Welcome to Inkbunny...
Allowed ratings
To view member-only content, create an account. ( Hide )
Turnabout
« older newer »
chaosblackwing
chaosblackwing's Gallery (29)

Mirror 3 - The Small Things

Relaxing in the lion's den
mirror_3_final.rtf
Keywords male 1108945, fox 231828, wolf 181295, human 99896, lion 39837, slave 8875, badger 6384, cougar 4167, slavery 2798, servant 609
Mirror
By Chaos Blackwing

~3~
The Small Things


It’s funny how sometimes the smallest things can be so important, how something that seemed so small could have such a large impact.

The day Darrel proved himself to me and showed without a doubt that he deserved not just my service but my loyalty, it happened due to an arrogant wolf and a can of soda.

**


Two weeks into my service Darrel informed me over dinner wednesday that he’d be having a few friends over for a movie night the coming friday. Apparently it was something that they did once a month, rotating between houses, and this month was his turn to host.

 “Usually we pool our money together to order in a few pizzas so there won’t be any need to cook anything that night, and while I won’t insist upon your presence, I would appreciate it if you were willing to help out some, getting plates, drinks, that sort of thing. You’re welcome to enjoy the movie night with us if you wish, or you can relax in your room, whichever suits you.” he explained between bites of pasta.

By this point I’d grown accustomed to his way of asking rather than demanding assistance, as well as his standing offer to relax as I wished between chores, but his considerate nature was still something I enjoyed. “About how many people do you expect to show up?” I said before taking a bite from my own meal.

“Usually it’s just the five of us, so four guests unless one of them brings a friend, though I haven’t heard anything along those lines, so more than that isn’t likely.”

Privately I had to admit a small gathering for movies and pizza certainly sounded tempting, both for the food and perhaps even the company assuming his friends were like him. I did have one question though.

“Have you told them about your most recent... purchase by any chance?”

His response was a flash of teeth and a large grin. “Now where would be the fun in that?”

Shaking my head in amusement I reached down for another bit of food. Four footed or two, it seems felines of all types have a penchant for pranks.

**


Friday evening found me relaxing in my room, the day’s chores done, with a book in my hands reading while I waited. A knock at the door drew me from the text and I looked up. “Come in.”

Opening the door a bit, Darrel stuck his head in. “The others should be showing up shortly if you wanted to meet them as they arrived rather than all at once later.”

Closing the book after sliding a piece of paper in to mark my place, I swung my legs over to the edge of the bed before standing up and stretching, novel in hand, before walking towards the doorway. Seeing my approach Darrel opened the door farther for me to go through, walking with me down the hallway.

“Might as well get the greetings out of the way as they show, easier to remember names that way.”

Laughing slightly at my statement, the feline settled on the couch, picking up the book he’d apparently been reading before he came to get me.

“Shouldn’t be that difficult, only four of them and they’re all different species.”

Just as he was about to open up his own book, a knock came from the front door. Chuckling at the timing he stood right back up and headed towards the entryway as I trailed a few feet behind. Opening the door revealed not one but two people, a stocky badger and a slightly more lithe cougar, both dressed casually, and both smiling.

Stepping forward Darrel patted the badger on the shoulder, before moving to the side and motioning the two in. “Excellent timing you two, I was just talking about you.”

As they stepped in, the cougar quickly spotted me, staring at me with surprise, while the badger was more focused on the lion in front of him. “Been telling tales have we? I didn’t see any other cars out front besides ours, so who’ve you been chatting with, hmm?” Rather than answer Darrel merely smiled and nodded my way, and soon I had two people staring at me in surprise.

“Grant, Jerry, meet John Karnel, my new servant.” Patting the shoulder of the badger, Darrel made introductions. “John, this grinning loon is Grant, while the silent one is Jerry.”

With a polite smile I nodded to the two. “Nice to meet you both.”

The silence that followed was soon broken by the badger’s hearty laughs, as he shook his head in disbelief before smiling over at the lion next to him. “You finally went and did it did you? Finally got someone to take care of the place while you gather dust in that office of yours?” Turning to me, the badger was all smiles as he gave me a quick look-over. “You poor, poor man, being forced to take care of this invalid of a lion. Had to drag him out for meals once or twice I’m guessing?”

Grinning back, I relaxed some at the friendly address. “Once or twice perhaps, though so long as you put the plate in front of him he’s usually good enough at figuring out what to do from there.”

The cougar who had been silent up to this point chuckled at the response, turning to the lion with a smile of his own. “Ah, now I can see why you picked him, he’s got spirit.”

With a nod of his head, Darrel returned the smile. “Avid reader too. He’s been going through my collection faster than I did, even taking into account his chores around the place.”

The cougar had a look on his face as though he understood more than what the lion was saying, but he stayed silent, merely looking my way contemplatively, shifting to a slight grin when it was met by a blank look. Must be an inside joke between the two.

As Darrel was walking with the other two to the front room, another knock came from the door. Without looking up he called back to me. “John, can you get that?”

“Sure,” I replied as I walked over to open it, revealing the other two expected guests, a fox and wolf.

“Welcome. I’m John, Darrel is inside with the other two getting settled, come on in.”

As I moved to the side to let them in the wolf walked past without a word, while the fox had a surprised look on his face, pausing to look me over.

“I had no idea John had picked up a servant, have you been here long?”

Nodding I closed the door and started walking towards where the others were chatting, the fox beside me. “A little over two weeks now, and apparently he wanted it to be a surprise, hence the lack of warning.”

Chuckling, the fox shook his head. “Yeah, that sounds like him alright. So serious most of the time, but he’s got that feline sense of humor.” Stopping where he stood, he turned to me suddenly with a hand extended. “Oh, before I forget, I’m Dori, nice to meet you.”

Turning to face him I was already mid-shake before what he’d said struck me. “Wait, Dori?”

Rolling his eyes, he released my hand and scratched the side of his face in what looked to be mild embarrassment. “Yeah, I know. My parents are book-nuts, and unfortunately for me they’d just finished one in particular before I was born, hence the name.”

Standing there I could swear the name sounded familiar. “Dori, Dori... wait, you don’t mean Dori from The Hobbit do you, one of the dwarfs?”

Eyes widening, the fox was clearly surprised. “Yes actually, good guess. I assume you’ve read it then?”

Nodding I continued walking towards the others. “Once or twice, though to be honest I’m not sure if I’d have been able to place it had I not run across the book in Darrel’s collection since I got here. A name like that though, school must have been harsh.”

Without even looking I could practically feel the exasperations from the fox beside me. “Oh you have no idea... I’m not sure which was worse, those who had read the book and got the reference, or those that hadn’t, and just thought it was a seriously old-fashioned name.

Arriving in the living room, I plopped down on an unclaimed recliner, as Dori took a seat on the couch. “Ouch, I can imagine.”

“Wasn’t all bad, it’s actually how I met Darrel. Like you he’d read the book, and his question as to whether the two were related was how we first got talking.”

Though I hadn’t exactly known him long, that did seem like something the lion would do. “You ever read the thing yourself?”

Sighing, he shook his head. “Once, and while it was good I just couldn’t get into it. Being named for a character in a book really messes with your enjoyment of it, let me tell you. Thankfully I didn’t have the same problem with his other stuff and was able to enjoy those without trouble, would have been a pity to have an entire author’s works ruined for me like that.”

Wincing in sympathy, I was about to continue the conversation before I noticed that Darrel had come over and was standing just behind the couch.

“Dori, John, we’re about to order the pizzas, what did you two want? We were thinking we’d get three large, enough for everyone to have half of one, and the other three have already picked their toppings.”

At the mere mention of ‘pizza’ my mouth was already salivating. The taste, the smell... ooh it had been so long. A chuckle from the fox across from me snapped me from my temporary daze, and I looked back up to the grinning feline standing behind him, patiently waiting for my answer. “I’ll have a supreme, no onions.” Nodding as he made a mental note of it, Darrel turned towards Dori. “Hawaiian, as always.”

“One half supreme, no onions, one half hawaiian, got it. Food should be here in about half an hour. John if you could get some paper plates ready before then it would be appreciated.”

Pushing down on the arm rests I stood up from the chair, stretching for a moment before I looked over at the fox still sitting on the couch. “Be right back,” I said before I headed for the kitchen. Just before I entered however someone walked into the entryway from the other side, slamming into me and knocking me to the floor. Looking up I spotted the wolf from before with a look of irritated disgust on his face sneering down at me.

“Watch where you’re going stupid human!”

Though my eyes hardened I tried to maintain my civility, not wanting to further provoke a clearly angry wolf and cause a scene. “Sorry.”

Snorting in contempt, he merely turned and continued on to the front-room, and was soon sitting in the very chair that I had been in shortly before, though I couldn’t tell if it was intentional on his part or not. Looking around the others who had witnessed the little altercation were sporting surprised and concerned looks, though I wasn’t exactly sure why, as I’d long since grown accustomed to such treatment given how wide-spread it was.

Walking over from where he’d been standing Jerry reached a hand down, pulling me to my feet. “Sorry about that, usually he’s more easygoing, guess he’s in a bit of a mood tonight.”

Shrugging my shoulders I tried not to let the wolf’s mood ruin my own. “No worries, accidents happen.”

Patting my shoulder he looked over at the wolf who was now talking to Dori, an irritated look of his own on his feline face. “Yes, they do, which means he was out of line snapping at you like that.”

I looked back at the wolf before shifting my focus to the feline in front of me. “Can’t get along with everyone, I’ll just try and avoid him as much as I can tonight I guess.”

Apparently not happy with the idea, but not having any better one, Jerry grimaced a moment before nodding as well. “That might be for the best I suppose. Anyway, I assume you were heading this direction for a reason, don’t let me keep you.”

Walking into the kitchen I reached atop the fridge for where the paper plates were kept, placing them on the counter before grabbing a few napkins to go with them before turning back to the cougar. “Just this, nothing to keep me from really.”

Quirking his eyes the cougar nodded towards the front-room. “Well then, if that’s all you had to do why don’t you join us? The pizza will be a while, until then we generally get caught up with each other’s lives, and I’m sure the others would welcome you. Just ignore the wolf with the stick up his ass.”

Laughing softly from the mental image I nodded, following Jerry into the room before taking a seat in the second recliner, putting me as far from the wolf as I could be. As I sat down the others paused in their conversation to look over at me, with expressions ranging from barely concealed disgust from the wolf to curiosity from the fox and badger, Darrel bearing a welcoming smile at my presence.

Grant was the first to speak, his deep voice clear in the silence. “Well now, John wasn’t it? Darrel’s mentioned a little it of how you got here, care to tell a little about what it’s been like living with the kitty?”

Taking a moment to think, I tried to decide the best way to describe it. “Quiet. For most of the day I’m on my own, reading or relaxing some other way when I’m not taking care of the house. A quick breakfast in the morning, sometimes together for lunch sometimes just brining it to him, with some light talk during dinner, but for the most part we keep to our own.”

Dori had a slightly quizzical look on his face. “The quiet doesn’t bug you?”

“Not really, I’ve never been one for lots of noise and activity.”

Jerry chuckled softly as he turned to Darrel. “No wonder you hit it off so well from the very start, he’s practically a fur-less you.”

The ice broken the conversation resumed it’s previous state, with the occasional question aimed at me as the others asked various things like what books I’d been reading and the kinds of meals I’d been preparing for Darrel. Though the fox, badger and cougar were all warm enough in their attentions if anything the wolf seemed to grow even more irritated at my inclusion as time went on, and spent most of the time silent when he wasn’t shooting dark looks my way.

It seemed like no-time at all had passed before there was a knock at the door, causing a pause in the conversation and drawing everyone’s attention to the entryway. Reaching towards the coffee table Darrel picked up a pile of bills that I hadn’t noticed before heading towards the door. “John could you pass out the plates and get everyone’s drinks while I get this?”

Nodding I headed towards the kitchen, snagging the plates and napkins, bringing them into the front-room and dropping them off at the table before turning to the three on the couch. “Right, should be a couple of six-packs cooling in the fridge, what do you all want?”

As the trio listed off what they wanted, I tried to figure out how best to manage this. Three trips of two cans each would probably be my best bet, giving Darrel time to lay out the pizzas while I delivered the previous drinks. A quick trip to the kitchen and I grabbed Dori and Grant’s drinks, heading back just as Darrel came into the room holding three heavenly smelling boxes in his hands. Another trip and both Jerry and I had our drinks set, as I turned to the lion handing out pizza slices.

“Root beer, right?” I was fairly sure that’s what he’d take, but wanted to be sure. A quick nod and smile for confirmation and I turned to the silent wolf on the other recliner, my voice shifting from a more casual tone to the ‘polite’ one I used for people I didn’t care for. “What did you want?”

Clearly irritated at being forced to speak to me, his response was almost a muffled growl. “... cola.”

Nodding I headed to grab the last two drinks, handing Darrel his over his shoulder as the front of the couch was a little hectic at the moment. As I walked the few steps to the recliner the wolf sitting pointedly ignored me until I was next to him, before looking up and snatching the can out of my hands with a growl. As he prepared to pop the can I tried to warn him but before I could get a word out the lid was open and the soda, shaken by his actions foamed out, overflowing into his lap.

A loud exclamation of shock and anger drew the attention of the others as he jumped up, the drink splashing down and soaking both his pant legs along with his lap, leaving a small puddle at his feet as he first glanced down, before glowering in my direction.

“Damned human, did you think it would be funny to shake my drink before giving it to me?!” he said as he took a step forward until he was barely more than foot from me, baring his fangs in an angry snarl.

For my part I was stuck between disgust that he’d be so quick to blame me for his own stupid mistake, and a barely contained laugh at his soaked front. Trying to control my irritation I looked him square in the eyes, just barely keeping the contempt out of my voice even if I didn’t quite succeed in doing so with my expression. “I didn’t do anything, if you hadn’t grabbed the can so fast and opened it right away you wouldn’t be standing there with your drink all over your front. You want to find someone to blame for the mess you just made, look in a mirror.”

Quick as a flash the hand that wasn’t holding the dripping can shot out, gripping my arm hard enough to cause me to clench my teeth and hiss in pain. “You think you can get out of it that easily, just lie to my face and pretend it was my fault? You may think you can show such blatant disrespect to Darrel, acting like you’re the equal of anyone here, but you will not-“

Before he could continue, a voice filled with steel cut in. “Mark, release him, now.”

Looking over at the couch the others mostly seemed to be in varying shades of shock, as though they couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing, how quickly the mood had changed. Darrel though... he was pissed. Standing up, hands clenched at his sides, his body was clearly tensed up, barely restrained as his stared intently at the wolf gripping me with fury in his eyes.

“It was an accident. Now let go of him and apologize.”

As the wolf stared at the furious lion, his expression took on a shocked expression for a moment, as though he didn’t understand, before switching just as fast back to anger.

“You’re taking his side in this? A human? You saw what he-”

Darrel’s voice was hard as diamond and had all the warmth of a glacier. “If you’re not willing to apologize, then you are not welcome in my house. Leave, now.”

The wolf’s expression twisted between incredulity, disgust and anger before he jerked me to the side as he released my arm, leaving me stumbling to avoid falling down as he turned to leave. “Fine. Fine then, if you’re so enamored of a slave that you’re willing to take his side over someone you’ve known for years, then I guess I’ll leave you to him.”

As the wolf stomped towards the door, he looked back to see the others, clearly expecting them to be more sympathetic, only to be met with gazes filled with surprise, shock, but not agreement. Growling in disgust he yanked the door open and walked through, slamming it shut behind him as everyone in the room looked on in silence.

**


After something like that the mood of the gathering took an understandable dive, such that shortly afterwards the others were making their farewells, gathering up their cans their shares of pizza to take home with them. To their credit they all agreed that Mark had stepped over the line, and made it clear that while the wolf could stew at home until he admitting to being wrong, Darrel was still more than welcome to come to the next gathering, with Dori even extending the invitation to me as well, a kind gesture that I returned with a smile and an “I’ll think about it.”

Watching the others drive off Darrel closed the door before heading back to where I was sitting in the front room, crouching down so he was at my height as he gently reached over to touch my arm where the wolf had grabbed it.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he looked over the skin, careful not to put too much pressure on the spot.

Huffing in annoyance at the mild ache from what I was sure would shape up to be a nice little bruise I dismissed the question with a wave of my hand. “I’ve had worse.”

Reaching over Darrel carefully cupped my chin, raising it so I was looking into his eyes. “That’s not what I asked. Are you okay?”

Struck silent by the concern in both his voice and his gaze, I stuttered for moment before answering.

“I... yes, I will be. Thanks to you I should end up with some light bruising at most, which should clear up in a few days. Nothing major.”

Standing up he walked over to the couch, flopping down before looking back at me with a sigh. “I wanted to apologize for tonight. Had I any idea that Mark held such... beliefs towards humans I never would have invited him over. How he treated you was inexcusable, and I’m sorry that you suffered because of it.”

Quirking my head, I couldn’t help but ask. “You really had no idea how he saw humans? I’d think it would have come up once or twice, given how long I’m guessing you’ve known him.”

Darrel shook his head softly. “I... knew, or should have known I suppose, that he held humans in low regard based upon some of his comments when your kind came up, but I never thought he would take it that far, or act in such a manner to you.” Slouching forward it was clear he’d taken his friend’s actions hard. “You see what you want to see I suppose. I didn’t want to see just what a bigot he was, so I didn’t, and before now it never came up in such a way that I would have no choice but to see. I just wish the process of finding out hadn’t resulting in someone being hurt.”

Standing up, I hesitantly walked over and sat beside him, placing a hand on his leg as I tried to reassure him. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up over it. He is the guilty one, he was the one who caused that hurt, you did everything you could to protect me.”

Reaching down he placed his hand over mine, gently squeezing it as he looked over at me with a sad smile. “I know, I just... it’s my job to care for you, to keep you safe and give you what you need as my servant and instead I brought harm to you by inviting him. I failed, and you paid the price because of it.”

“He’s your friend, and we both know you didn’t expect him to act as he did otherwise you wouldn’t have invited him over.”

Darrel’s eyes took on a steely look, even as his hand squeezed harder before he realized it and released it with an apologetic pat.

“He was my friend, but after his actions tonight the state of our ‘friendship’ is very much in doubt, as he’s shown himself to be quite unlike the person I thought I knew. I might be willing to forgive him, but not anytime soon, and not before he personally apologizes to you for what he did.”

My eyes widened in surprise at his words. “You’d really be willing to do that? To throw away a friendship I assume you’ve had for years over a single night?”

Turning to face me, his expression was firm. “Absolutely. If he’s the kind of person that’s willing to harm those under my care, to let his pride and ego overrule basic decency he’s not the sort of person I want to associate with.”

As I listened to Darrel, my mind was filled with a thought that had been percolating inside for several days now. I’d known since the start that he was different, willing to show respect and treat me fairly, but as he spoke he revealed even more about himself and his sense of duty.

‘Humans have demonstrated that they are not yet advanced enough to properly take care of themselves, or run their society in a responsible manner, and as a result the burden for doing so falls to those more advanced and mature.’ We’d all had it explain to us, the paper-thin justification for our treatment as slaves in all but name, and for the most part that’s all it was, an excuse. A way for our ‘benefactors’ to avoid the ugly truth that for all their ‘social advancement’, they employed one of the most barbaric practices around.

To be sure there were laws against ‘mistreating’ a servant, and to their credit those laws were usually enforced, but for the most part that was as good as it got, in all other ways humans were treated as barely more than animals most of the time, able to be bought and sold, lacking any real freedom.

Yet Darrel... he actually seemed to really believe it. He gave me not just what I needed to do my job right, but things like my own private room, access to all the books I could read, freedom to relax however I wished when I wasn’t working, even a voice in what kind of meals we’d have, which on it’s own might have seemed minor, but it showed that he cared about my wants as well as my needs. If I was tasked to take care of the house, well he was hardly a lazy feline himself, as more than once he’d ended up working right through dinner, completely buried in his work until I brought him food. If anything between the two of us I seemed to have the easier job.

From the start he’d shown kindness and respect to someone that was in every legal and social sense his lesser, and now he was even demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice something of large significance to him if it negatively affected me, and it really had me thinking about our peculiar relationship of owner and servant.

He’d earned my tentative respect when he first met me based upon how he acted, and over the past two weeks that tentative respect had solidified into the real thing as he demonstrated that he was worthy of it. He’d purchased my services, and initially it was just another job in a line of them, but as time passed that too changed, until now I was glad to help, doing the best I could to repay him for his kindness. And now, with this last revelation of his character, he had showed that he was worthy of something that none of the others could have ever earned, because unlike Darrel, none of them had cared about my wellbeing, my thoughts and desires, or really anything other than how I could serve them.

My loyalty and trust.

What others had demanded, thinking it was their just ‘right’ as owners, Darrel had earned simply by being who he was. Respectful, kind, considerate. Willing to ask for what by all rights was his to order, willing to serve in his own way despite his position.

My thoughts were interrupted as he placed a hand on my shoulder, eyes carrying a slightly worried cast to them, likely brought about by my silence. “John, are you okay? You went quiet there for a minute, you sure you’re alright?”

Looking up to meet his gaze, I smiled, completely at ease for the first time in a long while. “Nothing’s wrong Master, just had a few things to work through.”

At first he seemed confused, given I’d never before referred to him in that way, but as he looked at me gradually his face took on a look of comprehension, as he seemed to understand what I was really saying with that one simple word. Slowly a soft smile spread across his face as he realized the gift he’d just been given, and as I knew he would, his expression was filled with appreciation for it.

“Thank you John. While I certainly don’t expect you to refer to me in that fashion unless you want to, thank you for that.”

Leaning against his side I closed my eyes as we both settled back against the couch, relaxing together after what had turned out to be quite the eventful night. As he carefully wrapped an arm around my shoulder, trying not to put any pressure on the bruised part, I laid my cheek against it, relaxing as the light smell of lion filled my nose as the muscles and fur of the limb cushioned my face. It felt good to be able to relax like this, in the company of another, and it had been far too long since I’d been able to, making it all the sweeter.

Eyes closed I heard him chuckle softly, apparently amused by my uncharacteristic display of affection though he didn’t say anything, his only response a soft squeeze of my shoulder before he relaxed back into the couch, with me resting beside him.

We must have sat like that, enjoying each other’s company for several minutes before my stomach growled, reminding me that in all the excitement I never had managed to eat any of the pizza. Opening my eyes I looked over to Darrel, who sported a grin as he looked down at my rather vocal stomach. Before he could say anything his midsection returned the noise in kind, making it clear that I wasn’t the only one in need of food and leaving us both chuckling.

Carefully unwrapping his arm from around my shoulder, Darrel scooted forward before standing up, turning to pull me up as well. Nodding towards a pizza box that the others had apparently left, he looked towards the kitchen. “If you’ll get us some cold drinks I’ll see about setting up something for the two of us to watch. It’s a little early to turn in, and I did promise you pizza and a movie after all.”

Smiling in agreement I headed to the kitchen, soon returning with a few cans of cold soda from the fridge to find Darrel waiting next to the coffee table, having already loaded whatever movie he’d picked in the player. Placing them down I handed him two plates from the table that had been left out as he pulled out a pair of slices for each, placing them on the coffee table before picking up the remote as I cracked open a can, taking a long drink before almost spitting it out as the menu for Space Balls appeared on the screen.

Laughing at my reaction Darrel sat back down on the couch, nodding to the space next to him to indicate that I was welcome to reclaim my previous spot, an offer I took him up on after setting my drink down.

Looking down at me the feline had a grin on his face. “Not quite what you were expecting? I admit it’s been a while since I’ve watched it myself but after an eventful night like tonight I felt that something a bit lighter would be a good choice.”

Leaning forward I grabbed my plate, bringing it back to my lap as I took a bite from the pizza, swallowing before answering. “No it’s good. You’re right, this is perfect, a nice way to relax after that mess.”

As he pressed play on the remote the two of us were silent other than the occasional soft noise of eating. Soon enough though our hunger was sated and the food forgotten, with the movie holding both our attentions, the sound of eating replaced by occasional laughter at one thing or another in the film.

Not even aware of it at first, it was only midway through the movie that I noticed that I was once more leaning against Darrel’s side, his arm loosely draped across my shoulder and resting against my side. Unsure if it had been done intentionally or not I nonetheless enjoyed the contact, relishing in the newfound comfort I was able to feel around him.

As I watched the screen my attention was split between the film and the events of the night. Though the actions of the wolf had been anything but pleasant, and had brought up painful memories of past owners and the indifference or even contempt humans were held in by many, they had also resulted in the breakthrough I’d experienced regarding the lion beside me, allowing me to see that he was worth my trust, as well as my respect. As warped as it might have seemed, I was almost grateful to the wolf for his actions given that.

As I thought about it more I couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the humor of the situation. The wolf’s bigotry towards humans had resulted in one becoming even closer to a fur than before, something I’m sure he’d be disgusted by. Spotting movement out of the corner of my eye I turned to see Darrel looking down at me quizzically, eyebrows cocked in curiosity at my sudden outburst.

 “It’s nothing, just thinking,” I said as I met his look with a smile. Shrugging he turned back to the film, arm pulling me against his side for a moment before relaxing once more.

The weekend would be over soon enough, and both of us would go back to our usual activities, the lion in his office as I kept the house in order, but the events of the night had changed things, if ever so subtly. Though it was too early to say for sure where things would go from here, gone was the ‘professional’ distance I’d kept up, replaced with a sense of respect and trust. It would be interesting to see how the shift would change things between us, our relationship with each other in our particular roles.

Such thoughts however could wait, for tonight there was food to eat, a movie to watch, and a lion to enjoy both with, and that was enough.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
page
1
page
2
page
3
page
4
page
5
page
6
page
7
page
8
page
9
page
10
page
11
page
12
page
13
page
14
page
15
page
16
page
17
page
18
page
19
page
20
page
21
page
22
page
23
page
24
page
25
page
26
page
27
page
28
page
29
page
30
page
31
page
32
page
33
page
34
page
35
page
36
page
37
page
38
page
39
page
40
page
41
page
42
page
43
page
44
page
45
page
46
page
47
page
48
page
49
page
50
page
51
page
52
page
53
page
54
page
55
page
56
page
57
page
58
page
59
page
60
page
61
page
62
page
63
page
64
page
65
page
66
page
67
page
68
page
69
page
70
page
71
page
72
page
73
page
74
page
75
page
76
page
77
page
78
page
79
page
80
page
81
page
82
page
83
page
84
page
85
page
86
page
87
page
88
page
89
page
90
page
91
page
92
page
93
page
94
page
95
page
96
page
97
page
98
page
99
page
100
page
101
page
102
page
103
page
104
page
105
page
106
page
107
page
108
page
109
page
110
page
111
page
112
page
113
page
114
page
115
page
116
page
117
page
118
page
119
page
120
page
121
page
122
page
123
page
124
page
125
page
126
page
127
page
128
page
129
page
130
page
131
page
132
page
133
page
134
page
135
page
136
page
137
page
138
page
139
page
140
page
141
page
142
page
143
page
144
page
145
page
146
page
147
page
148
page
149
page
150
page
151
page
152
page
153
page
154
page
155
page
156
page
157
page
158
page
159
page
160
page
161
page
162
page
163
page
164
page
165
page
166
page
167
page
168
page
169
page
170
page
171
page
172
page
173
page
174
page
175
page
176
page
177
page
178
page
179
page
180
page
181
page
182
page
183
page
184
page
185
page
186
page
187
page
188
page
189
page
190
page
191
page
192
page
193
page
194
page
195
page
196
page
197
page
198
page
199
page
200
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
next
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
previous
page
 
 
page
1
page
2
page
3
page
4
page
5
page
6
page
7
page
8
page
9
page
10
page
11
page
12
page
13
page
14
page
15
page
16
page
17
page
18
page
19
page
20
page
21
page
22
page
23
page
24
page
25
page
26
page
27
page
28
page
29
page
30
page
31
page
32
page
33
page
34
page
35
page
36
page
37
page
38
page
39
page
40
page
41
page
42
page
43
page
44
page
45
page
46
page
47
page
48
page
49
page
50
page
51
page
52
page
53
page
54
page
55
page
56
page
57
page
58
page
59
page
60
page
61
page
62
page
63
page
64
page
65
page
66
page
67
page
68
page
69
page
70
page
71
page
72
page
73
page
74
page
75
page
76
page
77
page
78
page
79
page
80
page
81
page
82
page
83
page
84
page
85
page
86
page
87
page
88
page
89
page
90
page
91
page
92
page
93
page
94
page
95
page
96
page
97
page
98
page
99
page
100
page
101
page
102
page
103
page
104
page
105
page
106
page
107
page
108
page
109
page
110
page
111
page
112
page
113
page
114
page
115
page
116
page
117
page
118
page
119
page
120
page
121
page
122
page
123
page
124
page
125
page
126
page
127
page
128
page
129
page
130
page
131
page
132
page
133
page
134
page
135
page
136
page
137
page
138
page
139
page
140
page
141
page
142
page
143
page
144
page
145
page
146
page
147
page
148
page
149
page
150
page
151
page
152
page
153
page
154
page
155
page
156
page
157
page
158
page
159
page
160
page
161
page
162
page
163
page
164
page
165
page
166
page
167
page
168
page
169
page
170
page
171
page
172
page
173
page
174
page
175
page
176
page
177
page
178
page
179
page
180
page
181
page
182
page
183
page
184
page
185
page
186
page
187
page
188
page
189
page
190
page
191
page
192
page
193
page
194
page
195
page
196
page
197
page
198
page
199
page
200
Mirror 2 - Settling In
Relaxing in the lion's den
Two weeks have passed and John is gradually settling in with Darrel, but how will the lion's friends react when they arrive to find a human in the home?

Keywords
male 1,108,945, fox 231,828, wolf 181,295, human 99,896, lion 39,837, slave 8,875, badger 6,384, cougar 4,167, slavery 2,798, servant 609
Details
Type: Writing - Document
Published: 8 years, 1 month ago
Rating: General

MD5 Hash for Page 1... Show Find Identical Posts [?]
Stats
22 views
0 favorites
0 comments

BBCode Tags Show [?]
 
New Comment:
Move reply box to top
Log in or create an account to comment.