The looks on you predators' faces are priceless! I wish I could sell those!"

"Wha-at?"

"'What, what, what?'" the rabbit mocked. "I got you, kitty. Or maybe I should say the shrink ray did."

She glanced up at an enormous metal ridged cone attached to the ceiling. The narrow end of the cone had a red glass bulb, and heavy black cords ran out of the room from the back.

"We're trying to figure out how to downsize. When we do, you predators are toast, but it's too big and energy intensive now. I can only zap one predator per day to give the power cell enough time to recharge," she explained.

Jason stared up at the strange machine. A shrink ray?! The prey had this technology?! What are they planning? "W-what do you mean we're toast?" he whined. "What are you going to d-do to me?"

The rabbit grinned, showing her large incisors. "Hmm, what should I do with someone who was trying to eat me?"

Jason's heart leapt into his throat, "N-no! Please don't eat me!"

The rabbit giggled, "Heeheeheehee, aww, poor kitty. Don't you want to be eaten? Don't worry; I'm not going to hurt you."

"W-what are you going to do?" Jason whined again.

"Oh, this and that," she replied nonchalantly. "You're mine now. I can do what I like."

"Please don't hurt me," Jason whined. "I-I'm sorry I tried to catch you. I just-"

The rabbit lifted him to nuzzle his ear and whispered, "Hush, don't worry about that now. You won't be eating anyone ever again."

The rabbit tucked him in one arm with his head in the crook of her elbow and placed the other on top. Jason didn't try to squirm away from the looser hold. Where would he go even if he could escape? He was too small. What would he even hunt?! Maybe some other predator would have taken pity on him, but he was afraid to resist the rabbit. He'd been trying to kill her, and even if she hadn't hurt him yet, she didn't have any reason to show mercy. The rabbit carried him down a flight of stairs to a heavy oak door. She opened it to reveal a fully furnished house with wood floors, walls, and ceiling.

"Home sweet home," the rabbit quipped.

She carried him down another flight of stairs in the house and entered a room, which had a large bed with a maroon comforter. She closed the door behind her and set him on the bed before retrieving something from a black nightstand to the right. Jason watched her warily, considering jumping down and dashing under the bed, but he didn't want to make her angry when she seemed so cheerful at the moment. She dropped down beside him and scooped him onto her lap, wrapping one arm across his chest to hold him to her belly.

"What's your name, kitty?"

"J-Jason."

"My name's Ellie. I'm going to trim your claws now, Jason. Don't worry; I won't get any too short. I've done this a lot of times."

"M-my claws? B-but I need those," he whined

"Not anymore. Just hold still, and it'll only take a minute."

Jason complied as the rabbit clipped off the sharp tips of his claws. The she filed down the nubs until they was smoothed away to almost nothing. When she had done his hands and feet, she lifted his arm over his head and bend down to touch his fingers to her lips. She brushed them over his blunt claws and then kissed his furless palm.

"There you go. Thanks for being cooperative kitty. You made it really easy. I like it when my dinner lets me prepare it without a fuss."

Jason's heart leapt into his throat, "W-what?" he squeaked.

The rabbit's hands gripped his arms tightly. "You're safe to eat now, kitty. I hope you like it in my belly," she crooned.

Jason looked up to see the rabbit's maw--impossibly wide--descending upon him. He tried to squirm away, but then his head was in her throat. He struggled to get loose, but the rabbit pushed him in deeper. Her esophagus opened up and wrapped tight around his head, cutting off his air supply. Jason's arms were pinned by the rabbit's mouth now, but he continued to kick desperately. However, the most of him was already inside her, and he was unable to stop himself as he quickly slipped down toward her stomach. He felt the warm, moist chamber of her mouth close around his feet, and then his head pushed through a tight point into a roomier area. Rapidly, the rest of Jason's body followed into the rabbit's stomach, sliding into the less confined space. Still, it was tight, the restricted space squeezing him into a tight ball. He began with his head at the bottom, but as his body squeezed into the space, it was pushed back around so that it was at the top. Squeezed into the fetal position and soaked with mucus and fluid, Jason gasped at the pocket of air he found at the top of her stomach.

For a moment, Jason was too stunned to know what to do, but then he began to struggle. He pushed against the walls. He tried to force his head up through the sphincter he'd entered, but the sphincter was closed tightly now, too small for him to enter. And Jason couldn't even be sure he was pushing his head in the right place. He realized he probably wasn't when he felt a hand press on the top of his head from outside.

"Seems you have a little energy after all," the rabbit's muffled voice vibrated through her body to him. "Squirm all you want, kitty. You aren't getting out. Predators never do."

Jason redoubled his efforts, but he couldn't keep it up. There was so little oxygen, only provided by what the rabbit swallowed with her saliva, and he was soon exhausted and limp. The rabbit's stomach muscles squeezed tightly around his weakened body, restricting his movements even more.

"Aww, did you get tired out already, kitty? Oh well, the fun part is about to start. I hope you like being digested!"

"N-no," Jason whimpered. He shifted slightly but was too weak now to do anything else. "Please, I, I never did this."

"Are you saying something, kitty?" the rabbit asked amusedly.

"I never did this!" Jason wailed. "I didn't!"

"You expect me to believe you've never eaten someone?" the rabbit drawled sarcastically.

"N-no!" Jason protested. "I, I never ate them alive! I-I always tried to, to, to kill them quickly!"

The rabbit was silent a moment, and then her hand pressed over him and rubbed down in what may have been an attempt to pet him. "I appreciate that, kitty, but you've eaten so many. If I'd killed you first, you'd never understand the fear prey feel. Think of this as a lesson. It's not fun being someone's food."

Jason sobbed. He was too weak to fight now; there was nothing he could do. This rabbit believed he deserved to suffer simply for being what he was, and now he was in her belly. He was going to be digested alive, and there was nothing he could to to stop it.

* * *

Ellie was reclined in her bed against a propped pillow, her tight belly on top. The cat inside her had gone silent. Every so often, he shifted, telling her he was still alive. Ellie felt a little guilty after his pleading. They all pleaded, but it was usually just pathetic. This cat had actually made a point that gave her pause: if predators killed prey quickly to reduce their suffering, was it right for her to make them suffer by digesting them alive? Maybe it is wrong. There was nothing Ellie could do about it now. Vomiting the cat up would have been almost impossible. Rabbits weren't really able to to start with, but moreover, she'd never get him in the right position to push him out, at least not while he was still whole. After that, it didn't make a difference. Ellie ran a hand over her belly, feeling his helpless form squeezed into a tight ball inside her. Sorry, kitty.

The cat suddenly squirmed and let out a fearful whimper. Digestion was beginning. Ellie usually enjoyed this part, witnessing predators' cries and struggles as they were dissolved into soup by her gastric juices, but this time she felt guilty. Could she really watch while he suffered and died? No! I have to try to get him out! Frantically, Ellie shoved his head toward where she thought her esophageal sphincter was. The cat struggled against her, not understanding her intent, but she forced him to stay in place. She compressed her diaphragm and all of her abdominal muscles. Please, come up. Zeus, please. She squeezed her stomach between her other muscles as hard as she could. She felt his head push through, and then he shot up her throat. Ellie opened her mouth impossibly wide, and he shot out with a stream of gastric juice and mucus.

"Oh Zeus! Are you alright, kitty?!" she cried in worry but also relief.

"I-it burns," he whimpered.

"Oh Zeus!" Ellie scooped him up and raced to the bathroom. She turned on the tub faucet and doused him with cool water, running her hands through his fur to help rinse away the acid. After five or so minutes, she took him out from under the pouring faucet and wrapped him in a thick lavender towel. She hugged the bundle to her chest.

"Are you okay, kitty?" she crooned worriedly. "Don't be scared. I won't hurt you anymore."

"I-I think I'm mostly alright," his muffled mew came through the towel.

"Does it still hurt?"

"I, I think it's gone, but a few spots still hurt."

Ellie quickly set him on the sink counter and unrolled the towel. "Show me!"

The cat pointed to a spot on his leg: under the fur it was red and raw. Ellie sucked in a sympathetic breath.

"Ouch, let me put something on that." She got out some antibiotic ointment with topical analgesic and gently applied it to the wound. "Show me everywhere it hurts."

The cat pointed to another spot, and Ellie applied more ointment. All in all there were half a dozen acid burns on his legs and lower body.

"I think that's it," he murmured awkwardly when she'd treated the last one.

"Do you mind if I give you a good look over to be sure?"

He shook his head. Starting with his legs, Ellie began carefully parting his fur to check his skin. She worked meticulously, and the cat was almost completely dry by the time she was done.

"I think that's it," she concluded with a sigh of relief.

"Thanks," he muttered uncomfortably. "And thanks for letting me out."

Ellie shook her head, "No, I shouldn't have put you in there. It was wrong, and I'm sorry. I don't know why I didn't see it was wrong before!"

"What are you going to do with me now?" he asked nervously.

Ellie regarded him confusedly. What was she going to do? If it was only making him suffer that was wrong, she could kill him and eat him afterward, but she didn't want to do that. She'd just spent the better part of an hour treating him. Why had she done that if she was going to kill him anyway? I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to hurt anyone ever again! Ellie didn't want to think of the dozens of other predators she'd tortured to death this way before, but it was hard not to. She would be having nightmares about them for years to come. If this cat hadn't said anything, if he'd never made the obvious point that he would never have made a prey suffer, then she might have remained free of that guilt. However, she would have continued to commit a horrifically cruel act on predators who didn't deserve it. So despite how horrible she now felt, she was grateful to him.

"What are you going to do?" he repeated fearfully.

"I'm, I'm going to take care of you," she decided. "I'll take good care of you, and I'll never let that shrink ray be used to hurt predators again. We shouldn't use that technology to hurt people."

"What will you do with it then?" he asked worriedly.

"I don't know, but maybe if I can convince other prey we shouldn't hurt predators, then we can take care of them instead. It isn't right that prey get eaten, but we should find a way to stop that without hurting predators. I'll take care of you, and I'll convince other prey to take care of shrunk predators too."

"How are you going to take care of me?" he asked nervously.

"What do you mean?"

"What am I going to eat?"

Ellie contemplated that for a minute. "Bugs," she concluded. "The insectivores farm bugs; our predators can eat them too."

"Your predators?"

"We'll be taking care of you, so you'll be ours. I can't let you warn other predators about the shrink ray, so I'll have to keep you captive. But I promise I'll keep you safe. I won't hurt you ever again."

The cat nodded. He didn't look entirely comfortable with the arrangement, but he looked relieved. "Thank you for letting me out of there. I'll try to cooperate with your wishes as long as you don't hurt me."

"Thank you, kitty. And thank you for getting my attention. I'm glad you're okay." She scooped him up in one arm. "I don't have any bugs right now, but I'll try to make us something tasty. It looks like both of us missed our dinner, but I think maybe I found something better." She petted his head with her free hand.

The cat looked up at her uncertainly, but Ellie understood it might take some time for him to fully trust her. She'd nearly digested him alive. That wasn't something you forgot overnight.

* * *

The rabbit made them some mushroom and brown lentil daal and herself a grass and carrot salad. Jason was obliged to lap his out of a saucer, but she promised to get some size-appropriate dishes and utensils when she could. Jason tried to accept that she'd really changed her mind about eating him, but it had seemed so sudden. How did he know she wouldn't change it again? He could still end up digesting alive inside her, and he didn't see any way to escape.

After dinner, the rabbit took him to the couch in the other upstairs room and sat him on her lap.

"I'm going to read for a while. Do you want me to read to you, kitty?"

Jason didn't know what to think about the offer, but he politely answered the affirmative.

"I'm Ellie in case you don't remember," she told him. "You said your name was Jason, right?"

He nodded.

"Tell me if there's something you like to do, Jason. I don't want you to be bored here. I guess it will be tough not being able to go outside."

Jason would have liked to escape, but fresh air wasn't one of his primary concerns with the possibility of being eaten still looming over him, literally. The rabbit had seated him against her belly, and he could hear the sounds of her stomach digesting her meal. That had very nearly been him, and he couldn't help but wince when he heard a particularly loud gurgle.

The rabbit was reading some odd horror author, and while it wasn't particularly scary, Jason felt it was disturbingly appropriate to the mood. How many predators like him has perished in her stomach, digested alive while they struggled and screamed? Somehow she hadn't thought that was wrong. He knew prey must fear the predators who ate them, but did they hate them that much? She'd said she wanted him to understand their fear. Did she feel the level of cruelty was justified by the terror prey felt? It made Jason uncomfortable to think that predators terrorized prey to that degree, but it also made him nervous to think this rabbit had felt justified in such horrific actions until mere hours ago. Had she really not realized predators showed mercy? Perhaps prey really didn't understand that and saw predators as cold and merciless killers. In that case, it would make more sense that they would feel justified showing no mercy to them.

When the rabbit was done reading, she wrapped an arm around in front of him and gently squeezed him to her belly. Her other hand petted his head and caressed his cheek. Jason was unsure how to take this apparent affection. He understood that perhaps she felt sorry for what she'd done, but why was she acting like she liked him now? She'd been going to eat him, and now he was her prisoner instead. He understood why she wouldn't let him go, but that didn't change the fact she was keeping him by force.

"I'm going to take a shower now, kitty. Let's give you a proper bath to get the rest of my goo off you."

Jason shifted uncomfortably, "I don't really like to get wet, Ellie."

"No? How do you usually wash yourself? With your tongue?"

He nodded.

"That's a bit gross, kitty. I wish I'd known that before you were in my mouth, but I guess that's what I get. Either way, I don't think you should eat the ointment I put on you. I'll clean you up and reapply it, and if you want to go back to licking yourself when you're all healed, I suppose that's okay. It'll be nice though. It won't be cold like before when I didn't want to put any heat on your burns."

Jason didn't try to argue more. Maybe she had a point, but either way, he didn't want to fight with her. He was a little scared of her for obvious reasons. She seemed gentle now, but's she'd seemed gentle until right before she'd eaten him. It had been a trick then; maybe now it was genuine. However, he didn't quite trust her not to flip on him again.

The rabbit, Ellie--maybe if he tried to think of her as Ellie she would seem less scary and more personable--, carried him downstairs to the bathroom. She set him on the gray rug while she adjusted the temperature of the water. Then she turned on the shower, picked him up, and stepped in with him. Ellie crouched to place him in the bottom of the tub and then stood and smiled down at him. Streams of water poured down between her legs, and Jason couldn't help but notice how the water slicked down her white and dark brown fur and made certain anatomy more obvious. He blushed and looked down at his feet. Why had she decided to take the shower with him instead of filling the sink with warm water for him or something?

Ellie shampooed herself while Jason waited. He didn't much like the feeling of his wet fur clinging to his skin, but at least it was warm. He tried not to watch Ellie too closely as it seemed impolite. When she was rinsed, Ellie crouched down with some more of the rosemary-scented shampoo in her hand. She dipped a finger in, and smeared it on his head. Jason began to work the shampoo through his fur.

"Let me do it, kitty," Ellie requested softly.

Jason stopped and looked at her awkwardly, "I can do it."

"I want to. Can I please?"

Jason wasn't sure how he felt about that. A part of him wanted her to leave him alone, but another part, a growing part, felt otherwise. Jason nodded. He would let her. His feelings confused him, but he felt the need to indulge them. She'd be kind of cute if she weren't ten-times my size. Jason frowned at the thought. She'd been going to digest him! Besides she was a rabbit, prey! They were completely incompatible.

Ellie applied more shampoo, and then her clawed fingers began to gently knead through his fur. Jason shut his eyes to keep the shampoo out of them, and as he did, he was absorbed into the sensation, the gentle caress, of her fingers. She worked down his body and arms and legs then back up his tail. A finger slipped underneath the base of his tail, and he started at the intrusion of his private area.

"Sorry, did I poke one of your sore spots?" Ellie asked worriedly.

Jason shook his head, "No, uh, it, um, it just surprised me."

A pair of fingers slipped between his legs, caressing his scrotum, and he stiffened.

"Shouldn't I touch there, kitty?" she breathed. "You can finish if you don't want me to."

Jason shook his head. He was embarrassed, but he didn't want her to stop. This aroused him. For some reason, being fondled by this giant rabbit had awoken something in him he hadn't known was there. Her fingers caressed his genitals and rear. Jason's heart beat pounded in his chest. She was a rabbit, but she was also a mammal. She'd started today as his prey, just so many chunks of meat. Then she'd been a stomach, a torture chamber he would die in. Now she was neither of those, and she wasn't just a rabbit or prey. She was a doe, a pretty one. He'd never considered the beauty of prey before, but they certainly had it. It was different from that of cats or other carnivores, but it was there all the same. But the most attractive thing was her tenderness, the way her caresses showed her feelings. She liked him; she wanted him to be at ease and comfortable. Jason felt her affection for him, and he felt affection for her in return. He didn't know where it had come from on either side. When had they stopped being enemies? Was it when she had thrown him up? She could have spared his life without growing attached, but he supposed that had to have been the start of it. When he'd become someone to be concerned for instead of a nasty predator to be disposed of, that must have been the beginning. It was still odd that she'd grown so attached so quickly, but her emotions must have been running high, as had his.

Ellie moved out of the way and let the streams rinse him. Jason let out a little sigh, relieved but also a little disappointed. He didn't know if he was ready for these feelings. He didn't know if they were justified. Did she really like him, or was he mistaken? What if he fell in love with her and she decided to eat him after all? Wouldn't that make it that much worse?

Ellie shut off the shower and picked him up to get out. She grabbed one pale yellow towel and quickly wiped herself partially dry, and then she grabbed another and bundled him up in it with only his head sticking out of the roll. She hugged him to her chest and smiled affectionately.

"That wasn't so bad, was it, kitty?"

Jason shook his head.

She touched her nose to his head, and Jason flinched, remembering her terribly wide maw descending to engulf him.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" she asked, concerned.

Jason shook his head, "I just remembered before."

"I'm sorry, kitty," she murmured. "I wish I could take it back so that it never happened." She paused, "But then, I might still be doing it. If it hadn't been you this time, I might not have stopped. I owe you, Jason. Really."

"I'm glad you changed your mind," he replied awkwardly. This was obviously the case since he would be being absorbed as nutrients now if she hadn't.

"Are you still afraid I might eat you?" she asked worriedly.

He shook his head but then added, "I don't know. I want to believe you won't."

"I promise you I won't," she replied firmly. "I swear it! I don't want to hurt you in any way."

"Why?" Jason asked. He needed to know. Was it only guilt, or was it something more? "Do you like me?" he added awkwardly.

Ellie regarded him silently for a moment, "I do like you, Jason. I don't quite understand it. I wouldn't hurt you either way, but, but I'm glad you're going to live with me. I know I'll be keeping you captive, but I want you to want to be here. I want you to want to be with me. I want to be with you."

"I, um, I think I like you too," Jason admitted.

Ellie smiled happily, "Do you?"

"I don't understand it either, but I want to trust you. I want to care for you. It's strange because you're a rabbit, but I, uh, I think you're cute." He blushed embarrassedly, "Maybe that's not the right word."

Ellie grinned, "I think you're cute, kitty. You're my adorable little kitty cat."

"You mean like your pet?" Jason asked uncomfortably.

Ellie shook her head, "No, no, not like that. You'd be very handsome if you were bigger, but I don't mind about your size. I want to make you happy, Jason, in any way I can."

Jason felt his heart pounding in his chest, "I want to make you happy too, Ellie. I want you to hold me and to know you'll never leave."

"I might leave, kitty," she replied wistfully. "A predator might get me."

Jason's heart leapt in fear, "I don't want that to happen!"

She smiled softly, "I'll try not to let it, silly kitty."

"But, but if you could make me bigger again, then I could protect you!"

Ellie frowned, "How do I know you wouldn't eat me then?"

"I promise I wouldn't!"

"What would you eat? I couldn't let you eat other prey."

"Bugs, like you said!"

"I don't think so, kitty. I'm sorry. Maybe it would work, but I think it's better this way. Maybe this is what we should do with all predators, shrink them but not to eat them. We could keep you as our pets. Then no one has to get hurt."

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Ellie!"

"I'll try to be careful. I don't want to leave you either, Jason."

Jason didn't know what else to say. If he'd thought about it, it certainly would have been ironic that he was now afraid that the thing he'd been going to do would happen, but he was only worried and didn't think about it.

Ellie finished drying them off with the blow dryer and reapplied Jason's ointment. Then she took him back to the bedroom. She pealed off the vomit-soiled sheets and replaced them with fresh ones. When she was done she pulled back the covers, picked Jason up, and climbed into bed with him. Laying on her side she curled around him, tucking him close to her belly, before pulling up the sheets. Jason curled up too, but he found he couldn't in relax. In the darkness and with her gut noises so close, every time he started to drift to sleep, he thought he was inside her again. Finally, he crawled up and snuggled under her jaw.

"Is something wrong, kitty?" she murmured sleepily.

"It's, uh, it's just your stomach. It-"

"You can sleep up here. Don't worry, kitty. I'm sorry it was bothering you."

Jason nuzzled her neck and lay his head back down. A lot had happened in the last several hours. He'd gone from hunter to meal to something else. He wasn't sure what he was now, but he hoped, whatever it was, the feelings blooming in his chest would only grow. He liked this rabbit, and he wanted to like her more. If he would be like this forever, then at least he had someone nice to spend forever with.

* * *

Ellie awoke in the very early hours to pass her caecotrophs. When she was done consuming the cecal pellets and had brushed her teeth, she opened the door to find Jason standing outside. He yawned and blinked up at her.

"I heard you brushing and realized I hadn't done mine," he mewed sleepily.

"I don't have a toothbrush your size. Sorry, kitty. I'll get you one tomorrow or later today rather."

He nodded sleepily and yawned again. His sharp fangs sparkled in the light; his cute pink tongue curled. Why had she ever wanted to hurt someone so adorable? Sure, he'd been scary when he was trying to catch her, but he wasn't scary now. And he was such a good kitty. He didn't hate her for what she'd done, even trying to eat him. Would they all be like this, or was Jason special? Her heart clenched with guilt as she thought about the other predators she'd eaten. How many Jasons had there been? How many might have only needed a little longer to accept their new life to be as cooperative and affectionate as he was becoming? She had to convince other prey to stop eating them. She would convince them, for all the sweet kitties and even the less sweet ones.

Ellie bent down and scooped him up and carried him back to bed. She tucked him by her neck and nuzzled him between the ears. He nuzzled her neck in return and then wrapped his little arms around to give her a hug. She felt like her heart might explode with joy. She didn't know how to say it--she didn't want to scare him--but she adored her little kitty. She would do her very best to make him happy. She wanted him to love her too. Love. It was a strong word. Maybe she hadn't known him long enough to use it, but she wanted to. She almost wished she could make him bigger: maybe not his full size but maybe her size. Then they could be together in other ways. Ellie shifted her legs embarrassedly. He was too small for that now, wasn't he? Besides, bringing up that now would certainly scare him, but soon, perhaps, she would. She needed to think more. She needed to find out how easy the bugs were to come by. He was small now, so it wouldn't take too many. It would be harder to feed him if he were larger, but if that was no obstacle, then maybe. Maybe my size. It was a tantalizing thought.

* * *

A few weeks later, Ellie went to visit her parents. She decided to take Jason along with her. In the past weeks she'd talked to many prey about her idea of making predators their pets and found a surprising number very open to the idea. In fact, most found the idea of eating predators distasteful. Some called it murder, plain and simple. Others were less sympathetic to the predators' plight but felt they would become the monsters they feared if they ate predators instead of predators eating them. Prey who were alright with eating predators were more skeptical, but when Ellie explained that predators weren't the cruel monsters many prey believed they were and told them about how pleasant her experience caring for Jason had been, many were at least less sure what they'd been doing was right. Ellie was optimistic that with the majority of prey on her side, she could get the voracious practice banned, and since there were many more prey than predators, only prey amenable to keeping them as pets and treating them kindly would need to take the shrunk predators in.

Ellie knew her parents were among the latter group. She had often brought them predators she'd caught. She felt partially responsible for their part in what she now saw as an atrocity, and she wanted to convince them to stop. She thought that showing them what a sweet kitty Jason was would help that.

Ellie put Jason in a canvass bag and made her way to her parents' borrow. Most of the way was underground, but she did have to take a brief jaunt above ground. Fortunately, she didn't see any predators. If she'd been caught with Jason, who knew what would have happened. She knocked on the door of the burrow, and her mother let her in. Her father and her sister Farida, who was three years younger and also visiting, were sitting together on their light blue sofa.

"Are we here? Can I come out now, Ellie? There's not much air in here," Jason mewed.

All three of the other rabbits turned their heads and ears toward the sound. Ellie wished Jason had allowed her to set up the reveal, but trying to stay calm, she scooped him out of the bag.

"Oh good, you brought your own!" her mother piped happily. "I was a little worried because we were only able to come by three."

Her mother looked across the room, and with a sinking feeling, Ellie followed her eyes to a wire cage with three little predators in it: another cat, a bobcat, and a weasel.

"E-Ellie?" Jason squeaked nervously.

Ellie hugged him tighter to her chest with the arm around in front of him, her other arm under his rear. Trying to seem nonchalant, she sauntered over to the cage, peered in at the fearful predators, and then, on impulse, quickly sat on top of the locked cage door. "I-I can let you eat them," she declared, nervously.

She hadn't planned on confronting her parents and sister in quite such a brash way, but it couldn't be helped. There were three lives at stake, and she wouldn't let Jason witness other predators being eaten. Her parents and sister looked at her in confused surprise.

"What do you mean, Ellie?" her mother asked. "What else would we do with them?"

Ellie lowered Jason onto her left thigh and hugged him protectively with both arms. "It's not right. We shouldn't kill predators. If we take care of them, then no one has to get hurt!"

"She's gone off the deep end!" Farida wailed. "I knew we shouldn't have waited! I'm hungry!"

Ellie glared at her sister, "You can eat some grass and vegetables like the herbivore you are! We don't need to eat predators. We only do it to be cruel!"

"Have you forgotten that they eat us?!" her mother rebuked. "Should we just let them eat us and do nothing in return?!"

"I didn't say that!" Ellie shot back. "We should still shrink them. We shouldn't let them eat us. But then we should take care of them. Jason doesn't mind eating bugs. He understands that eating prey was wrong."

"I assume by 'Jason' you mean that monster you're holding," her mother reprimanded. "If he knew it was wrong, why did he still eat us?"

"He's not a monster! And it's not his fault he was raised to eat prey. He realizes now that it was wrong!"

"Of course he'd say that now! How long have you been fondling that thing?!" her mother demanded.

Ellie hugged Jason again, "He's been with me three and a half weeks. He's not a monster. He doesn't like to hurt people! You taught me predators were cruel, but Jason says he always tried to kill prey quickly! He didn't want them to suffer! How is it right to make predators suffer? When we do that, we're more cruel than they are!"

"They've been eating us for millennia," he mother argued. "So what if we make them suffer? It's only for an hour while we live our entire lives in fear!"

"Two wrongs don't make a right," Ellie rebuked. "We should use our technology to make a better world, not a crueler one."

"So you want us all to be wet nurses to the monsters who eat us?" her mother pressed incredulously.

"There are a lot more of us," Ellie responded. "And from my conversations, most prey are on my side. You don't have to take care of one if you don't want to; the prey who agree will handle it."

Her mother sighed exasperatedly, "Fine, you and all of your bleeding-heart prey can take care of as many predators as you want, but you can't stop us from eating them."

"Maybe not when I'm not here or at least not until we get it banned, but I won't let you eat these predators. They're coming with me! I'll find them a home where they'll be safe."

"You can't stop us!" Farida shot back irately. "There are three of us! Mom, can't you make her stop?!"

"I think Ellie may be right," her father spoke awkwardly. "It, well, it seems obvious now. How can we kill them if there's an alternative? We hate them because they kill us. If they're wrong, then we must be wrong too. You've really been living with that cat for three weeks, Ellie?"

Ellie smiled at her father gratefully, "That's right, Dad. Three and a half weeks. He's been such a good kitty from the moment a spit him back up. I guess some might take longer to adapt, but we have to at least give them the chance."

"What if they don't adapt?" her father asked.

"I don't know," Ellie answered honestly. "Maybe they'd have to live in a cage if they couldn't be nice, but how do we know they can't if we don't try? Jason's glad he doesn't have to kill anymore. He likes living with me, and I adore him."

Her mother looked at Jason in disgust, "He's a cat. He's eaten rabbits like us."

"And he won't do that ever again. Even if Jason were big again he wouldn't eat prey. He understands it's wrong now. You should try to get to know him, Mom; he's a sweetheart."

Her mother and sister still looked skeptical.

"Let me call a friend to come get these three. I'll let you get to know Jason, and you'll see we shouldn't eat them."

Her father got up and brought her the phone, much to her mother and sister's chagrin. About half an hour later, her friend, a hare, arrived and gently transferred the three predators from the cage to a burlap sack.

"Thanks, Fred, do you think you can find homes for them?"

He nodded, "I've been talking to people and there are a lot who've said they'd like a pet like yours. I don't think it will be an issue."

He left, and Ellie was glad she didn't have to sit on the wire cage anymore; her butt was sore. She took Jason over to the couch and sat between her father and mother with her sister on her mother's other side. She held Jason securely. She could tell he was nervous, and she was too. But she wanted him to know she wouldn't let anything happen.

"Hi Jason," her father spoke awkwardly. "I'm Eli. I'm sorry you had to listen to all that."

"Hi," Jason mewed back.

"Why don't you try petting him?" Ellie suggested. "It's nice."

Her father tentatively reached out his hand and petted Jason's head one time before pulling it back embarrassedly. "It might take some getting used to."

"What do you do with this cat?" her mother asked grumpily.

"Whatever. We read. We eat together. We watch tv. He's my little companion."

"Maybe you need a boyfriend," her mother replied dryly.

Ellie felt her ears get warm.

Her mother's eyes narrowed, "You don't do those kinds of things with the cat, do you?"

"We haven't had sex if that's what you mean!" Ellie returned uncomfortably.

"I don't believe her!" Farida accused. "She's fucking him; that's why she's so lovey-dovey!"

"It's not!" Ellie shot back. "You're jealous!"

"I am not! Give him here, and I'll eat him! I don't need a cat to be my boyfriend!"

"Did you finally get one then?" Ellie shot back snidely. "You're not touching Jason if that's how you're going to be!"

"Don't be mean to your sister, Ellie," her mother sighed exasperatedly. "I can't believe we're having all this over a cat."

"Jason's not just a cat; he's a sweetheart. Farida threatened to eat him!"

"And if they'd met four weeks ago, he would have eaten her," her mother concluded wearily.

"Maybe she'd deserve it," Ellie replied darkly.

"Mom!" Farida cried.

"Ellie!" her mother scolded.

"Let's not talk about anyone getting eaten, alright?" her father suggested a bit irritatedly.

"I-I wouldn't want to hurt you, Farida," Jason mewed embarrassedly. "Even if I were big again."

Farida sniffed contemptuously, "Easy for you to say now!"

Jason looked up at Ellie, "Can you let her hold me for a little while?"

Ellie stared back incredulously, "Not after she said she'd eat you!"

"I don't think she meant it. You could save me if she tried, couldn't you?"

"I suppose so, but what if she did something else?"

"I'm not going to hurt your stupid cat," Farida returned grumpily. "I think you're nuts, but I wouldn't be that mean. It would be like breaking your favorite toy. I'm not a child!"

"Could have fooled me," Ellie grumbled.

"Let me sit with her," Jason requested.

"If you really want to," Ellie replied hesitantly. "I wouldn't. It's not your job to change her mind."

"If I don't, she'll eat other predators, so it kind of is," Jason returned.

Ellie supposed he had a point, but she was still nervous. She stood and stepped over in front of Farida to sit Jason in her lap.

Farida looked down at him annoyedly and then wrapped her arms around in front to hold him to her belly. "See? I'm not going to hurt your stupid cat."

Ellie wanted to watch her closely, but Jason tilted his head toward her seat. Apparently, he felt safe enough without her hovering over him. He was either brave or stupid, but Ellie complied. She peered around her mother to keep a close eye on them.

Farida looked at Ellie and then back down at Jason. She grinned wickedly, "You know, if I make a break for it, I bet I could lock us in the bathroom and gulp you down. What do you think? Maybe Ellie's stomach wasn't good enough for you. Do you want to try mine?"

"If you even try it, I'll tackle you and beat the tar our of you," Ellie growled.

Farida glared at her, "I wasn't talking to you." She looked back down at Jason, "Well?"

"I, uh, I don't want to get eaten," he replied awkwardly.

Farida grinned wickedly, "Why not? It's warm and cozy inside," she taunted.

"I'm warm and cozy right now," Jason answered.

Farida frowned, "Aren't you scared? I've eaten lots of cats like you."

"Ellie has too, but I know I'm safe when she's holding me. She isn't going to eat us anymore."

"I might!" Farida returned.

Jason looked up at her, "So would you eat me if you could?"

"If you didn't belong to Ellie, I'd eat you," she replied. "You're a predator, and you eat prey."

"I eat bugs now," Jason replied. "And I'm glad. I'm glad I don't have to eat people like you anymore."

"That's what you say," Farida grumbled.

"I mean it. Do you think I'm lying?"

"How should I know?"

"If you thought I was telling the truth, would you still want to eat me?" Jason pressed.

Farida frowned uncomfortably, "I don't know. It doesn't change what you've done."

"It doesn't," Jason agreed. "But I'm glad I have the chance to be better, and I like being Ellie's, uh, whatever I am. I like living with her, and she likes living with me. It's nice to get to be friends with someone who I couldn't have been friends with before."

"So you'd be alright with all predators being preys' pets, huh?" Farida asked skeptically.

"I think it's better if no one gets eaten. If that's the only way, then I guess it's okay."

"Predators would be at our mercy then," Farida pointed out. "We could wipe them out if we wanted to."

Jason frowned uncomfortably, "I don't think prey would do that. From what Ellie's told me, most don't think it's right to kill us."

"You'd still belong to us though," Farida rejoined. "You'd basically be our slaves."

"Jason isn't my slave!" Ellie protested.

Farida gave her a skeptical look, "Isn't he?"

"I, um, I don't feel like a slave," Jason replied awkwardly. "I know I can't go free, but I want to be with Ellie. Maybe eventually there would be another way, but I think however the killing stops is for the best."

"We're the ones who can make it stop!" Ellie put in. "If we shrink predators but don't hurt them, then it stops. Either we'll shrink them all or the remaining predators will find another way. But if we kill them, then they'll just become afraid of us too, and they might be crueler to us. Jason says they try to kill prey quickly. The way we kill them when we digest them alive is horrible."

"Maybe you have a point," Farida grumbled. "It's fun though. I like it when the struggle inside me."

"But they wouldn't make you suffer like that. Aren't you just a sadist if you're enjoying someone's suffering, especially if they don't deserve it because they wouldn't have done anything so horrible to you?"

Farida looked uncomfortable, "Maybe."

"It's fun having a little pet too," Ellie offered. "Jason and I snuggle up in bed together. It's cozy, and he's so cute!"

"Ha! So you do sleep together!" Farida declared.

"I didn't say we have sex!" Ellie shot back embarrassedly.

Farida looked down at Jason deviously, "Is that true? Tell me you don't want to suck my sister's clit. You're itching to get home and between her thighs, aren't you?"

"I-I, um, I-"

"Ha! He does want to fuck you!"

"He didn't say that!" Ellie protested. She was blushing red hot. Does he?

Farida grinned down at him hungrily, "If Ellie's too much of a stick in the mud, you can come home with me, kitty. I won't eat you as long as you do a good job eating me."

"Farida!" her mother yelped. "That's inappropriate."

Farida scowled at her mother, "Ellie's already fucking him; she just won't admit it."

"You really were jealous!" Ellie accused. "Get your own! If you wanted to fuck a predator all of this time, then why have you been eating them."

"It's the next best thing," Farida returned flippantly. "I didn't know they would be willing to fuck."

"This discussion needs to end!" her mother yelped. "I don't want to hear about either of you having sex with predators!"

"Does this mean you're not going to eat them anymore?" Ellie asked.

"If your father would be judging me, then I don't think I will be," her mother returned. "I suppose you have a point as well."

"I meant Farida," Ellie explained.

"Bring me one who wants to lick my pussy, and I never will again," Farida declared.

Jason looked embarrassed, and Ellie was embarrassed too. But with all three of them essentially ready to stop eating predators, Ellie supposed her visit hadn't gone too horribly.

* * *

A few days later, Jason was napping on the couch while Ellie was out when he was awoken by the sound of the door. He quickly sat up, ready to greet Ellie and was surprised to see Farida closing the door instead.

"H-hi, Farida," he meowed nervously. "Is something wrong? Where's Ellie?"

Farida's ears drooped, and her visage became a mask of despair, "She's gone. A predator got her."

Jason's heart dropped into his stomach. Stunned, he choked, "I-it can't be true. Ellie can't, she can't-"

"She's dead," Farida replied firmly. "And now it's your turn. Predators and prey will never be friends. It's time this nonsense ended."

Jason's heart leapt in fear, but then it sunk back into despair. He didn't try to run as Farida crossed the wood floor toward him. She grabbed him tightly by the arms and picked him up in front of her face.

"Don't look so sad, kitty. You'll see her again soon," Farida stated, rather more cheerfully. Jason didn't understand her tone, but he didn't care to consider it. Ellie was dead; what point was there in going on?

Farida plopped down on the couch and hugged him to her belly. "There, there, kitty," she crooned. "Don't be scared. My belly will take good care of you, and once you're all broken down into molecules and absorbed, you'll sort of be part of me. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Jason wasn't in the mood for her taunting. He just wanted the pain of Ellie's loss to end. "Just get it over with," he muttered. "If Ellie's gone, then I don't want to live anymore."

"So melodramatic," Farida teased. "No one's going to come save you, and acting like you're sad won't save you either."

Jason stared up at her blankly, "I don't care if you believe it; I loved her. Go ahead and eat me. The pain I'll feel inside you will be nothing compared to what I feel now. Eat me, and let it be over."

Farida frowned, "I thought you'd fight a little. It's not much fun if you just give up."

"I don't give a fuck about your fun!" Jason snapped. "Ellie's dead! Your sister is dead! If torturing me is how you're trying to cope, then I'm sorry, but I just want to be dead too!"

Farida frowned at his disconcertedly, "Really?"

"Yes, just eat me!"

Farida shook her head, "I'm sorry. I'm not going to eat you."

Jason stared at her in disbelief, "You want me to suffer more! Is that why?"

She shook her head, "No, kitty. I, I'm sorry because I lied. Ellie's not dead; she's fine. I just wanted to prove you didn't care before I got rid of you," she murmured ashamedly.

Jason stared at her in shock, "Sh-she's not dead!"

Farida shook her head, "I'm sorry."

Jason should have been angry, but he was only relieved, "Thank Zeus! She's okay!" He rubbed his cheek against Farida's chest, "Ellie's okay."

"You should be angry," Farida protested embarrassedly. "I'm the one who told you she was dead. I lied."

"I'll be angry later," Jason breathed. "I'm too happy now to be angry."

"You really do love her, don't you?"

"I do."

"Does she know?"

Jason paused. "I, uh, I suppose she understands."

"You should tell her," Farida murmured. "Tell her how much you love her."

Jason nodded, "I will."

Farida set him on the couch and disappeared back out the door without a word or backward glance. Jason couldn't go back to sleep. He leapt up a few hours later when Ellie came through the door.

"You're home!" he cried with joy.

Ellie smiled at him quizzically, "Were you lonely, kitty?"

Jason sprang off of the couch and raced across the room. Ellie crouched, and she scooped him up as he ran into her arms.

"To what do I owe this enthusiastic greeting?" she asked amusedly.

"I love you, Ellie," Jason meowed sincerely. "I love you more than anything or anyone."

Ellie blinked in surprise, but then her smile widened into a joyful grin, "I love you too, kitty."

Joy flooded through him, and he rubbed his cheek against her chest, "I love you, Ellie. I'd do anything for you."

Ellie stroked his head, "I'd do anything for you too, kitty, and I've been thinking. Bugs aren't difficult to get, so I think we could get enough. Would you like to be my size?"

Jason stared at her in disbelief, "Your size?" he gasped. "I-I'm happy like this, Ellie. You don't have to make me bigger."

Ellie smiled at him awkwardly, "I appreciate that, kitty, but we could, you know, do other things then. Do you find me attractive at all?"

Jason felt his ears get hot, "You're beautiful, Ellie. If that's why you want me bigger, then of course I want it too. I want you to be happy. I want us to be together, however that is."

Ellie lifted him and nuzzled him between the ears. "I might miss having my little kitty, but I think it will be even better. I love you too much for you to just be my pet. We'll be a couple. We'll be together forever."

Ellie took Jason back through the tunnel to where this had all begun. She lay him in the opening of the tunnel in front of the shrink ray.

"This will only take a few seconds. Just hold still, Jason."

She fiddled with some settings, and then threw the switch. Jason saw everything getting smaller. It shrank and shrank until Ellie threw the switch again. She stepped forward and helped him slide out of the tunnel, lifting him with a grunt under the arms.

"You're heavy now, kitty," she remarked.

Jason got his feet under him, and stood in front of her, their noses almost touching. They were the same height now, and Ellie, being lankier, was most likely a bit lighter. Jason reached under her arms and lifted her against his chest, holding her with her head above his. As he'd thought, she was fairly light.

Ellie looked down at him with a pleased smile, "What a big strong kitty," she teased. She nuzzled him between the ears. "Let's go home, Jason. I'm ready to see what my big kitty can do."

Jason set her down, and her hand reached between his legs. He fingers gently fondling his testicles.

"I'm ready to get some kitty juice inside me," she teased. "Are you ready to taste rabbit pussy, kitty cat?"

Jason nodded embarrassedly. He'd gone from hunter to meal to pet, and now he was this rabbit's lover. He would cherish her and their love for the rest of his days.