FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

- Chapter 6: YIN YANG -

"Where am I?" Benji rubbed his eyes with his paws, trying to stop the world around him from spinning. He looked and saw three white shepherd faces staring down on him, concern in their eight brown eyes. Benji rubbed his eyes again, and the three faces turned into one face whose muzzle, upon noticing that he was awake, turned into the happiest, goofiest smile.

"You're okay!" the white shepherd in question exclaimed happily. Numerous wags followed.

"Bolt? Wha... what happened?" Benji's head ached. His paw ached. Everything ached.

• "You blacked out. I had to rescue you from the river."

• "Did the fall knock me out?"

• "No, I think it was the rock you banged your head against"

• "The rock?!"

• "Could also have been the log..."

• "Okay, that's enough Bolt, thanks" Benji scratched his head warily, wondering if that headache he had might actually be a concussion.

• "I didn't mean to scare you. Just happy you're okay." The white tog sat down on his hunches next to Benji, looking at him with a mix of happiness, relief and something else that Benji couldn't quite make out. "I started to get a bit worried when muzzle-to-muzzle resuscitation didn't work." he continued.

Benji's heart skipped a beat. Bolt had tried muzzle-to-muzzle on him? On HIS muzzle?

"I only did it to make sure you're okay, you know!" Bolt quickly added. "You don't mind do you?"

Was Bolt's cheeks reddening? Benji couldn't quite tell. "I only regret being unconscious while it happened" he mumbled in response.

• "What was that?" Bolt's ears perked up.

• "Oh nothing. I just said I don't mind."

Bolt gave Benji a suspicious look, but deiced not to investigate further.

Benji in turn decided it was best to change the subject. He looked around and saw that Bolt had brought him back to the trawler where they had spent their earlier night. The Labrador was about to comment on the stupidity of dragging him ashore on the wrong side_of the river, the complete opposite of where they wanted to go, but stopped himself. _If he wanted Bolt to like him, he needed to stop with the sarcasm.

"So what's the plan, hero dog?"

"Well, my friends are waiting on the other side. Bolt nodded towards the other side of the river

"I think we should try to get over again".

• "I'm not getting up on that bridge again"

• "Oh boy. Well, we..." Bolt was interrupted by a sound of footsteps. The shepherd's sensitive ears could make out a weight moving outside. It was definitely on the boat. The two dogs stared wide-eyed on the cabin's small door and the door knob that was slowly turning.

"Oh shit!" the canines yelped in union.

• "Quick, help me up will ya!" Benji called out to Bolt who hunkered down and helped Benji up on all fours, using his own body as support for the wobbly dog. Benji tried putting some weight on the paw and it didn't hurt too much. At least it didn't fall off, he thought.

"Does it hurt?"

• "No, I think I'm fine". Feeling a tad more confident, Benji tried to take another step, but a shock of pain blasted from his wrist and he fell right into the wooden floor.

"Alright, maybe not completely fine."

The door opened slowly. Realizing there was no time to flee, the two dogs dove into the shadows of the back of the dim compartment. From there, they witnessed a dark figure entering through the door, locking the door behind it and planting itself in the driver's seat.

Bolt could tell he had that distinctive person smell. A well-delivered karate chap might incapacitate him long enough for them to escape, Bolt thought to himself, but then remembered that it those kind of tricks only seemed to work on the show. The only alternative was to stay hidden, so what's what he did. Penny had taught him all about stealth and he considered himself very good at it. He was more worried about Benji, who had a frightened expression on his face and breathed quickly. Bolt nuzzled the black dog sympathetically, more to calm him down than anything else.

"If he discovers us, I can defend you" he whispered.

• "That's reassuring".

"Maybe he's leaving soon" Bolt continued.

"No, he won't leave. It's probably he's flipping boat!" Benji whispered back.

They turned to the human who was humming quietly while pulling levers and clicking buttons on the wooden dashboard, triggering an engine under the floor to roar to life. A black box in his hand crackled and low-pitched voices filled the cabinet.

_"Just take her up the river to Kansas City, Jim. HQ want her docked in Riverfront for the night." _

• "Roger that" The human replied into the black box, then continued his humming. He had some kind of earbuds which filled the cabin with a quiet "wub-wub-wub-wub" noise.

"That black box appears to be some kind of tactical two-way frequency transceiver. " Bolt whispered, eyes glued on the strange device.

"It's a walkie-talkie, silly". Benji whispered back. "The guy just told him to drive to Kansas."

"Wait, that's a good thing, right?" Bolt turned to Benji.

• "That's a great thing! That's where the train we were following goes!"

Bolt smiled widely. The thought of being reunited with Mittens and Rhino made his tail whip the small confines of the boat, then stopped himself because he didn't wanted to alert the human.

"What happens if he hears us?" he whispered as he hunkered down next to the black Labrador.

• "I wouldn't worry. The guy's got one of those music boxes. Humans never hear anything when they use those." Benji snickered.

The boat's engine was muttering and Bolt could feel the machine rocking on the waves. Relieved that the human intruder no longer seemed like a threat, he turned to Benji who was grimacing in pain.

The shepherd leaned down over Benji's paw, nuzzling it warily. He sniffed it a bit and gently licked away some blood and sand. There was a small cut just above his black paw, but it seemed fine. He licked it a few extra times just to be sure.

"Is it bad?" Benji asked.

-"We'll probably have to amputate it". He flashed Benji a serious look.

-"Ampu-WHAT!?"

Bolt nodded, trying to look as serious as possible, but he couldn't keep a straight face.

"You prick..." Benji would have kicked the shepherd right on his nose if it wasn't for that adorably goofy grin, besides, Benji was pretty sure it would hurt his paw more than Bolt's nose.

"Anyway, your paw looks fine. I've got an idea though!" Bolt got up and started nosing around the small cabin, his tail waving in the air, until he found what he was looking for; one of the old blankets they had slept on previous night. He lied it down over Benji's paw, who was staring at him confusedly, and started wrapping it around the black dog's wounded paw. He then used his teeth to tighten the improvised bandage.

"Voila "the shepherd said, bowing over his creation.

"Wow! Thanks". Benji smiled a bit. Two wags followed. "It's amazing what you can do without opposable thumbs."

• "Thanks. I learnt that from Penny actually. When we were on the show"

• "It must be pretty tough to have your entire world and everything you believed in stripped away like that".

• "It's been a lot. Yes it has... I just try not to think about it". Bolt felt a slight emptiness build up inside, but quickly forced that feeling away. He'd prefer not to think about such things now. Instead, he looked out the window where it was already pitch-black.

"Might as well get some sleep huh?" He flashed Benji a smile before stretching, walking his obligatory three circles before letting his tired body fall to the cold wooden floor.

Benji got up as well, making his own circles in the opposite side of the cabin, with a respectful distance from Bolt. Bolt seemed surprised...

"Aren't you coming?" He lifted a paw and gave an inviting smile. He may have blinked as well. Benji wasn't sure. He could barely contain himself. After letting the sheer awesomeness of Bolt's offering sinkin, the black dog trotted up to Bolt and then snuggling up against the soft fluff of Bolt's strong white chest.

The two dogs just lied there in the darkness for a few minutes, Benji not quite able to think of anything to say. The moonlight from outside beamed through the cabin window and laminated the pristine fur of the white dog next, making it almost glow in the dark. Benji looked down at his own fur, black and a dirty. He suddenly felt so inadequate and imperfect compared to Bolt. Undeserving even. But Bolt liked him. Surely, that must mean that he's at least somewhat likable? His old family evidently hadn't liked him a whole lot, and few other dogs often did. He knew he wasn't always so kind or likable, that he was a bit scrawny and weak and he didn't have bioluminescent white fur. But Bolt liked him.

It could have the slight warmth radiating from Bolt's body, or his calm breathing in the darkness, but Bolt's presence made Benji's heart beat at two hundred miles-per-hour. It was crazy. Even crazier, the pain from his paw was almost completely gone. Maybe the bandage idea actually worked. Or maybe Bolt's presence had some magical healing powers... Neither would surprise Benji.

Subconsciously, he started itching himself closer to the white shepherd until his nose was buried in the soft fur of Bolt's chest. He wasn't sure how Bolt would react - if he would just ignore him or maybe push him away. But instead, the white dog wrapped a paw over Benji's side and pulled him closer. Benji's his heartbeat was quadrupled in the second. A strange mix of feelings washing over him, and for whatever reason, a tear escaped from his eye, rolling down his furry cheek and drying up in Bolt's fur. He was afraid that Bolt would shy away when he saw him, think he was weird, or ask him why he was crying. Thankfully, Bolt did none of that so the two dogs just staid like that, cuddled up to each other like a canine yin-yang of white and black fur.

But before following a sleep, Benji wanted to do one last thing. He had embarrassed himself so many times this night already. He felt that he might as well do it.

Almost accidentally, his tongue slipped out and gave Bolt's soft-furred muzzle a quick lick.

Silence followed. So much silence that Benji started to think Bolt was asleep.

But then, out of the darkness, came a lick back, something warm brushing over the cold texture of his nose.

"Woah..." Bolt said.

• "Woah what?"

• "So you really do like me?" Bolt gave a wide smile, his white fur gleaming in the moonlight.

• "Of course I do". The two canines pressed closer. More soft licks followed under the dusty blankets of the dim cabin. Soft fur against soft fur. Benji felt an overwhelming relief as he finally gave in to those warm, squishy feelings that flooded him like a swimming pool, allowing himself to be led completely by them, like a careless free fall into nothingness with nothing to catch him but the soft fur of the shepherd opposite to him. Instead of worrying or trying to restrain himself, Benji just gave himself over completely, pushing closer just to feel more of his warmth and prove to himself that Bolt was real.

He loves me! He loves me! He almost felt like giggling. Bolt had turned him into the cheesy love-stereotype that he had always despised. He didn't care. That goofy dog grin made it worth it. As for as he was concerned, he had found the family he needed. More cuddles ensued.

Bolt wasn't sure what to feel. Benji had never said anything to suggest they were more than friends, or even friends at all. And here he was, nestled up against him, super-soft and super-sensitive. Bolt suddenly realized, that behind the façade, Benji was vulnerable. Just as vulnerable as Bolt was or perhaps even more. It made Bolt feel strong and special, but mostly, it made him feel cozy and appreciated. Like Penny did, but different. It made him feel safe, protected. Like a puppy. It was very new, and almost a bit scary. And it made him realize, that since the day he learnt about his fake life, he had felt the same need as Benji felt. His paw found the Labradors back and he closed his eyes, somnolence washing over him.

Before falling asleep, the white dog made a mental note to ask Mittens about these feelings. Perhaps it had a name. Whatever it was, Bolt decided that he liked it.

jux-ta-po-si-tion.

• the contrast of two conflicting objects

  • the placement of two things near each other for added beauty