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 9  

Morning After

    Dawn arrived the morning after the battle, damp, dreary and drizzly. The Coona household had set a watch through the night to guard the recuperating tiger, and in case anything unusual happened with Lynne. After some food and Switchel, the skunkette had fallen asleep alongside Kelso as they watched over Tigermark. Kel awoke in a chair beside Tigermark’s bed. He was sleeping, and Lynne was still sleeping where she’d been all night, in a chair and laying forward across the bed off to the side. Kel stood and stretched languorously, working the kinks out before padding out to use the bathroom. A few minutes later, Lynne stirred and lifted her head, blinking and looking around quickly for a moment. She sat up in her chair and stretched her upper half before leaning back a bit and contemplating the sleeping tiger. She’d been having quite a dream, and now she’d awakened to find herself alone with him. She eased up and forward, intent on kissing him.

    “Lynne, I appreciate the idea, but I think we need to have a talk.”

    Lynne “eeped” and sat back in the chair so fast she nearly fell over backward. She’d had no clue Tigermark was already awake. She recovered and sat up straight.

    “Yes, I think we do. Is there something wrong with me? I think I’ve made it very clear that I like you a lot. I’ve tried not to be too blatant. I’ve flirted, I’ve shown affection, and you’ve shown affection in return. Have I not been doing a good enough job as your guide? I, well, I ran out of here last night in just my fur because the Guardian warned me in a dream that you were in danger. Don’t you like me?”

   Tigermark rose up onto his elbows and looked her in the eyes, blinking a second to clear the sleep from his.  She was returning his gaze very intently. He could tell she was trembling slightly, but her eyes were dry. There was fire and lightning, held in check, just behind those eyes. He’d have to tread very, very carefully here. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t deny who or what he was, and he knew he could not be what she wanted. At that particular moment, with the energies he could sense that she could call up, he didn’t want to risk her anger, either. The description Rick had given him of a certain grizzly bear made him very certain he didn’t want to be on her bad side. He knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t intentionally hurt him, but with that much power, and her being very new to wielding it, he didn’t want to take a chance on her control. He took a breath, and smiled in a bittersweet sort of way.

    “I like you Lynne, very much in fact, but more like a daughter than what you’re looking for. I’m very sorry if I gave you any other impression. You’ve been doing a fantastic job as my guide, and I want to thank you right now for saving me last night. You are a very brave, strong, and beautiful young femme, and the affection and attraction I perceive that you have for me flatters me to no end. I’m just a scarred-up, grey-muzzled old warrior, with a wife and two cubs that I’ll go home to when this is done. I’m not of this world, and when the demon is defeated and sent back to Hell, I’ll be gone. Now, especially with your new-found ability, I think you’ll be needed here, on your world. Where I’m going, you’ll not be able to follow.”  

    Lynne’s eyes flashed blue white for a second, as if to say, “Wanna bet?” but then the appearance quickly faded. Her shoulders slumped, and she tried to stifle a sob. The tears welled in her eyes, and she tried to force them back. She now closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh. She fell forward, and landed face down in the tiger’s lap, her arms cradling her head. TM quickly sat all the way up. He could see her shoulders shaking, and he couldn’t help taking the paw that cradled her head in his, and gently stroking her hair. He had femme cubs, so he knew words wouldn’t do any good. He just let her cry for a few minutes, even when the tears began to soak through the sheet he had over him. Slowly, Lynne sat back up, still holding onto TM’s paw. Her eyes were closed, and her facial fur was matted with the tears she had shed. She sniffled and swallowed and took another deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, she had a determined look. Tigermark was unsure what her intentions were, so he sat very still. She now smiled, returning his earlier bittersweet expression.

    “It figures, the best ones are unavailable. Alright then, if we can’t be lovers, then can we still be friends? I, ah, kinda made a choice, when the Guardian offered me the power to save you. I chose to use it, and the Guardian said it would forever change me. I think it has. I dreamed of the Guardian while I slept here, waiting for you to wake up. He showed me how to use and control the lightning. I’ll need to practice, a lot. I also saw Straga Nona. She said something like, ‘You can-a be like-a da big stripy one. You can-a be like-a paladin, too. This-a world, she needsa good protector like-a dat.’ Can you teach me? To be a paladin?”

   Tigermark reached out and stroked her cheek. He then gently patted the back of the paw he was still holding. “Well, that’s quite a choice, and quite a charge. First of all, yes, I want to be your friend. Second, I’d love to train you, but I won’t be here long enough to train you properly. I think though, that with Gwen and Rick and Kelso and Kass, you have a whole host of trainers. Both in the arcane, with that power, and in the physical. But be very sure about this. The path of the warrior is not easy, and not safe, and almost always painful. Even with Kelso’s amazing ability, I can tell you that it hurt like hell last night. Through the years, I’ve had most of the bones in me broken. I’ve been cut, stabbed, shot, lased, blown up, hit with clubs, had burns, concussions, almost lost limbs, and been threatened with every kind of torture and abuse you can imagine.”

    Lynne’s eyes were wide. “Then why do you do it?”

    TM shrugged. “Because of furs like you, and the Coona clan, and the kits that are missing, and the little one that was killed before I came, and their parents. Because of everyday furs, who just want to live their lives in peace, and then some overloaded ego comes along, thinking they are superior and wanting to run the world their way, and that these everyday furs should serve them. Because hatred and bigotry are contrary to God’s will. Because if I didn’t, who would?”

    Lynne sat back, her paw still enveloped in the tiger’s. She was still for a long time. TM saw Kel come back to the door. He nodded to her that he was alright. She wrinkled her nose rather mischievously and went on her way. Finally Lynne focused on him again.

    “You’ve given me a lot to think over, Tiger. Thank you. Now, can I give you a friendly kiss on the muzzle?”

    TM nodded, and she stood and leaned down, giving him a gentle, and now daughterly, kiss on the side of his muzzle. Then she straightened up, and he could see the lightning behind her eyes again.

    “Now, get up you ol’ cat, and let’s go rescue those kits!”

    Tigermark shook his head as the skunkette spun on her heel and walked out the door, her tail flitting rapidly back and forth in her eagerness. He got out of bed, noting that he was in just his fur, and that his black ops outfit was folded on a chair in the corner. As he began to check it to see how damaged and bloody it might be, he mused to himself.

    “Dear Lord help me, what have I helped create?”

# # #

    Arlo was up early. He walked out the trail to the place where he usually met with the angel, his mind troubled. Last night had been a disaster. They’d lost a van and three of the Brethren in a most horrific way, and the angel hadn’t been any help at all. He was becoming a bit concerned since he hadn’t heard anything from Jacob’s team. They needed to regroup and decide what to do next. Now that they knew where the hated Coona’s house was, Arlo had thought they would be an easy target. Apparently, that was not the case. He was thinking about perhaps waiting for them elsewhere, perhaps grab the raccoon at the bar he worked at and force him to take them to the kits. Or perhaps catch the kits enroute to, well, anywhere, and grab them then.

    Such were his thoughts as he arrived at the place where the angel usually popped in on him. He stopped and had a seat on the log. Several minutes passed, and then he began to smell an electrical smell. Then he caught the scent of burnt fur and — sulphur? As usual, the angel surprised him, his voice suddenly coming from behind the lion. It had an odd, edgy, raspy note to it.

    “Good Arlo. Good, heh, Arlo. Right where I want you. Do not be concerned about last night’s events. Today you will become more than you ever imagined.”

    “How can you say that? Last night was a fiasco! We lost three good furs, pure-blooded and true each one. What was that fire, anyway? And where were you? Couldn’t an angel have stopped whatever that was?” Arlo’s anger made him bold. He didn’t give the angel the satisfaction of turning to face him, but instead sat with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Specaurious was unimpressed.

    “How dare you address me in that tone. You still don’t know who you’re dealing with, do you? You are so hate-filled, and so dense, it blinds you. You suspect me, I can see it in your mind, but not enough to think the matter through. It’s quite delightful, really. You will know, in a short time, the answer to all those questions. What’s wrong, Good, heh, Arlo? Why won’t you face me?”

   The lion sprang to his feet, whirling to face the taunting voice. When he saw the “angel,” he blanched, his eyes going wide and his tail straight up in fright. Gone was the angel in white robes with feathered wings. What stood before him was an apparition of horror. The wings were leathery, bat-like, but quite tattered. The body was grotesquely misshapen. The face, although still roughly lionesque, was contorted into a mask of evil and hate. Sharp-clawed, bony paws reached out, grabbing Arlo by the head.

    “We need to work more closely, my minion. I am going to possess you now. You can either accept and receive my control, or attempt to fight. I will do what I intend in either case, but if you fight, I will surely cast you right out of your own body. You do know what happens to a mortal soul if it is separated from its shell, don’t you?”

   The demon, for Arlo now realized that’s what he was, grinned sadistically at him, as if wanting him to fight. Before he could think of anything to do, the hideous apparition began to become transparent. Specaurious stepped forward, and seemed to merge into the lion’s body. Arlo felt shock and incredible pain as he was squeezed back into what felt like a corner. Then his body began to move jerkily about as the demon experimented with different limbs and motions. Arlo could still see and hear, and presently the overwhelming presence of the demon subsided. Then the voice spoke, loud in his ears.

    “I thought you were too much of a coward to fight me. Good. Now, I’ll let you be in control, most of the time, for now at least. Don’t forget, though, that I am right here with you. Oh, I might extend out elsewhere, or manifest myself outside of you, but this feels like a nice, comfy body to maintain my center in for now. No one can hear what I say to you in here, so try not to talk to yourself. If you think it, I’ll hear. Now, let’s go. I need you to call up some more minions. I see in here there are a few that are part of your group, but that you just didn’t think were strong or loyal enough for your core. With my influence, they will do as they’re told. Oh, and don’t fret over Jacob and his team. They are quite dead. Now move out. You have calls to make.”

    Arlo, with much trepidation, started walking toward his home. His mind raced, but at each thought of how he’d gotten into this situation or of how he might get out, all he heard was the demon’s echoing laughter. He arrived home and began calling. In just a few minutes, he had six confirmations. They would meet at the warehouse, and begin preparing the sacrifices. Not one of the six asked any questions, even though they hadn’t been in on the first procurement, preparation, and ritual. Then something came to mind that stopped Arlo short. He hesitantly thought the question, and the demon howled with laughter.

    “Arlo, you sound like a child that’s been told his birthday has been cancelled! You know very well where the rest of the sacrifice is coming from. Don’t worry though, the kits of your enemies will follow soon enough, but not without the power that the screams and pain and terror of these five will give us.”

    Arlo began to struggle within himself, surprising the demon with his strength. For just a moment, it seemed he might actually win and drive Specaurious from him. Only for a moment, though. The demon reared up in full force and clamped down on the lion’s effort, even going so far as to stop his breathing. Arlo expected to be thrown out of his own body and die. As his consciousness began to fade from lack of oxygen, he heard that jeering voice, as though a whisper.

    “Fear not. Your body would only last a short time with only me in here. I’m going to keep control, but I want you to see and hear and participate, no matter how unwillingly, in every delicious scream and cry and whimper as I torture your children to the point of death, and then sacrifice them to myself.”  

    Arlo watched helplessly through his own eyes as “he” walked into the kitchen and announced, “Junior, Becca, get your things, I’ll drive you to school. It’s much too nasty out for you to wait for your bus.”

    The two cubs finished their breakfast and hurried to comply. Arlo’s wife looked at him strangely when he pecked her on the side of the muzzle as a goodbye kiss. He then ushered the cubs out to his car and got them settled. As he got in and started the car, Arlo screamed silently, trapped in his own body, but forced to watch as a silent spectator. For his part, Specaurious grinned evilly, being careful not to let the cubs see.

# # #

    “Are you sure you want to go in this way?” Kass asked. Jo-Ann was still asleep, as she’d been out with her fellow officers at their sobriety check until well after the battle. Kass had advocated letting her send in the police to rescue the kits. TM had pointed out the danger they would face from the demon and presented his own plan. He nodded affirmatively to Kass. He was again dressed in his black ops outfit, with the duster on over the sword and shotgun. His sidearm rode in its shoulder holster, and the K-Bar in its sheath. The balaclava was in his pocket after his inspection had determined it and his outfit had been washed and dried before they were deposited in his room. Lynne stood by him, also dressed all in black. Her sweater and black jeans fit her snugly, but not enough to restrict her movement. She absolutely would not be dissuaded from going with the tiger.

    “Yes, Kass. With their ranks depleted, they’ll likely do something with or to the missing kits very soon. A group charging in will just let them have time to kill the little ones before they’re taken out or escape. Jo-Ann can have at what’s left after we get the kits to safety and the demon under control. Going in like this will let me work my way in and take out whoever I have to one at a time. Lynne will be my heavy firepower backup, and also help me when we find the kits. They might be very afraid of a big male tiger dressed like a sci-fi designer’s reject, but they’ll usually respond to a femme with a gentle voice.”

    Lynne pulled her dark wayfarers down to make eye contact with the tiger. “Heavy firepower? Now that’s a term I never thought would be used to refer to me.”

    The lightning danced in her eyes, which had changed from the blue they’d been before to what TM could only describe as electric blue. Gwen had suggested she wear dark sunglasses to keep from startling folks until she got the light show under control, but TM thought it made her look like a female Terminator minus the leather jacket. Over her shoulder, Flit came zooming into the room in a blaze of sparks. Tigermark had found he could understand what the air elemental said if he thought in terms of wind making a loud whisper. Gwen came in right behind the little ball of energy.

    “Be safe you two, and bring those kits back home. Flit is ready to lead you to them. I’ll tell Jo-Ann the plan when she wakes up.” Again Gwen embraced Tigermark and then Lynne. She whispered in the skunkette’s ear.

    “Keep control, and remember to ground the energy you don’t use. Here, this will help keep you from overloading.” Gwen fastened a necklace of hematite stones around Lynne’s neck. When she released her cousin, Lynne winked at her and pushed her sunglasses up. The two figures in black walked out the door and got in Lynne’s car. Flit had disappeared for a moment, but then appeared again inside the car, minus all the sparking.

     “That way,” the whispery voice sighed. Lynne looked at the little elemental quizzically. How could a ball indicate a direction? Flit bounced in its way of laughing, and then formed into a curling billow that blew out in a way that indicated the direction they needed to go. Tigermark grinned and waved a paw.

     “Thataway, out there.”

   Lynne put the car in drive and pulled away from the Coona home. For good or ill, her first mission as a Warrior of the Light was on.

# # #

    The distant sound of a door closing woke Dale up from the nightmare he’d been having. He and his two companions had rigged over a dozen tricks and traps in the hallways and offices, and even a couple out in the main warehouse. Those were in addition to the one they’d prepared in the air duct they’d escaped through. To him, the find of an old tackle box and its supply of fishing line and hooks had been invaluable. Their plan was to hole up in their hideout until all the yelling and noise from their traps stopped, and then make a break for it. They’d found an outside door, and had peeked out, but the neighborhood the warehouse was in looked both run-down and scary in the dark. They hoped that in the daytime, there might be more traffic and someone would see them running from whoever wasn’t tangled up or incapacitated by their tricks. At best, if they could make it to a store or gas station, they could call their parents or the police.

    Dale listened intently as he gently awakened Janie and Bennie. They were a bit groggy, as their work had kept them busy until the wee hours. It was quiet for a bit, but then they heard the television in the office where the boxer had sat go on. Apparently, no one was going to check on them yet. They set about getting ready to burst from their hiding place and run for the nearby exit as soon as they got the chance. Dale considered going ahead right then, but he was afraid they’d run out and right into one of their captors.

    “Are you two ready to run when I say?” he asked in a low voice.

    “Yeah, hey, we really set some good traps, didn’t we?” Janie replied a bit nervously. She wasn’t too keen on how they all might work.

    “Really good. How about you?” he asked Bennie. The kit grinned.

    “I wanna see ‘em work! They won’t know what happened.”

    Dale grinned in return. “I think you enjoyed that a little too much. Remember, we have to run as soon as we hear the uproar.”

    “Ah okay,” he replied disappointedly.

    They ate a little bit more of the stale candy as a breakfast as they waited. In a while, they heard the door again and a bit of commotion as what sounded like a number of furs came in. They waited and listened. Then they heard more of a commotion, and then a shout of, “Hey! They’re gone!” That was quickly followed by the distinct thuds and noises of the booby trap they’d set in the air duct being tripped. Dale was about to get them running for the exit when they heard it. The clear, terrified wail of a little femme.

    Dale looked at Janie and Bennie. They returned his stunned look. Their kidnappers had brought in another child.

    “Aw crap!” he managed to say before the sound of the other traps being set off began.

End of Chapter 9

 

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