For A Season

AN A LITTLE NOTHING /COONAVERSE CROSSOVER 

Legal Notice: This story is Copyright © 2007 by Tigermark. This story may not be sold or used for commercial profit in any way, shape, form or fashion. This story may not be modified in any way. This story may not be posted on a mirror site or any other Internet site without the written permission of the author. This story may not be distributed on print, magnetic, electrical or optical mediums or any other mediums yet to be discovered. Characters are not to be used without obtaining author’s permission. This story is a fan fiction of Joe Martelle’s Open Season, and Chuck Percy’s Change of Season, and every attempt is made for it, with the authors’ permission, to be canon to those stories and the Coonaverse. 

Rick Coona, Kelso (Kel) Amanda Vixxen Ujinkhan, Max Badger, Kath Badger, Kacy Kelso Coona, Richard Randolph Coona, Gwen Smith (Harcort-Smythe) Coona, Jo-Ann Procyon, Dr. Charles Procyon, and Mike Ferretti are Copyright Joe Martelle. 

Kassir Ujinkhan, Lynne Smyth, Marie Cassini, Richard Kassir Charles Procyon and Kelso Gwenwyfar Procyon  © Chuck Percy 

Tigermark M’Rega © his player. Tammy Lynx (TL), Rachel, and Brianna M’Rega © Tigermark. Aslaug Larsdater and Aramis Dagaz © their players. Joe Latrans © Silver Coyote. Tani the kitsuné angel, The Amigos, and the Scruffy Squad © the ALN writing team. 

All other characters not credited here were created for this story and are © Tigermark 

Any resemblance to persons furry, non furry living, dead or undead is purely coincidental.

 

Chapter 4 

Advances and Setbacks

 

Tigermark felt very out of sorts the next morning. Since starting his nightly vigils, he’d kaht-napped through the quiet hours, not completely asleep, but in a relaxed, resting state, able to be fully awake and alert at the least out-of-the–way sound. The night that was rapidly waning had not been that way. His own thoughts had kept him fully awake all night, contemplating the situation with Lynne. He knew he had to talk to her about it, but she was nearly a stranger to him, and he wasn’t absolutely sure how to approach the situation. He’d had others show a romantic interest in him in the course of missions, everything from sexual curiosity to attempts at arranged marriages, both before he’d met TL and after. He had in fact been on a mission when he’d met TL, and it had taken a word from The Boss Himself to assure him it was alright and indeed intended for him to pursue that relationship. He could feel sympathy for Aramis. Before meeting TL, he’d had to gently rebuff many young femmes in the course of his adventures, mostly because he knew he’d be gone as soon as his mission was completed. He’d even had to withstand temptation, and advances, from a few fellow adventurers.

This seemed different, though. Perhaps because of the free-spirited and highly charged sexual atmosphere in the Coona household, he hadn’t noticed the crush developing. Now he could see it was full-blown, and it would take some delicate handling to end it and not cause too much pain. Thing is, how was he supposed to do that?

The kits were beginning to stir, and he could sense the predawn sky starting to lighten when Gwen came into the room.

“Morning Tiger. I take it we had a quiet night?” she said in just above a whisper.

“Good morning. Yes, not a stir out of place. Gwen, can I talk to you a moment?”

“Of course. I came in a little early for just that reason.” The beautiful skunk, clad only in her fur as was usual when she was at home, walked over and sat down face to face with him on the floor. TM smiled in a sort of rueful way. The sight had been stunning, but he was so used to it now that she might as well have been wearing flannel pajamas. He focused on her face and leaned in to talk quietly, so as not to disturb the slowly awakening kits.

“By your comment yesterday when I was helping with the dishes, I gather you also think Lynne has developed a crush on me?”

“Hmm, only an immense one. I’m glad you figured it out, I was afraid you might blunder along and hurt her feelings.” Gwen leaned in very close, eye to eye with the tiger, making sure he got the point that hurting her cousin’s feelings would not be a good thing. Tigermark gave a small grimace and nodded.

“I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I’m a happily married male, and my code of conduct doesn’t allow for TDY fooling around. As for noticing, I hadn’t until Tani put a very sharp point on it while . . . giving me my evening mission update. She’s been a huge asset to me, but if she’s got that big a crush on me, perhaps I’d best put some distance between us. What I need to know is how to go about it without making her think I’m dismissing her because she isn’t doing the job right.”

Gwen paused only a moment before pulling back slightly and giving him a cool look. “I’d say there’s no way to do that, and I don’t think that’s a good idea on several levels. She’d be embarrassed and ashamed, because no matter how you put it, she’d think she did something wrong to cause the change. Likewise if you suddenly start acting all cold toward her. You’re going to have to do one of two things, Tiger. Either change your personal code and jump her, which I doubt you’d do, and don’t recommend even if you would. You both are adults, and are welcome here to love anyone you wish, but as you’ve said, you’ll only be here a short time, and while Kelso or Jo-Ann or I would be fine with that, Lynne is just now getting comfortable with the naturist aspect of our family, I’m not sure she’s ready to join in the physical love side of things yet. I don’t think she’d take it well when you left, and I doubt you normally bring tagalongs back from missions.”

Here Tigermark nodded. “It has happened, but it’s usually not our call, but The Boss’. I agree with you about the, ah, ‘jump her’ option. It’s not an option at all. What’s the other choice?”

“Or, you sit her down and gently explain to her why you didn’t intend to spark her affections and can’t return them. Don’t even mention removing her from being your guide. Just tell it like it is. Only one thing, though. You’re likely going after some of the Brethren today, am I correct?” Gwen was looking at him in a way that combined curiosity and her more normal, warm expression. The tiger had responded just the way she expected he would when the situation came to his attention. Still, she knew many males thought with another part of their anatomy than their brain, and he wouldn’t have been the first to go against his usual character when far from home.

Tigermark’s expression became grim. “Yes, I’m going to stake out the place we found yesterday. I just hope everyone else at the other locations Lynne saw stay on their toes. Why?”

“Do you intend to take their lives?”

Tigermark paused briefly. “I have a plan to stop them. It may end up with their deaths, or it may not. If that plan doesn’t work, then yes, I will directly kill them. I’ll not allow a child to be taken by them if I can stop it.”

“I notice a lot of ‘I’s’ in there. Do you plan on Lynne not being there?”

The tiger sighed. “If I can spare her from it, yes. She’s so young, and a bit naïve. If I can convince her to stay at the car, I will.”

Gwen smiled and, raised a paw to gently caress his cheek. “You are so much the Paladin. Noble, and willing to carry the burden for others. I doubt you’ll be able to keep her away. I think perhaps you should hold off until tomorrow for the heart to heart. She may have a lot to deal with by the evening.”

Tigermark gave a blink and nod of his head in acknowledgement. “I’ll still try. I’ve had to kill before. I grew up basically alone, and killing for food was what one did to eat. Since becoming a … Paladin, I’ve killed more times than I’d like to recall while on missions. I do my best to make sure when I kill it’s because I have to. If I ever get callous to it, then I’ll retire, and spend the rest of my days fishing or something.”

Gwen nodded in understanding, recalling the time she also had to take a life. Further comment wasn’t needed, which was good because just then one of Jo-Ann’s kits let out a loud squeak, followed by a squall of hunger and discomfort. The other three all began noisily stirring and vocalizing their status as awake, hungry, and messy. Gwen rose quickly to her feet, and had one step in toward the cribs when Jo-Ann burst through the door. Tigermark also stood up and stretched.  After the usual groggy morning greeting from Jo-Ann, he gave a last brief look at Gwen as she began to change Kelso’s diaper among a barrage of questions and commentary from the kit. With a smile, he let himself out of the room and headed toward the bathroom to start his day.

# # #

Arlo yawned as he finished his breakfast and took a sip of coffee. He’d been up late working out some details, and it was not giving him a good morning as a result. His wife took his plate and gave him a peck on the cheek as he stood in preparation of leaving for work.

“Have a good day, Dear.”

“Hm? Oh, you too,” he replied. His son and daughter came in to get breakfast before school, and he smiled benignly at them. His son, Arlo Junior, was ten, and his daughter Becca eight. Both proper little purebloods who would one day have a world clean of hybrids, if he had his way. He bade them goodbye and headed out to the factory. After his commute, and once he’d gained the privacy of his office, he made a call. The fur on the other end answered after the second ring.

“Hello.”

“Arlo here. Go.”

“Yes sir.” *click*

Arlo put the phone down and smiled. Everything was in place, and the call he’d just made gave his authorization to begin collecting the items needed for the next sacrifice. If all went as planned, in two day’s time they could begin preparing the things. Just then he heard a voice that sounded like it was right in his ear, and he nearly jumped right out of his fur.

“So the command is given then, Good Arlo?”

“Specaurius! You gave me a fright, where are you?” The lion looked quickly about his office while making sure his door was shut and locked.

Specaurius nearly laughed in the lion’s face as he hovered over his head as though suspended upside-down by a wire.

“No need for fear, right is on your side. Soon you will make the sacrifice of tenfold, and near limitless power will be yours. All that is needed is the courage of your followers to hold out.”

Arlo found the aspersion against the courage of the Brethren offensive. These were the true believers, after all. He also found himself beginning to have questions in the back of his mind. The Angel didn’t always act or sound, well, angelic. Glancing up, he found himself looking the creature in the eye. For a very brief moment, he could’ve sworn he saw flames dancing. Just as quickly, the eyes turned to their usual pale blue. With a slight frown, Arlo defended his followers.

“Their courage is well sufficient. In two day’s time we’ll have the offerings in paw and begin preparing them. That takes another couple of days if we—”

“Oh by all means, don’t rush the preparation. It must be done very methodically, and slowly … to insure the tainted ones suffer for their affront before their sacrifice.”

Specaurius had nearly slipped and let his hunger for pain, hate, and blood show through. He’d nearly drooled at the thought of the cries and whimpers the process of “preparing” the children would bring to his ears. Arlo had taken on a suspicious expression, but the demon put his obsequious smile back into place and moved down to stand face to face with the lion.

“Take as much time as needed, Good Arlo. A week if it takes that long. God is patient. I will be only a call of my name away if you require me.”

With that, the demon vanished, leaving Arlo feeling a bit uneasy. After a moment, though, he shrugged and turned his attention to the business of the day. For his part, Specaurius left the lion in favor of riding along with one of the capture teams. He quietly nestled himself in the back corner of one of the vans. Not materializing, but riding along anticipating the fear the target would radiate when they captured the little thing.

# # #

It was mid-morning when Lynne arrived at Casa Coona North to pick Tigermark up for their stakeout. The tiger was already up and dressed, foregoing the black ops gear in favor of black jeans and a green longsleeved workshirt. He had managed to find some netting in Rick’s garage, and had fashioned a workable camouflage cover so he wouldn’t be easily spotted as he waited for school to dismiss. The young fur who he and Lynne would be protecting rode a school bus to where the one lane road he lived on met the two-lane. From there, he walked a little over two miles to get home. The one lane road looped around the hill TM and Lynne had been on earlier.

Lynne rang the doorbell and waited. It was only a moment before Tigermark came out the door.

“Good morning, Lynne. Ready for the day?”

“Good morning, Tiger. I think so, yes.”

Tigermark looked over his guide’s clothing. Dark green jeans and a lighter green sweater. The outfit wasn’t unusual, so it wouldn’t attract attention on the street, but it would also serve fairly well as woodland camouflage. TM hadn’t told her how to dress, and her choice for the day impressed him. She was thinking things out very well for a novice at what they were doing.

“Let’s get going then,” he replied.

Lynne led the way back to her car. Tigermark was carrying the sniper cover, but just in case they were stopped by the police or anyone got curious, he had put his rifle and ammunition in the hold pocket where he kept his pistol. He’d return the weapon there when … things were done, so that no one could find them in case of a search. They got in the car and headed out of the city. The drive wasn’t too long, and they were both silent in their own thoughts as they prepared for what was about to happen. They drove along the rural two-lane roads until they arrived at the spot where they’d parked before. Lynne parked and made to get out. TM put a paw on her arm to stop her.

“Lynne, I’d like for you to wait here with the car. This could be messy, and I don’t think you really—”

“Now hold it right there. You can forbid me to come along, and I’ll abide by that, but before you do hear me out. I know you’re trying to shield me from seeing you possibly kill someone. That’s very noble, and I appreciate your concern. What you don’t understand is how bad the visions I’ve seen are. The deaths that await those kits if we don’t stop the demon and the Brethren are beyond brutal. If you have to kill them, well, I’m sorry, but better them than the child. Besides, what would I say if the police stopped by again? I’m just sitting around by myself out in the middle of nowhere?”

Tigermark smiled a bit sadly, and then gave a nod. “You’re determined to come along, then. What you said is only partly true. No, I’ve not shared your visions, so that point I concede. You are wrong, though. I do know what the demon has in store for any the Brethren capture. Come along and I’ll tell you how I know as we hike up to the hilltop.”

Lynne nodded and the pair got out. After retrieving the cover Tigermark had brought, they headed uphill through the tall pines. As they walked, TM began to quietly explain what he knew about their foe.

“Demons, like all sentient beings, have names. Part of binding and banishing one is to compel them to tell you their name. This one I know. I won’t say it, because to do so would alert him to where we are. The last time I battled him, it was on a world a bit more primitive than this one. Roughly equivalent to the 1880’s in Europe. He had recruited one follower to do his dirty work, using the guise of a guiding spirit. Fifteen children were killed before I was sent in. I was able to view the last two little one’s bodies. This demon delights in torturing and killing, especially children, and fueling hatred with those killings. He tries to get groups to start attacking each other. The whole area he was in was about to erupt in vengeance killing and vigilante justice, but I was able to bind him and banish him back to Hell. Without the demon’s power and influence, the one he’d recruited was caught, tried, and hanged. The mistrust and anger took decades to finally heal. Apparently this demon is bad news even in the realm of Hell, as I was told he was banished to one of the lower levels for overstepping his place.”

Lynne looked askance at him for a moment, as though she was about to question his account, but then smiled and almost looped her arm through his. She seemed to think better of it, and instead put a paw on his arm to steady herself as they climbed a short steeper section.  The hike wasn’t overly long, and in a few moments they arrived in the tall grass of the open hilltop. TM found the spot they’d been in before, and lay down prone. Lynne lay down beside him and helped him put the cover over them. TM then made a gesture and a small slit opened in, well, all Lynne could think to call it was “reality” right next to him. He reached in and slid out the M25 sniper rifle, an OD green bag, and a camo poncho. After a brief search in the bag, TM put one magazine down beside the weapon, put the bag back and closed the holdspace.

“Are you just going to shoot them?” Lynne asked in a very quiet voice. TM glanced over, and noted the wide-eyed fascination the skunk showed toward the weapon. He picked up the magazine and showed it top-first to her.

“No. I’ll shoot them directly only as a last resort. See the round on top?”

She squinted a bit as she looked, and then nodded. “Yes, the bullet on the shell looks … plastic?”

TM nodded. “It is, of a sort. Look closer.”

Squinting more, she moved to just a few inches from the round. To TM’s discomfort, she took the opportunity to snuggle up to his side, and when she spoke her voice tickled the hairs on the inside of his ear.

“Is that . . . a screw?”

TM took a deep breath to calm himself, thinking, “No, but if I don’t manage to ignore what I feel pressing into my side it could turn into one.” What he said was, “Close, it’s a quarter by two-inch threaded rod. The, um, ‘plastic’ casing is made so it microfractures when the bullet is fired, and will shatter upon impact with anything solid.”

He turned his head to look at his companion, and nearly met muzzle to muzzle with her. Leaning back to focus on the skunk, TM could see she was trying to think how the special round might work, and was drawing a blank. Before he could explain, a sound reached him that demanded his attention. His ears swiveled around toward it, and he felt Lynne shift a bit so he could move. The distinct growl and hiss of a school bus slowing and stopping had reached her ears also.

“It’s still early. Wonder why school let out so soon?” TM mused as he checked his watch. He felt Lynne shrug, but then she put a paw on his shoulder.

“Oh, I think I heard something about them letting out early in a couple of counties today while I was driving home yesterday. I’m not sure why.”

“Hmm, good thing we’re in place. Now let’s see, Ah, there’s our young pup. With the time being off, we may have to try again tomorrow.”

Lynne made a murring sound. “That’d be okay, if we had to.”

TM decided to let that remark go without comment. It didn’t help matters that a light rain began to fall. He quickly spread the poncho over the two of them and the rifle, and Lynne snuggled back in even closer.

“Ah, can you get the, oh, here, let me open the space again. Can you get a pair of binoculars out and watch the two-lane for any vans?” TM asked as he again opened the holdspace. Having Lynne keep watch had a two-fold purpose. It allowed him to keep the area close to the young fur under surveillance through the rifle scope, and it gave Lynne something to do so she would ease off the snuggling, and not be hurt by him telling her to. The skunk pulled a pair of high-power field glasses out and eased back and up on her elbows to scan along the grey ribbon that wound off through the hills. She could only see patches of it through the trees and hills, but she also kept her ears open for any sounds that might indicate another vehicle.

In the next five minutes, the young canid hybrid walked slowly along the one-lane road through the increasing rain. Two cars and a truck passed by on the two lane road the school bus ran on, but he was steadily moving out of sight from that direction. He didn’t look back at all, as the single-lane road he walked on rarely saw any more than the occasional vehicle. TM monitored his progress. As the youth began to walk the wide turn that ran around the hill they were on, Lynne nearly hissed out an expletive.

“Dammit! There’s a light blue van coming along in the direction the school bus came from. It just went behind the curve of the hill. Give it a few seconds and I’ll be able to see if . . . Okay, I see a male driver, and a passenger. Also male. Pug by the size and jowls. Is the pup out of their sight yet?”

By way of answer, she heard TM quietly slide the magazine into the rifle and chamber a round. She saw the van slow and make the turn onto the one lane, and then continue along very slowly. To her horror, she saw the sliding side door open, and a burly husky male positioned himself on one knee, with an arm looped around the seatback.

“TM,” she managed in nearly a whisper. “Just like in my vision.”

“I know. I’ve got them. Keep an eye on the kid, I don’t want any surprises from the other direction.”

“Uh, okay.”

The van continued to move very slowly. The young canid had progressed on around the hill, and was nearly in the middle of the turn. When the van accelerated it would be around the turn and upon him before he knew what happened. A second before she heard the engine rev up, Lynne heard TM mutter, almost under his breath.

“Here we go.”

# # #

Dale walked along the gravel road that led to his house, and then on to the state highway a mile beyond. With the turns and hills, he couldn’t see that road, and he could barely see the place on the opposite end where he caught the bus each day. A raccoon/collie hybrid, he had all the markings of his father, and the long fur of his mother, even on his tail. His dad had always told him he got his cleverness from his side and his strong, loyal heart from his mother’s. He’d always been one of those the other’s in school looked at as a leader, his teacher had said. He didn’t know about that, but he knew that most of the others went along with him. For one, he was nearly a year older than most in his fifth grade class due to when his birthday fell. Even the class bully left him alone, as he stood nearly two inches taller than that troublemaker.

Such were his thoughts as he walked along in the rain. The dirt road to his house was just up the road, and he didn’t have any homework, so after he did his chores, he’d have some free time before supper.

It was then the sound of gravel crunching and an engine revving suddenly intruded on his reverie. It sounded very close, so as he turned to see who might be coming along the gravel road, he made to step away to the side. It took a second as he looked for it to register that the white van coming toward him was going way too fast, and that the sliding door on the passenger side was open. Before he could process what that meant, the vehicle angled toward him and a large male boxer leaned out of the open door.

Dale turned to run, and opened his mouth to scream for help, but it was too late. He felt the rough impact as a strong arm grabbed his waist. The impact caused his neck to strain and hurt as it jerked sideways, and the breath was knocked out of him. His back pack was firmly on his back, and the fur who’d grabbed him used it to sling him into the back of the van.

“Got ‘im. Now slow dis ting down before ya wreck,” he heard the fur say. He looked wildly about the inside of the vehicle. The back doors were blocked by a wire partition. Along one wall, he saw two other young furs. They were tied, gagged, and blindfolded. Dale scrambled to get his feet under him and met the boxer who’d grabbed him as the canid made his way toward the back. The boxer grinned at him.

“Ah, yous is a feisty one, is ya? We’ll soon beat dat outta ya.”

The boxer swung at Dale’s head with little warning. The young canid dodged under it and kicked as hard as he could for his attacker’s knee. He connected, and the boxer let out a loud curse. He again grabbed the backpack the young fur wore, and Dale turned and sank his teeth into the boxer’s arm. He had a quick thought that the bite was causing his attacker a lot of pain. The boxer yelled loudly, but it didn’t make him let go.

Dale then had a quick impression of being airborne, just before everything went black.

# # #

Specaurious was pleased. The team he’d gone with had collected a young femme already, and he was drinking in the sheer terror the creature was exuding. The three in the front of the van were patrolling for more victims to grab for the sacrifice, and he was actually pleased with them and their eagerness and determination. If the other teams were doing as well, they might indeed get all ten he’d asked for in two days.

The van suddenly accelerated again, and Specaurious actually smiled to himself. In his non-corporeal state, the twists and turns of momentum and gravity had no effect on him, so he simply kept his awareness in the place he wanted. The demon assumed the acceleration was because the team had found another victim.

“Another tasty one, no doubt. I indeed chose a world ripe for the picking.”

The demon laughed evilly to himself as the ride grew wilder.

# # #

The van was still picking up speed as it approached the beginning of the turn. TM watched intently through the scope, anticipating the sharper left, and then the longer arc to the right as it followed the road.

“The kid is past the crest of the turn, holding to the inside next to the hill. Might be afraid of heights,” Lynne called out. The downhill side of the turn opened into a deep ravine, but the tall fir trees obscured any sight of the bottom.  TM didn’t reply. He was already timing his breathing, and patterning the movements of the van in preparation of taking a shot. The van was still out of the sight of the young fur, but it was starting into the long right arc around the hill toward him. TM breathed in, and then let it out partially. Less than a second went by, and then the suppressed M25 bucked slightly and spat out a spent shell. Fortunately for Lynne, TM had the breech shield in place or the hot casing would’ve gone down her sweater. There was a loud report from down below, followed by screeching tires.

The skunk couldn’t help looking quickly over toward the van to see what happened. The van had veered to the right toward the hillside, but now it was careening wildly back to the left, leaning as though it would roll over. Before it could, it left the roadway and went airborne before disappearing down into the ravine. The resounding crashes and crunches as it bounced off trees and rocks seemed to go on forever. Lynne wished she hadn’t looked. Just as the vehicle had gone off the road, the husky in the door had been thrown out. He’d sailed along for a brief second before impacting a tree with a sickening thump.

“What’s the kid doing?” TM asked in an even, calm voice. He’d seen the same thing as he followed his target through the scope, and he hoped to God Almighty that Lynne had kept her eyes on the youth. The husky had been impaled on several of the small branches along the tree’s trunk, and now hung limply with wide, sightless eyes, and a dark stain spreading rapidly down toward the ground. When the skunk didn’t answer, TM looked sharply her direction. The binoculars were in danger of falling out of her paws, as she stared wide-eyed in horror and shock. Tigermark put a paw on her shoulder and quietly cleared his throat. The sound caused her to look his way.

“Lynne, the kid?”

She looked into his eyes. TM could see the emotions roiling there. Lynne in turn saw the calm, steadying look of a warrior and leader. She also saw sadness. There was no jubilation at having won anything. Only the grim determination to see a job through to its finish. After a second she managed to shake off the emotions for the time being and return the binoculars to her eyes.

“Ah, he’s . . . heading toward the sound of the crash.”

“Okay, I might have to head him off. He doesn’t need to see that.”

TM made to rise, but before he could a loud boom echoed up out of the ravine. The glow of fire and rising smoke rapidly followed.

“Nevermind, he’s turned back and is heading in the direction of home at a full run. Ah, TM, did you shoot the driver?”

The skunk didn’t take her eyes away from the binoculars, as if looking through them might hold what she’d just witnessed at a distance until she could deal with it.

“No, I shot the front passenger-side tire. Remember the rod in the bullet? To any forensic investigator, it’ll appear a stray piece of road debris punctured the sidewall of the tire near the tread belt, causing a blowout. The carrier the rod was in basically disintegrates. The driver was speeding, and lost control. That much is truly what did happen. I was hoping to just make them crash into the hillside, but they overcorrected.”

Lynne nodded and put the binoculars down. “I see. Oh, the kid is almost home. Please excuse me.”

The skunk got to her paws and knees and crawled out from under the poncho and netting. She crawled another three feet before retching violently and emptying her stomach of everything she’d eaten in recent memory.  

 

End of Chapter 4

 

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