Free Shorts: The Furry Years by John Van Stry

gesture, his muzzle being rather occupied. Then my own rumbling purrs got the better of my desire for vocal communication.
    Later, we got out of bed and I followed him into my shower, and then out to the kitchen. We got about as far as the living room when he stopped and just stared. I looked up at the walls, and the pictures on them, and the few odd momento's on the shelves and such as he took it all in.
     He took a step back and bumped into me. "Those all of you?"
    "Yup."
    "Wow, well I guess that explains a lot then."
    I shrugged, "I went in at seventeen, I was a problem kid so it was service or jail."
    He turned and grinned, "Well it looks like you made the right choice, you don't seem to have any problems now !"
    I grabbed his butt and dragged him close against me grinning "Well, not anymore," and kissed him.
    "So why'd you come here?"
    I grinned, "Well I had to go somewhere, and after twenty years of Special Forces and combat in three separate theaters, I thought quiet might be a nice career change."
    He nodded and ran his paws over my chest.
    "Boy, George and Jeff are going to be -soooo- jealous!" He giggled.
    "Think so?"
    "Oh yeah, they thought you were cute, but straight."
    "Well I guess, they'll find out Monday at the bar then." I grinned.
    "You kidding?" He giggled and picked up his cell phone, "I'm inviting them out to lunch to meet my new boyfriend."
    "Oh? And what makes you so sure I want something serious?" I tried to glare at him.
    "Shall I remind you of just what you were whispering between the growls of pleasure and the moans of lust?" he smirked at me for a change.
    "Ummm, you want butter on your pancakes?" I blushed; my ear's flicking in embarrassment.
    He snickered and dialed as I went to make Breakfast.
    "Hello Jeff? You two have just got to meet me for lunch...." I heard him begin as I walked into the kitchen.
    Well I did come here with the hopes of a more normal life; I sighed to myself and then grinned.
    And things were starting to get a little dull on my off hours anyway...

 
    Fox Hunt
    by John Van Stry
     
     
    Jacob sprinted down the uneven slope of the hill, stumbling over the ruts in the uneven sod. Fortunately he was able to catch himself before he fell.
    "That wouldn't do now!" he thought to himself with a grin as he reached the bottom and started splashing down the stream. Hopefully any pursuers left on his trail would figure on his going upstream in this latest attempt at breaking his scent trail.
    Jacob figured he had a good lead now, he could still hear the occasional bark and bay of the pursuit, but he was gaining on them. Had been since the initial minutes of his flight in fact. But he was not totally familiar with the area he was in and was getting pretty winded. Last night's celebrations were no doubt the reason, but there was no use in making excuses or laying blame.
    Escape was all that mattered now.
    He left the stream when he came to a low hanging branch from an old Oak Tree. A land mark he vaguely recalled from his past. Being careful not to touch it, it was an obvious place to leave one's scent after all; he scrambled up the bank trying to leave as little trace as possible. Then started off towards the west.
    "I'll be able to see Marissa and the kids before the sun sets!" He though happily to himself slowing down to a walk and catching his breath. He listened carefully for the hounds and was rewarded several moments later with their confused baying as they reached the stream bed.
    He could also hear the sound of the others way off in the distance. He had split the group each time he had broken his trail and now there were very few at that bed. It sounded like only three or four, the rest would take a few minutes to catch up, and by then he'd be too far away.
    Jacob picked up his pace looking for another way to confuse the trail, doubling back twice just for good measure and crossing his own trail three times.
    There was a possibility that they'd split again and half would still