Hi, Hello and welcome to a new fanfiction coming straight out of that den of depravity, I so lovingly call my mind. But jokes and insanity aside, I welcome you once more normally to my latest fic, 'Forlorn Hearts and Kindred spirits', my second fic I've decided to realease upon you, my dear readers. This fic follows the lives of two of my OC's and their struggles. There is and will be, like mentioned in the summary, a plethora of swearing and atrocious acts, so readers discretion is advised. Also some familiar Charackters may appear throughout the story if the opportunity presents itself. so without much further ado, enjoy and please leave a review.
-S
Disclaimer: Any pre-owned properties belong to their respective owners, so so keep those lawsuits away from me!
"Great", I huffed as I saw the next patron enter the Drunken Lullabies Pub I worked in. My coworker Tess, a small-spotted genet, lifted an eyebrow as she cleaned a glass, making it ready to be filled with alcoholics again, "what'cha grumblin' about?" She asked. I threw my head descreetly at the hooded and bundled up patron approaching the bar.
"It's one of those disgusting furless creatures." I told her scoffing, "at least this one has the decency to hide it's ugly muzzle". Tess frowned. Sure, She didn't know why I loathe those... humans but that doesn't give her the right to judge my opinion. "Just try not put'er off too much, 'kay?" She told me and turned to a pair of ferrets that clambered onto the bar's stool, leaving me to deal with that abhorrent creature.
It took a seat on one of the free barstool discarding the guitar case from it's back. "Hello, what can I get you.", it came out of my mouth automatically, this damn human wasn't worth to loose my job over. It waved at me, "good evening, miss, could I have a glass of that blueberry liquor, please?" Came the humans feminine voice from under her hood. I nodded stoically, at least it's not a male one. Getting one of the dustiest glasses i could find i poured her desired drink and set it down infront of her uncaringly, "12 zoolars" i told her a tad too rude. The human nodded and rummanged with those ghastly paws around in her pockets. Finally she fished out a twenty and handed it over, "Thank you and keep the change, cheers!" She said cheerfully, lifting the glass to her obscured mouth.
How dare that insolent little shit? Flaunting her cheerfulness? Rubbing it into my face and telling me to keep the change, like i was a beggar. I could strangle her right now but i reeled myself in, deciding to just seethe beneath my indifferent facade. She bowed down to her guitar case and pulled out a quite battered book out of it, along with a mechanical pencil and an eraser. Gingerly setting aside her bevereage to create space for the book she had opened to a blank space she began to doodle away, humming along to the music that was currently on, bobbing her head to the beat, ignoring everything around her.
Rolling my eyes at the human drawing, i turned to tess, "I'm out for a smoke..." i told her and she nodded in turn. Ditching my apron on the way out and grabbing my jacket i left the pub from the front entrance. I breathed in the crisp night air while pulling out a cigarette wedging it between my lips, lighting it and taking a long deep drag from the cancer stick but even that couldn't ease my mind nor my anger right now. That stupid human had invaded my mind like a prion. This vile thing, prancing around, shoving her carelessness into everybodys faces, not caring if someone had fucking suffered at the paws of one of their own.
"but she couldn't probably know what happened to me nor my mum" spoke that little voice in the back of my head but i didn't care, those creatures were all the same. A fit of laughter echoing through the desserted streets, yanked me out of my angry thoughts and shoved me right back into my hatred. Three more humans rounded the corner, one female and two male, not wearing any hoods, showing of their furless faces and grinning like the dumb pieces of shit they are. So before they passed me, i flicked my cigarette end onto the street and went for the door but those insufferable pricks shoved themselves past me into the pub.
As i entered and got rid of my jacked, i was just in time for something that should be expected by these brutes, the three humans had gone up to the lone girl sitting quietly at the bar. "Loo-kie here guys, if it isn't the forlorn freak!" The biggest of them said. Said freak shrank away on her stool while the other two grinned and giggled at what the guy said, while she shoved her sketchbook into her guitar case and tried for a hasty retreat out of their reach and probably out of the pub but the red furred human male tripped her, causing the human to land flat on her stomach with an audible 'oof'. Serves that cunt right, being humbled like that. I had almost joined in on the humans laughter but caught myself as she had scrambled up back on her feet and stormed out.
The three humans laughed, hollering a myriad of coloured insults after her but that died down rather quickly, as the hulking form of our bouncer, Zahn, stomped over. He is a behemoth of a tiger, easily towering over the three and despite his usually calm and quiet demeanor, he Gets quite furious if he witnesses any and all bad behaviour on his shift. "Out." Came his simple demand. The leader, leaned back, elbows on the bar, starring up at zahn, "aw, c'mon big guy, it was all harmless fun"
"I said: out", he said, putting a harsh emphasis on the out. Three scoffs were his response and with that they shuffled towards the exit, glaring at the onlooking patrons on their, intentionally slow way out. I sighed again, while wiping down the glass the human had used. Zahn had resumed his position near the door. "Somethin' tha matter keira?" Tess asked frowning at me.
"Zahn should have let them fight, the sooner they destroy themselves, the sooner all can go back to normal again." I said shrugging, trying to play down the collousness of my own words. Tess made a face like she'd bitten into a lemon, "that's an awful ting ta say, keira." She commented disapprovingly at my choice of words but i convinced myself that even she knew how destructive those humans were, even to their allies. You just have to read about the veiled riots in the history books, hell, since those demons appeared it's been nothing but trouble. We didn't speak much for the rest of our shift, only if one of us took a break or anything work related.
It was a tired me that came home tonight, having to deal with humans always made me tired and angry. My mom had already turned in for the night. No wonder, she still suffered from the riots aftermath. She'd been on their side, wanting to liberate the humans from hiding themselves like that one did today. It was no surprise that they turned on us, well, turned on her and those that wanted to help. They broke her, had beaten her to the brink of death but momma's strong, she had a daughter at home that needed her after all.
My blood began to boil again. We, me and my... father, were too poor to get her the proper care she needed. So that brought me to my current point in life, a school dropout, working in a deadend job, just so my father hadn't to scrounge up and turn every penny he earned a hundredfold. The thought of my father made my boiling blood run cold insantly. He had... changed since my moms injury. He began working later and later, spending as much time away from home as he could. But... that wasn't what made me fear the mammal i shave have been able to trust with my life. No, it was far more vile than that.
I jumped slightly as i heard the telltale sound of a key scraping against a lock. Thierry Whitecoat, my father and tormentor had arrived home. Like me, he had white fur that was common to arctic foxes this time of year. He had a sour expression on his muzzle as he threw his bag on the couch that marked the border of the living room and the kitchen where I currently stood, rooted to the ground, watching him fearfully. It took some moments for him to spot me but like allways, he did.
Without even a greeting, he was upon me, grabbing me by the scruff of my neck, dragging me over to the couch as silently as he could. I didn't fight back, it never did me any good whenever I did. So i did what i did whenever he had his way with me, i steeled myself and just... let it happen. I winced internally as his claws scraped against my insides. It hurt. Not physically, was used to his trearment by now anyway, but mentally. This was the mammal who was supossed to protect me, someone I could trust but I suppose Karma has it out for me pretty badly.
Before long, he was finished with me, rolling off me and onto his back. I felt filthy and sick to my stomach. He hadn't used a condom again, at least he made me take contraceptives, so i felt his gunk slowly running down my legs as i made my way over to the bathroom to get cleaned up. My father was fast asleep as i came back out of the bathroom. Oh how I wish i could just sink a knife into his chest but... that would only hurt my mother in the long run. The only thing I could do now was endure.
Slipping into my mothers bedroom silently, i laid down besides of her and nuzzled up to her. I cried silently until sleep finally claimed me.
The next few weeks were basically the same with the only difference that this stupid human decided to come by every night. Only staying away from the pub whenever I had my free days. It was hard not to lash out at her, sitting there, flaunting that carelessness around like a trophy. She even had the audacity to strike up conversations with me. She asked me how I was everytime she saw me, asking me about what kind of music I liked or if i had any preference in drinks. That daft cunt didn't get my hint, she kept blabbering on, even with my desintrested and dismissive behaviour. At least tess comended me for being civil with her.
But all those days ended the same. i came home, ate the meal my mom had so painstakingly made for me and him. Then came the violations, followed by me showering, crawling into bed to my mother and cry myself to sleep. The only days that gave me a semblance of normalcy were my days off. I'd spend my mornings with my mom lounging around the appartment, sometimes i went to run some errands for her, like buying groceries, pay the bills at the local post office and so on.
"Keira, could you be a dear and go fetch some eggs? And some bread, we're all out of it." My mother said as she limped into the kitchen supported by a walking frame. "Sure" i answered, wincing slightly as she let out a low whine in pain. Helping her to the couch, i immediately started placing various things near her as she was comfortably sitting on the couch. The TV remote, a couple of books a glass and a pitcher full of water, all so she didn't have to strain herself to get them herself.
"I-I'll be right back okay?" I told her putting on my coat, she simply smiled, "take care" she said softly. And with that I was out. I had to readjust the collar of my coat to shield myself against the stinging cold wind blowing over from tundratown. Sure, i'm an arctic fox but that doesn't mean I'm immune to the harsh cold wind blowing through the streets.
After walking down siltway avenue, the main street this district got its name from, i came across someting, no, someone that instantly ruined my entire day. There on the corner of oxhorn street and siltway avenue sat that annoying human, playing on her guitar, singing about a guy named joe and how said guy shot his wife. Typical, i thought to myself, one of the most destructive creatures, singing about death in public. She probably didnt feel any shame about it.
I was about to hastily pass her, hoping that she wouldn't recognize me. Most humans couldn't tell apart one mammal from the other, they looked all the same for them. But she noticed, if her straightening up as i approached was any indicator, "oh hey, hello, miss whitecoat!" She exclaimed cheerfully as ever, hastily putting away her instrument, slinging the case it rested in over one shoulder and joined me on my trek to the sunny valley convenience store.
"I'd never thought I'd meet you out in the street!" She jibbered on, completely oblivious to read my souring mood. She followed me like a duckling it's mother into the store. I was temporarily spared from her verbal onslaught as she striked up a conversation with the cashier at the check out. It was a coyote, about my age, maybe a bit older. They were a tad too familiar to each other but i gnored their banter in favor of bagging my purchases and get the fuck away from this maddening human. But again karma, the bitch she was, had other plans. As she said a quick bye to the jackal and called after me to wait up.
She was silent, to my relief, on my way back. It didn't last long however. "So... uh.. could.. I treat you t-to a cuppa coffee?" I don't know what came over me at that exact moment but I spun around facing her obscured visage, snarling at her, "would you just shut up?" I yelled. She reacted immediately with a yelp, backpedalling. Was i that terrifying? I mean she was half a head taller than i was. But i discarded any thought of civility, "Or better yet, fuck off and leave me the fuck alone"
The human, Samantha i suddenly recalled her name, took another step back, visibly trembling in that oversized coat and hood of hers and without another word she turned around and shuffled away. Huffing, proud at myself that I scared that fuckwad away at last, i turned back around and made my way back home, ignoring the stunned mammals around me. Still I heard some mutter how horrible I've treated that creature. Eventually i arrived back home, picking up the mail on my way up. Some overdue bills, some notice of repairs around the appartment complex and of course spam. My mom was reading, as i entered the apartment, while some cooking show was on the TV to provide her some background noise.
"Back already?" She asked while i put away the eggs and bread. I didn't notice how short my venture was, it usually took me longer but I guess trying to get away from unwanted company does get your feet into gear. "I... just wanted to be back fast. It's gotten cold outside", i lied as i sat down beside her. "Is everything alright, dear?" She asked, scooting closer to me. Mothers and their uncanny sixth sense to know how their kits feel.
I wanted to tell her all, about how I regret dropping out of school, my ever growing hatred towards humans and those who treated them as they would anyone else. And... what her own husband had done to me these past few years. But i didn't, "Just tired from work, had a lot of patrons these past weeks." I hated to lie to her, it made me feel worse than i already am.
She gave me a sidways hug and we ended up staying that way, her reading her book and me lazily watching the two otters cook. Soon for the first time in a long while, i fell asleep without needing to cry myself to sleep.
I awoke to the sun glaring into the apartment through the window, it has to be early afternoon if she cold shine in here. Looking around me i noticed that my mother wasn't besides me anymore. Getting off the couch slowly, i stretched and yawned extensively not remembering when i've got a decent nights sleep. Dragging my tired body over to the fridge, i saw my reflection in the dull aluminum surface of it and froze. I didn't remember undressing yesterday. A sense of dread and anger overcame me as i looked down on my body. Sure enough, i found myself standing in the kitchen completely nude. He couldn't possibly this audacious, could he?
I moved my paw down my crotch, and found my pubic fur all crusted up, some parts were still wet. "That bastard" i barked out. He didn't even shy away when I'm sleeping. "I'm going to end that son of a bitch", i growled marching right over to the bathroom to cleanse myself of his filth. Karma be damned, I've just awoken and my day had already gone down the drain, thanks dad. After a thorough shower, i peeked into my mothers room. She was still asleep, her Chest rising up and down steadily. Sighing in relief I closed the door again. I didn't want her to see me right now, or how i was earlier, so i've wrote her a note saying I had to head over to my coworker Tess' place before work and sneaked it into her room, setting it down on the nightstand beside her bed.
Grabbing my messenger bag i soon found myself walking the same route i took yesterday, completely forgetting that this would lead me right into samanthas arms. 'Great job you dumb fox, why don't you go running right infront of a moving train while you're at it?' I thought to myself as i saw the sitting form of that one mammal i didn't have the patience to be around. She, however completely ignored me, plucking at the guitarstrings pensively.
Did she finally get it through her thick head that i wanted nothing to do with her? I desperately hoped so. Samantha didn't move, nor did she call after me as i passed. It did improve my mood quite a bit. I kept on walking around the block, i had some time to kill after all, so i did what anyone would do, windowshopping. Well mainly clothes I couldn't even dream to posses amongst other luxury items. Silt didn't offer up much, it being a district with one of the lowest household income in this godforsaken city.
Time for work eventually rolled by. I walked into Drunken Lullabies, a few minutes after we're officially open to find all in it's usual spot, zahn by the door being ever vigilant, tess was already behind the bar, the two ferret regulars on their stools and to my utter dismay, samantha had shown up too. She meekly waved in my direction and i did my best to ignore her while i prepared for my shift by discarding my coat, walking around the bar and donning my apron.
Samantha had her sketchbook on the bar again, she must have been drawing before i arrived. Like a robot i poured her a drink, into our dustiest glass. I just didn't want to hear that girls grating voice, so after she handed over her usual twenty zoolar bill, i quickly busied myself with restocking and other minor things. Minutes turned into a couple of hours but she didn't move, not even touching her beverage. Just sat there staring seemingly at nothing.
"I'm sorry..." came samanthas voice from under her cowl as i drew too near to her, that darkened void, that was supposed to be her face, directed at me. "I'm sorry i-if, i-i annoyed you yesterday" she continued as she had finally garnered my attention, which wasn't all that good for her today.
"I just thought we... i j-just thought, we were k-kinda fr-iends..." i glared at her imediately, "oh and what made you think, i'd ever consider being friends with you?" The human shrank back even more, which is quite a feat considering the fact taht she isn't as tall as some of her average sized bretheren. "B-but you w-were so nice to me... and... an- " was her weak reply before i cut her off and just let loose, "nice? NICE!? I tried my hardest to ignore you the past month!" I threw my arms up, "but no, you dragged your dumb ass right back the next day, not getting the hint that, I will never, ever consider you worth talking to or being your friend."
I didn't care if the other were horrified by my display of poor behaviour. I just wanted her gone, litarally dissapear from the face of the planet, "so, I'll tell you one last time, fuck off and leave me alone" it felt good, to unload my frustration. Samanthas head hung low, she got up from her stool grabbed her guitar and with a subdued sob she finally went away. For good hopefully.
However, my satisfaction was shortlived as i felt two tiny paws shove me. It was tess and even if she was a tad smaller than me, she still looked frieking intimidating wirh all those spots, like a tiny leopard, "what's yer fuckin' problem 'Ira?" She was ready to tharsh me in the worst ways immaginable but she kept had forgone that option and just kept ranting at me, "ye can't jus' go 'round treatin' mammals like tha', even if ye don't like 'em. Some some fuckin' mammalian decency."
Okay, yeah... i may have overreacted a bit and i was mature enough to admitt that i'm wrong, "sorry... tess, it won't happen again." She just rolled her eyes with a sneer, "oh blow it out yer ass, 'ira, it's not me ye have ta 'pologize to, 'ts that poor girl ye litterally massacred infront of all of us." She sighed, deflating but still visibly agitated, "yer just lucky I ain't yer boss or i would'ave told *ye* ta fuck off."
I nodded, getting more and more ashamed with myself but i also felt tired, i expended all my energy on my little outburst. A black sheen caught my attention as I resumed working. It was samanthas sketchbook, sitting there on the bar in all it's battered glory. Picking it up, that little voice in the back of my head immediately played with the thought to just throw it into the trash but two problems would arise, one, tess would actually kill me and two, after that shit show just now, i havn't got the heart to do such a thing. And besides, tess was probably staring at me with narrowed eyes as to what i did to the book.
But my natural curiosity made itself know as i just took a peek at the first page. I was stunned, ther on the page were a cast of mammals, eight to be exact. It was drawn like those drawings a kit would make of their family, just with the difference that this kit could actually draw, like, really well. Seven of the mammals were coyotes and the eight mammal was her, if the 'me' written neatly beneath her was any indication, without hood. But it was still kind of hard to make out her exact features, being drawn so small. The others had things like, 'mom', 'dad' and 'brother' brother written beneath them. All of them did something in this picture. 'Mom' had a warm smile on her lips wearing an apron and holding a steaming cooking pot.
'Dad', was dressed in police uniform. I groaned. Her, obviously adoptive father, was a damn cop. Great and I was just being a specisist fuck not fifteen minutes ago. Sighing at my growing list of problems and potential ones, i turned the page. It was a written page which i disregarded for the sake of privacy, even if it piquing my interest. I wouldn't be too happy if someone went over my cellphone and read all the text.
The first few drawings were portraits of various mammals with different expressions. There were even full body drawings, depicting various situations in life. Like her 'brother', i now remebered as the cashier at sunny valley's, leafing lazily through a magazine. At some point, the book took a sudden, dark turn. A tiny human kit, sat amidst a dark pool seeping out of two human bodies lying around her. Jeez, what's up with that, it looked far too... real to be a figment of imagination, it was too detailed. Even the best paintings i've seen didn't look this real, there was always something.. unreal to it, i guess?
It didn't get better from then on. Drawings of death, torment and suffering dominated the pages. Everything, ranging from demons tearing away at a mouthless mammals body from decaying corpses, was in thos little book. It got harder and harder to turn the pages but my curiosity was in full overdrive. There were five pages left, turning it, i recoiled at what she'd drawn. Her... adoptive family laid in a room, slaughtered, torn to pieces while samantha stood in the doorframe, face contorted in agonizing horror at the scene unfolding before her. Fitting to the scene, it was titled, 'fear of a new dawn'.
I had to turn the page, i couldn't bear to look at it anymore. To see that kind of torture, even if fictional, left me sick to my stomach. Luckily there were only two drawings in total left now. So i turned the page hastily and blinked, staring at a unblinking picture of myself. Yes, you heard right a picture of me. Well tess' tail was at the edge of the frame but it depicted me primarily, standing behind the very bar i was now, pensively cleaning a mug.
Baffled i took a closer look at, well, myself. Nothing was out of place, she didn't even forget to add the four tiny dots of dark gray fur that were randomly placed on my face. Now i wondered just waht she had written on the next page but as soon as i saw the next page, i instantly wished i didn't. It was marred by tearstains, that blurred out some of the text. But it didn't really matter since it was the same line over and over again.
'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.'
For the first time in what felt like eternity, i felt a sense of clarity. All my actions had most likely snuffed out her only light of twisted sanity. It was quite obvious, really, that After all those dark and vile drawings, she portrayed me like some kind of saint.
I never noticed that the book fell out of my hands but i did hear what came out of my mouth next.
"What have I done."