Evolution - Chapter 5
#6 of Evolution
The challenges for our group of friends are not just on the outside, but on the inside as well. Their bodies may not be the only things changing. With potential disaster around every corner, will this help them, or hinder them? And when the unthinkable happens, one wolf finds out just how much internal change can affect you...especially when you realize it too late.
Loss.
It cripples us. People always say "you never know what you have until you lose it." Considering what had been happening, I'd say it was a pretty true statement. We take things for granted when we have them everyday, never stopping to appreciate all that we have until one day, it is taken from us. Then we are lost, devastated without it, mourning the lost opportunity to say what we always wanted. Maybe that's what this all was. We took our humanity for granted, and now it was taken from us.
Perhaps Fate had a twisted sense of morality...after all, it just kept taking things from us.
-May 19th (E-Day + 10)
"Please?"
"No."
"Come on...just a peek."
"No."
"You don't even have to watch, I'll-"
"No!"
Auren and Nate couldn't help but chuckle at the banter between their friends, as Riku desperately tried to get a peek at Brandon's new 'endowments'. The fox had been asking - borderline begging - since they left the Wolf's Den club about an hour ago. The midday sun was high in the sky, painting everything in a bright light as they picked their way through a deserted street. Practically bouncing around the seven foot, golden-coated stallion, Riku was not about to let it go so easily. "Come on, man," he whined. "Out of all the anthros there, you picked a freaking stallion to become! How am I not supposed to want to see that?"
The equine that was now Brandon stopped walking and crossed his beefy arms across his equally broad chest. "No means no, Riku. I don't care if you say I'm now as horny as you or Nate; you're not seeing it."
The fox's ears flattened, and he sighed. "Guess I'll just sneak a peek when you're sleeping," he mumbled.
"What?"
"Nothing!"
"Come on, you two," Auren called over his shoulder at the pair that had stopped. "We're probably halfway home by now, lets pick it up." Turning back to the path ahead, he let his eyes wander over the handsome lupine that walked a few paces in front of him, trying to ignore the urge to get up next to him. After spending the night with Nate in their hotel room, Auren found himself more and more drawn to the anthro wolf that his best friend had become, but he was still unsure why. These past few days, the pair of them had been through quite a few scrapes, only to end up caring for one another in the aftermath. There was no denying the odd feelings he got when he was close to Nate, but still, he tried to understand just what he was feeling before he could make a decision to act on them or not. Maybe this infection plague was affecting him, even without changing him?
Whether Auren knew it or not, Nate was going over much the same thoughts in his head. The odd feelings of protectiveness, or desire that flooded his mind when he was close to Auren confused him, and sent more than a few pulses of warmth to his lupine groin. He had always cared about Auren, the two of them growing up together since middle school, but these new thoughts and sensations were far beyond that of simple companionship and friendly care. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, the silver-furred wolf grunted, then blushed again as he took in a hearty whiff of Auren's scent on the wind, the welcome aroma sending more jolts of warmth to his groin. Maybe today, finally, he would talk to his friend about just what he was feeling.
When Riku and Brandon caught up with them, Auren made a point of tearing his gaze away from the muscled back of Nate ahead, focusing back on the path before them. The deserted street was littered with the wrecks of cars, debris, and other clutter that had become all too familiar after the infection broke out. More than a few buildings looked to be on the verge of collapse, their walls having been smashed out as someone within grew to massive sizes...or something equally large tried to force its way in.
For a moment, Auren wondered if anyone else from the college had made it out safely.
There was a slight tinkling of rocks as a pile of debris shifted slightly, and Nate froze in his tracks, his fur and tail fluffed out. Brandon came to a halt a moment later, as did Riku, the changed youths' senses picking up on something. Auren, still using his human senses, was at a loss as his three companions halted, but trusted their judgement nonetheless, slowing to a stop and raising the trusted bat he held in his hands. The street grew eerily silent, Auren's ears hearing nothing but the wind whistling through the wrecked buildings. He slowly crept onto the sidewalk, removing himself from the open, his eyes scanning the surrounding area as he waited for a signal from one of the others.
Nate was moving slowly too, taking a few careful steps towards where Auren was as he sniffed the air, his furry ears moving atop his head. There was something out there, something that caused Nate's instincts to rise. Whatever it was, it smelled animalistic....and big....and-
"MOVE!" The wolf roared, diving into Auren to push him out of the way. A split-second later the wall behind where the youth stood blew outwards as if someone had set off a bomb inside. Brandon and Riku both ducked for cover as Nate rolled with Auren in his arms, chunks of plaster and stone barely missing them. Through the noise and dust, a throaty roar echoed down the street, and a hulking figure moved from withing the cloud of dust.
Picking themselves up, Auren and Nate whirled to meet the attacker, only to gasp in shock as its form moved out of the dusty air. 'Big' didn't do the thing justice, as its horned head rose above the enclosed bus bench that lay between it and the two companions. There was a deep roar, and the glass-and-metal enclosure was smashed away like it was paper, leaving only the brute behind. Easily ten feet tall, and probably half that in width, the bipedal bull-like creature snarled down at he pair of youths before it, its eyes showing nothing but rage. A hoof stamped into the pavement as it snorted, looking as if it were about to charge.
Auren didn't wait to see anything more as he and Nate dove to the side as the minotaur charged at them, nearly shaking the ground with its massive weight. Rolling away and back to their feet, the youth and wolf desperately looked around for something they could use to subdue the beast, at least momentarily, so they could make their escape. Riku and Brandon had already taken cover behind a bus across the street, although the muscular stallion was rising up to come join the fight. Nate desperately waved him back, lest they get seen too, and Brandon's face twisted into a frightful expression. There was no way Nate and Auren could take that thing themselves!
Roaring and grunting, the minotaur spun to face the two smaller creatures it had chosen to attack, swinging its meaty fists around at them. Luckily, the pair had agility on their side at the moment, and easily sidestepped the attack. Still, going toe-to-toe with a ten foot, muscles-as-big-as-they-were minotaur was in no way a good idea, and Nate's eyes darted for something, anything they could use as a weapon.
The second he took his eyes off the minotaur, was the second he made a grave mistake.
The beast charged at them and swung its fists again. Auren moved to dodge again, but in the corner of his eye, saw that Nate's gaze was elsewhere. Time seemed to slow down as the youth made his choice. Pushing off with his feet, Auren bulled the wolf out of the way just as the Minotaur's fist hit.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh sounded throughout Auren's entire body as he felt the impact lift him off his feet. He was dimly aware of being airborne before another crunching sound enveloped him, and his world went black.
Nate huffed as he was pushed roughly out of the way, only to look up in horror as Auren was smashed away by the beast's fist. The youth's smaller body was flung through the air and crashed through a wooden door on the small building behind where they were. The seconds ticked by, feeling like hours as the wolf struggled to his feet, urging his body to move after where Auren had been flung, when the sound of toppling stone reached his ears. He looked on in horror as the two-storey building that Auren had disappeared into shifted and collapsed, sending a cloud of dust and debris outward.
"NOOOOOOO!!"
Nate's piercing howl of rage and despair rang out through the streets, its intensity making even the minotaur pause, stumbling in its tracks at the surprisingly loud noise. Its stumble turned to a trip, and the muscled beast fell to its equally huge ass as it lost its balance, its hooves skittering over the multitude of debris that littered the street.
The wolf was frozen in horror as he looked at the pile of rubble where the building had stood, before a shock ran through his body, and he dashed towards it. He had almost reached the pile when a two pairs of arms grabbed him around the midsection. Brandon and Riku held him firmly, desperately pulling him way as they watched the minotaur struggle to rise. "Come on!" Brandon yelled. "We need to go!"
"No! Auren!" Nate screamed, clawing at the hands that held him. "Auren!"
"He's gone, Nate!" Riku barked, even though his face was streaked with despair. Still, he struggled to help Brandon haul the devastated wolf away, so they could escape the minotaur while they had the chance...while they three still survived.
"He's gone...."
Sam was just finishing cleaning another batch of mugs and glasses, putting them away with a sigh. A bartender's job is never done, he mused to himself. He heard the familiar sound of the main doors opening, and turned to them expectantly.
The glass he was holding dropped to the ground with a smash as he saw the three figures standing there, covered in dust and looking as if they had been through hell. Dashing out from behind the bar, he raced towards the familiar wolf, stallion and fox, concern dominating his face. The moment he reached them, he realized something was terribly wrong. The silver-furred wolf was covered in dust, his fur matted in places that made it evident he had probably been dragged here. Both the stallion and fox were equally dusty, although they sported numerous welts and cuts along their arms and chests. Looking down at the wolf's claws, he could see a tuft of orange fun caught in them, and the wheels in Sam's head began to turn.
They dragged Nate here? But why? Looking around at the trio, he was about to ask what was going on, when he noticed the lack of the fourth person he was expecting. "Guys....what happened? Where's Auren?"
At the sound of his name, the wolf collapsed into the red dragon's surprised grasp, howling and crying. It took all of a split-second for Sam to piece it together, and he felt his own heart drop. Riku and Brandon looked at Nate, then moved slowly into the bar, saying nothing as they went to a booth and sat down. Though it was hard to hear over Nate's own lamenting, it was pretty clear that that fox and equine had started to weep themselves.
Sam hauled Nate over to the bar, trying to comfort the wolf as best he could, waving for Kara the skunk waitress to bring him some towels and water. Sitting the wolf down on a chair, he took the proffered supplies from Kara and began wiping the layers of dust and grime from the silver lupine's face. "Nate....talk to me....what happened?"
"Auren..he..." the wolf choked, unable to speak. He half-heartedly accepted the water given to him, using it to calm his shaking body. Between sobs and fits of sorrow, he managed to convey what had happened after they left the bar, and Sam's heart fell. He gripped the wolf's shoulder tightly, trying to radiate support, although he knew it was futile. He had seen just how close the group of friends were when they were here, and no amount of 'I'm sorry' was going to help. He simply sat there for a time, letting Nate vent and cry against his shoulder. Looking over at the booth, he saw the forms of Riku and Brandon in the middle of their own remorse, the smaller fox being held tightly by the larger stallion.
Nate's weight shifted against him, and Sam looked back to him to see the wolf teetering dangerously on his seat. "Whoa now....easy," he muttered, holding the wolf upright. Nate was still sniffling and hiccoughing, but it looked as thought the strength to remain up was leaving him. No doubt the toll from the encounter was hitting him hard, and the red drake carefully lifted the lupine to his feet. "Come on, you need to lay down."
"No...I need.....oh Auren! Why...oh god why?"
"Come on," Sam repeated, pulling the wolf along as he headed towards the rooms in the back. The wolf needed to lay down before he fell down, or worse, did something drastic. Signalling Jerry, one of the tiger bouncers to help him, the drake half-guided, half-carried the broken wolf into one of the private rooms where a bed awaited him.
Rolling over, a pair of dim brown eyes stared up at the off-white ceiling, as their owner fought for the strength to get up. Nate lay on his back, fur matted and mussed all over his form as he stared off into space. Sam and his tiger bouncer had left him in this single bed room to try and get some rest after the events of yesterday. Several times Nate had tried to leave and head back into the city, desperately wanting to go back and search, but the others wouldn't let him. After the second time, Sam had left Jerry, the muscled tiger bouncer to watch his door and keep him inside. It still didn't matter. No matter what other thought tried to enter the wolf's mind, it was always pushed away by the immense sorrow and disbelief of a single realization.
Auren was gone.
Blinking back what had to have been the sixth batch of tears, Nate rolled onto his side and gripped the pillow tightly. The scene replayed over and over in his head, and each time, he felt as helpless and lost as he did now. If only he hadn't taken his eyes off the minotaur.....if only he had insisted they run.....if only.....if only...
I'm sorry, he whimpered mentally, raising his eyes back to the roof. Auren, I'm so sorry.... The wolf sniffed and tried to keep the moisture from streaking down his furred face, but he failed. Riku's words from several days ago echoed in his mind hauntingly, and that alone made Nate want to curl up in a hole and give up. With each day that went by, he slowly began to understand what was happening to him, and what these odd feelings were. And just when he thought he might have found the strength to say something...to tell Auren just how he felt....
I'm sorry....
A gentle knock came at the door, and it opened to reveal the crimson form of Sam standing there. "Hey," he said in a soft tone. For a moment, he looked as if to say 'How are you?' but caught himself. He knew exactly what the wolf was feeling, he could see it plain as day from his breakdown yesterday. Instead, he tried something else. "Kara and the cook just whipped up some breakfast. Come on, you could use some food."
Nate contemplated just rolling over and shutting the dragon out, but the strength to fight or push the others away was gone too, and he sat up with a sigh. "Yeah.....I guess...."
Sam tried to offer his friend a smile, but he knew 'sympathy' was what was plastered all over his face. Taking the wolf by the shoulders, he guided Nate from the room and back into the main floor of the bar/pub. Brandon and Riku were already there, sitting in a booth by themselves with a plate of food each, but when they saw Sam lead Nate out onto the floor, they both shot up and moved towards him. The golden-coated stallion slid his arms around Nate's shoulders in a tight hug, the wolf giving a full-on hug in return. Riku was in his arms the instant he let go of the stallion, the fox burying his muzzle in Nate's neck as they tried to avoid the words.
"Got some food," Brandon said half-heartedly, offering their lupine friend a plate. Nate sat down and idly picked at the canned fruit, his eyes downcast towards the table. The three sat and ate in silence for a few minutes, before the stallion spoke up again. "So...what's the plan?"
The silver-furred wolf looked up into the faces of his friends, who were looking hopefully back at him. It took him a moment to realize they were looking to him for answers; to decide what they would do now. Brandon had never been one who wanted to lead or give orders, and Riku didn't care as long as he was with them through it. With a pang of sorrow, Nate realized they had been following Auren's lead ever since they had left the bunker, unanimously appointing their friend the 'leader' of their little group. Now that he was.....well, in their eyes, it left Nate as the one to make the decisions.
Thinking for a moment, trying to keep from welling up in tears again, Nate sighed and leaned against the table. "I think...I think we should go back to the Library, and gather our things. We grab what we can, and come back here." He looked around at the bar/hotel, and at the multitude of people here. "This is probably a better place to stay than on our own at the edge of town, and there are people here. Strength in numbers and all that."
Brandon nodded his large head quickly. "Okay, good. This is a pretty safe place after all, right?" he said, looking around himself. "Sam and the others made it fairly protected, so it should make a better home for now." Beside them, Riku nodded his own agreement, and the plan was settled.
Taking a deep breath, Nate stood from the table and moved over towards the bar where Sam was at his usual place. With each step he took, the wolf tried to push himself more and more into the reality that he was in charge now. Auren was gone, and the others were looking to him for guidance. He had to keep strong for their sake, so that maybe the remaining three of them would make it through this.
Reaching the bar, he gave a half-smile to Sam, who reached over and patted his forearm. "Heading out?" the drake asked softly.
"Yeah, but we're coming back."
Sam tilted his head, and Nate explained what they had decided. The red dragon bobbed his head in agreement, his stance relaxing slightly at the sound news that they were smart enough to stay here where it was safer. "Good, glad to hear it," he rumbled. "We certainly have the room, and plus, with all these people here, we look to be pretty safe too." The wolf dipped his head in agreement, and turned to head for the door when Same stopped him. "Oh, Nate! Hang on a second."
Turning back to the dragon at the bar, Nate cocked an ear in question, watching as the drake bent don to retrieve something from behind the counter. Standing back up, Sam handed over a large black bag, the wolf taking it in surprise. "The first day you were here, Auren bartered that from some traders," the dragon explained. He saw the small flash of sorrow in Nate's eyes as he said their fallen friend's name, but kept going. "He left it at the bar when you two ran out to fight those hyena bikers, and I guess with all what went on afterwards, he must have forgotten." With an apologetic shrug, he gestured to the bag. "I suppose you should probably take it." His blue eyes flashed in remembrance, and reached over to pull at a tiny slip of paper hanging off the zipper. "Oh yeah....Auren wrote something on it. Asked me for a scrap of paper when he sat down with it."
Thanking the dragon, Nate hefted the bag and returned to his friends at their booth, even though Riku and Brandon were on their feet and ready to go. They looked on curiously as the wolf set the bag on the table, and stared at it for a moment. Then, with careful claws, he pulled the small piece of paper free from the zipper, even as he slid the fastener down, revealing the contents within. His breath caught as a length of polished wood was revealed, its glossy finish gleaming slightly under the lights above. Pulling it out, Nate gazed in wonder at the beautiful longbow, dark stained wood flowing nicely into his large paw as he held it. The bow had to be at least five-and-a-half feet, nearly perfect for his stature now. With a careful tug, he felt the draw weight on the string, nodding in appreciation. It was a finely crafted bow, one the wolf would have loved to have hanging in his room at home. Accompanying it, was a large quiver of at least forty arrows, all precision made. Where Auren had found it....
Remembering the piece of paper, he set the bow down and uncurled the note in his large paw. The instant the words were revealed, the wolf lost what composure he had and started to break down again. There were only three words on the paper, but he recognized Auren's writing easily.
For my Pup.
The feeling of his new bow across his back gave the wolf that was Nate a sense of peace as he and the others moved through another empty street. Leaving the bar, the trio headed on as direct a path they could to the Library, hoping to arrive and gather their things before the day was out. Without realizing it, Nate reached up and felt the tip of the bow that rested above his shoulder, almost caressing the wood he touched. Sliding his paw down, he felt his fingertips brush against a small imperfection in the bow's finish. Brandon and Riku had started in shock when the wolf began scratching at the beautiful bow with a claw, but Nate had growled at them to back off. Just above where he held the bow at its handle, Nate had scratched into the wood with his claw on the side that would be facing him when he held it. Carefully digging into the wood, he had scratched Auren's name into the handle, as a memento of his fallen friend, and his late but meaningful gift.
The sun was passing over its midday zenith as the trio rounded the last corner, dropping towards a large cloud bank, and Brandon sighed a breath of relief as he saw the hanging street sign. "Almost there," he nickered, his hooves clop-clopping along as they walked. "I'll be glad to rest for a moment, my legs are killing me."
"What? Those things?" Riku yipped playfully, giving the equine a swat on his muscled thighs. "You look like you could run a marathon, bro."
"Maybe," Brandon snorted back, even though his muzzle was a hint of a smile. "Doesn't mean I'm a fan of walking all day though."
The vulpine gave a snort. "He turns into a studly, muscled stallion, and yet he's the same lazy guy." Shaking his head in a small laugh, he gave the equine's rear another swat. "Good thing you're hung, else you'd be a total disappointment." The horse whinnied in slight surprise, before taking a swipe at his foxy friend, grumbling about 'hormones' or something.
Nate just smiled gently, the playful banter between the two helping to wash away the tension of recent events. It was nice to know that, despite what had happened - and what they had lost - the three friends were still able to move on, and be themselves. Granted, Nate's heart was still heavy at the lost chance to tell his best friend how he felt, and that pain wouldn't go away any time soon. Still, they had each other, and right now in this messed up world, that was still a blessing. Seeing Brandon and Riku joke around like they had before, it gave the wolf a sense of calm.
Before long, the familiar sight of the Library came into view, and the trio sped up at the welcome sight, eager to get inside for a brief rest before the return trip. However, as they drew closer, Nate's sense of calm was replaced by a tightening in his gut, as the front door came into view. The heavy oak door lay ajar, half pulled from its hinges as the solid wood leaned against its twin. The others saw it too, judging by the curse Riku muttered under his breath. Brandon came to a stop, then looked around briefly. Spotting a bike miraculously still chained to a bench post on the sidewalk, despite the lock being broken, and the muscled equine moved over and grabbed the handlebars. With a sharp yank, he pulled the handlebars from the bike's frame, giving his impromptu weapon a swing. Riku took the cue from his companion, and with deft claws, managed to retrieve the bike's long chain that its owner had wound around both it and the bench. Now, the trio was armed, and Nate took the lead as he pulled the bow off his shoulder, readying an arrow.
Creeping in through the half-broken door, the wolf gave his eyes time to adjust to the gloomy interior. The sun had moved lower in the sky, hiding behind some clouds, which severely limited the light getting inside the Library though the windows they had boarded up several days prior. There was just enough light filtering in through the door and other smaller sources to keep it from being completely black inside, although not far off. Still, Nate had other senses at his disposal, and took a deep sniff inside the door.
An unfamiliar scent hit his nose, one that made his fur bristle, and he bit back a instinctual growl. Riku's furry ears twitched in the corner of his eye, evidence that the fox had smelled it too, and Brandon gave a soft snort. They all knew something was in here. With careful steps, Nate moved on his heavy paws as quietly as he could, sniffing at the air. The scent was definitely coming from the center room. It was an odd scent, like two separate scents mixed into one, equal parts alien and yet....somehow familiar. Since coming to the Wolf's Den bar, he had learned what each different type of morphed person/animal smelled like. It had become easy to pick out a specific species based on their subtle scent, but this one....
Riku raised a dainty paw and pointed to the large desk in the middle of the main room, where the librarian would have sat at her computer. The others nodded, moving along the side of the room, keeping their eyes peeled for movement. The scent was getting stronger, and the more he smelled it, the more Nate wanted to growl - both at the intruder, and at himself for not recognizing it. Now that it was more potent, he knew he had smelled it before. Still, he couldn't place it, even though he was sure he had encountered at least one person at the Den who smelled similar. Part of his brain felt like he should know it, and his gut tingled with warmth, but he pushed the thoughts away and gripped his bow tighter.
There was a flicker of movement ahead, and the trio froze. Nate's eyes squinted through the darkness as his ears swivelled forward. His combined senses told him that whatever it was, it was right in front of them about thirty feet away. Another flicker of motion, and he spotted the hazy outline of their intruder. Standing straight, he readied the arrow in his paw and drew back the string, sighting down the shaft like he had done many times before. There was no hesitation as he aimed at the shape before him. This intruder was not going to get a chance to explain themselves, as Nate was done playing nice with these beasts. His eyes flicked to Auren's name scratched in the wood of his bow, before finalizing his target.
He steadied his breathing, relaxed his grip, and let the arrow fly.