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The Sound of the Bell

Two nights later, the lights were on in a downtown café. Inside were round tables set with soft cyan table clothes. Seated at each were furs and scales out enjoying the night, and in the corner of the room opposite the window was a polished black grand piano.

Seated at the piano bench was a white furred wolf-hybrid by the name of Snow.

"This next song I'm going to play is Erinstoff's Sonata Number 12 in G minor," Snow said, smiling over at the small crowd. He turned over to the grand piano, straightening his posture. His paws rested lightly over the keys, fingers gracefully extended over the song's beginning chord.

The notes came easily, fluidly, out from the piano, reverberating gently along the coffee shop's walls. Relaxed, the wolf-hybrid leaned in over the keyboard for a moment, letting his fingers glide along the keys. He drew out a slow, peaceful melody, deep in pitch and richly vibrant.

A deep, warm chord rang out as the door to the coffee shop opened, with a bright bell chime announcing the arrival of the newcomers. The warm melodious greeting tingled in their ears, banishing some of the chill of the night air.

The incoming people looked around for the source of the music, spotting the fur playing over in the corner. Their eyes went wide in surprise and they each looked at one another in turn.

"Isn't that...Our waiter, from the other night?" Hale asked.

"Yeah...I think it is," Khor murmured, shivering from the cold as she rubbed her elbows with her paws.

"What is he doing here?" Amy asked in interest, stepping further into the coffee shop.

"Maybe he works here too," Nghia offered simply, walking past Amy and sitting down at a small table, not even gesturing for the others to join him.

Snow did not hear the three furs and one iguana talking as they walked in. His eyes were closed as his paws danced over the keyboard, picking up in tempo and speed, dancing back and forth, jumping from chord to chord, end to end. The other patrons of the coffee shop sat entranced, watching the piano player with soft, warm eyes, or else listening with a keen ear while looking at the paintings that dotted the shop's walls.

Quietly, Hale and his two friends sat down with Nghia at the table. They watched and listened to the beautiful sounds for a moment, then another, before sighing gently when the wolf-hybrid reached the cadence of the song. Pleasant, light, yet still enthusiastic clapping followed the song, and Snow stood up and bowed to the room.

"Thank you everyone, and I am so glad that you enjoyed the song! I need to just take a short break right now, and then I will play again for you all, if you'd like," he yipped happily.

"Sure, that'd be great!" Amy smiled gleefully.

The piano player looked over at the wolfess in surprise, blushing lightly. "Oh, hey!" he barked, walking over to them. The room began to come alive with the discussion of the patrons. The lights in the coffee shop brightened, illuminating the room now that Snow's song was over.

"Hey, what are you all doing here?" Snow asked in bewilderment, his brows raised high.

"Well, we're new in town, so we started doing some driving, looking for a place to drop in for the night," Hale replied.

"And so I brought them here," Nghia answered, looking up at the wolf with a muted expression.

"Well...Wow, I didn't expect to see you all again. Where is your dragon friend, and the deer lady?" he asked, his ears perked up high.

"Oh, they..." Hale began, looking over at Khor warily. The fennec only shook her head and shrugged.

"I guess they're over at Emma's place or something..." she whispered. She then shook her paws dismissively, then looked up at the wolf-hybrid. "I forgot your name."

The male giggled gently and smiled. "Oh right. Weird how we met before this, huh? My name is Snow Altaeriss."

"Very nice to meet you, Snow," Amy beamed. "My name is Amy Larender."

"Hale Crofton," the male fox introduced himself.

"Khor Ajara," came the fennec's introduction.

Everyone waited for Nghia to tell Snow his name, and they all watched him look at the wolf. He tilted his head completely to the side, finally saying, "Nghia."

Snow laughed gently as he regarded the iguana. "Well, it is very nice to meet you all: Amy, Hale, Khor, and Nghia hope you enjoyed the song?"

The three furs nodded enthusiastically, while the iguana simply tilted his head. "You were great!" Amy beamed.

"Well thank you very much. In a few minutes I'll be playing again, so I hope you like the next song as much as the first!" Snow yipped, wheeling away back towards the coffee shop counter.

Ferrets!

Snow stepped over to the counter at the café, his eyes scanning for a familiar face. He waited only a moment before a ferret with black fur, masked in cream over her face stepped up to the counter from the backroom. She wore a tan apron over her work clothes, and in her paw was a small mug. As she set the ceramic on the counter and reached over for a bronze pot, she saw the wolf-hybrid and flashed him a smile.

"Hey, Snow. What's up?" the ferret asked, taking the pot and pouring out a stream of hot steaming water.

"I'm just taking a short break before my next song," the male replied, sliding behind the counter to stand beside her.

"Oh, right. Hey, I really liked the song you just played, Sonata in G minor, right?" she asked, putting the pot back and reaching for a glass jar on a nearby shelf.

"Yes, it was. I'm glad you liked it," Snow yipped, handing her the jar, filled with a light brown powder.

"Good work on the arpeggios at the end, they can be pretty tricky," the ferret told him, taking the jar and opening it up.

"Mmhmm. Hey, is Missy here tonight?" Snow asked, leaning back against the nearby wall.

"Yes, he's...Somewhere. He brought his flute tonight so I'm assuming that he will be playing after you," the ferret replied, mixing the powder into the hot water.

"Oh, really? Where is he?" Snow asked, stepping away from the wall and peering out over the room. He suddenly felt a firm smack on his rump from a soft furred paw. The wolf-hybrid yelped in surprise, spinning around and blushing a deep red.

"I'm right here, sexy," grinned a tan furred male ferret. He was wearing a small auburn skirt, long lace stockings and high heeled knee-high boots on his legs. He wore a camisole on his chest and a bright pink vest over his chest.

"A-ah, Missy, where did you come from?" Snow asked, his ears flat and his cheeks flushed in embarrassment, his rump still stinging from the smack.

"I came from behind, hon," Missy replied, winking devilishly at the hybrid. He leaned in towards the other ferret, watching her make the hot beverage. "Can I have that?"

"No, you cannot," the female replied, pushing Missy away with her shoulder. The other ferret whined and leaned back against the wall, looking over at Snow with a bored expression.

"Snow, Atlas is being mean to me. Tell her to make me a drink," the ferret male complained.

"Um...But Missy, those drinks are only for people who pay..." Snow began to object.

"I want a drink, little pup!" Missy ordered.

Snow yelped again, cowering behind Atlas. "Atlas, make your brother stop."

"Artemis, shut up," Atlas said, picking up the mug and stepping out in front of the counter. She began to make her way over to one of the café's table, but suddenly turned around and pointed one paw at her brother. "Artemis, no!"

Snow turned around in surprise only to see the ferret male walking towards him with his paw outstretched, held down. He threw his paws up and backed away. "Aargh...She always ruins my fun," Missy groaned.

Snow giggled gently, keeping himself pressed back against the counter. "Why do I never see you coming?"

"Maybe because I'm shorter than you? Also because a part of you likes it when I get you from behind," the ferret grinned, flashing his bright sharp teeth at the other male.

"Oh, hush..." Snow whimpered, blushing deeply. "No..." he giggled.

Missy grinned, wagging his tail and shaking his head. "Someday, you will be mine. I am going to make you my boyfriend someday," he smiled.

Snow laughed gently and smiled at his friend, looking back over the counter at the four friends sitting together at their table. He then wheeled back around, barking indignantly.

"Missy!"

It Really Is That Delicious

Atlas walked over to the four friend's table, the steaming hot mug held in her paw. She put the mug down in front of Hale and took a step back.

"There you are," she said simply.

"Thank you very much," Hale told her. He slid it over to Khor and placed his paw on her shoulder, gently squeezing.

"My name is Atlas, by the way. If you need anything else just come see me, okay? And welcome to the café," the female ferret said.

"Thank you ma'am," Amy said to her, waving at her. The ferret turned away and returned to the counter.

"Thanks, Hale," Khor whimpered, accepting the hot chocolate from the fox. She held it up and took a small sip from the beverage, smiling at the temperature. "It's not too hot," she said with a smile.

Nghia looked over at the drink, reaching his hand out and touching the mug. He checked the temperature on the outside of the ceramic, then stood up. "I want one," he declared, walking away to the counter.

Hale snorted in amusement, then turned back to his two other friends. "You know, as eccentric as Nghia can be, I'm glad we met him. This is a nice place."

"It is," Khor agreed. The hot steam rising up from the beverage crept over the skin exposed in the absence of her cast. The feeling was gentle, and brought a tingling shiver to the fennec.

Amy looked over towards the counter, spotting their former waiter. "I wonder what Snow will play next. He really played that song well," she commented.

"He did. Well, I suppose we can only wait," Hale said.

Khor continued to sip, Amy and Hale leaned in close and hugged each other, and in a few moments, Nghia was back with a mug. He sat down at the table next to his friend and immediately began to drink, murring happily at the taste.

"You like the hot chocolate, Nghia?" Hale asked him, his brows raised in amusement.

The iguana did not reply as he proceeded to down the entire drink, ending with a loud pleased sigh. Khor meanwhile, sipped conservatively at her beverage, savoring the taste.

Amy nuzzled her mate as the four friends sat together, quietly resting after a long day. "Ooh," she murmured in interest her eyes following Snow and a ferret dressed in a small skirt and vest. The ferret held a flute in his paws, and walked with a swaying saunter, while Snow followed behind him.

"Oh, hey, look at that," Hale remarked as he watched the two furs. He wrapped his arm around Amy's waist, kissing her cheek as they leaned in together.

"Oh, they're going to do a song together?" Khor asked, turning around in her seat to watch.

Nghia said nothing as he watched, but his eyes went wide at the site of the flute. He cocked his head and leaned back in his chair. "I'm interested."

The male wolf-hybrid turned to the crowd, beaming happily. "Well everyone, I hope you still want to hear more music tonight, because my friend Missy is going to join me."

The ferret stepped up and bowed, grinning slyly as he leaned against the grand piano. "My name is Missy Fair Rat for those of you who don't know me. Snow and I are going to perform an original composition, entitled 'Green Fields Over Blue Skies'."

Everyone smiled and some laughed gleefully before leaning back in their seats to watch.

Duet

Missy leaned his hips over to one side as he raised his flute up. He winked at the crowd, his brows rising high as he position to the instrument to his lips. He stood straighter, peering over his shoulder at his hybrid companion. The wolf gave a small nod, moving his paws over the keyboard.

Snow played a single deep, rich note, which was followed by a small, slow procession of deep tones. The ferret swayed his tail as he brought out a high, long note from his own instrument. The sounds of both flute and piano joined together, the musical notes weaving an auditory tapestry in the room.

His paw holding down a complex chord, the wolf-hybrid raced his paw over the keys, striking swiftly and gracefully. Missy held the note a little longer, then repeated the technique, though his tonal reach was less than the pianos. He puffed rapidly at the mouthpiece, eliciting beautiful sounds that joined with the piano.

The speed and intensity of the song increased, bringing the medley to a ringing crescendo, before quieting down with a single held note from each musician. The ferret looked over his shoulder and nodded at the hybrid, and together they began an easier, milder tempo. The notes from the flute seemed to bounce through the air, while the piano's keystrokes rolled like a tender ripple through the earth.

A moment later, both melodies were nearing an end, each note sustained longer than the last, building up to a precipitous rest atop a musical peak, before slowly gliding down from the green field towards the blue sky.

Both musicians rested for a moment afterwards, their stances relaxed, no longer poised and ready. The audience was silent for just a few breaths, before they broke out into raucous applause. Missy grinned enthusiastically as Snow beamed terrifically, and they stood together, taking a bow to the room.

"Thank you so much, you have all been such a wonderful audience," Snow yipped gratefully.

"Mmhmm!" Missy gleefully nodded in agreement. "I do hope that you all stay around for the rest of the evening, because Missy Fair Rat is in the house!"

Some members of the crowd cheered, enthused. Hale and Amy joined in, while Nghia stared into his mug, his eyes peering for the last drops of hot chocolate. Atlas meanwhile, was busy cleaning a set of dishes behind the counter. She looked up at her brother's declaration, snorting derisively.

"Someday I hope he realizes he's a man. And not a rat. And that this isn't a house," she murmured to herself.

The Moment They Came Together

Snow gave Missy a hug and then walked over to Hale and his friends. He smiled at them and waved, blushing. "You liked it?"

"Yes, we did!" Hale barked happily, standing up and reaching his paw over to the piano player. The two shook paws, with Snow beaming exuberantly at the fox.

"You play so well, how long have you been practicing?" Amy asked, repeating her mate's friendly gesture.

"For about...Actually, seventeen years now. I started playing when I was four," he replied.

"Wow. That's a really long time," Khor commented, her brows raised.

"Oh, well, I've had a lot of excellent teachers over the years," Snow told them, waving his paw dismissively.

Nghia looked the wolf-hybrid up and down, before saying, "Sit down."

Snow blushed gently and nodded, taking the one unoccupied seat at the table. He looked around at the three furs and one iguana and asked, "So um...How have you been?"

"We've been good, I suppose," Amy snickered humorously. "We're learning more and more about the town, and Hale is fully moved in with Nghia now."

Snow nodded and then his eyes twinkled. "Ooh, so you two are a couple then?" he asked, looking between the iguana and the fox.

"Oh, no, no. No, not at all. Amy is my mate," Hale said, shaking his head.

"Ah, my mistake. Then I guess you two are just roommates?" Snow asked, leaning in a little closer.

"You're right," Nghia said shortly, yawning slowly.

"Oh, well, that's great! I'm a junior at the college, studying piano and musical composition. What about you and Hale?" Snow asked, directing his question at the iguana.

"I'm doing a pre-med course and planning on Molecular-Biology," Hale told him.

The reptile looked over at Snow with a blank expression. "I'm studying..."

"Hey, Snow, that was great!" Atlas said, walking over and patting her friend on the shoulders.

"Oh, hey, Atlas! Thank you!" the male yipped thankfully, looking over his shoulder. "Missy played well too, you know."

"Yes, but my brother is inane," the ferret rebutted.

"Oh, the flutist is your brother?" Khor asked.

"Yes, that's right. My older brother, strange as that may be to believe," Atlas replied. She set down a tall glass on the table in front of Snow, smiling down at him. "Orange mango. On the house."

"Aah, thank you, Atlas!" Snow barked thankfully. He stood up and hugged his ferret friend tightly, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"No problem, Snow. You know how much I enjoy your piano playing," she replied, kissing his cheek back.

Snow sat back down, taking a sip from the drink and beaming at the others. "So...Khor, Amy, are you both going to the college?"

"Yes, we are. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to be studying, but Khor is all set," Amy said, smiling at her fennec friend.

Khor returned the expression, nodding. "I'm studying applied mathematics at the university, and I'm with the NROTC along with hale and Amy."

"Wow! That's amazing!" Snow excitedly yipped. "I wouldn't have-

"And now, my next song! This one is going to be a little quieter than before, so feel free to keep talking amongst yourselves, you fine, gorgeous ladies and gentleman!" Missy declared, sweeping his tail around himself as he sat down on the piano bench with his flute at the ready.

Atlas sighed derisively.