Tony da Lion: ~Never the same~

Story by Moonlight555 on SoFurry

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#9 of Tony da Lion


~1:17 PM~

**The light is so bright. The atmosphere familiar and missed. The pain, so great. I hear sirens, and can feel the road slipping past. A voice is yelling my name, but I can't respond. I'm too weak. I pass out again. No noise. No light. All the pain in the world.

~1:43 PM~**

**I regain consciousness long enough to register the florescent lights passing over head, and the feeling of being rolled somewhere on a stretcher. The pain is lesser than before, but still unbearable. The florescent lights go out.

~2:46 PM~**

**I hear voices. Through blurred vision I see furs wearing blue uniforms. Their white gloved paws touch the source of my pain. I struggle to break free, only to find my movements limited. There is a little yelling followed by some soothing voices speaking to me. Moments later everything gets dark again.

~9:29 AM, the next day~**

I awaken to the sound of a constant, steady beeping. I can feel a needle in my arm, and a tube running along my muzzle to my nose. It's easy to tell that I'm in a hospital, safe and sound. My left leg, just below my knee hurts. It's a dull pain, but it still hurts enough to be uncomfortable. Then I hear soft talking. Two furs are having a conversation. I open my eyes. Facing away from me, looking out the window, I can see Luke. His tail swishes behind him just a little bit. Next to him I see a large man fully dressed in a coat and everything. His dark brown head fur drapes over the coat. I know that head fur... My heart starts beating fast, making the machine attached to me beep harder. Both furs turn around at the sound. Right then and there must have been the scariest moment of my life.

"Tony. My son." My dad crosses the distance between us and sits on my bed where my leg should be. He puts his paw on my cheek. The look in his eyes is that of love. Despite that, my heart rate doesn't slow. Instead, at the touch, I shiver and close my eyes, letting out a small whine. How could this be? How could he be alive? I saw him! He was dead by my own paw. I saw the blood coming from his head.

"Tony?" Luke speaks this time. "It's okay. You're safe now." I can't stop shaking.

"Son? I'm not mad. You just knocked me unconscious. I love you, Tony. No matter what." Dad removes his paw from my cheek and squeezes my arm. I still can't stop shaking. My heart rate stabilizes a bit, but it's still high. I don't know what to think right now. Even with dad smiling so warmly at me, I'm still scared. I wish he'd stop touching me.

"Mr. Goldenpaw? Can me and Tony have a minute alone please?"

"But of course Luke. I'll go find the doctor and let him know Tony's awake." With that dad stands up and leaves. Luke takes his place on the bed.

"I'm sorry Tony. After you left, I felt so bad. I tried finding you, but I couldn't." After I left? That's when it comes back to me. The series of events that led me into getting kidnapped. I completely forgot about it. My mind has been so much into the present that I practically forgot what life was like before becoming a sex slave for those wolves. The wolves... What happened to them anyway? "Tony?" I look up at him. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I... I don't know..." It's true. I don't know if I'm going to be okay. I don't think I'll ever be able to move on from the most traumatic event of my life. I look down at where the lower part of my left leg should be. The blanket covering that area just drops to the bed. I sit up and push back the covers.

"Tony... Are you sure you want to do that?" I don't say anything. I don't have to. I want to see what those monsters took from me. I push the covers past all the bandages until I can see everything. This... This stump is all that's left. I can't help it. I let out a little cry and the tears start to flow. Luke hugs me. His embrace is so familiar and warm, but it makes me shake. I don't like being touched anymore. Not even by Luke.

"Shhh. It's all right." Luke does his best to calm me. He pets the fur on my head and rubs my shoulder all while keeping me in his embrace. I still can't stop shaking. Even after I settle down from realizing that I'm a maimed lion that's never gonna fit in with society. It's only after I pull away from Luke that I stop shaking. Then I see dad standing there in the doorway with an old doctor. I can't help but blush.

"Tony! I'm glad to see you're awake. I'm Doctor Davis. I need to check your vitals and bandages." I stay silent. Davis takes my silence as compliance and proceeds to check the machine next to my bed. Then he takes his stethoscope and puts it on my back. I shudder, both from the cold, and being touched. I really don't like being touched. He has me breath in deeply then let it out slowly a bunch of times. After he's done that, he checks my blood pressure, much to my distaste. I have to force myself not to whine.

"Okay, Tony. Now lets check your bandages. I assume you've already taken a peek?" Again, silence from my part. I don't want to talk. "All right then. Would you please lie on your back?" I do as he asks. In this position I feel so exposed. Especially when a strange old man lifts my leg up and takes the bandages off. I try not to look, but it's hard not to. It looks and feels so weird. My left leg feels light without the rest of it. The stump is about four inches long under the knee. Maybe I can get a prosthetic that will let me use my knee to walk.

"Alright. Now breath in deep for me, and slowly let it out." As I do that, Dr. Davis bends my leg so it's almost touching my chest. It feels like the skin is getting pulled from my stump, but it doesn't hurt that bad. Probably because of all the pain meds they must have given me.

"And how does that feel? Does it hurt?"

"No." I say quietly.

"Mhm..." Davis guides my leg back so it's fully extended. Then he puts fresh bandages on it. "You should be able to get fitted for a prosthetic in about a week at this rate." The doctor checks my chart. "You're lucky to be alive Mr. Goldenpaw. Seems you've been given a second chance at life. Just a piece of advice from an old man; Give it all you got and leave no regrets."

All I got? Everything I had was taken from me by those wolves. The biggest thing being my state of mind. Dr. Davis gives me a warm smile and ruffles my headfur before leaving, only stopping to talk to my dad for a few seconds. After he leaves Luke comes back to my side.

"Don't worry, Tony. Everything is gonna be all right. I promise." He hugs me. I do my best to keep from shaking at the physical contact. "I'll never let anything happen to you ever again." But why can't I believe him?

**"Luke. Why don't we leave Tony to rest. He's been through a lot." Says my dad. Luke nods and gives me a kiss on the cheek before following dad out, leaving me all alone. As soon as they leave I feel a little better. Solitude is nice. No one can hurt me if they aren't in the room.

~One Week Later~

Tony sits on a medical examination table in an austere manner while a doctor sizes him up for his prosthetic. It's easy to tell that he's disturbed by being touched. His muscles tighten up, his paws start to shake, his thin chest rises and falls quicker, and his pupils dilate. I can see it in his face. In his eyes. Every time someone touches him, he goes back to that brothel house of horrors. Even with me. Because of that, I'm afraid to hug him, let alone kiss him.**

It's unreal how much he's changed in such a short time. I'm not even sure the fact that his father's still alive has sunk in with him. He acts as if his father isn't there most of the time, and only speaks short sentences when asked a question by him. I've sat down and talked with Mr. Goldenpaw. He's noticed it too. He says that Tony needs time to adjust. He also says that he's so thankful that Tony's okay. He can't stop saying that. He can't stop thanking me for going to the police who contacted him. I must say, it was a shock when I heard the sheriff say that Mr. Goldenpaw wanted to speak to me. I was expecting murder one. Instead, I'm considered a hero by both of Tony's parents and half the world.

It's been in the papers and on the news channels. The case of Tony Goldenpaw. Mr. Goldenpaw and my mom have both been getting calls from news channels and late night talk shows asking if we'll do an episode with them. They've offered up to ten thousand dollars for just one of us to come on and tell our story. Fifty thousand for both of us together. We haven't told Tony yet. We don't think he's ready. Even his doctors say not to until he's more fully recovered. The news stands will still have plenty to report though. The bastards that did this to Tony are going on trial. Tony's going to be there. His father told him the other day. At first he was fine, but then he started having an anxiety attack after Mr. Goldenpaw mentioned that the criminals would be there.

A small yelp drags me from my thoughts. I look over to Tony who is holding his arm close to himself. The expression on his face is a mixture of sadness, hatred, and fear. His eye's glare at the doctor with a burning intensity that could make a police ox look away.

"Tony. I just need to check your blood pressure. It'll only take a moment." Tony continues his glare, turning his head to the side ever so slightly. The doctor looks away, pretending to tinker with his blood pressure gauge. I get up and walk over to Tony.

"Tony? Would you mind if I did it?" He looks up at me, at first with that burning glare, but then his eyes go soft. He seems to space out for a few seconds, just looking into my eyes before snapping out of it and looking down. He extends his arm for me. The doctor hands me the blood pressure measuring device with which I put onto Tony's arm. The doctor quietly instructs me to not put it on too loose. The entire time I work, Tony's arm shakes. It's only just noticeable though. Tony keeps his eye's pointed to the ground. The doctor fills the device with air using a hand pump, and checks his watch. After just a few moments he motions for me to take the device off, which I do so quickly and efficiently.

"Okay Tony, we need to make a cast of your stump, and size you up for the prosthetic." Tony only nods slightly. "Mr...."

"Luke. You can call me Luke."

"Right, Luke. Would you mind assisting me? It seems Tony doesn't mind you so much as myself."

"Not at all. Just tell me what to do."

From here, the doctor has me put a latex 'stump cover' (similar to a doctor's glove, except without holes) over Tony's stump to protect his fur. Then he has me make a plaster mold. The doctor takes that out of the room to be cast in reverse. When he gets back we stand Tony up and measure the distance needed for the prosthetic. It'll be adjustable to a degree, but they want to get it close. Throughout the whole ordeal, Tony stays silent, only letting out small 'Mhm's and a few growls when the doctor accidentally touches him.

By the end of the day, Tony has a brand new titanium leg attached to his stump. When the time comes for Tony to walk, he growls at anyone who tries to help him. It doesn't take very many stumbles and falls until he gets the hang of it. He limps pretty bad though, so they give him a cane. That helps him stay straight up and walk a straight line. Even still, he has a noticeable limp. Something he can live with though. After Mr. Goldenpaw pays the bill they wheel Tony outside in a wheelchair (as is hospital policy). Tony gets up from the chair himself, grabs his cane, and limps to Mr. Goldenpaw's upscale Chysler car, where he gets in the passenger seat. I climb in behind Tony. After making sure we're all buckled, Mr. Golden paw drives us to his house, going ten under the speed limit the whole time. Not a word is spoken the entire journey.

When we get to the house, all the lights are off except for the air craft landing lights on either side of the door. Well, they're just outside lights, but I'm surprised there haven't been any helicopters in the front yard. We all get out of the car after it's parked and turned off. Mr. Goldenpaw leads the way to the house. I follow. After a few steps I realize that Tony isn't with us. He's stopped a few yards back, just staring at the house. He looks lost. I walk up to him and take hold of his paw. He looks at me with that same lost expression, but doesn't pull his paw away, nor does he resist. He doesn't even shake. He's too distracted to. I simply pull him to the door where Mr. Goldenpaw is waiting. When Mr. Goldenpaw opens the door, we step in. It's eerily dark. The lights turn on.

"SURPRISE!" Jumping out of all kinds of hiding places, Tony's family, as well as my own mother, stand before us holding a sign that says, "Welcome Back Tony!" A few seconds later Tony's paw slips from mine as he faints to the ground.