Soul-bound

By Jereth,

7/23/--

Tags: Clean,human, raccoon,survival, mild supernatural

" It is not done my brother!" a booming voice spoke into the depths of reality echoing with time and space as a white robed man materialized out of nothing,

" I know you have your doubts, I however do not. I fully believe that my children and yours can get along," another voice spoke, equally as powerful but with a growl to his tone, "Even though my children have never seen yours I believe that they can coexist."

The voice continued. As another being, appeared to the first.

" I think you are mistaken brother mine, but you are young scarcely an eternity so I will give you a chance you choose one of mine, and I will choose of yours. On a neutral plane there they will meet and we shall observe what happens."

" Very well brother, so by which limitations shall we choose, my brother." the first said

The younger paused, as his mind worked out the conditions. A youth, they would have less reason to attack one another on sight. we must Choose one who is normal in relation to his or her kind," the younger being continued to rattle off conditions as the first listened and consider how he could twist the conditions the younger set to his own ends.

" So my brother if I'm right and they can live and work together you will enable them to do so?" The younger continued.

" Yes you have my word on it brother, goodbye, and send the chosen to this plane.

The first spoke as a coordinate flashed in the others mind. Before fading into nothingness and returning to rule over his realm.

" Goodbye my brother," said the younger as he too vanished.

******************

" MARKUS!" a voice called waking Markus from his slumbers.

" Who-wha?" he replied groggily as he disentangled himself from his sheets, and stood up. His room was like many other Teenagers, a general mess gloomy, dusty, and, chaotic

" UP NOW!" The voice called again its insistent tone compelling him to move.

Throwing on an old pair of baggy jeans and a black t-shirt, Markus descended the stairs with a sneer, "Alright alright I'm up now. He stated looking down at the diminutive from of his mother, Samantha Jane Carson, before brushing past her into the open plan kitchen in the semi-detached house where the Carson family of four lived.

Snatching a bagel and a wad of bacon Marcus plunked down on to the side of the antique oaken table.

His sister Sierra, a nice looking 14 year-old frowned in disgust at his actions

" Mar? Do you have to act like a pig even when your friends aren't here?" she commented, as disgusted with his general attitude as she was with his current behavior.

" Shut it sis!" He replied, "I'm 17 your 14, I'll do what I damn well please."

Mornings like this were common in the Carson home ever since Samantha's husband and the children's father Kevin died in a car accident, Marcus's behavior had just gone from worse to worse, first his school work then his general behavior had gone to hell in a handbag.

Between his grief at his father's death and his new 'friends' who kept him out all hours hanging around schools and drinking, Marcus had gone from a nice friendly person into a monster in the eyes of his family and teachers.

" Markus get your rear off the table NOW! Sierra, I need you to run some errands for me today, I'd ask Markus but..." Samantha let the thought trail off as she looked at her obedient daughter, who quietly nodded mother and daughter continued to talk quietly until a loud bang signaled Marcus's abrupt departure.

Sighing Marcus left the family home and headed out to a little spot in the rocky terrain a few miles from home, pausing only to grab his pack from the hall.

" Mom doesn't understand me," he thought to himself, "sib hates me, and all I've tried to do is what they suggested 'get out more and make some friends', some friends they all either want me to drink, smoke or party, can't anyone of them look beyond their fat faces and see the world?" No that's not right I know they miss dad as well but sib wasn't as close to him as mom and me well I've seen her crying at night

Arriving at his destination Marcus climbed up to a large granite shard sticking out of the rest of the formation rather like an uncompleted bridge, and made himself comfortable. Pausing for a moment to look at the rocky, yet majestic scenery before him, he tore the dog collar off and hurled it away with disgust. "Stupid thing but they think I've gone all cool on them that my friends are there because I like that stuff, gotta keep up with the act"

The act he referred to was the same one involving him having friends from the 'wrong side', letting his grades fluctuates wildly. However, he was careful not to fail any classes, and all for the sake of having time to grieve, time to truly be himself. Before relaxing and soaking up the lovely sun his dark persona forgotten as he remembered who and what he was....

1 year earlier,

" Marcus come on 30 kilos baggage no more, so I'm afraid you're going to have to leave the gas cooker and your laptop, you'll just have to take notes with the p.d.a." A loud gruff yet cheerful voice called as Marcus struggled to fit yet more gear into his port side pannier.

"Dad I need this stuff this is my first bike trek across the four corners states." Marcus pleaded as he pulled the overstuffed zipper halfway across his bag.

Father and son were preparing to go on their first joint bicycling trek across Colorado Nevada and Arizona. The first time that Kevin, Marcus's father was permitting him to do so. ** Three months on the trail, only stopping to explore living by their wits and nature, Marcus had been looking forward to it for years, his chance to spend quality time with his father a chance to be a 'man'. All that and more came crashing down on him when a scant week before they were to leave. During his father's last business trip of the year he was killed, run down by a drunk, no honor, no glory, just a drunk.**

Marcus's mind snapped back to the present as the memories rushed onwards; pale tears flowed down his cheeks ass he looked up uncaring at the mountains.

Letting the heat of the sun warm him from without, as memories of his father warmed him from within.

***********

A lone falcon flew across the sky his vision alighting on a small boy mourning his father, soaring higher the falcons faded out as a being of immense power thought to itself,

" Yes Strong, Resourceful and warm of heart this one shall do nicely for my challenge," As it flew off fading from reality and vision.

Elsewhere in the depths of infinity, another person was placed under a watchful eye.

" Got Ana' ting to eat ma'am?" a raspy cracked voice belonging to a street human, called out as a shapely young morphic Raccoon female wearing a denim skirt and knotted blue blouse brushed past her tail billowing in her wake, "Ewww no go away you filthy creature, she snarled as she quite forcefully pushed him away, "Gaw Rika, she turned and said while still in the creatures earshot, looking at her shopping partner a petite but pretty ermine girl, "Why do they have to let those things in here I mean this is supposed to be a civilized mall?"

Rika paused and lifted her triangular head up to her long time friend, before snorting derisively, "they may be less refined, evolved even but they're allowed in."

" But their so inferior I know the government lets them live with us attend our schools but why can't we keep some things clean?"

Rika sighed as she considered her reply, the girls had been friends since infant school, "you can't just deny a race that evolved parallel to us even if they stopped developing 50 odd thousand years ago San, the gov said years ago that they would keep them under control and cared for so their not doing anything wrong, OK?"

Sanura replied with a snarl as she carried on.

Later as the girls headed their separate ways, Rika considered her best friends irrational hatred of humans, so great it bordered on a phobia, filing the thought away in her mind for later contemplation Rika decided she'd ask her mother about it.

Meanwhile the eye from afar continued its observation of Sanura:

MOM I'm home Sanura bellowed her words shredding the tranquil atmosphere of the Shiagh household, a large two-storied villa house within spitting distance of the beach of the west coast of Kalifornia.

" Sanura please don't yell it is unbecoming for a Shiagh lady." her mother Yahiln spoke as she walked into the room her femininity flowing out like a mist, calming and soothing the ruffled chi in the room.

Snarling Sanura tossed down her shopping and flopped like a boneless sack onto the divan, "don't care mom, I'm sick of all this femininity crap you make me go through, this is The American union, Not Nippon."

Sanura's attitude did not go over well with her mother, who despite her femininity could make even wolverines turn tail and run,

Yahiln's neck and tail bristled as her muzzle parted in a snarl, advancing on her daughter she lay into her with a ferocious torrent of whisper quiet words, before leaving her anger marking Sanura's muzzle via the back of her hand

" Now Missy you will go upstairs and you will meditate on what I said and you will not come down tonight are we clear?"

Rubbing her now sore muzzle Sanura nodded and fled the room as hot tears leaked through her clenched eyelids.

Muttering to herself as she threw herself on her futon and pulled out her laptop

" Mediating" she snorted "who needs that shit,"

A small spider hardly more then a mite watched her display of arrogance and temper from a crevice in her ceiling The being watching her smiled "Her I like, no way shall my brother win."

Later that night the girls father a more free-minded male of his morphic species then his mate. Tall broad shouldered and 100% corn fed Amerikan fur, he was much more lenient to his daughters less then traditional views on her Nipponese heritage.

" Sanura your mother spoke to me concerning your outburst", he began stroking her furry back as she listened to 'combi' or whatever modern mess passed for music to the kids these days.

" Do you want to talk; I know you mom can be a little uptight," he smiled at the thought, his muzzle curling up and his eyes brightening, "but she did say there must be something bothering you,"

Sanura rolled over, her topless nudity not bothering her, even in her fathers presence such things were more lax around 'furres', "Ahhhh dad," she began as he held her to him muzzles touching side to side in a gentle gesture before breaking off. It's just me and Rika were at the mall today..." Sanura went on to explain.

Her father listening and comforting her like any parent would its kits. "Sanny, now listen" he replied using the affectionate shortening of her name as he always did, Michal For such was her fathers name, explained to her how the humans were an 'equal lesser species' and that the government capitalize on it," you took history kit even if you did fare rather poorly, this he said with a lopsided grin as he looked at his daughter snuggling alongside him like she did when she was a babe. We take care of them like we do our own ill or old folks but some slip though, that's what you met today."

Father continued to speak to his child for some time, as she slowly relaxed and understood why at least they must feign acceptance, before drifting off to sleep sometime later.

The omniscient being watching her, grinned before vanishing off into the depths of time and space.

" *My Brother I have made my choice. My chosen of your realm is ready I will transport her as soon as she sleeps

" *I too have chosen, mine will arrive on the chosen plane. Shortly we shall see"*

Marcus yawned and stretched feeling decidedly rested as he reached around for his pack.

Startled he sat up the motion making him dizzy for a moment as he found he was no longer on a granite plinth but a dune.

" Where in the hells am I? Last time I looked the nearest dune was 50 miles away and where's my bag got to", steeling himself Marcus stood up blinking back spots as he surveyed the terrain he inexplicably found himself in. Gleaming white sand flowed out from him in all directions, numbly still not believing it, Marcus reached down and took a handful of the sand, letting it slowly flow though his hand. The granulation so fine it felt like silk, hot silk, but silk nonetheless. Dusting off his hand Marcus used his left hand to shield himself from the suns glare all around him as he looked from some landmark or point of reference.

" Right no known structures or even a tree, a few scrub brushes but insufficient to use as a marker," Marcus shrugged as he felt around in his pockets checking for what supplies he had, hoping his hip bag survived the...whatever intact.

" Right then" Marcus said aloud, "survival 101; scenario, lost in a desert supplies extremely limited, K.I.S.S.W.E.P Know well that's a bit easy I've 'Know' clue where I am. Inventory, right: T-blanket, water tablets, emergency medic kit, 2 Swiss knives, 3 zippy bags 6 rubber bands, matches, compass, brass wire, 4 short nails, 3x 500 ml water pack, glucose tablets, and 2 Kendall mint cakes, 5 meters thin nylon cord. Check standard gear intact shame I have lost my good stuff. Shelter well I can sand bag or try to make a lean-to if I can find some bushes or similar, Signal, no point I'm alone here, Water not much but I won't need it for a while, Eat, got my rations safe and glucose tabs, Play, not just yet."He said stating the survival acronym for unfamiliar situations.

" Well as there's no obvious place to go to I'll head in the direction of the breeze I felt a few seconds ago." Marcus continued.

Dusting himself off and gauging the position of the sun in the sky Marcus set off to what would have been the west in his old stomping grounds.

Miles away on a sand scoured patch of black stone sheltered for the time by a massive sandstone plinth another took stock of her position this one with far less control and conviction.

" Holy... where the hell am I?" Sanura whispered looking around her for some sign of her room and her bed. Slowly getting to her feet staring in fear at the massive stone she stood on "Well I'm not in Cansas that's for sure, Hello!!!" she called hoping to hear something other then the faint wind blowing particles of sand around

" Well I am well and truly screwed" She stood up slowly began walking away from the outcropping.

Sanura walked her long fur meant for keeping her ancestors warm now a detriment in this barren wasteland as she struggled for each footstep in the scalding sand.

Sanura's weight and balance caused her to tumble as she walked sapping more energy from her. Slowly over a period of hours, she made head way towards a speck on the horizon.

Marcus's journey on the other had was considerably more up beat both because of his attitude and survival knowledge enabled him to remain focused on his journey rather then the circumstance's thereof. "Come to think of it if it wasn't for the heat and the fact that I'm missing my main gear bag and if I knew where I was. This trip would be quite enjoyable. Marcus spoke aloud.

After an hour of walking in the chosen direction, Marcus stopped and stared far into the distance a shape was visible made fuzzy by the distance and haze. A small pillar seemed to rise above the sand its distance estimated by Marcus to be about 5 miles taking out his compass for bearings Marcus was disturbed to find it spinning wildly as if he was atop some form of lodestone or iron deposit. "Odd but no odder then the rest of this "Marcus mused.

Miles away another saw the strange artifact and struggled to reach it

Sanura gasped and panted as she sweated her way to what she hoped was a way out of here a phone a box anything to let people know where she was.

" *Awfully harsh environment my brother, mine can barely survive in this plane why then did you choose it?*" the younger said

*"You wish them to have peace, what peace can there be without struggle?*" the first replied.

Hours seemed to pass as the morphic raccoon made the last few steps to her 'salvation' only to discover it was nothing more then a wind carved pillar of the same black stone where she had been deposited into this strange world. Collapsing down against it, she began to weep slow salty tears as she cursed the world and all who stood against her

Damn it........... Damn it she whispered, as she rested her head against the carved stone pillar her cries growing softer as the seductive heat lured her to sleep.

Marcus continued his hike towards the pillar. Watching it grow closer with each step he took.

As Marcus closed in on the ebony pillar, he saw another form on the floor near the object.

" Hmm, what have we here" Marcus said to himself, as he crept closer to the object on the ground, his hand involuntarily reaching for his knife. "A person? No, no, wait; it's an animal, a 'coon. In clothes. What ever it is, it might know what's going on..."

Sanura's unconscious form was not entirely unaware of what was happening around it, she could still hear but the sound of some one else approaching noticed only by her instincts.

*IT SEEMS OUR TWO CHAMPIONS HAVE MADE CONTACT MY BROTHER NOW THE GAME IS TRULY AFOOT* one of the voice in the eternity's bespoke of his kin alerting him as to the change in the challenge he had posed.

" I should help it, the clothes show it to be sentient, and thus equally worthy of life, besides I need to know if it knows anything, assuming I can communicate with it"... as Marcus walked around trying to make a gender determination. He shrugged and leaned over to check for a pulse, ostensibly on the neck as he would another person.

'Danger an attack is in progress!' As Marcus's hand reached across her neck her body shot up her hand in counter attack bringing her lithe but strong musculature to bear she gripped his hand in an neigh unbreakable grip. As adrenaline coursed through her battered body, her eyes shot open, and her mouth twisted in a feral snarl.

Marcus jumped back as the being he was looking at suddenly lashed out with its hand/paw and gripped his wrist with crushing force. "Ahhhh" he yelled as the creatures claws dug into his hand, Marcus looked at the creature now sitting up and its muzzle twisted in hate and rage he made out a few vague words it spoke as it twisted his hand.

Sanura twisted the attackers hand in the way she learned in self-defense before snarling out a question.

" Filthy human." she snarled, "What have you done to me?" Sanura's Hatred of his kind extremely evident in her voice.

Raising his free hand in a I'm no threat gesture Markus gently attempted to back off while speaking in slow gentle tones unaware that such vocalizations were being seen as degrading and demeaning by the morphic raccoon

Sanura hissed as she released her grasp on the human shocked that she had touched their filthy skin, as his soft voice and the words he used reached her she snarled again cutting him off with her own speech flecked with spittle and rage.

" YOU speak to me as though I was a cub or a beast, I am neither human."

Marcus looked shocked at her grasp of his language and realized the mistake..." I mean no harm ummm miss I thought you were hurt I...I was trying to help, he stuttered out as his mind turned circles. "I'm talking to an animal this isn't supposed to happen!"

I am Marcus ma'am what-who are you, " slowly Marcus reached into his pocket seeing this she started curling up close to the pillar in fear. "Don't, don't panic I'm just getting something out you must be thirsty here."

Offering her a small bottle filled with a bright blue liquid.

Reaching her own paw hand she took the small bottle her hesitancy overwhelmed by her thirst.

" WELL MY BROTHER, the younger smirked at the first, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I MAY BE RIGHT. THEY HAVE NOT KILLED EACH OTHER AND EVEN YOUR CHOSEN HAS ACCEPTED THE GIFT FROM MINE". The infinite being said as he watched the events from afar

Marcus watched as the creature sucked down the blue hydration fluid breaking open one for himself, he sat back and looked at the creature before him, cracking the twist seal on his bottle Marcus sat across from the creature nursing his own drink.

Sooo. Ms... Raccoon what are you? I mean no offense but you can't possibly exist". Marcus stated as he looked at the battered creature in front of him.

Sanura sat there silently her red eyes boring deep into this human, yet not one like she had ever seen before, it , no he for so her nose told her, spoke clearly rationally unlike the guttural cries and harsh sounds of the ones on her world.

" Sanura", she whispered as a breeze lifted her locks blowing them in a westerly direction, the temperature beginning to fall indication the onset of night. "My name is Sanura." She repeated as her battered body fell back into a deep sleep.

' Sanura that's an interesting name"... Marcus stated as he considered what to do about nightfall. Spreading his thermal blanket over the weaker of the two, the strange raccoon creature, and using his plastic material to build a quick moisture trap,

The night passed slowly for Marcus as he considered what to do, this thing, this person or alien was injured and certainly needed his help, yet, " the other side of his mind spoke but she's weak and will drain our resources leave her. As Sanura slept, Marcus continued to wrestle with his conscience, before slowly getting to sleep late in the night. Having made the decision to help her only if she asked.

Settling down near the sleeping creature he opened his breast pocket and removed a foil wrapped mint cake, which though melted would still provide some energy until he located an alternate source of food.

Morning broke over the dunes. Surprising them coming as it was from the north. Markus stirred briefly before attaining wakefulness all at once, and got on with preparing to get on with this trek, and hopefully finding some civilization somewhere.

Walking over to his moisture trap, he was pleased to find a not insignificant amount of water in it, enough here to fill the two bottles and have a morning drink he said aloud happily.

Nearby still wrapped in the thermal blanket and resembling a baked potato, his strange acquaintance stirred at his voice taking one of the traps he carefully brought it to the strange girl.

" Drink but be careful, were in a desert and must watch out for water." Stepping away from her as she took the bag from him he couldn't help but notice how similar her actions were to his own, not jerky or unsure whatever she was she was like this from birth.

" So Sanura" he continued after she had finished drinking "where are you from, are there others like you?"

I'm from a place called Kalifornia a town called Los Diablo's we live near the beach and my sires wealthy, she added determined not to appear poor to this ...human.

Taken aback at her rather aggressive pronunciation of a familiar word Markus replied

" Um don't you mean California" stressing the softer 'c' sound in contrast to her 'k.'

" No of course not Kalifornia, home of my family. Moreover, yes there are many people like me there there is the raccoons and the ermines and others; we don't have many of you though we don't like humans there. Sanura's spiting out the last word as she did effectively ended any chance at further conversation for a while.

Stomping off, Sanura pouted to herself why did she a blood daughter of Nippon and child of the Amerikan Union have to be stranded here with a human who couldn't even pronounce his own countries states.

Markus hurriedly packed up and marched off after her his own pride in his skills refusing to let him abandon such a burden while she was still functional.

**********************

From afar, the brothers watched the events unfold, each praising their champion's attitudes. Sanura's racist nature had made her the favorite of the Elder while Marcus calmly compassionate yet stoic nature the younger felt boded well for this expedition.

*********************

Sanura and Markus walked off into the seemingly endless desert, scarcely speaking to each other, as the sun rose higher and the temperature rose to over 110 degrees.

" Human stop... I cant go on its too hot..." Sanura gasped out as she stopped panting hard from the heat.

Marcus sighed and pulled out his compass again the rapid spinning seemed to have slowed, so whatever was causing it they were moving away from opening one of the hydration bottles a mix of water sugar and electrolytes he offered it to her his own parched lips telling him of the risk he was courting, fumbling in his hip-bags and his vest he pulled out the double sided t blanket one side reflected heat the other kept it in pulling it out and draping it over her back he tied it under her chin as a cloak to protect her from the harsh rays, though it wouldn't help against the heat directly

" Sanura listen to me, normally we wouldn't be doing this walking in the day however you were suffering from heat exhaustion and could have died we need to find some shelter," ** he pointed out the slowly increasing amount of scrub bushes and even a few small cactus he pointed to a tall dune in the east the direction they were heading. And to a small semi shaded hollow by some thorny bushes.**

" Go down there stay in the shade keep covered I'm going up there to have a look around then ill join you its close to mid day now so we must rest until evening well get out of this don't worry," he smiled trying to sound confident as she bumbled off down to the small shade he pointed out.

Sighing as she walked off Marcus climbed up the dune, casting his eyes around, small rocks and scrub continued to increase in the direction of which they were traveling rocky outcroppings showed on the distance. nodding Marcus dashed back down the dune to rejoin Sanura.

" I think were nearing the edge of this desert Sanura,well rest here tell evening and make some headway", using the material Marcus made a tarp and another still.

As they rested in the partial shade relishing the occasional cooling breeze forced into close proximity with the human Sanura snarled and turned her back on him s** eething with resentment Sanura raged inside having been saved by the filthy human**

" Damn it all first the one in the mall speaks to me and now this thing saves me, I should feel grateful but thier so repulsive ," she muttered to herself as she waited for the day to pass.

Meanwhile outside in the infinity's , the events unfolding were observed, by the two beings whom had twisted reality to this purpose.

The younger spoke, "My chosen has helped yours and even saved her when he could pass it would seem the wager leans in my favor now they approach the edge of the desert and into more hospitable lands you will fail brother mine the strength and compassion of my choice shall overcome the bitterness and hatred of yours."

The elder snarled softly his eyes flashing before returning to a picture of serene calm

" Perhaps brother but once outside of the desert she will not need him as much and I foresee her leaving and going on her own if that happens the wager is mine.

Nevertheless brother as promised I shall leave them to there own devices and shall not interfere" the first nodded as he released his hold on corporeality."

the younger nodded as his brother passed out of view, "I shall watch a bit longer for now the interplay interests me."

*****

The star surrounding the planet the two were on slowly rotated out of view bringing it with a drop in temperature and light.

Gathering the water his still had collected Marcus gave himself and Sanura a healthy sized drink before refilling the bottles in his vest with the remainder.

" OK raccoon lets head out, nights here we need to cover distance while we can. If we head west," he pointed the direction they had been traveling, "the scrub brush and terrain changes, he grinned "that's indicative of a change in climate perhaps we might be out of this heat then or at least it could be bearable," setting action to deed he walked out into the rapidly cooling air the temperature dropping from over a hundred to much more tolerable fifty.

Sanura snarled as the still warm sand scorched her footpads the increasing rockiness of the terrain putting her already unhappy disposition far into the realms of angry.

" Human?" she asked a while into there walk after stumbling over more of the hard small stones which were littering the ground.

" How do you happen to have what we... what you needed to survive here if you have nothing to do with us being here?" she asked correcting herself as she couldn't guarantee his help and didn't want to seem beholden to him.

" My father, I guess you would say sire," he replied showing his memory, "he was a business man, but he liked to travel and explore, when I was eight he convinced my mother to let him teach me survival so he could take me on trips after he had taught me the basics the day or so before my ninth birthday he bundled me into the car blindfolded me and drove me far into the desert in Nevada he gave me a basic kit a compass and 1 gallon of water."

" And told me to make my way out he then drove off leaving me there," Marcus smiled as though this was a fond memory needless to say I got out I used what I had learned from him and what I could work out."

once I got out and back to the nearest service station I found him waiting with my birthday gifts a full survival pack and a vest and bags to keep it in. he said he was proud but not to stop learning. wasn't the last time he tested me. But I learned, never thought I use these skills to literally save my life or to save another."

The darkness deepened before it began to lighten, the faint hints of dawn no more then an hour away, the desert had given way behind them to rocky scrub-land sometime during the night where they began to see a few grasses and the first signs of animal life small lizards scuttled onto the rocks a breeze picked up bringing with it hints of moisture in the air.

" Looks like were entering a savanna or some such we should be much safer, it will still get hot but nowhere near what we've been in with luck I'll be able to find some food as well,"Marcus said as Sanura followed him out of the rocky patch.

*******

Smiling far off in the infinity's beyond our reckoning, the younger grinned his chosen had not only escaped the most lethal of the zones but had done so with his brothers less friendly chosen, things were looking up indeed."

A faint wind lifted the hairs on Sanura's fur her back , so recently sweat sodden had begun to dry off , the human, her companion was as good as his word and had led them both to a rocky outcropping bordering on a small pond fed by a thin stream from further inland.

Sanura sighed at the sight of the water and moved to jump down a iron vise like grip arrested her movement as Marcus looked at her eyes steely.

" Not yet let me check to see if its safe," he stated releasing her arm from his grip. Hopping down with barely any sound Marcus bent and picked up a large stone from the side never taking his eyes off the pond a large splash as the stone vanish from sight. Cupping his ear with his hand, his eyes darting around looking for any motions he shrugged "looks safe enough but be careful."

Sanura hopped down her black and grey bushy tail creating small clouds of dust as it indicated her annoyance at having to rely on this creature her whiskers twitched as she considered him , pink smelly and without any real way to communicate emotion approaching the water she bent down to get a drink as again Marcus grabbed her pulling her back from the surface.

"Do you have any idea how many parasites could be in there? He snarled, you might not care about having tapeworms but trust me thats the least of whats in there. He reached into his limited gear and withdrew a small piece of netting and delicatly strained some of the water.

The younger looked on observing this scene from his place in the cosmos, passing his hand over his eyes he looked at the water in the hole, and surprised at the variety of grubs and such the elder had placed in there, well he said to himself, it seems my choice has done another service to his, indeed I did choose well. Smiling he returned to his other duties.

As the water flowed out it revealed a few small red centipede things and a silvery wormlike creature Sanura recoiled at the sight of them and pulled free from Marcus.

He laughed at her reaction, maybe now you'll listen to m- he broke off as she slapped him her claws leaving red welts in his cheek.

Muttering to himself about putting some brains in a beast but not taking out the bite. He sat down on the rock and took off his shoe and sock.

" What in the name of the ancestors are you doing?She asked her muzzle screwed up in disgust

" We need a filter the knit of my sock should suffice. "He said as his hands worked the brass wire and plastic sheeting into a rough container with his sock serving as a guard over the lip grinning he lowered his contraption into the pool of murky water before lifting it out and letting it strain away repeating the action several more times her finished with about a tablespoon of wriggly creatures in the bottom of the sock and 3 liters or so of semi clear water in the plastic tube he grinned as he carefully removes the sock and left it on the sun backed rock to dry after duping what he could of the parasites onto the hot surface. "Now to purify it he grinned at the look of astonishment on the coon girls face. as he dropped 2 tiny white pills from a small tube into the water and let them dissolve, visually clearing the water as they did.

"Those parisites could have done who knows what to us, rule two of survival clear water isnt always safe water." he grinned as he checked the now clear water, before carefully filling the small bottles he had handing her one and drinking down another before refilling them repeating the process.

"D rink and keep drinking we need to replace what we lost in the desert and we need food.

" I suppose your too evolved to lower yourself for some hunting?" he asked his attitude condencending if not insulting.

Lowering the bottle from her muzzle Sanura snarled, hissed and took a swing at him. Swinging in from his leftside sanurea charges her black claws swiping visciously at Marcus her paws kicking up clouds of dust as she fought at him her anger and indignity breaking loose .

Sanura flailed at the human catching him on the shouleder drawing crimson How dare he this sub furre filth how dare he question her capabilitys she was a child of nipon and the american uniuon the 2 greatest powers in the world.

Marcus swore as her claws cut him gritting his teeth against the pain he tackled her bringing her down in a flail of limbs and fur he fought for containment she was fighting out of anger

" Calm down, calm down, you stupid coon," he yelled. Trying to avoid hurting her or being hurt by her.

A grim smile passed along the elders face as he watched the fight between the chosen. He grinned focusing his mind he pulled the essence of the scene into a gaseous ball which he sent to the younger.

An instant later the younger stood before the elder, and frowned, "So the champions fight what is your point brother."

They are not ready they can't exist side by side, I win they shall never meet. The elders laugh filled the cosmos.