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 10  

Convergence

    “Close now,” Flit breathed. They were in a rather run-down warehouse district of Seattle, and Tigermark could see how it would be a good place to hide whatever one didn’t want to be public knowledge. Lynne turned a corner at Flit’s direction and drove at a normal pace down the street. There was a large three-story building that butted up next to a decrepit warehouse with only a narrow walking alley in between.

    “There,” the air elemental said, almost as a hiss. Tigermark noted several vehicles in the parking area. He also saw someone standing in the shadows of the alcove that led to what appeared to be the main entrance door.

    “Don’t look over or react, just drive to the corner and turn left. Flit, please go check on the kits. Protect them from harm if you have to, but beware of the demon, I don’t know what he would do to you if he caught you.”

    Flit bobbled in acknowledgement and disappeared. Lynne felt the whoosh of air as the elemental slipped out the vent. She made the turn and they drove past the length of the building. TM counted three regular doors on that side. He had Lynne turn again along the back of the building. This revealed a small parking lot and a three bay loading dock. The docks looked decrepit and little used, as there was trash collected at the bottom of the angled bays. They drove on past to the next block, parking in a lot full of cars. A rough-looking feline of indeterminate breeding approached the car. Lynne and TM exchanged a glance, and Lynne got out and shut her door. The feline stopped in his tracks as she turned to face him. He gave her a thorough, and leering, look over from head to toe twice before he spoke.

    “Well, well, pretty lady. Don’t see gals like you in this part o’ town. Whatcha doing here?”

    Lynne looked him over right back, and gave him what she hoped was a tough smirk. She thought about turning on the sex appeal, but she wasn’t sure that was something she wanted to play at with this character.

    “MY business, and none of yours. How much to park here for the day?”

     He arched an eyebrow and sneered. “Twenty, and leave yer keys.”

    Lynne was about to spit an answer, but she saw something that made her smile instead. The cat frowned, wondering at her turn of expression until he felt the cold steel at his throat and sharp claws in the scruff of his neck. His eyes went wide with fear, but he found he couldn’t make a sound as the grip pulled the skin on his throat tight. A deep voice rumbled quietly in his ear, making his fur stand on end.

    “How about you get to live another day? Here’s the deal, twenty, the lady takes her keys, and the car is in exactly the same shape we leave it in. Got it?”

    The cat managed to nod his agreement. Lynne didn’t argue. She put the money under the windshield wiper, locked the doors, and walked haughtily away. She hadn’t seen or heard TM get out, but she had no doubt about the green eyes in the shadowy figure behind the cat. A moment later she sensed more than saw the big tiger at her side.

    “Nice, how can I learn to move like that?” she asked casually.

    “Lots and lots of practice. Your car will be fine when we return. Now, follow me and stay close. I’ll let you know when I need you.”

    Lynne nodded. TM walked until they came to the fire escape on the back of the three story building beside the warehouse. He leapt up to bring the ladder down. And missed by at least three inches. Lynne pulled her wayfarers down a bit and arched her eyebrow. TM smirked and gave a shrug.

    “Told you I was an old greymuzzle. Hang on.”

    But before Tigermark could make a move, Lynne crouched and launched herself upward. She grabbed the ladder and gracefully rode back to the street as it lowered. As TM shook his head with a rueful grin, she smiled demurely.

    “Hey, I work out to stay in shape. Dance some, too.”

    “Okay, I get it. You can likely keep up with me. Just don’t get ahead of me. In shape, I’ll grant, but ready for combat? Not paw to paw, and I don’t think frying each one is a good option. Too messy and noisy. Now c’mon.”

    TM started climbing the fire escape, and then on up the mountings until he was on the roof. Lynne was right behind him. Once there, they made their way to where they could overlook the warehouse. TM pointed out air conditioning units and vents, but no likely places for them to go in through. Lynne pointed to the power lines into the building near the loading docks.

    “Wasn’t there a door in back there?”

    “Yes,” TM answered with a nod. “Got an idea?”

    “Um-hmm. The door is likely locked or blocked, but would it help to put the place in the dark?”

    Tigermark leaned back to focus on the skunkette. “At the right time, yes. Can you control your power that well already?”

    She looked up at him with a hint of challenge in her expression. “Like I said, the Guardian showed me how to control it a lot better. I can probably blow all the breakers from anywhere in the building, it’s up to you.”

    “How’s your night vision? I can see pretty well, but I don’t want you to stumble around if we do that.”

    “Only normal, I guess. No, wait, last night I could, well, see everything that was happening, even when the flames were out. I’ve never really thought about it, but that didn’t seem like night vision. More like, oh, maybe extra vision? I think the Guardian was doing that, though, so I don’t know if it’d work again.”

    Tigermark nodded and headed back for the fire escape. “Let’s keep putting the lights out as a possible tactic. Looks like the only way in is to work our way around ‘til we find an open door. If need be we can go in the front. Their guard is standing in an alcove to try and conceal himself, but he is also leaving himself blind on that side.”

    Lynne nodded in response as they climbed back down. They made their way carefully over to the building and worked their way along the back. The entry door they’d seen as they passed was indeed locked. TM could’ve blown the lock with his shotgun, but they were trying to be stealthy. They continued along the side of the building, carefully checking doors as they went. They were almost to the front, with only one more door to check when suddenly that door opened. TM flattened to the wall, putting a paw back to make sure Lynne did the same. The fur who had opened the door stood muttering to himself in the doorway, unaware of the two watching him, even though it was broad daylight. The reason for this was obvious. He was covered in red paint from the top of his head down past his shoulders. It coated most of his tail, as well. He was blinking and cursing, as the paint was in his eyes, too. TM saw several strands of what looked like fishing line hanging from hooks snagged in his clothing and fur. The combined effect made it almost impossible to tell what species he was. They listened intently as the fur continued expressing his displeasure.

    “Damned Arlo, why’d I answer his call and come down here, anyway? Always before I wasn’t good enough for his inner circle, Then he calls and I come runnin’ like some geek what got invited to join the cool gang. Then I get here an’ he’s got his kids with him. Next thing I know there’s a lot o’ yellin’ and then, bang, outta nowhere a bucket o’ paint dumps on me, and I run into a board. ‘Watch the door,’ e’ sez. ‘Don’t let anybody in or out.’ Ha! Like I could see ‘em right now anyway, geez. Feels like I run through some kinda spider web, too.”

    Tigermark could hear a lot of noise and yelling coming from inside. Something had created just the distraction they needed to get in. He stepped up to the disgruntled fur.

    “Sounds like a pretty bad deal. Let me give you a paw.”

    The fur started at TM’s voice, but he still couldn’t see clearly. “Uh, yeah, hey thanks. Wait a minnut, who’re you?”

    Tigermark punched the fur solidly in the nerve mass below his left ear, knocking him cold. He caught him and lowered him to the pavement. “The sandfur, in your case. Stay close, Lynne.”

    The skunkette gave a single nod as she quickly followed the tiger through the door.

# # #

    “Uh, Father, where are we? Why’re we stopping here?” Arlo Junior asked as the car stopped in the parking lot of a decrepit-looking warehouse. Becca looked up from the textbook she’d been reading as well.

    “Just have to make a quick stop to check on something for the factory. You two should come inside, I have something to show you.” Arlo was desperately trying to gain some sort of control so he could warn his children. Specaurious was silently laughing in his face. The two cubs eagerly got out of their seatbelts and followed their “father” as he walked toward the entrance door. Other cars were pulling in and a couple of other furs were walking toward the door ahead of them. “Arlo” ushered the two cubs inside. Once there, he led them to a room where everyone was gathered. The possessed lion motioned the cubs off to the side and then cleared his throat.

    “Furs of the Brethren of the Pure Strain, welcome. Events of late have allowed several openings in our organization, and you have been chosen to fill those openings. Our cause is noble, to fight against the corruption of our breeds and make the world safe for our offspring. To that end, we are this day beginning the preparations for a sacrifice that will bring us God’s attention and great power. You will each and every one participate in this, and thereby secure your position within the organization. Follow my instructions without hesitation. Do you understand?”

    A simultaneous shout of, “Yes, sir!” went up from the gathered furs. The look on their faces told Specaurious that his enthrallment of them had been completely successful. He began asking questions and assigning tasks as he eyed the cubs in the corner hungrily.

    “You, come with me. It’s time to begin preparing the sacrifices,” he told the lion who’d been his driver the night before. “You, keep watch at the front door, I don’t want any surprise interruptions,” he then said, dispatching the dachshund who’d also been with him on the previous night’s failed raid. “The rest of you stay ready, I’ll call you when you’re needed.”

    “Arlo” motioned for his children to join him as he walked down the hall to a door. He unbolted a large deadbolt and opened it, revealing a dark, rather large room with what looked like pipes going floor to ceiling along the walls. The four lions walked in, nearly stumbling over the bucket in the middle of the floor. It took several moments for their eyes to adjust. “Arlo” didn’t wait, but launched into an explanation.

    “What you see here, children, are little hybrid scums, suitable only to be sacrificed. They aren’t real furs like we are, you understand.”

    Both cubs were looking puzzled. Arlo Junior asked the obvious question. “Uh, what’re you talking about, Father?”

    “HEY! They’re gone!” the other male lion exclaimed. He looked around a second, and then noticed the air vent. He ran toward it, bumping into several of the vertical pipes. Arlo began to curse vehemently. Becca’s eyes went wide as Junior again asked his question.

    “Father, what are you saying? What are you going to sacrifice? I didn’t think we did that. Only the Jews and Pagans make animal sacrifices, that’s what you said. What—*”

    The cub’s questions came to an abrupt halt as the possessed lion suddenly back-pawed his son halfway across the room. Becca screamed in fear and ran to her brother. Specaurious now had a hateful, evil grin on his muzzle.

   “Shut up you little twit! In case you hadn’t figured it out, you’ll be joining the hybrid kits that we’re going to sacrifice to me! They can’t have gone far.”

    “Hey Arlo! Look, the air vent here is loose. I bet that’s how they got oooof!” The other adult lion let out a grunt as a loud twang sounded and something struck him in the face at high speed. He snapped backward, up and over. As he fell backward, he snagged a piece of string hanging down with a fish hook on the end, causing a metal tub hanging precariously between two of the pipes to fall on him. As the loud clang of the tub landing reverberated through the room, “Arlo” grabbed his daughter’s wrists so she couldn’t run, and then pulled out a piece of rope and tied her to one of the chains. He wasn’t sure how the others had escaped, but he was confident they’d be found in short order. The area the warehouse was in was a bad one, so where could they go? If they’d left the building the cops would likely already have been there. He went over and nudged the lion with the tub on him. There was a slight groan.

    “Still alive, eh? Hmm, what’s this?”

    “Arlo” bent down and picked up the object that had apparently knocked the lion backwards. A threadbare bean bag, with duct tape wrapped around it. The demon looked back toward the air vent, noting the sections of inner tube that now hung loosely there.

    “Heh, clever. These hybrids might prove a challenge, but fear not, they’ll be back here with you soon. Tell this one to come see me when he awakens.”

    He dropped the beanbag, walked over and roughly bound his son like he had his daughter. The young male was bleeding from the nose and lip, and groggy from the blow. “Arlo” then walked out without a backward glance. Becca made her way back to her brother and sat down, using a napkin she’d managed to pull from her pocket to dab at the bloody nose. Junior was still looking unsteady and mumbled something unintelligible. Becca just nodded, tears streaming down her muzzle.

    “I’m scared, too. I don’t know what happened, but I think Father has gone crazy.”

    Shouts, noises and total chaos drowned out anything more she might have said right then.

# # #

    “Alright, let’s get you out of here,” Dale motioned toward the door across the way. The sounds of the traps being sprung had stopped for now, so the plan had been for them to run for their lives. Janie and Bennie just looked at him, and then Janie spoke in a quiet voice.

    “You aren’t coming, are you?”

    Dale looked uncomfortable. He knew he should run while he had the chance, too, but he couldn’t get the scream they’d heard out of his head. He half-shrugged.

    “I can’t just run after hearing that scream. They got another kid like us. You two get away and send the police, I’ll be careful and sneak back to where they had us locked in. Maybe I can help whoever they’ve got get away, too.”

    Janie and Bennie looked at each other. Everything they felt, everything they’d been told by their parents, said they should get away and let the police handle their kidnappers. They looked back up at Dale.

    “Either we all go, or we all stay and help. We done okay because we stayed together.”

    Dale started to protest, but the look the two kits were giving him said that they wouldn’t take any other answer. With an exasperated snort and lash of his tail, he motioned toward the front of the building.

    “Okay, okay. I can see you don’t wanna leave a kid behind, either. We gotta move quick now. Let’s go.”

    Dale looked carefully out of their makeshift hideaway, making sure there was no one in sight. The three crept out and along the stack of crates, working their way back toward the office area. They reached an intersection with another aisle of crates and carefully peeked around the corner.

    They found themselves face to knee with a very large rough collie. The canid looked down his muzzle at them, a grin spreading across it as he reached for them and opened his mouth to alert the rest that he’d found their quarry. The three kits were frozen by surprise and fear, but then something strange began to happen. The canid’s eyes went wide, and though he looked like he was trying to yell, no sound came out. What felt like a strong breeze pushed the kits back and rapidly increased in speed and fury as it began to circulate around the hapless fur. In seconds the collie began to spin with it. A few more and a loud roar filled the warehouse, sounding like the rumble of a jet. Dust and debris clouded the view, and the kits didn’t see the canid being lifted off the ground and spun so hard the miniature vortex turned bright red for a few seconds. The small column of furious wind moved quickly away toward the back of the building, and in a few more seconds, there was only silence. Dale shook off his shock at the mysterious circumstance and got the other two moving again. A couple of very careful turns later, and they were able to slip back into the office they’d first encountered after leaving the room with the pipes.

   As they headed for the back of the room, they took a deep breath and prepared to face both whoever had kidnapped them, and also whoever the new fellow victim was.

# # #

    Specaurious willed Arlo’s body along, striding purposefully down the corridor that led to the main warehouse. He was certain the agent was now close by, but in the body he possessed, he felt so limited! The single scream of terror, and the single line of fear he’d elicited from Arlo’s cubs had been nothing more than a teasing snack for him. He was having to continually press to keep Arlo from taking control, and after the previous night’s events, his power was far more diminished than he’d let on. Possessing Arlo had given him a safe refuge to work from, but until he recovered a bit more, he’d have to limit how much and how far he extended himself.

    He grudgingly had to admit that the hybrid brats had managed to cause him a major inconvenience. The ingenious little traps they had made hadn’t killed any of his minions, but many had been injured to the point of diminished effectiveness. Instead of all of them searching for the kits, he’d dispatched the most injured of them to guard the doors and prevent any escape. One searcher and one door guard he hadn’t heard from in a few minutes, but he didn’t want to extend out looking for them with the agent nearby.

    The demon walked out into the main warehouse. He had sent furs to cover all the usable doors, and if the loading dock doors opened, they’d all hear it. The three remaining, excluding of course his unconscious minion back in the holding room, he’d sent out to search the building. Specaurious was searching as well, extending his own supernatural senses as much as he dared and enhancing the physical ones of the body he occupied. Such activity wore the body out faster, but he didn’t intend to possess Arlo for too much longer. Only long enough for the preparation and sacrifice to build up his strength again. He was now investigating a loud roaring sound that had drowned out all other noise in the building several minutes ago.

    He turned a corner in the aisle way of old crates, and then he smelled it. The distinct familiar scent of blood in the air.  Specaurious savored the sensation, but he was puzzled. None of the escaped kits had been injured that he knew of. There had been no new blood scent in the holding room. Plus this seemed to come from everywhere. He looked closer and perceived a fine spray that coated everything within ten feet. The coating lessened and trailed off toward the back of the warehouse. Curious now, the demon followed the rapidly diminishing trace. Well toward the back, near the loading docks, he found the source. The twisted, pale body, much of its fur and most of its blood gone, had once been the one Arlo had called Peter. The bulged out eyes and swollen extremities spoke of violent wrenching motion.

    “How very curious,” the demon stated in Arlo’s voice. Internally he inquired, “Arlo, any ideas? What could have done such delicious damage? I should like to know, it might be useful, say on a kit who won’t scream.”

    The question was met with only silence from Arlo. The demon shrugged.

    “Suit yourself, I was merely curious as to — say, what is that?”

    The faint shadow of a bony, clawed paw and arm reached outward and upward, attempting to grasp the tiny sphere of energy the demon spied up near the ceiling. The little ball promptly disappeared up into an air vent, and the demon did not trust reaching farther out of “his” body.

    Frowning, Specaurious retreated back into the confines of Arlo’s body. He’d sensed a similar energy before, but not quite the same feel to it. Whatever it had been was long gone now. With a shrug he turned to go back toward the front of the building and continue with the search.

    “No matter. Come, Arlo, we have children to find and torture.”

 # # #

    Junior was finally more alert after the blow their father had given him. Becca held onto his arm as they sat up against one of the pipes by the wall. The other lion had finally managed to get out from under the tub and shakily wander out the door. He hadn’t said anything, and barely gave a glance their way as he left. The sound of it shutting and the lock being put into place told them they couldn’t get out even if they got free of the chains. A loud roar had come from somewhere in the building shortly after the other lion left, but now it had gotten very quiet again. The bleeding had stopped from Junior’s nose and lip, but both were severely bruised. Becca began to cry softly into her brother’s shoulder. He managed to pat her arm and try to say something, but it sounded like gibberish through the swelling. She snuffled and answered anyway.

    “I don’t know what happened. Uh, can you get out of your rope? Father tied mine too tight, I can’t wiggle out of it.”

    Junior looked down at her paws. There were traces of blood around the rope where she’d pulled and twisted so hard at first. He tried, but couldn’t feel his loosen any, either. They then tried to untie each other’s rope, but the knot was complex and pulled too tight for them to get loose. The two lion cubs sat there for a few minutes, trying to make some sense of what had happened. All that accomplished was to make them more afraid. Why had their father gone crazy?

    A rustling sound from the direction of the air vent made them both peer in that direction. Then a face appeared. It was all Becca could do not to scream. Even in the darkness, she could make out that it was a young hybrid male. Junior too was surprised, and a little fearful. Their father had told them what young mixer males would do to little femmes if they got the chance. The fur at the air vent slid on in and stood up. Junior realized the hybrid was bigger and probably older than him, but he had to defend his sister. He let out what he hoped was an intimidating roar and growled out a warning.

    “Sthtay away fum mby schithter, you!”

    The fur stopped and cocked his head. “Uh, why, is she contagious or something?”

    The lion cubs were taken aback by that response. Junior warily spoke again.

    “Whadeber you wan, we don’b habe andyding. You bedder run before our fadther comes back.”

    The fur shifted a little. “You’re the kids of one of the ones that brought us here? Why’re you chained up?”

    Becca burst out before Junior could answer. “Our father has gone crazy! He hit Junior, and said some weird stuff about sacrificing us! Who are you, anyway?”

    The fur stepped a little closer. “My name’s Dale. They kidnapped me and two others. We managed to get loose, but when we heard a scream, we came back for you. You gonna turn me in if I cut you loose?”

   For both Becca and Junior, nothing was making sense. This was a hybrid, a “mixer” as their father called them. They were supposed to be gutless, weak, gutter-dwelling punks. This one spoke respectfully, and had actually come to check on them when he could have gotten away. The thought dawned on Becca that perhaps their father had been crazy then, too. Junior wasn’t ready to give in to the idea so easily.

    “Y-you sthay away fromb us if you’ve god a kndife, you mbixer!”

    They could see Dale shrug. “Geez, okay, suit yourself, but we’re only trying to help. Gotta go, they’ll catch us again if we stay put too long.”

    He turned to go, and Becca suddenly realized they would be left in their present circumstance if she didn’t do something. “Stop! Please! Don’t leave us like this. You can cut our ropes.”

    Dale turned back to them, and he could see the male lion cub slowly nod his head, too. He went back to them and pulled out Bennie’s small knife. When the two lion cubs saw the knife was a small one, they relaxed, with Junior even saying a low, “whew!”

    “What’s wrong?” Dale asked. “You were expecting a switchblade? Now c’mon, we gotta move fast.”

    Becca and Junior didn’t need a second invitation. They were up and following Dale in an instant. They went back through the air vent and into the next office. Dale introduced Bennie and Janie. Becca and Junior looked surprised that “mixers” could be polite and just kids like them. They hesitantly introduced themselves.

    “I amb Arlo Rexonis Junior, mbut you can call mbe just Junior, and dthis is mby sister Rebecca. We call her Becca for short.”

    “Great, now let’s go. We gotta make it out a door without getting caught. Oh, hold on a sec.”

    Junior and Becca looked on in fascination as Dale slid back into the other room and came back with the taped-up bean bag. He put the grating over the air vent in place and set the string. Then he carefully pulled the bands of innertube back and reset the release hook.

    “Just in case. Now let’s go.”

    Carefully, the group of children eased out of the room, hopeful that they were on their way to freedom.

# # #

    Tigermark leaned slightly to look around the corner into the hallway. Lynne was right behind him, and they began a cautious inspection of each room, searching for the missing kits. So far they hadn’t encountered anyone else, but they could hear sounds from a side corridor and out in the main warehouse. TM was a bit puzzled. If they were preparing to do something to the kits, why were they so spread out? Just locking the doors would have prevented unwelcome guests from wandering in.

    The next room told a tale that set TM’s teeth on edge. After unbolting the door, he carefully looked inside. It was dark, but even in the gloom he could see vertical bars at regular intervals along the two side walls. Several chains were attached to the bars, and the remnants of ropes were near the ends of a few. The scent of blood was strong in his nostrils, but he couldn’t see anyone in the room. A bucket sat in the middle of the floor, and TM discerned that it was for water. Whoever was to be held there was expected to be there more than a couple of days. A slight gasp from Lynne made the tiger look back at her.

   “Uh, TM?” she said quietly. “Is this what I think it might be? Is this where they tortured that little femme, and where they were holding the missing kits?”

    Tigermark nodded, but then unexpectedly grinned. Lynne was taken aback. Still grinning, the tiger stepped in and picked up a piece of the rope.

    “This has been cut with a small knife. See how ragged? It took a little sawing to get through it. Probably a small pocket knife. This room was locked from the outside, but it’s empty. I think the kits have escaped them, and they’re spread out searching the building for them.”

    Lynne now grinned as well. “That fits with all the booby traps we’ve seen that’ve been tripped, like the guy at the door. The kits must’ve done that. Like the little guy in the movie.”

   TM chuckled low. “Some things are the same no matter what world you’re on. Let’s go looking ourselves, for both the kits and the Brethren. They don’t know it yet, but the hunters are now the hunted.”

    They stepped back out into the hallway to continue their search. They’d only gone a few feet when the door at the far end of the corridor opened. A muscular akita with a rough-looking scowl on his face came walking toward them, unaware at first that they were there. He had a couple of scraped places on his head, showing that he hadn’t escaped the kit’s traps unscathed. TM was going to try and slip back into the room behind him, but the canid suddenly stopped and raised his gaze to look at them. He was in motion to both shout and reach for a pistol tucked in his belt. Tigermark already had his .45 clear of its shoulder rig and was almost level on target when he felt the crackle of electricity flash by him. Twin leaders of bluish-white energy struck the akita, one near the shoulder, the other by the hip. The canid went arms-down-tail-up stiff as the pistol clattered to the floor. A second later, the akita did the same. The sound was a loud crackle, but not the booming thunder TM expected. He looked back at Lynne. She was just standing back up straight and smoothing the fur back down on her arms.

   “I call that a tazer shot,” she replied mischievously to TM’s inquiring look. He grinned at her in return.

    “Nice. Non-lethal?”

    “Supposed to be, but I’m still working out in my mind how the Guardian said to adjust the power.”

    They walked up to check on the canid. TM knelt down and felt for a pulse and respiration. The akita was alive, but out cold. The tiger stood and grabbed the canid by the ankles, dragging him back to the room with the chains. There he produced a set of flexi-cuffs and attached the akita to one of the chains fastened to the bars.

    “Let’s see how you like it,” TM muttered as he left the room.

    The tiger and the skunkette moved on in the direction they’d started before encountering the canid, still searching for the kits and the other Brethren. They left that corridor and came to a door that led back into the main warehouse. Tigermark checked around the corner of the first row of crates, and was about to step out when a voice boomed through the building.

    “Little kits, little kits, come out and play! You can’t hide and you can’t run away! We’ll cut you and burn you and hang you up high. Come out little kits it’s your day to DIE!”

    TM and Lynne looked at each other. TM smirked.

    “Well, his poetry certainly hasn’t gotten any better.”

    Lynne stifled a giggle as the tiger stepped out to move down the aisle of tall crates. He barely dodged the swing of a board at his head. The big-muscled rotweiller who’d come out of a recessed area was winding up for another swing when a loud voice yelled from the far end of the aisle.

    “STOP! He’s mine! You can have the femme, but he’s mine!”

    The canid stopped and turned toward Lynne, who was backing up out of swing range. Wordlessly the rotty advanced toward her as if he was a robot following a command. TM rose to a crouch and looked at the lion who was rapidly walking toward him, knowing the skunkette could handle the other fur. The feral grin, and glow in the eyes told him who and what this was.

    “Greetings, agent. About time you showed your face,” Specaurious sneered through the voice of Arlo.

    Before Tigermark could reply, five children made a run for it halfway down the aisle, hoping the battle would distract anyone from coming after them. TM heard Lynne scream something in the background as he began to swing his shotgun around off his shoulder. As fast as he was, faster still the demon spun around and raised a paw toward the fleeing children.

End of Chapter 10

 

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