Chapter 1 - the first 24 hours

I must have had a great time at the bar, I don't even remember how I got here. This definitely isn't my house-I can tell without even opening my eyes. The bedding smells like downy fresh and pine needles. I don't even remember the last time I changed my sheets. They could probably walk themselves to work for me. If I had a job to go to. I'll just put that on the list for Monday. Change my bedding, and get a job. Maybe I'll add laundry and food shopping. Man, so much adulting to do.

'Lotta smells in here, I almost feel like I can smell them individually. I really hope someone didn't spike my drink with something. The lights are out and the blinds are drawn, but somehow the room feels lit. Like being outside during a full moon.

Now that I'm looking around The room is medium sized, a 42 inch tv mounted on the wall over a dresser. Door to the left side of the dresser. Two windows on the right, with the blinds drawn but light is pouring in from the edge. Must be day outside. This clock says 3:30am, either the clock is wrong or I'm tripping balls. Well, tripping balls or not, I better slip out this bitch's house before she wakes up and wants to cuddle, or worse, talk.

I start to carefully sit up. My body feels weird... I don't know how to describe it, it's like I'm wrapped in cotton. I can't feel my boxers on my skin, but when I reach down with my hands I can definitely feel fabric there. It's just the drugs.

I feel something move next to me. I could hear the bedding rustle and it was louder than I'd expect.

A weight shifted next to me, and I carefully roll over to see what I'm working with. Please, please don't be ugly as sin.

Oh, she has a dog, aren't you a big girl? I love dogs. I reach out to stroke her face. She lurches forward licking me right in the mouth. I bring up my hands to ward her away from my face. I'm startled by a woman's voice "What's the matter?"

Well, cats out of the bag now. I sit up in bed, "Nothing. I just didn't know you had a dog," I reply, looking for the source of this voice. "What's a dog?" I swear to God, this dog's mouth moved when I heard the voice. I squint and look at her... how do I know it's a her? Her face does look clearly female somehow. "You don't know what a dog is?..." I raise my hands to rub my eyes, they look off. My hands... I only have 3 fingers and a thumb on each hand. I look up and this dog is looking at me peculiarly. "Are you ok?" She says. Yes, that dog is definitely talking to me. "I don't... what did you put in my drink last night?" I say while examining my hands. "Just honey and lemon, the way you like?" She extends her own 3 fingered hands, paws, and grasps mine. She shifts up and sits on her...knees? Even in this low light, I can tell she's wearing some kind of sleeveless pj's. "Are you ok?" She brings her face close to mine and seems to be looking in my eyes. "No, I fucking am not!" I shift my legs under myself and take a shimmy step back, falling off the bed. "Oh my gosh!" She yells. I scurry to my feet and open the first door facing me, fuck! It's a closet! Next door, short hallway, I can see a medicine cabinet from here. I bolt in and close the door behind myself locking it. I rest my back against it and feel a sharp pain in my butt crack. I reach back and feel an appendage. I feel the appendage, and I feel the appendage feeling my 3 fingered hand. I'm fucking freaking out! Did I step into a bathroom? Groping a wall, I feel a light switch. I quickly flick it on and regret that decision immediately. As the light pulses on, it feels like I just looked into a million suns exploding. "Fuck!" I curse, and cover my eyes. The blinding light makes me recoil into a wall. I noisily run my hand-paws along the wall, trying to find the light switch. I do, and it has a dimmer switch. I dim the lights and open my eyes. My heart is jack hammering in my chest. I'm standing in front of a mirror, my eyes slowly focus. My heart drops into my stomach and I nearly shit it out. I raise my hand-paw, and the image in the mirror follows suit.

I'm a dog, or more likely a wolf. Little triangular ears stick out the top of my head, my face is a white that extends down my muzzle and chest. The fur on my head is longer around my neck to my shoulders, giving me a sorta charcoal grey mane, with it getting darker in the middle of my head and outer edge of my ears. I run my paws through my fur, it's white underneath, grey/brown in between, and then black on the outside, I'm darker on my back and hips, but white all on my underside. There is a strip of black in the shape of a "W" across my face, near my eyes. It looks like I am wearing a mask. I open my mouth to show myself my rows of sharp teeth. I examine my paws, the palm and insides of my fingers have black textured pads, and my fingers end in little black claw tips. My eyes aren't even the color of my eyes anymore, they are hazel with flecks of amber. I stop, and think... "Either I'm drugged or dreaming...or both!"

My thought process is interrupted by a knock at the door. Fuck, I straight up forgot about her. "Are you ok, in there?"

"Uh, yes! I'm great," I hear a click-did she have a key? The door starts to open, and I look around nervously. I stand there, leaning against the wall, trying to find a good position for my arms. I settle on arms crossed. "Hi." I smile trying to disarm her with my legendary charm, but deep down I know I'm failing.

She steps into the light, slightly shorter, much darker than myself. Amber eyes, her feature are similar to myself, but thinner, more feminine. Her dark fur is pitch black, almost entirely. She just has slightly lighter colored fur around her eyes, hands and feet. She's wearing a pink slip, and moving slowly, reminiscent of how I would approach a wild animal.

"Are you sure you are ok?" She says sounding concerned.

"I'm good, I promise," she walks toward me, "did you have a bad dream?"

"Umm, yeah". I nod enthusiastically "I had a nightmare, but I'm awake now, so I'm good." Am I though?

She looks at me oddly, and turns around walking out of the bathroom. "Ok, well, I'm going back to bed."

Ok, I'm out of here! Wait... where am I going? It's cool, I got this!I think talking to yourself is the first sign of impending madness. I step out of the bathroom and start looking for my pants. I hear a sigh, "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for my pants."

"They are in the hamper."

I stand in one place and scan the room, if I was a hamper where would I be?

She sounds more annoyed, "What are you doing, now?"

"I'm looking for the hamper."

"Ok! I'm calling Dr. Grover!" I look over and see her getting out of bed, looking clearly annoyed.

"No, no, I'm fine." I clasp my hands.

"You're bumping around. You're acting funny, talking funny. You are making me worried and a little mad."

I rush over to her, and try to calm her, "I'm fine, I'm probably just super tired, and need to sleep. If I'm still wrecked in the morning, we can call Dr. Rover"

"Grover," she corrects.

"Yes, yes." I crawl back onto the bed and lay on the left side. I pat the right side, and she reluctantly walks around to the right side of the bed and lays down, bundling herself in blankets. She shifts around to face me and looks at me. I roll over to face her. "You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, of course, why wouldn't I?"

"Good, I love you." She leans in and kisses my cheek. I didn't notice till now, but she smells nice, like Peach blossom. She seems to hesitate for a moment, "I love you too." I say reluctantly, she seems to relax at that, and close her eyes.

I close my eyes. With any luck, when I open them again I'll be in my bed, or the bed of some bar fly. I open my eyes. I'm still here, I take a deep breath. She grasps my arm, pulling it over her and shimmies her butt into me, forcing me to spoon her. My heart flutters a bit in my chest. I close my eyes, I don't think I slept that well in 5 years.

I wake up and run my hand on the bed feeling for a body next to mine. No one is there, but I can feel warmth. I open my eyes and look at my hand. Nope, still paws, still a wolf.

I sit up and stretch, it just occurred to me. I don't know this girl's name. Ok, I feel like I hear the tv. I focus, and the sound of the tv becomes more clear. Sounds like the news... and the sound of something sizzling... is that bacon? I can smell it from here. My mouth starts to water, I consciously swallow to prevent myself from drooling.

Ok, first, Recon! I quietly slip out of bed. I open the drawers of her night stand. I shuffle through her things, no wallet or ID. Thinking back, my last girlfriend always left her wallet in her purse, and the purse was always in the kitchen. I wonder where my stuff is... I must have a wallet and car keys or something. I search the bathroom, two sinks side by side with fold out medicine cabinets and vanity light strips over the mirrored cabinet doors. The left vanity has a tooth brush, some kind of comb/brush kit , and some scented spray. I sniff it, the odor reminds me of sea breeze or the shore.

The other side must be her's, it has similar accoutrements, but more bottles of scents. One of which is peach blossom. And opposite the sinks is a walk in shower with glass door.

There are two more interior doors in this bathroom. One leads to a toilet room, and the other to a decent sized walk in closet. Half the closet has masculine cloths and the other feminine. I'm going to assume I live here with this woman. Which will make not knowing her name much harder to explain. Or I'm a home-wrecker, and all this stuff is some other dude's.

Well, I need to pee. I'll worry about being a home-wrecker later. I go into the toilet room and drop my shorts. Hmm, that looks different. It's like my body has a built in carry case for my junk. I pull back on the skin and a pink tip pokes out. Ahh man... I have a gross dog wiener.

After a few attempts and pissing on every inch of the bathroom. I master this bad dog wiener and can reliably hit the middle of the toilet. Well, semi-reliably, only took half a roll of toilet paper to clean up my mess. That smells REAL pungent, I look under the sink for some cleaner and find some orange all-purpose spray. Well that's the rest of the toilet paper.

I go into the walk in closet and find what must be my hamper. I root through it and find some pants with a wallet...my wallet. With a picture that looks like my wolf-self, date of birth is April 24, 1986. I wonder what year it is now? It is 2020, last I checked. So I'm 34? Or, for all I know, I'm 4 years old and I'll die of old age by time I'm 13.

My name is Kyle Wulfric. Ok...so at least I know who I am. Couple bucks in the wallet, 2 credit cards. Some change and a ring? I look at my paws again. There is a ring of fur on my right pinky finger that is discolored slightly lighter than the surrounding fur. I slip on the ring, and look at that, a perfect fit.

Then it dawns on me-we're married?! I can't even count how many of my relationships ended because I didn't want to get that serious, and now I wake up in a new body and I'm married.

No, not a new body. Someone else's body. Ahh man, I feel a knot in the pit of my stomach. I sink to sit on a chair, but there is none, so I just plop on my butt.

I can't dwell on this now, I can wallow later.

I get back on my feet, I grab some slacks and a button down shirt. The slacks had a slot for my tail to poke through, with a button closure above it. Even the shirt had a slit up the back so I could tuck it in without getting bunched up on my tail.

I look for shoes, but I don't see any in this closet. They are probably by the front door or something.

I leave the bathroom and head to the next unexplored door.

The door opens up to a little hallway, door on the left, two on the right. I can explore later, that bacon is calling my na-new name.

The hall opens to a living room, kitchen, and what appears to be the front door left to the tiny kitchen. There is a grey microfiber couch and love seat in the living room facing a 54 Inch TV, with a wooden coffee table that's definitely seen better days. It's all scratched and weathered.

Behind the couch is a big window.

The TV is on and it seems to be playing a cartoon, this world's version of Sesame Street. There is a sheep talking to a lion, singing some gay song about friends not being food.

"G'morning, come have some Big Fat Surprise," a familiar, female voice calls to me. "Before this little monster eats it all up, nom, nom, nom." As she tickles a wolf toddler-puppy He looks like he's 3-4 maybe, he has what looks like a bacon strip in each paw.

Fuck, now I need to figure out his name too, and something tells me I can't root around in his purse to find his driver's license. Do they have driver's licenses here? I sure am presuming a lot.

"Oh, hey!" I wave awkwardly, immediately regretting it. I walk from the hall, through the living room, into the kitchen. That was an awkward distance to travel after waving. I try by best to appear suave and nonchalant, I can tell from her look I'm failing.

"So, I hope you don't mind, I called work and requested the day off for you. I thought you might not be feeling well. You must have needed the sleep, you never sleep this late." I can feel her studying me with her big amber eyes. "Can you please watch him for a minute? I need to use the bathroom."

"Sure thing," I smile to disarm her, but it falls flat.

I look at this little wolf covered in bacon grease. "What's up, sir?" He just looks at me, shoveling food in his face.

I watch the female wolf disappear down the hall, and have a great idea. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Daddy! I'm Gavin," that was easier than I thought. How about 2 for 2?

"Oh yeah-I forgot. Do you know her name?" I point where the female went.

He nods enthusiastically "Mommy,"

"No, I mean her real name."

He looks at me, his head tilts to the left than the right.

"Her, real name?" I clarify.

"Mommy." Ok, this isn't going anywhere. I can't waste anymore time trying to interrogate a toddler.

"Can I have some juice?"

I look around the kitchen

"Yeah, go ahead."

Score! There it is hanging from a hook next to the door.

I quickly dart around the counters and grab the purse off the hook, my eyes dart between the hall and my prize. I can't find a wallet or ID or anything, just wet naps, makeup, and a sippy cup. Damnit, no sooner do I lament my failure then I hear a clunk and splash. I walk back into the kitchen and see a 2 liter carton on the floor, still pumping out its contents into a rapidly growing puddle. Gavin is standing there with a paw full of wadded paper towel.

"What happened here?" I guess he doesn't have the strength or dexterity to hold 2 liters of juice.

His eyes start to water, I raise the pitch of my voice "oh no, it's ok, just chill, don't get me in trouble with this chick." his lower lip quivers, and while I have zero experience with children, I feel like a quivering lip is the 3 second warning before he melts down. Quickly, I open the freezer and find my target "here, if you don't cry, you can have a fudge pop."

I pull out a pop, and in one smooth motion I draw that pop out of its wrapper, like a samurai master.

His ears perk up and he reaches out for it. I just slip it into his little paw and go about finding the paper towels.

I find half a roll under the sink and some orange all-purpose cleaner. Those fudge pops must be good, by time I look up Gavin annihilated it. The only evidence left is the stick, and of course, the fudge all over his face and shirt.

I nearly cleaned up the juice debacle before my mystery wife returns.

"Did we have an accident?" she grabs a pack of wet naps off the counter and cleans his face and paws with them.

"Yeah, I spilled"

She sniffs the wet nap, and then looks at me with obvious irritation "did you give him a fudge pop?"

"Yeah, he was about to cry, and I figured, I'd bribe him into calmness. It seemed to work."

She shakes her head at me.

"Ok, noted, no fudge pops."

"He has a belly full of bacon, and now fudge. He's going to get a belly ache."

"I apologize, I won't make this mistake again."

She looks at me oddly again, I feel like she looks at me like this a lot.

"So... you look pretty this morning." I smirk at her, maybe I can distract her from my inconsistent behavior with some flattery,

"Oh, thank you." She seems surprised, but unmoved. She wipes her paws on a dish towel hanging from the oven handle.

"What are you doing today?"

"I'm going to work, like every Saturday. But I have a double shift today, I have to leave in an hour."

"A double shift?"

"I promised Caitlyn I'd cover her shift; we need the money anyway, so I agreed."

This could be advantageous, gives me 8 to 16 hours to get my bearings. I don't know her name, or what I do for a living.

I really hope I'm not like, a rocket scientist, or something.

"I'm going go get ready to go," she takes Gavin by the hand and disappears beyond my peripheral vision.

I open the fridge and take an accounting. You can tell a lot about a person from the contents of their fridge. And from this, I can tell we are poor. Fridge is nearly empty, just a box of something called 'Big Fat Surprise'. From the picture it looks like that bacon we had earlier. That's some next level poverty, we can't even afford bacon. Oh, oh no, it's worse than I thought-almond milk, Mycoprotein burgers! We are vegetarian wolves?! Oh that's going to change real quick. Im going to find a grocery and buy some beef and pork!

I turn my attention to the pantry next to the fridge. A box of cereal, Grain-O's, and a few brass jars with what looks like dog biscuits in it. And a shelf with a bunch of clear plastic containers labeled flour, sugar, and other assorted cooking ingredients.

Yep, we are poor. This is starting to feel more like a net loss. I was poor before, but at least I had a meat based diet and booze. Oh god no! I haven't seen any liquor, beer, or wine anyplace here. I start quickly scoping out all the cabinets... damn, nothing.

"What are you looking for?" My wolf wife asks from behind me. I turn to look and she's wearing a white button down shirt, with the sleeves rolled half way up her forearms, black vest, black pants, and no shoes. I guess we are a no shoes in the house kinda family. This looks like her work uniform, but no name tag. Damn.

"Looking for alcoholic beverages,"

"We might have something left in the cabinets over the fridge, who are you having over?" I notice the tip of her tail curls up slightly, maybe that means something? I don't even know why I noticed that.

"No one, I'm just inventorying the supplies," we have a moment of awkward silence.

She shakes her head and takes Gavin by the paw "ok, I'm going to be late, say good-bye to daddy."

No, shit, that toddler knows more about this place than me. Think, think.

"Why doesn't he stay here with me?"

"What are you going to do with him?" She asks, sounding genuinely curious.

I don't know, what do men do with their kids?

"I'll just take care of him, we can bond." She gives me that peculiar look I'm beginning to recognize all too well.

"Oh-Kay, that would be nice. Keep your phone with you. Call me if need anything." She puts her pocketbook on the kitchen counter, and pulls a smaller one I didn't see before out of it. "I'll see you tonight," she gives me a light peck on the lips and walks to the door, pausing briefly before shutting her door.

I stand there for a moment, wondering how far she will get before she realizes she isn't wearing shoes.

Eh, whatever. I turn my attention to her pocketbook, this explains a lot. This pocketbook is like the kid supplies, and she carries a separate one with her stuff in it.

Wait, she said call me...that means I must have a cell phone. God willing, it's a smart phone and I can get a wealth of information from it!

I run to the master bedroom, but stop myself in the hall. My thought process is interrupted by sharp metal rubbing on tile. I sigh. I'm going to be bad at this, I can feel it.

I look back into the kitchen, and Gavin is pushing a chair in front of the fridge.

I do some quick mental math; that chair, plus Gavin's height, multiplied by the arc of the out swinging freezer door, equals a trip to the ER and me sleeping on the couch.

I jog back into the kitchen as Gavin starts climbing onto the chair and pick him up and awkwardly set him on the floor.

"I want a fudge pop, please." I shrug, what's the harm? I hand him a pop still in it's white wrapper.

"Come with me, I need to find my phone,"

I start walking and pause at the hall... again, I look back and he's standing there struggling with the wrapper. God Damnit, I wonder if human kids are this helpless.

I once again return the kitchen "you open it like this, pinch here and here, and voila! It's open." I had him the pop, freed from its wrapper. "C'mon, I need to find my phone."

I find it immediately. On my night stand is a silver phone with black screen, looks like an iPhone3, but instead of an apple, it has a carrot. Even has the bite missing. Let's fire this bad boy up, 4 digit pin code?! Crap. I toss the phone on the bed, that wasn't helpful. I turn towards one of the two windows. The blinds are drawn, and my mind is blown! I'm in some kind of massive city, towering spires, the architecture is grandiose. Reminds me of some of the buildings I've seen in Dubai. I get closer to the window and look at my immediate surrounding buildings. These remind me more of New York City. So, that's where the wealthy people live, and this is where I live. The adjacent building has a bunch of foxes with huge ears BBQing on the roof. I see some other animals I can't identify in the street, looks like cats, dogs I'm pretty sure that one is a badger. I wonder if they have pigs and cows, and if these animals eat each other.

I guess it would make sense that I don't have any real meat products. They probably frown upon eating your neighbor. Just then, a police cruiser blazes by with its lights flashing. Either it didnt have the sirens on, or this building has some great sound proofing. I hear slot machine sounds, "jackpot!" A digital voice says. I turn around to see Gavin has unlocked my phone and he's playing some kind of casino game. I come closer and I see these 3 boxes pop up on the screen. They open one at a time to show game guns, clothes, and ammo. "What did you win?" I ask with genuine interest.

"Better gun, it kills fast," he says, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"How did you unlock my phone?"

He just shrugs.

"Can I see it?"

He pulls it away from me. "I'm not done."

"Yeah, well, that's my phone and I need it," I reach for the phone.

"I'm not done!" And he looks at me with the angriest hazel eyes I've ever seen. "Fine, fuck, I'm not going anywhere keep it," next time he wants a fudge pop, we'll see who wields the power. I sit on the bed next to him and flick on the tv. The resolution sucks, what is this low-res shit?... I scroll through the channels and settle on Zootopia News Network, or ZNN. There is some light grey cheetah, or something, talking about a car accident. Some "predator" beat-up a donkey in the food store. Seems like society is split between different groups, predator and prey.

So, half the people here acknowledge themselves as being food. Maybe I can just order myself a side order of my neighbor. Gavin has set down my phone and he's watching the TV too. "You like watching the cheetah lady?"

"Snow leopard."

"What?"

"She's a snow leopard." Well, aren't you a zoologist. Just occurred to me this city is called Zootopia, I laugh to myself.

"What's so funny?" Gavin asks me.

"Nothing, I was just thinking."

"Secrets are rude." I look at him, who's suppose to be interrogating who here?

"Just something the deer said."

"Moose, that's a moose" he corrects me, looking annoyed. He grabs the TV remote out of my paws and turns it off.

"Good job, it wasn't like I was watching that." I say sarcastically.

"Come on," he grabs my paw and tries to pull me with him.

"No, I'm staying here" just letting my dead weight defeat him.

"Fine, fuck!" He storms out of the room.

I laugh for a second, hearing a little wolf boy say 'fuck' kinda made my day. You know what isn't going to make your day? When he tells that to his mom when she gets home. Ah shit.

I scoot down to the foot of the bed. I start to get up, but Gavin runs back into the room holding a big book that's wider than him. The cover says 'Friends aren't Food', do these people have to fight the urge to eat each other?

He climbs up next to me and opens the first page. There are animals with the name of the animal under it. He points to a lion, "what is that?" He looks at me.

Very funny you little asshole, I know what a lion is.

"Daddy, what is that?" He asks, a little more demanding. I guess I'm taking longer than the emperor over here prefers.

"A lion."

"Good," he smiles at me and points to another animal, looks like a big dog with short back legs and a neck thicker than his head.

"An ugly dog?"

"No, Hyena. Hi-een-ah," he corrects, sounding out the word. I imagine for my benefit.

"You are pretty smart for being 3." I pet his fluffy little head, he's like a cute puppy.

"I'm 5!" He says with an indignant tone.

He points to another animal "what's this one?" Pretty smug for a 5 year old. This goes on, and on, and on, until we finish the book and he looks satisfied that I'm not a complete idiot.

"Thank you, I feel much smarter now," I say with a hint of sarcasm

"You're welcome." he says with a smile, he drops the book and runs out. I get up and walk into the hall, he's already coming back with another big book with cartoon numbers on it. He runs by, grabbing my paw, and leads me back to the bed. Making me sit, he lays the book in my lap and opens it to the first page.

"No, no, I know my numbers."

"Show me."

I'll Show you!

"What's 2 plus 1?" he asks

"3," I say. He holds out his fingers, counting to confirm the accuracy of my statement.

I'll show him who's boss with my college level education "Ok, my turn. What's 4 times 2?"

He counts on his fingers, he holds up 3 fingers on one hand and 3 on the other. I guess people here don't use their thumbs when counting on their paws.

"Six," he says with confidence

"No, 8," I give him a condescending smirk, I think to myself 'Haha! Not so smart, are we?'

He sighs and looks at me, with disappointment so palpable I feel a little bad about myself.

"Your math needs work," he says it like he's reciting from memory,

"Show me how you unlocked my phone," I pickup my phone off the bed. He takes it from my paws and sets it next to himself. "No, first work, then you can play." I've clearly lost control of this situation.

You win this round, "Fine, you win. School me".

He smiles, and the lessons begin. Addition and subtraction. No multiplication or division, but some of this seems pretty advanced for a toddler.

"You're pretty smart, who taught you all this?"

"Mommy."

"What have I taught you?"

"Fuck," he smiles at me, clearly he knows that's a bad word.

"Don't say that word, that's an adult word just for me."

"Why?"

"I told you so. Just don't say it."

"Why?"

I sigh, and point at my phone,

"Can you show me how you unlock my phone?"

He takes it, and I watch him press 1112. Oh my fucking god! I could have guessed and gotten it on the second sequence. I'm glazing over the fact that only an idiot would set his pin code to 1112.

"Good job Gavin.. say... if you had to call mommy, which number would you use?"

He takes the phone and scrolls to the number titled mommy.

"Figures..." I notice the time 5:24 pm! Wow I wasted the whole day doing nothing and I don't know anything I set out to learn.

Let's see if I get any good, informative? Emails. I touch the mail icon and see 4 boxes-personal, pack, work, and junk. I click on the work box. Over a 1,000 emails, and the domain is Apex Industries. Most recent one is from Daryl, the date says today is September 22, 2006. So this world is 14ish years behind mine, and I'm 20. I'm kinda young to have a 5 year old. The email wishes me well, says I have 2 more days of paid sick time, and if I want to use more time I should email him back. I might have to use that.

I start scrolling through my emails looking for more clues into the life I've stolen through no fault of my own, I remind myself.

"I'm hungry," a little voice says

"Ok... Um.. what do you want?"

"Fudge pops!" he says excitedly

"yeah, I think your mom would kill me if I just fed you fudge pops all day." It just occurred to me, isn't chocolate bad for dogs? Maybe it's special, I doubt we would stock something poisonous to us. I've been here for less than 24 hours and it's already 'us'. How quickly the human-ish mind compensates.

"Pizza?"

"Ok, maybe we should go out and get it."

I check the weather in my phone, punching in the town code from my drivers's license. I live in Happytown, maybe my first impression from my window was incorrect. Hmm 54 degrees,

"It's 54 degrees, do you need a jacket?"

He shrugs,

"Ok, I guess I can't count on you to make a decisive decision."

I open the first door on the right from my bedroom and assume this is his room. This room is smaller than mine, with a bunk bed against one wall. The bottom

bunk is a sitting area with a fold out desk attached. Built into the bed frame is a shelf filled with books. Under the bottom bunk are 3 wooden drawers. And on the opposite side of the shelf are stairs leading to the top bunk. I hope he lands on your feet like a cat, because one accidental toss and he is carpet pizza.

There is no closet, but an armoire seems to fulfill that purpose nicely.

And then there are clear plastic stackable totes filled with colorful objects. Toys, probably. I find a zip up sweat shirt and tuck it under my arm. "Where are your sneakers?" I ask Gavin.

"Sneakers?"

"Yeah, the things you put on your feet when you go outside,"

He points to the top shelf of his armoire.

I find two boxes, one had some shiny dress shoes and the other some thick boots that remind me of galoshes.

My wife didn't wear shoes when she left... I lean against the wall and bends my knee so I can examine my foot. The bottom of my feet look like the pad of a dogs foot. I go to the window and look out. We must be on the 4th floor, but I can still tell no one out there is wearing footwear.

"C'mon, sir," I grab some keys off the hook next to the door.

I don't see anything on here that might be a car key, I guess we are walking.

When I step out into the hallway a myriad of smells flood my senses. I can't recognize any of them, but they each feel as unique and easily distinguishable as the colors of the rainbow. They flow around me as I move and leave trails I can see in my mind. I step back into my apartment and they fade away. I examine the door frame, and it seems to have some kind of air blower. This must be why I can't smell the world when I'm inside my place.

Gavin looks at me with a very familiar peculiar look. Definitely gets his mannerisms from his mom.

I start to walk and he grasps my paw, I guess I need to hold his paw in public.

This building is dirty, and above the smell of all the tenants there is this overlaying saturation of odor from fur or dust in the air.

Outside isn't as odious, but the myriad of smells is multiplied many times over. It's almost dizzying, I feel like I can sense where I-this body walked yesterday, and where my wife went earlier today. I consider visiting her at work. I feel like she should be proud of me for not burning the house down in her absence.

"How far? I'm hungry." He pleads.

"I don't know, let me look." I pull out my cell phone and use Zoogle Maps... Zoogle?

Yeah, very clever. Something tells me this animal pun thing is going to be a theme of this world.

I type in pizza and find a place just a few blocks away, called Carter's Pizza.

"It's not far, let's go this way." I lead Gavin by the paw. Aside from my block, most these homes are row homes, with the occasional store squeezed in. I make a mental note of a small grocery a block from my place. Seems like mostly predator type animals live around here. Which makes sense, I wouldn't want to be a pig living around here, when other people would see me as a side of ham. I take a left turn onto the street this pizza joint is on. I see a red coyote in a green bomber jacket standing by a table trying to peddle something, I'm too far to see. My curiosity is peaked, but before I can change my heading.

"I gotta go to the bathroom!" Gavin whines,

"Number 1, or number 2?"

"No, I gotta go poop."

"Why didn't you poop before we left?"

"I didn't have to then, I have to now." his face looks pained. Oh shit, I look around the street. Pizza place is 1 block away.

"C'mon, I'll carry you." I pick him up in both my arms and run.

"You're gonna make me poop." Fuck no, I'm not! I move with more swiftness and control my gait to try and minimize jostling his little bowels.

I put him down just inside the entrance of the pizza place. Looks like badgers own this place, at least I assume since everyone working here is a badger, and they all smell similar, except a weasel dude that's bussing tables.

I spot the restroom, they are towards the front, to the left of the counter.

I move there half dragging Gavin, it's locked!

"Key, KEY please!" I yell to a badger at the front.

"Customers only" he says to me,

"I'm a customer!

"What's your order?"

"I'll place it when we get out, he's going to poop himself!"

"He should have gone before he left,"

"That's what I said, he's a toddler."

"He looks to be older than 3 to me."

"I'm 5!" Gavin says while crossing his legs and bouncing

"Can we discuss this before he poops on your floor?"

Another badger tosses me a key, which I catch and quickly open the door and push Gavin in.

"Help?" His eyes starting to water.

"I gotta help you?" I say in a panic

"Help..." the look in his eyes is so pitiful, god damnit, you owe me one kid.

I help him get his pants down and decipher this rubrics cube of toilet seat inserts so he doesn't fall in. It's a photo finish!

Whew! I feel hot, I start breathing heavy, my tongue sticking out... I'm panting, I guess I pant now.

Then the smell hits me, oof, I've smelled rotting corpses that were less pungent.

"Buddy, what did you eat?" I ask covering my nose with my firearm.

"Fudge..."

I guess I brought this upon myself.

"I need naps," he says,

"Your sleepy?" I can't blame him, I'm ready for a nap too after that adventure.

"No, tissue naps,"

Fuck! I forgot to bring the mommy bag.

"We'll have to improvise," he looks at me and tilts his head, confused?

A whole roll of cheap single ply toilet paper, a little bit of tap water, and a lot of holding my breath. The deed is done, operation clean sweep completed.

I open the door and the first badger is helping a customer.

The second badger speaks, her voice is softer than the other one leading me to assume she's female. But their body types look damn near identical. "Everything workout ok?"

"Yes, thanks. That was a photo finish."

She laughs, "I know how it is, is he your first?"

"You could say that, yes."

"I can tell, what can I get you two?"

"What do you want Gavin?"

"White fish?"

I look at him, pausing...

"Do you have white fish here?"

"I'm afraid not," she says with sympathetic tone.

"Gavin, they don't have fish at a pizza place, what else?"

"Ice cream?" Gavin sags

The badger giggles.

"Ok, you are fired.. can we have 5... I'll just take a whole pie and 2 plates, 2 liter of Coke."

"I'm sorry what? Did you say coke?" She steps back from the counter, concerned. Ut uw, did I just order narcotics at a pizza place?

"No, no, I mean what kind of soda do you have?"

"Oh, we have pop?"

"Yes, I'll have 2 pops."

So they have cocaine. But no Coke beverage. Well, this pop looks just like Coke, even comes in a similar bottle.

"That will be 12.50."

Shit, where I come from, a New York City pizza is like 20 bucks without a drink. I pay her, she hands me the two bottles already opened, with cups and straws.

I sit with Gavin. I see him two handing the bottle and precariously balancing the neck on the lip of the cup. I have a flashback to the juice debacle earlier.

"Let me help you with that, sir."

I pour him a cup, and pop in his straw.

I try to drink from my bottle, but I don't have enough lip to make a seal and I spill some Coke, I mean pop, on myself. I blot it up with some napkins while Gavin laughs at me.

"Your pizza, Mr. Wolf."

"Thank you, Mr. Badger." he passes me the pizza with a grin.

I sit and put a slice on Gavin's plate, and my own.

I fold my slice in one hand, and blow the steam off my slice pausing to let it cool. I casually look up and see Gavin sloppily fold his pizza and try to shove scolding hot cheesy pizza into his mouth. I quickly grab his little wrist, and he drops his pizza whimpering, short, sharp, very loud cries.

I didn't notice this place had so many people in it till now, all eyes are on me, they are whispering, and I can hear it like they are speaking directly to me. Why even whisper if everyone can hear a gnat fart at 50 yards?

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

I examine his wrist as best I can, he doesn't look hurt. But he's covered in fur, he could have a huge bruise for all I know.

He shakes his head.

"Did I scare you?"

He nods, still whimpering.

Well, stop crying like a pussy and man up!

I think to myself, but I say "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just didn't want you to burn your mouth,"

I look at my slice and it looks cool enough to eat.

"Do you want my slice?" I ask softly.

He nods and reaches out for it. This little fucking con artist! Well, whatever makes him shut up, people are staring.

I put my slice in his greedy little paws, and his whining dies down to a sniffle. I take a bite of his slice and fuck! It's still hot. I suck on my straw, using the pop to cool the lava in my mouth.

I look at Gavin and he smiles at me, a little bit of clear snot coming out of his nose. I reach for a napkin. But he licks his nose with his long tongue and wipes his face on his sleeve. I am suddenly feeling less hungry.

I hand him the napkin and glance around the pizza shop. Everyone seems to be minding their own business now. I guess some traits cross all boundaries.

Gavin polishes off 1 slice and some of a second. I eat the rest of Gavin's second slice and 2 of my own.

"Ready to go?"

He nods and takes my paw.

The sun is just setting, the sky brilliant hues of red. I look at my phone, it's 7:27pm. We start the walk home, that red coyote in the bomber jacket is gone. Some teenage weasel in a white t shirt, and jeans, sucking a tooth pick is in his place. Looks like he's selling watches and dvds.

We get about half way home before Gavin starts to drag behind.

"What's the matter, are you tired?" He yawns repetitively, he's hunched over, barely able to keep his eyes open. I stop and pick him up in one arm, trying to hold the pizza steady in my other paw.

Moments after picking him up, he goes limp against me, and I swear he gained 20lbs that instant. I rest my pizza on a public trash can and adjust my grip on this little sand bag of dead weight. I pickup my pizza and make the rest of this trip. I really need to start working out again. Those four flights of stairs were pretty rough. By time I got home, my heart is beating a million miles an hour, my tongue hanging out panting from the exertion. I lay Gavin on the couch and pant vigorously. I look over and Gavin is sound asleep, sprawled our, one leg hanging off the couch. He couldn't take up more room if he tried. I set the pizza on the coffee table and pant vigorously.

I hear a key turn in the lock, I don't think I actually locked it when I got home.

"Mom's home." I pet Gavin.

My wolf-wife comes in, looking haggard. Her fur is matted up, her clothes are dirty and as she walks towards me, I can smell every particle of food spilt upon her, and everyone that touched her.

"Are you ok?" I stand up and walk over to her.

"I am now," she hugs me and her body melts against mine.

"Do you want me to make?... is that pizza?"

"Yeah, Gavin wanted pizza so, we went to Carter's Pizza."

I tell her about my adventure with Gavin having to poop, and she tells me about her day. She works in a place called The Cactus Cafe. It's apparently the most popular casual restaurants in Sahara Square.

Frequented primarily by big cats. A lot of young adults in college frequent the place, too. So occasionally she has to deal with handsy males or just 'tail holes' as she called them.

Today some group of college lions stole the money a previous group had left to pay the bill. She almost had to pay for it out of her tips, but a cape buffalo cop was nearby and intimidated them into giving up the money they stole.

"I can't imagine a cape buffalo frightening huge predatory lions."

"They definitely peed a little," she joked,

She gestures at Gavin,

"It's late, I'll wash his paws and put him in bed."

I guess that makes sense, if you don't wear shoes. You definitely don't want to track whatever you walked in all day onto your bed.

"Ok, I'll be here."

I flip on the television, it's that news channel with the snow leopard. She's talking about an increase in crime in Happytown correlating to an increase in the fox population. Apparently, foxes are well-known to be prone to criminal behavior. Good to know.

I turn the TV off, and head to my-the bedroom. My own life feels long past and nearly forgotten.

I wonder, if I'm here. Is there a confused wolf in my shit apartment, wondering where he is and missing his family?

I go into the bathroom and brush my teeth, I look at my black female wolf. She's brushing herself out with an assortment of brushes. I see there is a basin that jets out of the shower with a bench in front of it. I make an assumption, sitting on the bench and filling the basin. I look at her for any signs I'm doing something inappropriate.

She pauses, notices me watching her, and raises an eyebrow.

I glance away, and wash my pads with the brush already in the basin.

I feel a brush run down my back, I look up and she brushes my neck. The first stroke sends shivers down my spine. She places a paw on my shoulder and she works the brush through my tangled fur. After a few more strokes, the brush moves freely through my fur. Seemingly satisfied with her work, she steps away and puts the brush back on her tray. I can't describe how much I enjoyed that. Every brush stroke gave me a sense of euphoria.

I dry myself, and head back into the bedroom. I can smell her distinct smell on me.

When I enter the room, the lights are off. I can feel my wolf eyes adjust, first only showing me a bland silhouette, then slowly more details fills in. Her eyes however, even before my eyes adjusted I could see the brilliant glow of her eyes staring at me from the bed.

I peel back the blanket and climb in, pulling the blanket over me. I rest my head on my pillow trying not to awkwardly stare at her, her eyes are fixed on mine studying me. I wonder what she's looking at, of all the things I have done which may have been out of character. I don't know what about me laying in bed interests her so much. I notice a thick musty odor in the air, I sniff at it trying to determine where it's coming from. I didn't shower today, I don't know when I did shower last... hopefully I don't stink.

I bring my attention back to her, and smile nervously.

She moved closer resting her head on my pillow, our muzzles less than an inch apart. She sniffs at me, omg, I do stink.

"Um, What's up?" I feel her paw rest on my hip. Her thumb plucks at the waistband of my boxers. I suddenly feel very uncomfortable. Ut ow!

Before I can verbally object she's onto of me, pressing her muzzle against mine. Her tongue shoots into my mouth aggressively. She grabs the scruff of my neck, and jerks my head back, so she can bite my neck. I bring my paw up to ward her off. But she grabs my forearm with startling strength and speed. Pulling my paw, resting it against her cheek. Her paw caresses my chest, running down my stomach to grip something far more sensitive. I manage to break my mouth away from hers, man either she's real strong, or I got stuck in a real bitchass body.

"WAIT! wait!" I cry out.

She pauses, looking at me with that same peculiar analytical look. I've known her for less than a day, and while that never stopped me before, I don't feel comfortable being intimate with such an alien body. And certainly not with someone who is only interested in me because they think I'm their husband. That's some Greek god of lighting levels of rape, that I'm not down with.

Her look turns from confusion to frustration, her snout wrinkles and she bares her teeth at me.

"What?!" She raises her voice, then seemingly flinches at the volume of her voice.

"Nothing." I whisper.

She whispers back, "Then why did we stop?" Still gripping the fur on back of my neck, she tugs on it for emphasis.

I search for a good excuse, bingo!

"I'm just not in the mood. My stomach hurts, I don't feel well?" I smile weakly.

Her paw under the blanket gropes me and I become fully aware that my body is very much in the mood for what's happening here.

She looks at me with an expression like 'what's your excuse now'. I try to think of one, but after a moment of silence she sighs. "Fine!" she says, releasing the scruff of my neck. She stares at me and goes back to her side of the bed with big dramatic movements, never breaking eye contact . She fluffs her pillow before abruptly flopping back down in a huff. Then rolls away from me wrapping herself in the blanket.

I'm lost for words, I reluctantly reach out my paw and put it on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I don't know how to tell you what's going on with me," I give a little squeeze.

She rolls over to face me, I can feel her amber eyes studying me "I am here," she says, before kissing me on the top of my muzzle. Somehow in my attempt to comfort her, she made me feel better. After a few moments of silence, she smiles at me and closes her eyes to sleep.