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, Straga Nona, Mike Ferretti, and Flit the Air Elemental 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 6 

Dark Shadows

   “So yas says Arlo wuz all excited. Good, I’m getting’ tired o’ just watchin’ the little mixer brats,” The boxer was sitting in a small office down a hallway from the room where the kitnapped kits were being kept. Jacob was sitting and sipping a drink. He had recovered from being winded after escaping police pursuit, and then the realization that he’d found the home of the group of furs the Brethren had been seeking.

    “Yeah, when I told him I’d spotted that raccoon femme cop pulling in front of this wide garage and going into a home down a side street as the cab drove past. That has to be where they all live. We’ve been watchin’ them for so long, but just couldn’t seem to get a handle on where they called home. Now we know where that whole blasted nest is. We can go take the filthy hybrid kits for the sacrifice, and take out the cross-breeders too. Didn’t see anything too tough or unusual about the house in the quick glance I got, but we can check it out closer now that we know where it is.”

    Jacob noted the empty drink bottles and snack packages littering the office. “Heh, looks like you’re workin’ sooo hard at watching the sacrifices. Any problems?”

   The boxer sneered a lip up. “Nah. They wuz getting noisy earlier, but I scared ‘em good. Haven’t heard a ting since. How soon we gonna start preppen’ ‘em?”

    “Might be a bit with Josh and Frank in jail. How’s Bill’s team doing?”

    The boxer’s expression turned sad and angry. “Dey . . . ah, dey ain’t doin’ a’tall. Got a call a little bit ago from Bill’s wife. All tree o’ dem got killed in some kinda accident. Ran off da road into a ravine. Oh dem brats ‘r gonna pay hard, sure.”

    Jacob narrowed his eyes. “You sure it was an accident? I got a bad feeling about how all this is going.”

    “Wul yeah. Bill’s wife said dey’d had a tire blowout in dere work van. Da cops ‘r askin’ her all kinda questions. Say, yous don’t tink dey kin trace da van back ta us, do yas?” The boxer began to look a bit worried.

    “Arlo said there was no way. Still, the cops have been watchin’ us for a while now. They’re bound to know who those three … were.”

    The boxer nodded solemnly. “Ya well, Arlo’ll prolly be here before long. Likely da angel, too. We got plans ta make.”

# # #

    “Janie?”

    *Sniffle* “Uh, yeah?” the kitten answered. She’d been quiet, having cried herself out about a half hour ago. Bennie, the little squirrel-fox kit, had held Dale’s arm in a death-grip that finally eased about the same time.

    “We gotta find a way to get out of here. Did they search you?”

    “No, I don’t think so. I was out for a while. Why?”

    “What have you got in your pockets?” Dale felt the beginnings of a plan starting to form.

    “Ah, nothing. I carry a small purse, but that’s probably long gone. No, wait, I’ve got a piece of string I picked up as I walked home,” she said hopefully. Dale smiled, barely seen in the gloom.

    “Good. I wish I had a pocket knife, but everyone’s so freaked out these days they won’t let me have one at school. I’ve got an old key I found, some strips of rubber from an old innertube, an’ a leaky beanbag from the trash.”

   “I … got a pocketknife,” a small voice piped in. They both looked at Bennie.

    “I keep it in my backpack and then put it in my pocket after school. My dad said I needed to learn to be r’sponsible with one.”

    “Can you reach it?” Dale asked hopefully.

    “I think so, let me try.”

    “No!” Dale hissed as a realization struck him. “It hasn’t been long enough since that boxer locked the door. We need to wait until later. They probably won’t watch us all night.”

    The other two nodded as they huddled together. Dale was glad they were bound and not pawcuffed. He’d never learned to pick locks.

# # #

    Tigermark sat where he usually did in the kit’s nursery. The gentle breathing and small snores reaching his ears told him all four were well asleep. Supper had been a rather quiet affair after the excitement earlier. Kass and Kel had stopped in, and had decided to spend the night. Rick had come home from work at his usual time, and after the sounds of lovemaking that were a nearly nightly affair at Casa Coona North, the house was now quiet. Lynne was still asleep, and the tiger was going over his “near-miss.” He would have to talk to her about the situation, and very soon.

    His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of someone frantically getting out of bed and a few moments later running through the hall. He listened intently and sniffed the air, but could find no threat. He decided to wait and see. Perhaps someone had awakened and just desperately had to go to the bathroom. He heard a hushed voice he recognized as Lynne, and then a great stir of motion and voices as everyone else in the house was roused. Finally, Gwen quietly opened the door to the nursery.

    “Tiger,” she said at just above a whisper, knowing the tiger could hear very well. “Lynne had a vision that woke her up. We need to form a circle, and consult with the Guardians. She said you need to be there. Don’t fret; the kits will be alright for a while. The wards will give us plenty of warning if anyone comes around.”

    Tigermark stood and moved so silently it sent a chill up Gwen’s spine for a moment. It reminded her a great deal of Kass when he was in a certain mode of action. She moved out of the doorway and led the way out to the patio and on into the garden. Kass had already begun to make preparations for the circle they used to move between the worlds and consult with the entities that served as Guardians over the Coona clan and the world they were in. Once everyone was in and situated, he and Gwen closed the circle and took it between worlds. Everything outside the circle faded into a grey swirling mist. Kass, Rick, and Gwen all watched Tigermark closely. Sometimes the uninitiated would freak out at the change and they weren’t sure if recovering someone who ran out of the circle when they were in this state could be done. All three were relieved when Tigermark appeared nonplussed. He noted their actions and smiled.

    “No, you haven’t done anything yet that would startle or frighten me. I may be in God’s service, but I’ve been at this way too long to not understand what you’re doing. My friend Aramis is the mage, but magick is far from unknown to me. Oh, greetings Guardian.”

   They looked to where the tiger was looking, outside the circle, to see the great dragon that guarded them swirl in out of the mists. Tigermark accented his words with a nodded bow of greeting. The creature peered in, a semblance of a smile on its snout.

    “Paladin.” Was all it said, returning the nod. Then it looked at Lynne. “State your vision.”

    Lynne swallowed and took a breath to calm herself before she complied. “I saw Casa Coona North in flames, and blood everywhere, and the kits crying in terror. There was a calendar with a date on it. The day after tom — no, that would be tomorrow, since it’s after midnight. Then those eyes, searching for me. He, the demon, knows I’m looking ahead at what he plans. I, uh, I should thank you, Guardian. You pulled me back and kept him from seeing me.”

   The dragon nodded its acceptance of the gratitude. Then suddenly, a stooped, black-clad elderly figure stepped into the circle from the mists beyond. A startled “Eep!” sounded from a couple of furs. The old ferret smiled and looked around.

    “Atsa right, missy. You betta beea thanking him. He-a save-a you hide. Dat one a really nasty-a one.”

    “Straga Nona!” Kel blurted out as she bounced up to the old ferret. “You did it! I’m pregnant!”

    Straga Nona grabbed the vixen by the shoulders, laughing. “Atsa wonderful Missy Foxy. Whata did I-a tell you? You have lotsa bambinos. Besides, you an’-a Mister Snowie over dere, you do-a alla da work. He-a plow you reala good, wham-a bam-a, da bambinos come. Nowa you alla gotta be-a careful. Dat demon, he-a gotta line on where-a you live. He no strong enougha to beata da Guardians here, but-a hisa furs, dey come-a tru da fronta door ifa you no stopa dem.”

   Rick and Gwen snarled, recalling another attempt at invading the Coona home, but the sound that came from Kass made all their fur stand on end. “Let them try,” he added a moment later.

   “Don’t worry, they’ll never see the front door. Now that we know they’re coming and when, I’ll have every cop in Seattle waiting for them,” Jo-Ann chimed in, looking like a localized thunderstorm at the thought of someone attempting to hurt their kits. Gwen held up a paw to silence the rumble of angry responses.

   “Nice idea, but how would you justify it Jo-Ann? You might get a few of the officers who work in your section without drawing too much attention, but we don’t know for sure how many or how well armed they’ll be. To get a SWAT team or enough officers to be ready for them would cause a lot of questions as to how you know this is going to happen, especially after the kit-nappings. It’s high profile and the press and your higher-ups wouldn’t accept just your hunch.”

    Jo-Ann didn’t like it, but Gwen was right. She had to be very careful about having too many magickal “hunches” lest someone up the chain of command start asking too many questions.

    “So what do we do? Wait for them to charge in the door?” she said in exasperation. She noted that both the Guardian and Straga Nona looked rather bemused as they waited for the group to work out their plan of action.

   “No,” Tigermark stated. All eyes turned to him and the elderly ferret looked him up and down.

    “Okaya Mister Stripy, you sounda like you gotta idea howa to keepa alla bambinos safe, yeah?”

    The tiger smiled at the elder ferret. “Yes, I do. It is the same general idea as Jo-Ann’s. Don’t let them get close, but in this case it means I go take them out before they get here.”

    Kass now smiled, too. The expression didn’t look safe or inviting on either feline. “Count me in.”

    The whole group was asserting their willingness to participate in a pre-emptive action against the Brethren, but Tigermark held up a paw.

    “I thank you all for the support, but that’s not what I have in mind. Especially you, Kass. As I’ve said before, you and I together could take down a small army, but you are the Protector. I want you here to lead the defense of the home and kits in case of … problems.”

    Kass growled, frustrated at being denied a chance to meet the threat head-on, but he saw the wisdom in Tigermark’s words. If the tiger failed to stop all the Brethren, then someone would need to defend the household.

    “Agreed, so what are your plans? Just go out and get them?” Kass didn’t sound like he thought much of that as a plan.

   “That’s the basic idea, but the practicalities here mean I have to be a lot more subtle. Perhaps if Jo-Ann and a few of her fellow officers just happened to be on a certain street at a certain time, just cruising around armed to the teeth, I could manage to either lead or drive them into a nice meeting. What can your magickal friend here tell us about who we’re up against, other than the demon?”

    The dragon spoke, a low rumble inside the closed circle. “They number nine, including the leader. They and their trouble were known well before the outsider crept in. Three more have passed over into the spirit world, and even now are reaping what they sowed in life. All still living are under the control of the intruder. The two captured are being freed as we speak.”

    “What!” Jo-Ann exclaimed before she could stop herself. The dragon looked sharply at her, but didn’t comment. She continued after a moment. “We have to go. I have to let someone know before —”

    “Hold on Jo-Ann,” Kass said as he put a paw on her shoulder. “It sounds like it’s too late anyway, and even if it isn’t, how would your fellow officers stop a demon? It might just end up getting them hurt or killed. If Tiger’s plan works, you’ll get them back soon enough.”

    “True,” the Guardian stated. Then Straga Nona spoke again.

    “Alla right. I gotta be-a going. I just gotta tella the two skunkies-a something.”

    She gathered Gwen and Lynne together and whispered to them for a few moments. At one point, both skunkettes giggled, and she gently shushed them. Then she turned to the others.

    “You alla be-a careful, anda keepa da bambinos safe, eh?”

    With that, the old ferret walked out of the circle and into the swirling mists. The Guardian faded into the swirl without further comment, as was its want to do. The group took up their original positions and Kass and Gwen brought the circle back to the material world. Once the circle had been opened and cleared, everyone headed for the kitchen and a large batch of Switchel. The mood was subdued as they all contemplated the possible events coming in the next 48 hours.

# # #

    It was well on into the day by the time everyone was up and about at Casa Coona North. Jo-Ann had gone to work, and Rick had left also when Tigermark and Lynne emerged from their separate bedrooms. Kass and Kel were conversing quietly in the living room, and Gwen was working at the computer. The kits were playing boisterously on the living room floor.

    “Well, about time you two got up. Wait, that didn’t sound right for some reason,” Kel said as her expression went from smiling to slight concern.

    “Sounded fine to me,” Lynne quipped as TM narrowed an eye at the vixen. He looked over at the skunkette and gave a subtle, exasperated sigh. He then turned his attention to Kass.

    “Kass, something isn’t setting right with me about this. I know I have to keep the Brethren out of here, but the way I stated last night sounds like a recipe for disaster now that I’ve thought about it a bit more. I know I can take them all down, but I’m not sure I can take that many down in as many different locations as they might come in from.”

    The snow leopard leaned forward, indicating the chair adjacent to the sofa he and Kel were sitting on. To TM’s relief, the only other nearby seat was beside Kel, so that’s where Lynne sat.

    “I spent some time thinking that over, too. An old tactic we used to use, and this is good because it’ll meet two objectives at once, was to block all the approaches except one. That funnels the bad guys into one corridor, and then we’d hit the advancing enemy hard enough to cause them to retreat. Large scale that only stops that section, but in small groups like this, when one breaks they all break to regroup. I would bet that if we can accomplish this, the whole lot of them would run for home. Instead of taking them down, we’d then follow them home to find their base of operation. I bet they’d lead us right to where those kits are being held.”

    A broad, toothy smile spread across TM’s muzzle. “I like the way you think. Only thing is, if they pick up that they’re being followed, they’ll run for the hills instead. Maybe I can plant a homing tracker on one of them.”

    Gwen had just shut down the computer and, after giving the kits a pat and tickle on the way past, joined them. “TM, if these are hardcore purists, then either they’ll be down or you will. They don’t break and run from just a quick brush-off. However, I do have an idea, if my little friend can do it.”

    Tigermark was about to ask exactly what she meant when Gwen snapped her fingers and called out, “Flit?”

     A golfball-sized sphere of azure-blue energy throwing off small sparks popped into existence and ricocheted around the room before coming to a stop on Gwen’s outstretched paw. It bounced up and down a few times and Gwen broke out into a grin.

    “Tigermark, this is Flit. Flit says hello Paladin.”

    Tigermark, who’d been taken slightly aback, now smiled in greeting. “Hello Flit, nice to meet you. Air Elemental or free-form energy intelligence?”

    Flit bobbled and sparked as though laughing as everyone else looked a bit cross-eyed. “Free-floaty whoosawatsis?” Kel asked. Just then Kacey called out excitedly.

    “Flitty! Come play!”

    The little sphere started to zip away, but then stopped and sparked brightly for a moment. Gwen chuckled.

    “Alright Flit, you can go play, but be ready and able to assist me if I call you.”

    Flit sparked brilliantly and then zoomed over to the playing kits. A rousing, noisy game of follow-the-elemental immediately broke out, and Gwen got up and ushered the lot out into the garden. She watched them from the door as she explained her idea.

    “If you can get them into a retreat, I can have Flit follow after them discreetly and then report back on where they run to. Despite all the showy sparks, an air elemental can move without anyone seeing them. My only concern is what the demon might do if he caught Flit.”

    Kass cocked his head to the side thoughtfully, and then nodded to Gwen. “I don’t think it would be a problem. Elementals are just that, part of the elements. The demon would no more take notice of Flit in a non-manifested state than he would the wind.”

    “Good, then that sounds like a plan. By the way, have you got a map of the neighborhood? I’d like to go over it with you so we can decide where and how to block approach lanes, and on a good place to ambush them inbound,” Tigermark asked, leaning back in the chair.

    “Yes, we have one,” Kass answered. The next half-hour was spent pouring over the map and discussing advantages and disadvantages to the various approach paths the Brethren might take. Finally they decided where to lay in wait for the coming attack.

    “We all need to rest and get ready. They won’t come during daylight hours, but anytime after midnight tonight it’s possible.” Kass stated as he stood up. “We also need to check all the household weapons and all the wards.”

   Everyone went about doing just that, each left to their own thoughts as time passed and tension slowly began to creep in.

# # #

    Specaurious was a bit pensive as he waited in a non-corporeal state in the place he’d chosen to rest. Freeing the two brethren who’d been arrested was simple enough, but not very satisfying. They’d been fawningly grateful, but the demon would have just as soon squashed them. They were weak-minded and a bit cowardly. Still, minions were minions. He’d simply shadowed the jail and melted the lock, allowing the two to walk out. He’d considered leaving a trail of dead furs, but thought the better of it. It might encourage too much police interest before he was ready.

    Weighing the current situation, the demon took stock of his options. He could go ply Arlo with ideas and compliments, but that didn’t suit his mood. He could go terrorize the captive kits, but as immediately gratifying as that might be, it could spoil their terror later. Lifting up and moving, he decided what his best action would be. He would go investigate the place where the team had died, to see if it really was an accident, and then go see the dwelling of the family who’s kits Arlo was so keen to use as sacrifices. If he could take hold of anyone there and either enthrall or possess them, his minions would have no trouble taking the young ones.

   As he sped along, he was laughing to himself at how easily these fools were led down the path to complete damnation. They still all believed they were doing the right thing! This dimensional plane was indeed ripe for his harvest of terror and hate. He was a bit surprised at how little opposition he’d had. He knew an agent for the light had followed him, but whoever it was had yet to get in his way.

   Arriving at the ravine, Specaurious could only feel a faint trace. An inter-dimensional pocket had been opened nearby. Not much, but enough to let him know that most likely the agent had somehow caused the accident that killed the team. So the agent had gotten in his way. He would have to be cautious, as this agent it seemed was a bit more subtle than the last one he’d encountered. He shrugged to himself and moved on toward the place he’d perceived from the mind of the minion who’d escaped the police.

   The demon suddenly stopped and nearly materialized in shock. It had felt like he had run full speed into a stone wall. He knew he was near where the minion had seen their quarry, but he couldn’t advance. He also couldn’t find a source for whatever had stopped him. It was as though a large area was hidden and blocked from him. Specaurious was not at all used to being stopped in anything he did. Only his superiors in Hell, and perhaps some of the angels had that kind of power.

    Puzzled, and becoming a bit angry, he probed along the edges of the area. He could feel faint echoes. The one who’d been spying on him, a mere nuisance really, had been in the area. Even fainter, he could feel the sting of the presence of the agent.

    “So, the two are working together. It matters not. Whatever is blocking my senses and movement, it will not hamper my minions,” the demon mused. Then he was nearly shattered by fright as something appeared in the black void. The visage was powerful and ancient. It reminded him of how his leader looked at times, but the apparition did not exude the hatred and evil of Lucifer. The eyes of it pierced through him, even in his non-corporeal state. With a shudder he fled the area.

    It was a long time before he felt settled enough to return to his resting place near Arlo’s home. He would have to move fast to develop enough power to deal with what he saw. He’d have to step up his plans for Arlo. He’d have to make sure the minions were successful in their raid. Most of all, he was sure he’d never forget the image that now haunted his thoughts.

    The powerful face and glowing eyes of a dragon.

End of Chapter 6

 

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