Knuckle Down
Chapter 2:
Yun saw the young panther, well, some type of great cat, start to waver. Why do I get myself into these messes? He thought. He shouldn't have been messing around in the fur community. They were already wary of him, and him having to dealt with that punk over there wont have helped any. Different places, different people, but the assholes remained the same. Well, I wont have to deal with it much longer. Soon my boxing ban will be up.
His musings were interrupted by the boy starting to fall down. He deftly dipped down and grabbed the boy around his arm. He hoisted the boy over his shoulders without breaking a sweat. Now what do I do with him? Well, the kid had a pretty big gash over his right eye. The was defiantly going to leave a scar. Maybe he should take him to his mother or something. Yeah, taking him to his mother was a good idea, but where was his house. He noticed the other cat, the girl. She looked like she was his friend, maybe she could help him.
"Hi, do you know where this kid's house is?" Conte looked over at him. What would he do with him? And he wasn't a kid, he was a kit! He better keep human's and furry's different colloquialisms straight. It would be bad for him If he called an adult here a 'Guy', They would take offense.
"Hey, Im not going to hurt you, I just want to know where his house is. He looks pretty bad, and his mother should tend to him." Conte didn't know what Cast's mom would think about her bringing a Human to her house. It didn't really matter though, Cast was in trouble, and he needed his mom.
"Follow me." Yun decided she wasn't very acclimated to human's and brushed off her short and snappy response. He followed her as she led him out of the alley, leaving one still very pained Greg. They twisted and turned around the streets of Zoness. Where the heck would it end? Yun thought. Eventually they stopped in front of a modest two story house. It looked almost derelict.
"Maybe the inside's nicer." He mumbled to himself. He had forgotten about Fur's hearing, and was shocked when the cat-girl gave him a nasty look. Conte knocked on the door and what he assumed to be the kit's (Gotta be politically correct) mother opened the door. She didn't see him immediately.
"Hi Conte. How are you doing? Isnt Cast with you?" Her voice was syrupy sweet, but not sickeningly so. I had a nice sort of rumbling tone to it. Conte pointed behind her to the large human that was holding her son. This came as a large shock to the mother as she saw her only son, bloody and injured, being held by this monster of a man. You can understand what she was thinking at the time.
"LET GO OF HIM! PUT HIM DOWN HUMAN!" Cast's mother's fierce anger was directed at the man. Yun was more than a little bit flustered by this, and became wary only when she saw the fur's claws start to come out. Then he realized he was in trouble. To avoid any further confusion he gently attempted to put Cast down, complying with her wishes. Dealing with an irate mother was NOT high on his to do list. Actually, It wasn't there at all. Cast's Mom darted forward and picked up her son. She started crying and brought her son back inside. Conte followed leaving the bewildered man on the front step, with the door slamming in his face. Yun silently berated himself.
What should I have expected. The fur's around here have always been wary of humans. Maybe I wasn't smart that I sought asylum here. Yun knew why he was here, he was here because he was banned from Earth's boxing stage. He was one of the best boxer's and that was all taken away in an instant. Because he had pride, because he refused to take a fall. He remembered his managers smirking face. That bastard Rufus. He thought Yun was too old to box anymore. He wasn't drawing the crowds like he used too. He was supposed to be unbeatable, and that made him a stale player in the game. So they told him to take a fall, too let someone else be the champ. It wouldn't happen though. Yun's pride wouldn't allow it. So they made up a story, they said he had been taking bribes on bets. That he had been active in illegal gambling shanties. This had all culminated in him being banned from boxing for 10 years. He was too afraid to go back to the village of Earth. He had been shamed, he didn't want to show his face there while his ban was still going on. Then he would come back and be the champion again. This was not to be though and he knew it. He was past his prime, he couldn't fight like he used too. Besides the banning itself, the ban had a secondary purpose. When he returned, he would be too old to fight. The pain that that brought him was amazing. He wouldn't be able to do the thing that he loved anymore. But he wouldn't go out like that. No, he wouldn't let them have the satisfaction. He had been wandering the land, trying to find a young man to be be his protégé, someone to carry on for him in his retirement, someone to carry on his legacy. The problem was he hadn't found anyone yet. He was just wandering through Zoness, on his way to the town of England, there he would surely find someone to learn the art. His chain of thought was broken by the door to the porch opening. It was Cast's mother.
"Sir, would you come in please?" She motioned for him to come in. He obliged and walked into the door. He almost hit his head on the low door frame. Well, low for him.
"Would you sit down?" He did as he was asked, not saying anything. What made her so cordial all of a sudden? She sat down as well, then started to talk.
"Cast is upstairs asleep. He will be well soon, though I fear he have that scar for a long while." Yun simply nodded.
"My question to you,is why did you help my son? I was talking with Conte, and she told me everything that happened. Not many Human's would help a fur that was in trouble." Yun thought about this for a while. Then gave his response.
"Miss, I helped your son because he needed it. The fact that he was a fur doesn't matter at all. When people need help, its only good manners that you help them. So what if we were different race's? It doesn't make the fact that he was in trouble any different."
Cast's mom just nodded.
"Sir, I thank you sincerely for your helping my son. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Yun Miss. May I ask your's?"
"My name is Torrain, Torry for short. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." They sat there for a while. It was a sort of relaxed atmosphere. Eventually it was time for Yun to leave. After all, he had to make it to England.
"Miss, It's about time that I head out now. I glad to have met you, and make sure your son doesn't get in it with any more ruffians. Next time he may not end up so well." Torry looked at him and smiled.
"Sure, I'll make sure. Where are you headed?"
"Well, Im headed to the village called England. I think it's rather north, so I think I'll have to pass through the Northern Forest."
"Hmmm, I guess I shouldn't tell you this but since you helped me I am in debt to you. If you travel along the usual path in the North Forest, eventually you will reach a clearing with a huge tree." Yun was familiar with that.
"Usually If one were going to England you would go north of that clearing onto the path, but if you go to the west of the clearing and beat through the brush a little bit, you will find another path, this path is usually hidden from human eye's. If you follow this path you will end up in a village of fur's called Corneria. They aren't used to many human's coming through, but I advise you seek out the old fur Peppy, he and I were good friends earlier in life. Tell him Torry pointed you there. If you have any other problems there is another one called Falco. He was rather young the last time I saw him, but he has a remarkable gift. If he looks into your eye's, he can tell everyone what a good person you are. Peppy will give you shelter there, and he can tell you of a Quick path to the village of England. It would save you at least a week of travel." Yun didn't know what to say. This would help him out tremendously.
"Miss, I sincerely thank you for your help. I'll take your advice in stride." With that Yun left, and Torry went back up to check on Cast.
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"Cast, I must admit, that scar does look pretty cool." Said Jason. It was the beginning of summer vacation and all the young furs were happy at their newfound freedom. It was several weeks after the 'Incident' as they called it. Cast's wound had healed up, but had left an amazing scar over his right eye.
"Yeah, well, It certainly hurt getting it." Cast was being his usual jubilant self. Summer vacation had started, they had an entire summer to waste!
"Well guys, what do you want to do?" Conte asked. They usually made a large trip every summer. Last summer they had went to Macbeth, and saw the huge train that was stationed there.
"Hmmm, Let's ask my mom. She'll know a good place!" Cast exulted.
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Called Conte. At this all three of them took off, running at top speed to try and get to Cast's house first. This didn't bode well for Jason though, and his multitude of snack's caught up with him. He was soon out of breath, and and ended up being the rotten egg.
"Well lets go inside." They did so, and were greeted by 3 glasses of his mom's famous lemonade. Torry was humming some tune in the Kitchen.
"Thanks mom!" The next few minutes went by rather fast as Cast and Jason drank all of there lemonade without stopping. They were soon reminiscing about the lemonade, while Conte, ever the smart one, Was drinking hers in small sips, and had half a glass left. They looked at her jealously. Torry walked back in and sat down on the couch, watching the kids.
"Hey mom, you know our big annual summer trip is coming up. Where's a good place to go?" Torry thought about this for a while, then answered.
"Why don't you kit's go to Corneria? It's always beautiful this time of year." The kids thought about this for a while. Then there was an unspoken agreement. Corneria it would be!
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Authors Note: The main plot of the story will start to come together in the next chapter. I wonder how many people get what's going to happen? Well, whether you get it or not, its gonna happen so be ready! Cast and friends are going to start meeting up with Fox and Co, so expect appearances by the starfox cast.