I Love My Sister
a Justin & Lena story
by Alex Reynard

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Continuity-wise, this story takes place...
-a few months after the end of Down In The Dumps,
-several years after Confessions Of A Ratgirl,
-and many, many years *before* Bartleby And The Land Where Lost Things Go.
Got that?

So what about A Dump In The Dumps? Well, for me it had felt for a long time sorta... different than the rest. I didn't quite know how to feel about it. Then one day it hit me: I'd established that Adam Tallevasco had a habit of writing short fiction about his two yiffy young'uns doing yiffy things... and A Dump In The Dumps is one of those stories! I'd guess he probably wrote it some time after they'd confessed to indulging in some of the kinks which that story features. So, the events in that story are a fictionalized account of real events that happened to characters in my fictional universe. Makes perfect sense!

Also, the story you're about to read may start off a little tame in comparison to my two dumplings' other dirty adventures. But trust me; stuff happens later on. If the thought of mixing some stink with your pink turns your stomach, I'm sure there's plenty of other stories out there for you to read. Maybe something Oprah's recommended. ;)




~~~~~


*part 1*

Summer afternoons are one of the very best times to be lazy.

Lena Tallevasco was lying across her bed on her tummy, feet and tail dangling over the side. Her windows were open. Outside, she could hear endless cicadas droning their tiny hearts out. Tickly little droplets of sweat occasionally slid through her light grey fur. One of them landed on the page she was reading, leaving a little beige dot.

She drifted like a dream through the story she was reading. It was a fluffy little paperback about castles and princesses and stuff. Nothing substantial. Perfect for a day like this when the heat kept you from thinking too deeply about anything.

Lena's room was a perfect mess. Her shelves were clogged with books, toys, treasures rescued from the trash, plus various articles of clothing. She had a hamper, but it was currently full of car parts (She'd find a use for them one of these days, she swore). In one corner was an old computer, semi-kitbashed, and covered in innumerable stains from snacking while typing. In another corner, a stereo system was surrounded by towering stacks of CDs, only some of which had cases. On and around the bed were a minor zoo of stuffed animals. The whole room smelt of ratgirl, which was totally fine by Lena. A stinky room was cozier that way, she thought.

Lena turned a page and yawned. The words were blurring. If she wasn't careful, she'd be ambushed by a nap in no time.

Just then, there was a knock on her door.

With a small 'mmnf' of interest, she swiveled her ratty muzzle up and around.

The door swung in. Justin was there, looking somewhat lost.

She blinked. "What's up, little bro?"

He smiled as if that was exactly what he'd needed.

Without a word he crossed the room (stepping carefully around all her stuff), and crawled onto the bed beside her. Then he immediately gave her a hug.

She chuckled, surprised but not minding. She wrapped her arms around him too. "What's gotten into you? Something you wanna talk about?"

Justin nuzzled into her shoulder fur for a moment, eyes closed. She could sense his tension, then feel it draining away the longer she held him. "I dunno. I'm in a weird mood, I guess," he muttered after a few moments.

"What kind of weird?"

"Just... sad. Out of nowhere," the wolffox said. "I was lying on my bed in my room, and I just... started getting that feeling again. That tense feeling, like this isn't really happening and eventually I'm gonna have to go back and live with my old family again."

Lena 'hmm'ed with concern while petting his hair. "That still hasn't gone away?"

Justin shook his head and held her an increment tighter. "I don't know if it ever will. I keep having dreams about them. Dreams where I find myself back at the old house and they're all doing the same evil shit to me again, like nothing ever changed. And it doesn't even stop when I'm awake. That feeling, like, 'You're gonna end up living with them again and nothing can stop it'. It can come any time, out of nowhere. It's like... It feels like my mom's there in my head, telling me I'm too happy now. I haven't done anything to deserve it."

Lena opened her mouth...

He stopped her. "You don't have to tell me it's not true; I know it's not. But... even though *I* know, something inside me keeps on bringing it up. I have to keep repeating, 'It's been almost four months. I have a new dad now. I have a new sister." He shivered for a moment. "Wow. Every time I say that, I get this tingle."

"How do you mean?"

Justin pulled back to look at her. "That I have a new sister. It still blows my mind. It still feels unreal. I guess that's the other side of it; if my stupid ol' brain keeps trying to make me think I'm still living with my three shitspawn brothers, it also keeps forgetting that I've got you now instead."

Lena smiled and her whiskers bounced. "I get it. I have that sometimes too. And I used to get it a LOT when I first moved in with Dad! I'd wake up in the morning and, just for a second, wonder why I wasn't in the shelter with mom, or in the alley or under the overpass. Then I'd remember getting adopted by an awesome, handsome skunk, and this little explosion of happiness would go off inside me!"

Justin chuckled. "I've woken up and felt the exact same thing. Even before I moved in, when we were still just friends. I'd wake up and realize that I had someone to go and be with, and get away from my family for a while. It's weird how part of me keeps thinking I'm still stuck with them. I guess it's like how I keep expecting stuff in my room to be where it was in the old house. You get used to something over time, and it sticks after a while."

Lena nodded. "Reminds me of when you look at a light, then you close your eyes and you see the little blue and green afterimage."

"That's a good comparison," Justin said. "Mind if I steal that for one of my poems?"

She giggled. "Nope. What am I gonna use it for?"

He leaned in to touch noses. "Still... I wish my brain would catch up. How much longer am I gonna have a new family before it stops feeling new? I spent so long living with Fatty McWatchteevee and the Retard Three, not to mention Sir Punch-his-son, I just got used to being afraid all the time. Flinching when I'd hear someone coming closer, or my room door opening... I want that to stop. But it still feels... normal. How messed up is that? I guess you can get used to anything. Being around you, and Dad... The stuff I feel around you feels weird somehow. Love, and feeling happy and safe, it feels like I'm on another planet sometimes."

Lena made antennae with her fingers and wiggled them at him. "Meep meep meepzorp!"

Justin burst out giggling and tackled her for some tickles. Her laughter sounded absolutely heavenly.

Afterwards, she gave him a big squeeze. "Don't worry, Justin. Everything you're saying, I know exactly what it feels like. You think I didn't feel that same kinda, 'Whoa! What the hell is going on!?' when Dad adopted me? I lived on the streets for over a decade. I got used to always feeling hungry, always being too cold. Just being in a house with food in the fridge felt like... like I'd won the fucking lottery!"

Justin chuckled. "It blows my mind. We both've been through so much shit. And it's weird how I had a lot of the stuff you didn't and vice versa. You were on the streets, wanting a home, and I've always had one. But your mom was gone all the time, while mine never moved off the damn couch!"

Lena put her arms around his shoulders. "And it's all over now," she said, looking into his eyes. "Back when I was still going through that panicky, thinking-it's-all-gonna-end-soon thing, Daddy said I could come to him any time I needed to and he'd hug me until that feeling went away." She smiled warmly. "That meant so much to me. And it feels just as good knowing that I can be there for *you* now."

The happy ratgirl kissed her brother on the cheek. "Sometimes I can't even remember what it was like before I met Dad. I'm already starting to feel that a bit about you. And that's wonderful. I hope we both get to that place someday soon."

Justin felt his eyes moisten a little. He didn't have anything to add to that but another hug.

'That's another nice thing...' he thought. 'Being able to cry. If my brothers could see me now, they'd tattoo 'crybaby fag' on my chest in punches. But I don't have to hold it in anymore.'

Silently, the two siblings held each other. They stayed like that for quite a while, feeling the heat of their two slim furry bodies touching, smelling each other's muskiness. It was really too hot of a day for a hug this long, but neither of them cared.

Eventually Justin's knee twitched. He'd been sitting on it funny. He gave Lena's ear a parting nibble and disengaged to stretch his leg. Then he noticed her book. "What were you reading?"

"Not much. Just something to keep me awake until dinner."

He nodded. "You can go back to it if you like. I feel a lot better now. But um... Is it okay if I stay here a while longer? I wouldn't be bothering you?"

"Of course not, ya big moron!" She noogied him playfully and he 'arf'ed.

Lena laid back down on the bed and Justin snuggled in beside her. He sighed. Lena noticed how much contentment was in it. She liked being able to make him feel that way. She knew how calming it felt to hug her plushies after a rough day. She liked the idea of being Justin's plush.

Justin buried his nose in her side, feeling the fabric of her t-shirt brush over his muzzle. He drew in a deep breath. He sighed again. "I love how you smell, Lena. I love it so much," he mumbled. Knowing she wouldn't mind, Justin skootched himself sideways a bit so he could lay his head on her plump tush.

"Mmm..." she purred.

He sniffed around her tail. "Let me know if I'm being too... y'know. I just really wanna get lost in your fur right now. It feels so good knowing you're here. That I have a sister. A stinky ratty sister I can cuddle."

She giggled. "Enjoy me all you want, little brother," she said warmly.

"Thank you," he whispered. The bed creaked as he repositioned himself again, this time with his muzzle right between her soft cheeks. She spread her legs to accommodate him. Her furless tail curled around his back and shoulders.

"Thank you..." Justin sighed again. He nuzzled into his wonderful sister's cuddly booty. His nosepad touched her tailbase, making her twitch.

"Eep, it's cold!" Lena was breathing heavier. Justin's touch had gone from giving her the warm fuzzies to giving her a case of the naughties. "You can, um... pull my shorts down if you wanna," she quietly suggested.

"Definitely!" Justin's heart leapt. This was like being on cloud nine and being invited up to cloud forty-seven. "Panties too?"

She blushed. "Sure."

"Oh yes... Your bare fur feels soooo soft." He wiggled his snout into that perfect crevasse again and murred in total bliss. Lena's fragrant fur was heaven.

"Sure you don't mind havin' your nose so close to my butthole?" she teased. "I might fart."

"I wouldn't mind," Justin said truthfully. "How many times have I told you I love how you smell? That means *all* your smells." He chuckled. "Though, yeah, when we first met, you were a little... overpowering."

She grinned devilishly. "Not surprising for a dump rat," she said proudly.

"But even then, I didn't mind *too* much. And after a while... All your smells made me think of everything I like about you. I smell your fur and it makes me think, 'I love my sister.'

She squeaked softly, genuinely touched by what he'd said. "Really?"

"Of course," he replied without hesitation.

"You really think that about all my smells? Even my farts?" she teased.

"Yup." Complete earnestness.

"My sweaty armpits?"

"_Especially_."

"Ooh, I'll have to get you in a headlock more often."

His tail wagged. "Feel free!"

Lena snorted a little. "It's so cool hearing you say this stuff. You know I love seeing how stinky I can get. Seeing how long I can go without a shower. It's so awesome that Dad loves it and you love it too. I used to get embarrassed. Mom 'n me would be out in public and people would give me dirty looks. Like, on the bus or at the library. I'm glad I don't have to worry anymore. I can reek to high heaven and my two favorite guys will sniff it all up!"

Justin giggled into her fur, making her squirm. "I gotta admit... I even like it when you forget to wipe your ass."

"I usually do," she cooed, enjoying the ridiculousness of making something like that sound sexy.

"Part of me knows, 'This is poop I'm smelling!' But I don't care. It's this warm, happy, *dirty* smell. I can't get enough of it. I love how naughty it feels to be getting off on my sister's butt-fumes. I like not caring that it's taboo. Like you said, it's nice not having to feel embarrassed."

Lena pushed up, rubbing her fuzzy buns right in his face. "I'm so glad we can be honest about this with each other. I don't care what anyone else in the world thinks. Cuddling with you is awesome. Hearing you talk about my stinkiness is awesome too. Get your nose right in there, Justin! I'll try to whip up a batch of my best smells for you!"

He grinned and kissed both her buttcheeks, one by one. "I've got my own private smell factory," he said. He happily plunged his nose into Lena's crack and rooted around.

She clenched her fists and moaned a little. Bearing down, she tried to fart for him.

Justin felt a tiny whiff of warm air tickle his nose. He breathed in. Yummy! "More please."

Lena wrapped her legs around his waist. She played with his tail with her toes. The long fur felt really nice on her bare soles. Pushing harder, she managed a short buttsqueak.

Justin giggled. He'd felt it rustle his fur. He spread Lena's buns with his paws, kneading them gently, and gave her pink porthole a kiss.

The ratgirl thrust her face into her blanket and murred. "Don't stop," she whimpered cutely.

He wasn't about to. They were both breathing faster now. The summer heat felt more intense. Justin thought about how, with them cuddling together like this, Lena would sweat and stink even more. Perfect. He lapped delicately at her anus.

Lena squeaked.

The wolffox's tongue explored deeper. First he tasted the salty, savory flavor of flesh. Then a little further in, something pungent. Something dark. Just a light sample of it. He winced a little at the bitterness, but it wasn't like this was his fist time tasting the inside of his sister's amazing ass. He snuggled his face against her buttfur and explored every nook and cranny.

'I'm so lucky,' Lena thought blissfully. 'I have the best brother in the world.' This was luckier than winning the lottery. She and Justin had done an awful lot of naughty stuff together so far, and she'd checked off a lot of things she'd fantasized about when they'd first met. Having him clean out her asshole was definitely on the list. She'd pawed herself to sleep more than a few times in the past, imagining Justin down on his knees rooting around with gusto. Just like he was now. And the first time they'd done it, *he* had asked *her*! Could she be any luckier!?

Justin's tongue swirled around and around in the tight little cave. The flavor was perfection. As much as he loved Dad's cooking, nothing could top this. Lena's hot little hole was the tastiest thing on Earth. Meaty, salty, bitter, a little bit sweet. Nothing better. He could get lost in it. Not for the first time, he imagined himself shrinking small enough to crawl right inside and stay for a few days.

Oh, that did it.

Justin's boner would be ignored no longer. It was practically ripping through the mattress. He reached down into his pants to take care of it, but paused out of politeness. "Um, d'you mind if I..."

She read his mind. "...Bop your meat? 'Course I don't. I mean, you're licking my ass right now! It's not like you got anything to be embarrassed about."

He snorted. "Well, I meant, I don't wanna accidentally cum on your blanket."

A sizzle went up her spine. "Actually that'd be kinda cool! There'd be a little spot on my bed that smells like you. I could sniff it every night before I go to sleep!" Her whiskers bounced; an idea occurred! "...But in trade, you gotta lick my muff too!"

"Deal!" With his hand in his undies, Justin started stroking hard. With his other hand he pulled Lena closer by her tailbase. She squeaked loudly at that. He knew she really liked when he played with her tail. Pulling it a bit roughly, he dug into her moist petals. Not the same taste as her bum, but no less enjoyable.

Lena had to grab her book and slam her muzzle into the pages to keep from squealing at top volume. Justin pulling her tail had kicked her into second gear. She corrected her earlier statement: 'Best brother in All Possible Worlds!'

Justin had a deathgrip on his dick. His long tongue lapped from pussy to ass and back again. Lena's fur was sopping wet. Drops fell on the blankets below. Justin's chinfur was soaked in saliva and pussyjuice. He nipped playfully at Lena's bits.

Lena yelped. "Justin..." she gasped meekly, "could you... Um, could you bite my tail? Just a little?"

He looked up. "Huh?"

She was actually blushing. "I dunno why, but I've always wanted you to. I've been too shy to say it. I have no idea *why* this little thing'd make me feel shy, considering all the weird shit we've already done. But this has kinda been a private fantasy of mine. Like... I'm a preyfur and you're a predator, and that kinda makes my instincts flutter. I sometimes think about if we were nonevs; you chasing me through the forest... and catching me... and eating my tail..." At that she let out an unmistakable cry of lust.

Justin partly understood, partly didn't, and partly knew that it didn't matter. He'd always had a suspicion that preyfurs might have kinks that predfurs knew nothing about. This was clearly something personal to Lena, and he didn't mind at all giving her her fantasy. Besides, he'd also imagined them as nonevs before, with similar results...

He opened his mouth and slowly closed his jaws around her tailbase. "Thish good?" he mumbled.

"Harder. Please!" she moaned. Her voice was quivering.

Justin sped up his paw on his cock. Even if he didn't quite 'get' the eroticism of tail-biting, seeing Lena so helplessly turned-on was doing the same to him. He clenched down a little harder. It was like biting a big hotdog.

Lena let out a series of little squeaks. "You can bite down really hard if you wanna. It's okay. It's okay if I, um, bleed a little."

Justin raised an eyebrow at that, but he trusted Lena to know what she wanted. He bit down harder, sinking his sharp little teeth into the plump rat tail. Lena's reaction was immediate. Her back stiffened, she held him tighter in her legs and her pussy squirted. Justin took his mouth off her tail just long enough to lap it up.

"Keep biting, Justin!" she cheered on. She was panting and shaking and lost in her fantasy. "Bite my tail! My big fatty tail! You're a big bad wolf and I'm a helpless little rat and it's totally okay for you to eat me!!"

They'd done a lot of naughty stuff before, but Justin had never seen his sister quite like this. It was fun seeing her lose it! He waited a moment, building a bit of suspense, before chomping down hard.

"OHHHH!!!" Lena yowled. Sparkles of pain danced in her tail. It felt so good she could barely stand it. She remembered all the nights she'd think about this fantasy and pinch her tail as hard as she could, then spike her fingers deep inside her pussy and cum like a cannon. "Bite harder, Justin! I love you so much! Bite my taaail!!"

Justin clenched harder, finally breaking the skin. He tasted a few drops of Lena's blood. His instincts went off like a fire alarm. 'Holy shit! I had no idea my sister was so delicious!' He gnawed softly at the tiny cuts he'd made, loving her rich, tangy flavor. Part of him was surprised he was starting to get into this. But then again, he was a predator after all.

Feeling her awesome wolfy brother chewing up her tail sent Lena into eruptions of ecstasy. In her mind she saw herself as a tasty little wild rat, being chased through the dump, getting caught by the handsomest wolf in the forest. He'd chew her all up, then she'd vanish down his throat... Moaning wildly, she bucked on the bed, tossed the book across the room and came so hard her vision turned white for a second.

Justin took that as his cue. He was so damn horny now he knew he'd barely have to touch his cock to set it off. He drove his tongue into her nethers one last time and squeezed his dick. It only took a few seconds before he was blasting cream onto Lena's blankets.

For a while afterwards, the only sounds in the little bedroom were the hum of the cicadas and two very satisfied cubs panting.

Justin lapped gently and lovingly at the little divots he'd made in Lena's tail as he waited for his heartbeat to slow down.

Eventually, Lena came back down to Earth and got herself turned around so she could pull her brother in close for a kiss. "Thank you so much," she mumbled into his mouth. "I love you. You're so awesome. Thank you, Justin. You have no idea how much that meant to me."

"You're welcome," he said back, kissing her big adorable nose.

Her face was flushed. He thought she looked adorable in bright pink. "Sorry if the tail thing came outta nowhere. But... you probably don't have prey fantasies, do you? I think it's kinda like, normally I'm such a tomboy? I'm always the tough girl; fixin' cars and sayin' fuck all the time? And I *like* being that. But sometimes I like to imagine I'm small and helpless... and some big, powerful pred can come along and gobble me up if he wants to." She grinned bashfully and nuzzled him.

"Admittedly, yeah... I've kinda thought the same sorta things. But from the other side. Sometimes we'll be together, and you'll do something, like move a certain way, and I'll just wanna *chase* you."

She squeaked!

Justin shrugged. "I'd always felt ashamed of that before. Like, 'Where the hell is this coming from? I love Lena, I don't wanna hurt her.' But, if it's just instinct, and we both have it, and it's just playing..."

She nodded. "Then it's totally okay."

He nodded too. "Right. By the way, is there something specific about your tail, or...?"

"Oh, definitely." She cradled the wormy length of herself in her paws, stroking it. "I have no freaking clue why. But I love the idea of my tail getting chewed up. Maybe because it's so sensitive? Or because if I was really a nonev and getting chased, my tail'd probably be the most likely target."

"I'd never thought of that," Justin said. "I'll have to remember to give you a surprise nibble every now and then."

Her eyes lit up. "YES! That'd be SO great! Surprise me! Don't let me know it's coming! Then give me a good, solid bite!" She murred and licked his nosepad. "Maybe one day you can bite it clean off!" she kidded.

"And have it for supper," he replied.

"Speaking of supper, you guys can come down and have some whenever you're ready."

Justin and Lena nearly leapt to the ceiling.

Adam had a good laugh.

"DaddYYYYY!!!" Lena screeched. "How long were you standing there!?"

The tall skunk was grinning from ear to ear. "Hey, it's not my fault Justin left the door open!"

The wolffox blushed.

Adam looked lovingly at his two naughty pups. "Besides, you two are adorable when you're havin' cuddly time together. How could I resist?"

"Fair enough," Lena said with a saucy smile. She wasn't really mad of course. Daddy knew all about her and Justin's yiffy adventures. Just like she knew about Daddy and Justin's. And Justin knew about hers and Daddy's. It was nice not to have secrets.

"Before you ask, Lena darling, I heard the whole thing about you and your tail," Adam said. "You'll have to watch out, or Justin won't be the only one giving you surprise nibbles."

Lena squeaked in excitement. Having *two* sets of teethmarks on her tail? AWESOME!

Adam walked over to tussle his cubs' headfur. "If you need a few moments to clean up and get your pants back on, that's okay. Dinner's cooling off downstairs. Upchuck Surprise tonight."

Both cubs perked up instantly. No one remembered exactly when Lena had started calling her dad's tuna noodle casserole that colorful nickname, but it'd stuck. And it wasn't derogatory at all. Lena could eat a whole potful of the magnificent stuff all by herself, and Justin could eat two.

Lena hopped off the bed while pulling her panties up. "Or we could come down now, if you don't mind us bein' all cum-stinky."

Adam leaned over to nuzzle and sniff his adorable daughter's hair. "Don't mind a bit." He gave Justin a sniff and a kiss too.

They both hugged him and together they went downstairs to eat.

Lena imagined little cartoon stink-lines following them all the way.


~~~~~


*part 2*

The next morning was a busy one in the Tallevasco household.

Justin stood in his room, staring in annoyance at his suitcase. He had too many clothes and too little space. Of course, he knew he was just going to swallow his luggage when he was done. It made far more sense to store it in his internal garbage dimension than to lug it around all over the place. So he knew he *could* just stuff most of his stuff in the case, then swallow the rest loose. But then it'd get all wrinkly, floatin' around inside of him. He wanted to look nice for once, to make a good first impression. He already had on his nicest t-shirt and his least-damaged pair of jeans.

Adam, Justin and Lena would be heading to the train station in two hours, bound for a town called Clover City. The purpose of their trip was twofold. First, they'd spent too long in Flat Stone already. Justin was still considered a missing furson, so the longer they stayed the greater the risk of discovery. Justin was more than happy to help his new family get away with 'kidnapping' him. As a new place to look for a home, Clover City had a lot of potential. For starters, it was a middlish-large city with a landfill not too far away. Justin and Lena knew they'd miss having one in their backyard, but if Adam could get a job with the city's sanitation department, he could drop the kids off at the dump when he went to work and they'd have a massive new playground to explore. Besides, they'd used up quite a bit of the Flat Stone dump's emotional energy reserves by now anyway. High-energy trash kept good little wastelings alive and happy.

But in addition to the promise of a new food supply for Adam's favorite furry trash-zombies, there was another reason to visit Clover City; it was also where his parents lived.

Grandparents. Justin still couldn't wrap his head around the concept. He'd never had any before. His old family had permanently consisted of him, Mom, Dad, Royce, Dave and Greg. If his 'Dad' had a family, Justin knew nothing about them. And his mom's family had pretty much disowned her because of some vague incident involving the wedding. Justin only knew of it from bits and pieces Mom and Dad would shout at each other when their arguments got really bad.

Justin had seen kids interacting with Grandmas and Grandpas on TV and had always wondered what it would be like. It seemed fun, maybe. Grandparents seemed to enjoy spoiling little kids. There was potential for hugs and gifts and candy. Though he'd also heard reports that old people smelt funny.

One thing Justin did know: Adam was a great adoptive father. So he had to have learned it from somewhere.

There were a couple of problems though. One was that Clover City was clear across the country. The train trip would take almost two days. Longer if there were delays. When Justin had asked why they didn't just fly, Adam had grit his teeth. "I tried flying before. When you go by plane, first the airlines make you pay in money, and then they make you pay with every last drop of your dignity. Never again." Justin didn't inquire further. Adam also explained why flying was doubly impossible; he didn't have any official documents proving his children were his, so they'd never make it through security. Justin spent a moment thinking up increasingly-nightmarish consequences of that scenario.

Adam reassured the pup that they weren't settling for second-class transportation. Trains were a lot of fun, he said. The seats were larger, you could get up and walk around, and watching the scenery go by outside the windows was an induplicable experience.

Still, two days on one wasn't something Justin was looking forward to. Though the second problem was far worse. Lena had informed him that Grandma and Grandpa Tallevasco didn't know about wastelings. They had no idea she and Justin were resurrected garbage golems who needed to eat trash to survive. She told Justin it was imperative they keep it a secret. The shock might cause heart attacks. Justin had paled. They'd be spending Ten Days in Clover City! That meant ten days of sneaking outside to eat trash! Ten days of BATHING!!

But, Lena assured, it would be worth it. Grandma Patricia and Grandpa Townsend were the biggest sweethearts in the world, and she was sure they'd love to have a new grandson. That made Justin feel better. Getting a new family had already been one of the best experiences of his whole life. Adding to it would most likely bring even more joy.

Adam walked past Justin's room and noticed his son's open suitcase. He knocked on the doorframe. "Need any help packing?"

The wolffox flinched, startled. "No, I'm okay," he replied, still a bit lost in thought. "...Actually, no. Do you maybe have another suitcase? A little one?"

"Would an old briefcase do?"

Justin smiled. "That'd be perfect! I wanted something that'd keep my clothes folded. Like, after I eat them."

Adam chuckled. "It still weirds me out in the most amusing way that you guys can do that. Gimme a moment; I'll be right back." With that he dashed back down the hall. Justin heard Adam rustling around in his bedroom. Soon the skunk returned with the briefcase and tossed it onto his son's bed. He walked over and patted Justin's shoulder. "There we go. You gonna be taking your plushies, too?" He pointed out the well-loved menagerie gathered on Justin's bed.

The wolffox blushed slightly, but replied without hesitation. "Of course."

Adam nodded. "I thought so. I was just wondering if you'd be embarrassed about having them around Mom 'n Dad. Don't worry. I know they won't mind."

'They might mind a little if they caught me regurgitating them out of my bellybutton,' Justin thought.

"They probably still have some of *my* old toys layin' around," Adam said wistfully. "Your plushies could meet mine. How's that sound?"

Justin's tail wagged. "They could swap stories."

"I'll bet they could. Anyway, let's get a move on. Lena's about done and is gonna help me cook breakfast. Come on down when you've got everything stowed away." He nuzzled Justin's headfur, then walked to the doorway. "Oh! And don't forget to 'change' before we leave," he said with a wink.

"I'll remember, Dad," Justin replied. Actually, he was glad for the reminder; he'd had so much on his mind all morning, he'd completely forgotten to!

For the last few months, ever since escaping from his old family, Justin had needed to disguise himself whenever he went out. And Lena had unwittingly given him a perfect way to do so. When she had gotten crushed beside him in the back of The Green Beast, and Adam had then resurrected them both, there had been a rather unexpected side effect. Justin had turned into a girl. After some experimentation, he'd found he could change back easily. And Lena realized she could change into a boy too! They'd had lots of fun with this, much of it the naughty kind. From then on, whenever they went out in public, Justin became Jesse. He liked that name because it could be both a girl or a boy's name, so it wasn't too emasculating. (Oddly, when Lena turned into a boy, she liked to be called Roscoe, and admitted she didn't know why.) Even if someone from his old life thought there was something odd about a foxish-lookin' wolf kid hanging around with the local trash collector, no one could dispute that she was the opposite gender of the missing Dalton boy.

Justin blinked. He realized he couldn't remember the last time he'd thought about his previous last name. That thought made him smile.

Anyway, it was time for the change. Better to do it now before he forgot again.

Through experimentation, he'd found that it was easier to transform when he thought about Lena, rather than picturing himself as he looked in female form. Maybe because his ratty sister had transferred a bit of her female-ness to him during his rebirth. (He wondered again why they hadn't also gotten the ability to switch species.)

Justin closed his eyes, envisioning his cute sister hovering before him in just her fur. He pictured himself floating nearby. They hugged. Justin imagined himself merging with her, mixing warmly, until he could feel the changes beginning to take place.

He gasped softly in pleasure. The transformation was not violent, but slow and soothing. It felt like melting. Justin felt his pelvis stretch. His spine tensed a little, then relaxed into place. His arms and legs pulsed as they reshaped. It felt like gentle paws were cupping his face, carefully remolding his features there. His muzzle became more petite. His cheekbones and neck altered themselves subtly. He even felt his hair change, lengthening. The pads of his feet and his fingers tingled. He felt his chest get puffy and his nipples harden.

Then came the big change. His favorite one. Justin took deep breaths and let out tiny moans of arousal as he felt his penis begin to shrink. The sensation brought with it a wave of conflicting emotions and instincts. Altogether they made him giddy, like breathing in incense. His maleness retracted into its sheath, then the sheath itself began to curl up. Justin's testicles seemed to melt away. His scrotum pulled inward and vanished into smoothness. His sheath began to reshape into petals. His penis head became a pretty little clitoris.

Like usual, Justin orgasmed when she was finished.

Panting and happy, Justin rubbed her hands all up and down her new body. Damn, it always felt so good! Like that warm, hazy feeling of waking up from a good dream on a sunny morning. Justin's paws slipped into her shorts and played with her cunny a little. She'd never gotten over how new it felt.

She looked in the mirror and smiled. There was always that moment of surprise to look into the glass and see someone unexpected reflected there. Justin wondered if it'd ever pass. At least she had to admit, she looked pretty nice like this. It was kinda unsurprising that her new body shape looked partway between his and Lena's. 'Jesse' was slim, athletic, tall for a girl, but with a few cute curves. Justin wagged her tail and put her hair up in a ponytail.

The young wolffox girl enjoyed herself for a few moments more before remembering she still had work to do. She opened up the briefcase Dad had given her (she found some college notes inside and set them safely on her bedtable); it was the perfect size for holding t-shirts. Justin folded them inside and had room left for socks. There. That left just enough room to close the suitcase. "Kickass."

Now that the packing was done, it was time for the 'packing' to begin. Justin lifted up the blue leather suitcase and gave it a lick. Since becoming a wasteling, she'd developed a very diverse palate. She was acquainted with the flavors of a wide variety of non-food items. The suitcase had a subtle, savory taste with a hint of plastic, plus a pleasingly bumpy texture. She licked her lips and stretched her jaw. Lifting the luggage, she shoved a corner into her mouth, closed her eyes, and began to push it down.

Her cheeks stretched. Her jaws opened so wide it was nearly a straight line from upper teeth to lower. Then came the two little *pop*s when her jawbone unhinged. Justin thought it was very badass to have that in common with constrictor snakes. From that point on it was just a matter of feeding the suitcase in at the right speed. Not too slow, but not so fast she'd start coughing. When she felt her lips slip around the left corner, she knew she was mostly done. From there it sank in easily. She felt the slight pain as the bulk of it traveled down her esophagus, then the relief of finally having it all inside.

She sighed, rather proud of herself. The suitcase wasn't the biggest thing she'd ever swallowed, but it was a worthy challenge nonetheless. 'One of these days,' she thought, 'maybe I'll try gulping Lena down!' She giggled. She was *pretty* sure she could do it without permanently digesting her favorite rat, but she certainly wasn't ready to risk it without a lot of experimentation first. 'Maybe I could just swallow her foot for a while?'

The briefcase was next. Her mouth was a little sore, so that meant into the bellybutton it went. Justin slipped three fingers in her navel and stretched it open like the neck of a big balloon. It was always fun to see how elastic it was. She shoved the briefcase right in. There was a moment of resistance, then it disappeared with a 'SCHHLORP'. Justin's paw got trapped for a moment when her button snapped back. One advantage of navel-eating was that she never had to clean lint out from it.

Then at last it was time to eat her beloved plushies. Justin had them all lined up and ready. One by one, she picked up her soft friends, gave them each a kiss, said goodbye, and reverently swallowed them. Little ones like Cleo the bat went down with one gulp. Larger ones like Melissa and Ruthie took a few swallows. Justin hoped they were all enjoying their slide down into her tummy. She knew they'd be safe in there. She knew everything in her storage dimension could be digested or reconstituted at will. Lena had even taught her how to repair objects by absorbing all the pieces, then reassembling them with her mind. That meant some of her old, sloppy attempts at fixing broken seams had been replaced by stitching that was literally good as new.

The artificial fur tickled as she sent each one of her plushies down. Each one tasted wonderful. Justin could taste the love she'd poured into each and every one of them. They were all bursting with emotional energy. She liked knowing she took such good care of them, since they'd taken such good care of her in the past. When you live with a family of psychos, you have to get hugs from somewhere.

Last was Rachel, Justin's favorite. "Thank you," she whispered to the plump grey mouse. "Thanks for all the comfort and happiness you guys've always given me. I know I say that a lot, but it's always true." She kissed the mouse's little red plastic nose. "Have a good trip." A few more kisses and Rachel was sliding safely down into Justin's cozy tummy too.

Justin felt full of love now. Not at all surprising, since it was literally true.

She made one last check of the bedroom, making sure there was nothing she'd left behind. Thankfully, there hadn't been too much stuff she wanted to bring in the first place. (Adam had heavily recommended LOTS of books, and anything else that could pass the time on the train.) Her comb and deodorant were already packed. So was her stash of snacks.

(She knew how weird that'd be; internally opening her suitcase, choosing a snack, burping it up through her bellybutton, then unwrapping it to send the contents right back down again! Inefficient maybe, but it made sense. She couldn't taste her snacks if she simply dissolved them.)

Everything seemed to be in order. Justin grabbed one more book from the shelf, just in case, then gulped it down and shut her bedroom door. 'Wow... I'm not gonna see my room again for almost two weeks. I'll bet I'll really notice how much it stinks when I get back!' she thought with a giggle.

Justin bounced down the steps to find Lena in the kitchen, hard at work wrangling pancakes. She had on pink cargo shorts and a dazzling silver tank top (she liked it because she said it made her look like a sparkling new galvanized trash can). She was currently pouring multicolored kids' cereal into the pancake batter for maximum flavorliciousness.

"Oh man, you already changed!?" she burst out when she saw him. "Awwww! I wanted to watch you do it! You're so *cute* when you turn into a girl!!"

Justin blushed.


~~~~~


*part 3*

Breakfast was gobbled and last-minute preparations were made. Justin chuckled at seeing Adam running from room to room; just *knowing* he'd forgotten something. When they were all finally ready to leave, everyone took a moment to say goodbye to The Green Beast. Both kids hugged their beloved trash truck. They made Adam promise to take her on a long, crazy trip when they got back. Lena even kissed the grille before waving goodbye.

Adam locked the doors and, consulting one of his old books on occultism, cast an 'eye' over the house. It was a minor spell that was supposed to persuade trespassers away, or give Adam a signal if any of them managed to get through. He wasn't sure if it worked or not, but so far every time he'd tried it he'd returned to an un-broken-into home. "Couldn't hurt," he told his cubs.

Then he asked if either of them needed to go to the bathroom before they departed. Justin said she might, and Lena took great delight in watching the wolffox try to pee on the lawn without hitting her own shoes.

The drive to the train station wasn't too long. Adam rolled down the windows and put in a disc of car songs. At the station, the agent at the window said their train was running on time. They'd only need to wait an hour. Adam bought a newspaper to pass the time while Lena & Justin made up a board game using the station's floor tiles and various small toys they had lying around in their stomachs. Adam also suggested that they might want to stealthily raid the station's garbage cans, since there likely wouldn't be much high-energy trash available on the train. The cubs dashed off like spies. They'd both accumulated lots of experience digging through trash without being spotted. They both found enough to snack on, though not quite a full meal (Lena found a delicious feather boa, bizarrely enough).

Justin heard the train before she saw it. The whistle and the rumble were louder than she'd ever expected. And when it finally came into view, it seemed impossibly enormous. There were more cars than Justin could count. A silver snake longer than any dinosaur.

The crowd of passengers lined up at the gate and a moose in a blue uniform looked at everyone's tickets. The Tallevascos were directed to car 'M'. The trio plodded along the concrete platform for what felt like a city block length. The train seemed even more ridiculously big up close. Justin put an awestruck paw against the silver side of the beast. Looking down at the wheels, she imagined how easily they'd turn her into soup if she ever took a nap on the railroad tracks. Justin thought she was gonna enjoy this trip.

Finally they reached the right car and another ticket guy let them on; no metal detectors or patdowns, just a 'Have a nice trip.' Adam directed his cubs up a frighteningly cramped little staircase to the second level where their seats were. Everything was blue, silver and purple. The windows were wide and there was a water dispenser and a trash can in the center of the car ('Midnight snacks,' Justin thought).

The wolffox had assumed they'd all end up crammed in together, but there were so few passengers, each of them could have taken two seats apiece. Adam said that if Lena and Justin wanted to sit apart from him, that was okay. He knew they'd want to run around and explore, while he was looking forward to curling up with a good audiobook. The cubs claimed the two seats behind him, and Justin was glad to see that there was a little space between the rows to poke Dad if a poking reason came up.

While they waited for departure, Lena and Justin perched above the seatbacks and scrutinized the other passengers. There was a nice-looking ocelot family with a (hopefully quiet) baby, two smiling college boys who looked like their hands and gazes were glued together, a bearded grump in the back with a bronze cane, four teenage girls clustered together who already had their laptops and cellphones out, a nerdy twentysomething mouse who blushed when Lena smiled at him, a couple of elderly owls who looked just as much in love as the college boys, and a fidgety fox in a business suit who couldn't stop tapping his shoe. Justin wondered, if this were the start of a murder mystery, who the most likely suspect would be.

A speaker crackled above. A practiced male voice said that they'd be departing in a few moments, and fifteen minutes after that the dining car would be open to purchase snacks. Justin's tail wagged. Any kid in a new place will want to know where the snacks are.

When the train started to move, Justin had expected far more of a lurch. Instead, there was a slight jostle, a few rumbles, then she felt the metal behemoth come alive all around her. The station seemed to slowly roll backwards outside the window. Justin could hear that famous chugga-chugga rhythm coming from under her feet. Soon enough they were moving at a good clip and Justin found herself loving everything about the experience. The sound and vibration of the train's movement was something she was sure would soon recede into a gentle background sensation. It was already pretty relaxing. And seeing the city go by outside was like watching an endless high-definition travelogue.

Lena grinned at seeing her sister's nose pressed to the glass. "It's nice, huh?"

"Yeah! I didn't expect I'd like it so much," Justin said.

"Glad to hear it," came Dad's voice from the next seat over.

"I forgot you'd already done this before," Justin said to Lena.

She nodded. "The first time I was on one of these mothers, I just stared out the windows for _hours_. It was the weirdest feeling; knowing I was seeing places I'd probably never see again. And only for a few seconds! It was kinda exciting and sad at the same time. And you know what really surprised me? How many TREES there are in this country!! We're gonna pass through places where we won't see a house for hours. There's way more open space out there than I ever imagined. Lotsa cornfields too. That's something I probably shoulda warned you about before we left: prepare to be more bored by corn than you could ever possibly imagine."

Justin laughed. "Glad I brought books."

"And me," she said, beeping Justin's nose.

"Yeah, you're usually pretty entertaining," Justin teased, then playfully pinched her tail.

Lena shivered. "Ooh!"

Justin loved seeing her smile. "You said there were places you knew you'd never see again. How does it feel knowing that, in a little while, you will?"

Lena 'hm'ed. "It's strange. The train's exactly the same as the last one. This might even *be* the same one. So it's almost like I'm in a time machine. I already remember stuff I'm seeing outside. Like that scrapyard," she pointed out.

Justin turned her head to see an ocean of rusty, junked car corpses. They were ugly, yet as colorful as a rainbow.

"I hope we stop at the same places as before," said Lena. "There's this one station that has this really huge black steam engine beside it. I'm gonna see if I can climb up on it while no one's looking." She chortled evilly.

"I'll be your lookout," Justin pledged. Now they were passing over a freeway bridge. Since they were in a double-decker car and Justin couldn't see the train's wheels, it looked alarmingly like they were flying over the cars below.

"There was another train trip I was on when Daddy and me moved from Pine Bend," Lena remembered. "I doubt I'll ever go back *there* again..." Her tone was partly wistful, partly 'glad to be rid of the place'.

Something sparked in Justin's mind. "Hey! That's what I was trying to remember earlier. I've been meaning to ask you forever."

"About what?"

"Okay, I remember you telling me all about being homeless, and living with your mom, and how Dad found you and adopted you..."

"Yeah?"

"And then when I first met you, you guys'd just bought my dump. I remember you saying that Dad was still going to college back then and you guys didn't have much money. So how'd you get enough to buy a whole town landfill?"

Lena looked shocked. "I never told you that story!? I thought for *sure* I had!"

Adam poked his head up over the seat, pausing his book. "I thought we had too. My apologies, Justin."

"You don't have to be sorry," she said. "I didn't even think of asking until a little while ago when it struck me outta nowhere. Did you guys win the lottery or what?"

Lena and Adam shared a glance. They both grinned. "Kinda!" said Lena.

Justin raised an eyebrow.

"Do you want to tell him, Dad?" Lena politely offered.

"Naw. I can see how eager you are, dumpmuffin. Weave your tale and clue your sister in. I'm just getting to a good part," he said, tapping his music player.

"Okay, Daddy," Lena replied. Adam sank back in his seat and pushed play. Lena took a deep breath and tried to decide where to start.

Justin settled in. It was always fascinating to learn more of his new family's history. She got herself into a position where she could see the scenery through the windows of the far side of the car, plus the reflection from the windows behind her. Picture-in-picture. Justin also discovered a knob that revealed a leg rest, and made use of it.

"You remember what we did to the rapist, right?" Lena started solemnly.

Justin nodded. When Lena and Adam had confessed the tale, they'd told it so vividly Justin had imagined she was standing there in that parking garage with them, watching Lena do what needed to be done.

The ratgirl sighed. "I felt really weird for a few weeks after that. I mean... I'd killed a guy," she said very quietly. "I knew from movies how I ought to be feeling about it. I was supposed to be wracked with remorse."

"You were supposed to look down at your hands and wail, 'What have I done!?'," Justin supplied.

She chuckled, glad that Justin understood so well. "Exactly. But the thing that really ate at me was... I never had that moment. I kept waiting for it to happen. Daddy'd said I might be in shock for a while, so I thought that might be it. I thought that was why I felt so numb about it. But days passed and... I didn't feel any different. I still felt the same about it as if I'd... as if I'd gone to the grocery store or changed a lightbulb or something."

Lena's paws began to fidget, kneading themselves absent-mindedly. "I felt like a monster."

"You're not," Justin immediately reassured.

She smiled warmly. "Thanks. I know. But I still felt that way. And remember, this wasn't *too* long after I became a trash-zombie, so I'd mostly gotten used to that, but not completely. Up till then, I hadn't minded a bit. I thought it was the coolest thing that had ever happened to me. Plus I got a brand new Daddy who loved me so much I could barely believe it. But the morning after we caught the rapist and I sucked that fucker up and digested his pathetic ass, it hit me; 'I'm _literally_ what most people consider a monster. I'm not only undead, I'm made out of trash, and I just ATE someone. I'm a cannibal!' If Daddy hadn't been there to hug me and tell me he still loved me as much as ever, I think I would've just run away, as far as I could, and not thought about where."

Justin whimpered. "I never knew. I would've hugged you too, Lena."

"Of course you would," she said lovingly, and gave him a preemptive cuddle before he could offer one.

Then she went back to her story. "So yeah, I spent at least a week like that; all freaked-out and not sure whether to be afraid of myself. I didn't feel hardly any guilt for eating that bastard, but I felt a HELL of a lot of guilt over NOT feeling guilty about him!"

Justin had to laugh, and Lena didn't mind. She knew darn well how absurd it all seemed in hindsight.

"I can joke about it now, but back then I was a wreck. I'd sit in my room and just get lost in my thoughts. I'd eat lunch with Dad, go to my room, then it'd seem like a few minutes'd go by and suddenly he was telling me dinner was ready. We already knew by then that we'd have to move soon. There was no way were were gonna take a chance that somebody'd find some evidence in that parking garage. And if they did, we wanted to be as far away as possible. So Daddy was already stressed-out trying to deal with asking the college to transfer his courses, and figuring out how much it'd cost to move, and trying to find a place near a dump so I could keep on eating trash to survive... Plus he had me to deal with, bein' all spaced-out all the time.

"He still did his best to make me feel better though. He said he was always ready to talk if I needed to. But I just felt like curling up deeper and deeper inside myself. It's so weird to think about it now... because looking back, I was just making myself more and more depressed, and the best thing for me would have been to talk it out with Dad. But if I *had* done that..." She paused.

Justin was intrigued. She was completely ignoring the scenery now.

"Dad normally dropped me off at the dump when he went off on his garbageman rounds, but now I was asking him to drop me off there every other day. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to be with the trash. I was starting to feel like I should just bury myself there and go to sleep."

Justin 'erf'ed sympathetically.

"The upside to all my moping was that I explored every damn inch of that dump. I found all sorts of neat stuff. That actually helped me some. It's hard to keep a bad mood going when you keep finding neat toys everywhere, and you keep snacking on trash full of love-energy. That stuff's a guaranteed mood-lifter."

Justin nodded, knowing exactly what that was like.

"I found some of my favorite plushies during those days, actually. And that *really* helped. I think... somehow I wasn't ready to let Daddy help me. I dunno why. But I found Stardiamond one day, and I looked in her eyes, and brushed the dirt off her, and hugged her..." Lena looked like she might shed a tear. "That helped. I thought to myself, 'If I can love a stuffed kitty, then that proves I'm not hollow inside. I'm not a monster if I can rescue her from the trash and cry when I hug her.'

Lena's eyes did get a little moist then. "I was starting to get better, and Daddy could tell. He'd backed off by then. He could see I was more comfortable working this stuff out on my own, and he just drove me back and forth to the dump and made me dinner and kissed me good night. He let me know I could talk to him whenever I needed to by *not* talking to me. Do you get that?" she asked.

"Makes sense," Justin said. From her own experiences, she knew Adam was quite good at knowing when speech or silence would help more.

"By then, I was asking to go to the dump just because I was getting so involved in exploring the place. I was spending more time digging then worrying. Daddy definitely noticed. At first, he looked kinda hurt when I asked him to just leave me alone there all day. Then he noticed that I wasn't going there to sulk, I was going there because it was *fun*, and he'd let me out in the morning and wish me 'happy hunting'. And we'd talk about all the stuff I found when he picked me up in the evening.

"Then one day, I found the tar," Lena said with a mysterious smile.

"Tar?" Justin asked.

"Yup. At least, that's all I thought it was at first. I was digging pretty deep one day and I came across this motherlode of big smelly slabs of black stuff. The stuff they pave over potholes with. Normally I would've ignored it. Like, maybe this was left over after someone did a roofing project or something. But then I saw something *green*."

"Some money stuck in it?" Justin guessed.

Lena cackled, rolling back in the chair and startling a few other passengers. "I scraped away some of the tar, and that first bill I saw was a hundred."

"Whoa! I've never found more than a five in the trash bef-" She suddenly stopped. Her brain rewound what Lena had just said. "Wait, *first* bill?"

Lena nodded, her teeth flashing in an ear-to-ear grin. "At first I was just happy to have found the hundred. I thought maybe Daddy and I could go out to a fancy restaurant that night and put the rest towards moving or college stuff. But when I had the bill halfway dug out, I realized it was stuck to another one."

Justin's eyes widened. "You found a hell of a lot, didn't you?" she realized.

"I found a _fuckton_," Lena purred.

"When Daddy picked me up that day, I was _silent_. Just smirking. I let him ask. I waited for it: 'Lena sweetie, did you find anything good today?' Then I reached in my pocket and pulled out a wad of bills so huge they flew all over the floor. Daddy almost rear-ended the guy in front of us! I was trying my ass off not to laugh at him. He looked like he'd just swallowed a bucket full of hot sauce! He started asking me where the hell I'd gotten all of it. He was worried that maybe I'd *mugged* somebody!"

Justin guffawed.

"I told him about the tar. He got really quiet. He stared into space and I could tell he was really thinking hard. He asked if there was more of it. I said there was enough tar in that pile, it probly weighed a few tons; no exaggeration. I swear he almost passed out. He said he was worried that maybe we'd found some mafia money. He couldn't think of any other way it'd end up stuck in tar. I asked if that meant we couldn't spend any of it. He said maybe, maybe not, but first we'd have to be really, *really* careful.

"And I ended up being right: he took me to this disgustingly fancy restaurant that night, and we embarrassed all the other people because I was still dressed like I'd crawled out of a sewer. It was great!!" Her whiskers bounced.

Lena's glee was infectious. "Did you ever find out where the hell it all came from?" Justin asked.

"Actually, we did. But that happened later. The first thing was, we went back home and tried to figure out what we were gonna do. Daddy counted up the bills and I'd managed to dig out about three thousand dollars that first day, minus the cost of dinner. Just that alone was a *huge* help to us. I mean, we weren't starving, but we weren't exactly comfortable. There was always something else we needed to buy. I was so glad I kept finding new toys at the dump, since I woulda felt ashamed of asking Daddy for new ones."

"I sort of know the feeling," said Justin.

"I told Daddy that night that I wanted to go back to the dump as soon as possible. I remembered exactly where the tar pile was, and I'd even covered it up with trashbags before I left. He held me on his lap and said he knew it was gonna be a lot of work getting all the money out, and that he wouldn't be able to help me much since it'd look suspicious. Did I mention that nobody at work even knew I existed? That when Daddy dropped me off, he always had to do it in a different place, and I'd sneak in, and neither of us had any idea what the fuck we'd do if somebody caught us?"

Justin shook her head. "That must have been nerve-wracking."

"It was like being in a spy movie!" Lena said. "Sometimes it felt really cool, but other times when someone'd almost see me, my heart would beat so hard I thought it was gonna blow up and kill me! And now with the money situation, all that nervousness went WAYYY up! But... I liked it. I really did. As much as the actual work sucked *hard*, it was great knowing how much the money would help us. And now I had something to take my mind off beating myself up. I stopped worrying about it. If I didn't feel any guilt over the guy, oh well. I knew it wasn't like I'd killed someone innocent. He raped me and left me for dead and who knows how many other kids he did the same thing to? I finally got around to thinking that maybe I wasn't feeling any guilt because I hadn't done anything I should feel guilty about."

Justin smiled approvingly, proud of her sister. "I think I would've come to the same conclusion. He was scum. You didn't do anything bad by getting rid of him." The wolffox paused and looked down at the carpet. "In fact... I sometimes think about going out some night and finding my 'father'. Finding him, and doing exactly the same thing to him that you did."

Lena let out a small gasp, but the revelation wasn't too unexpected. She'd seen the bruises that man had left all over Justin. She'd seen the blood, the cuts, the broken tooth, etcetera. "I understand, Justin, but still... I don't think you'd want to go through what I did."

Justin looked at her with a calm cold in her eyes. "If the tradeoff for getting rid of him is that I'd feel bad for a few weeks, that sounds okay to me."

Lena was about to argue with that, but stopped herself. She knew Justin had every right to feel that way. "I understand. I'd understand if you wanted to eat up your whole crapsack family and turn 'em into little shitpiles. Still, I don't think you really will. I know you, little brother." She smirked. "...Sorry, 'little sister'. And you care more about being with me and Dad and being happy than you do about getting revenge on them."

Justin blinked. "Did... did you just read my mind?"

She smiled smugly. "No. I didn't have to. All sisters are psychic, duh."

"So when does mine kick in?" she retorted.

She mussed Justin's headfur. "You gotta be a girl for a few more years. Let your cunt soak up all the mystical energy."

Both of them laughed really hard into their paws for a moment.

Lena caught her breath. "Tee hee! Anyway, where was I? Shit! The tar piles! Oh my crap, Justin, you have NO idea how much it SUCKED!"

"How much did it suck?" he deadpanned.

"Imagine you're in a dump. You've got the whole place to yourself for the next eight hours. And you gotta spend that whole time eating chunks of tar."

"You couldn't break it up with your hands? Or a rock or something?"

Lena shook her head. "I tried all that at first. What I ended up doing was using dad's crowbar to chip off chunks big enough to get in my mouth. Then, down the hatch. It was the only way to get the money out. My stomach did a way better job of breaking the tar up and collecting the bills than either me or Dad coulda done with tools.

"The other irritating thing, besides the boredom, was the randomness. Some chunks were full of bills and some didn't have any at all. So I had to eat them *all*. There was no way to tell. A few pieces had bills sticking out where I could see them, but plenty had 'em smushed in the center. Also, most of the bills were ruined. It's so lucky that our tummies can repair things. I even kept a little pile of half-bills inside me and was able to find a few matches."

"How long did it all take?" Justin asked.

"I was out there almost every day for over a *week*," Lena moaned. "Dad bought me a little radio to listen to. That helped a LOT. I'd get lost in the songs and not think about swallowing tar for a while. At the end of the day I'd realize how much my jaws hurt. Dad was amazing; he bought me all the ice cream I could eat. He'd give me these really nice facial muscle massages when we got home. He'd kiss me and hug me and tell me how incredibly proud he was of the job I was doing." Lena's smile was radiant. "Sometimes I'd go to bed wanting to get right back to the dump the next morning.

"I think it took eight days, total. At first the pile didn't seem to ever get any smaller. I'd sit there in the dump in the hot sun all day, then look down and it'd seem like I hadn't eaten anything. And the shits! Oh my god, I forgot to tell you about the shits. I took the *biggest*, *blackest* poops you have Ever Seen In Your Life!!"

Justin crammed her muzzle into the seatback to keep from braying laughter.

"Well, all that tar had to go somewhere," Lena said matter-of-factly. "I wasn't gonna leave it in my storage dimension. So after I'd eaten a bunch and got tired, I'd get up and stretch and walk around a while, then I'd just bend over and let out these monster shits from hell. The tar got melted in me, so it was like an endless tube of hot licorice pudding."

Justin choked a little and didn't know whether it was from hilarity or disgust.

Lena smirked. "They felt kinda nice though. Really smoooooth. Anyway! Finally after almost a week, the pile seemed to be going down. On the last day, I ended up rooting around for any pieces that were left. If there was more, I couldn't find it. But I'd found enough."

"So how much cash did you end up finding?" Justin asked.

Lena's expression said 'not just yet'. "Remember how I said we eventually found out where it'd all come from? Dad did research at the college whenever he could, looking through old newspapers and microfish machines, trying to find reports about lost money, or anything involving tar, and one day he found it. Right there on the front page.

"These thieves had tried to rob an armored car that had just made a huge pickup at a bank. They chased it down the freeway, shooting at it with their guns. There was a curve up ahead, and they had a second car, and they were gonna try to ram it and tip it over. Then they'd blow the doors, get the cash and run. Except they didn't plan for the road construction that was going on. The armored car driver guy saw the orange barrels up ahead and tried to get out of the lane, but he hit a pickup truck and went _flying_. No one got the accident on film, and so no one's exactly sure what happened. But at least four cars, other than the armored car and the pickup, all got smashed too. And when it was all over, the armored car was on its side with the pickup truck smashed on top of it, and the back doors were busted right off the hinges. All the money spilled out onto the highway... right onto the new stretch of road they were paving."

"Jesus, that's ridiculous!" Justin said. "If I saw that in an action movie, I'd call bullshit. Did anyone die?"

Lena bit her lip. "Unfortunately, everyone in the armored car did. Maybe it was a fluke
or it wasn't armored enough, but I saw a photo of the wreck and it was _crumpled_. It looked like a beer can someone stepped on. One of the other car drivers died, and a bunch of other people broke their legs and things."

"The cops ever catch the thieves?"

Lena nodded. "Ohhh yeah. The dumbasses coulda fled the scene, but instead they ran out into the hot tar to try to grab up the money. All of them got their feet and hands nearly burnt off. We looked up some later articles and they got prosecuted the hell out of them."

"Wow... And the government just scraped up the tar and the money and threw it away!?"

"What else could they do?" Lena shrugged. "Once we found all this out, Daddy got worried that maybe we wouldn't be able to spend the money. Like, sometimes they do something with the serial numbers of stolen money so if someone spends it, the cops'll know. But Dad talked to a friend of his who was taking lawyer classes, and he said that, basically, if someone throws it out it's fair game. Dad was nervous, but we gathered it up and took it to a bank... not the same one that was robbed, obviously... and he invested almost all of it.

"We haven't really splurged much with it. Except on the Beast, of course, but she's special. Dad says it's far smarter to just keep it all in there, let it gather interest, and then we can live off it for years and years, and he won't have to work unless he wants to."

A thought occurred to Justin. "I'm kinda sorry he spent all that money buying my dump and now we have to leave it behind so soon," she muttered.

Lena slapped her arm. "Don't worry about that! He can always sell it back. And I _know_ he'd say that getting you in trade was worth it."

That made Justin smile. "So, okay, what was the grand total?"

Lena just grinned for a moment, letting the tension build. "It took a long time for us to count it. It was mostly hundreds. We had little piles of money all over the floor of the apartment for a few days. And the whole place smelled like tar for a while too! But in the end, we added it all up.

"I don't remember the exact amount, but assuming there's still about the same amount in our savings..." Lena leaned in close to whisper in her sister's ear. Her breath was tickly. "...you got adopted by a millionaire."

Justin's eyes went wide as hubcaps and her heart stopped beating.

"Shut up. No way," she gasped.

Lena just nodded.

"For fuckin' serious!?" she blurted. Then she looked around, hoping she hadn't just annoyed the other passengers. "That much?" she hissed more quietly. "I don't even know how to react to that!"

Lena giggled. "Well, we're not likely to go on any yachting trips to Fiji anytime soon. But we don't have to worry about most everyday stuff. We can buy what we want at the grocery store; no more having to worry about coupons. If something breaks, we can get it fixed or buy a new one. We can buy train tickets if we wanna visit Grandma 'n Grandpa," she patted her seat. "And yeah, if you ever really, really want something you can't find in the trash, don't feel bad about asking. At worst, Dad'll ask you to do some chores to make up for it. He's let me go to concerts before."

Justin's head was reeling. It had felt at first like this changed everything, but the more she thought about it, it really didn't change anything at all. Justin thought about living the 'high life' and it just seemed kind of stupid. Why spend just to show you can? She liked Adam's idea of living simple and easy off their windfall. It was practical. Although she had to admit, there was this video game system she'd seen an ad for, and maybe putting it on her Christmas list *wasn't* asking the impossible...

"So now you know one more big Tallevasco family secret!" Lena said, poking the wolffox's armpit.

Her sister giggled. "Are there more?"

"Not really. You know all the big ones. I eat trash; we got cash; I stuffed a rapist in my gash."

Justin 'tee hee'd into her paws.

Lena tickled her tummy. "Hungry yet? I wanna go find the snack car; they announced it was open a while ago."

Justin raised an eyebrow. "I didn't even hear it! You're a good storyteller I guess."

"Thanks!" Lena reached over the seat to tickle Daddy too. "We gonna go eat."

The skunk looked up at his daughter's paw. "You've got money?"

Lena checked her internal garbage dimension. She 'felt' all the loose bills and coins floating around. "Yeah, plenty."

Adam reached for his pocket. "Would you be a sweetheart and get me a soda? Anything brown'll be good."

The ratgirl leaned as far over the seat as she could and kissed Daddy's head. "How 'bout I be even more of a sweetheart and pay for it myself?"

"You don't have to."

"I want to, because you're an excellent Daddy."

He reached up to tickle under her chin. "And a lucky one too."

Lena 'flumph'ed back into her seat and tugged Justin's shirt. "C'mon, I think the announcement said it was three cars behind us. I wanna see if they got weird knockoff brands."

Justin followed behind as Lena led the way. As they passed the nerdy mouse guy in the seat nearest theirs, Lena tossed him a flirty wink and waggled her booty at him. Justin saw the guy turn bright pink.

"Hey, maybe they'll have little bags of tar chips!" Justin semi-shouted ahead. "The ruffled kind!"

Lena laughed so hard she almost tripped in the aisle. "Fuck yoooou!" she giggled.


~~~~~


*part 4*

The snack car was staffed by a lone older puma who had been on the job long enough to have developed quite a patter. As the two cubs came down the stairs from the observation lounge, he smiled as if they'd just entered a five star hotel. He had something smooth and clever to say about almost everything he sold. Though the Tallevasco kids could tell at a glance that it was all just the kind of food you could buy at a gas station, but at heart-stoppingly jacked-up prices. Still, the puma's rhythmic, jazzy voice was enough to entice them to buy a little more than they'd planned. He was good at his job.

The puma put their food in a fold-out cardboard box. Good thing too, since the motion of the train kept everything constantly sliding around. Justin was glad there were handholds all around the room. And Lena had considerable 'fun' trying to keep her coins from going awol while she counted them out.

They'd planned to nosh in their seats, but as soon as Justin had seen the observation car, she asked Lena if they could eat there. Lena told her to pick out some seats while she ran back to give Dad his cola.

Justin sat down in a large swiveling chair beside a low table. She opened her onion rings and began to munch absent-mindedly. Her eyes were glued to the outside.

The observation lounge was the same size as their passenger compartment, except with half the seats and walls made of windows. Justin could see everything outside the train in all directions. They were passing through a small town now. A classic main street of little stores, surrounded by gatherings of little homes. The train seemed to pass right through their backyards. Justin saw a barn full of rusted, skeletal farm equipment. And a pen full of horses! Only a few of them looked up as the train passed. 'They must be used to it by now,' Justin thought.

Lena returned moments later, wobbling all the way. That was another new thing that Justin had discovered: the magical world of walking on trains. Since the ground was constantly shifting beneath your feet, one had to constantly shift one's center of gravity. It wasn't too difficult. And there were always seats to hold onto. Still, it felt a bit like playing air hockey, as the puck.

The ratgirl was grinning evilly. She said she was sure that the mouseguy in the seat near theirs had a crush on her. So after she'd delivered Dad's soda, she had 'accidentally' dropped some of her change. Which meant she had to bend way over to look for it. And coincidentally, her panty-clad hiney had been pointing right at the mouse voyeur. Justin chuckled, but asked if Lena thought it was really a good idea to be teasing him like that. Lena said the guy was being very gentlemanly about it. After she'd stood up again, the mouseguy was flushed and trembling, but had done nothing more than give her a polite smile. Lena said he was being such a good boy, she was thinking of rewarding him by going over and talking with him later.

Justin had picked a spot in the lounge tucked away in one corner. She generally gravitated to the back of a room anyway, and now had a reason, since she didn't want anyone eavesdropping. She asked Lena straight out, why was she flirting with the guy? The way he'd been reacting so far, he was probably a pedo. And, well...

Lena nodded. She acknowledged that, yes, she had been hurt by someone like that before. And, yes, this guy was a stranger. And, yes, she understood Justin's brotherly instincts to want to protect his sister (even if he wasn't technically a brother at the moment).

But, Lena added, she was not a rat who needed protection. Much as she appreciated the thought, she reminded Justin that she was not only older, but perfectly capable of defending herself. She flexed her biceps and said that these were arms that had helped Daddy move furniture, helped him fix cars in the hot sun, and helped him toss around heavy trashbags on collection day.

Justin said she knew all that, but still didn't get Lena's motivation.

She shrugged. There was something sweet about the mouse. She thought his awkwardness was cute. And if he'd given her a leer or said something rude that first time she'd flirted with him, that would have been the end of it. Instead, he'd looked but kept himself in check. Lena thought that deserved a reward. Besides, they might not ever meet this guy again. Who knew when he was planning to get off the train? She had one chance to make a new friend, so why not?

Also, Lena explained in a low voice, she knew this was risky and maybe stupid, but she wanted a chance to confront her inner worries. There was a part of her, a small part by now, that still cried out when she was in public, 'You can't trust anyone!' She hated that voice. She hated it because she remembered the times she and her mom had been reduced to begging for change on the street. Lots of people passed by them. Most of them didn't even notice the two rats, or if they did, kept walking. A handful of people were mean to them, and a handful of people were nice. But the nice people always, always outnumbered the mean ones. Even if the mean ones were scary and stuck in her mind (Lena could *never* forget the man who'd leaned in sharply and shouted, 'GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY CITY!!!' at them), when she went back over her memories, there were only ever one or two jerks like that. Plenty of people gave them money, or at least sympathetic smiles. A few times, someone had even given them enough to buy a whole meal.

"The guy in the alley..." Lena said, "he was a monster. And that little voice in me keeps saying that anyone I meet might be just like him. But I'm not going to listen. I could, I know. I could be afraid of everyone else forever. But... I don't want to live like that. How horrible would that be? I think about all the times someone's done something nice for me out of the blue. I would've missed out on all of that if I'd let myself be afraid. What if when Daddy resurrected me, I had taken one look at him and ran? What if, when I first met you, I'd hid in fear?" The young rat looked directly in Justin's eyes. "Trust is worth it," she said determinedly.

Justin nodded, nuzzled her sister's nose, and told her she was brave.

Lena squeaked happily.

Justin said that she agreed completely. For a long time, her abusive family had been her only reference for what people were like. So at school, Justin looked at all her classmates and teachers and saw nothing but potential enemies. She spent her whole childhood suspicious, and it didn't make her any safer, or happier. It was only when she trusted a rat and a skunk that things changed. Justin was even forced to ask for trust from her worst enemy at school: the teacher who hated her the most. And when she had asked, she found that trust, and a hug, were freely given.

Lena was glad her sister understood. For a while now, Lena had been practicing giving the finger to her inner worries. She'd smile at people who looked grumpy, and found that she usually got at least a half-smile in return. She'd hold open doors and pick up stuff people dropped. Lena knew she'd run into a jerk eventually, but she also knew that when she did, she could just imagine a scoreboard in her mind with the positive encounters in an unbreakable lead.

The little rat grinned. Aside from all the noble stuff about trust and confronting her worries, she was simply horny too, she admitted. The mouseguy looked nice and sweet and she was *hoping* he was a perv too. The kind of perv she could coax into having some fun with. She confessed that the idea of doing something naughty with a stranger on a train made her shiver all over. She imagined sitting beside him, his paw sliding towards her, the fearful excitement of making sure no one was watching...

Justin's cheeks got a little warm. Okay, that *was* hot. It wasn't as if she and Lena had never done yiffy stuff in public. Often in dumpsters. But they'd broken the law in a few movie theaters, restaurants and public bathrooms too.

Justin understood by now that Lena was not afraid of sex and never would be. When she and Adam had confessed that their love went beyond just kisses and hugs, Justin had been stunned at first, then accepting, then eager to join. The three of them had a strong relationship built on trust, the willingness to experiment, and the ability of anyone to say 'no' if they were uncomfortable (which rarely happened). Lena had said before that she knew a lot of people who'd been sexually abused swore off sex forever. But Lena wasn't about to let that man take _anything_ more from her. She wasn't going to let him decide what she could enjoy and not enjoy. She wasn't going to let his repulsive touch enter her mind when someone she loved gave her an innocent kiss. And if she ever thought of him at all during sex, it was in defiance. 'Look, you asshole! Look what you can never take away from me! HA!' Justin thought that was a tremendously brave attitude.

The ratgirl let her paw wander along the back of the seat until she encountered Justin's butt. She gave it a soft pinch. "So, if I get him to play with me, are you gonna play too?" she whispered wickedly.

Justin blushed. "We'll see."

They sat and ate their lunch while watching the world outside shoot by. They saw treehouses in backyards, a gorgeously-maintained old car from before Daddy was born, the spires of an electrical station and the mammoth tubes of a grain storage depot. The sun was bright and sparkled off a little river they passed by. At times the railroad tracks were so close to its banks, it looked like the train was skipping across the water like a stone.

Lena munched her popcorn chicken. Justin fell briefly in love with a microwave Polish sausage. Later on, it would give her entertaining and highly-flavorful burps.

***

When the food was finished (and after they'd stuffed the wrappers into their mouths when no one was looking), the two cubs headed back to their seats.

Lena had a surprise for Justin. As they passed between two cars, she asked her to look down.

Justin did.

She nearly peed herself.

There was a tiny gap in the floor. Through it, Justin could see straight down to the tracks! The two cars bumped and jostled against each other. Lena put one foot on either side of the gap and dared Justin to do the same. She tried it and it felt like surfing.

Then of course they had to move out of the way when a large bulldog lady wanted to pass through. The cubs sheepishly darted towards their seats.

They both smiled to the mouseguy as they passed by. Justin gave him a closer look. Skinny, but with a bit of a belly. Caramel fur. Glasses. Had his laptop out and was playing video games on it. His t-shirt had some convention's logo on the front. Yup; grade-A nerd material. But his smile was totally honest. Though he looked a bit nervous to be making eye contact with children in public, Justin could tell it was only from worry about what other people would think. Not worry over 'What if I can't control my evil impulses!?'. This guy looked safe as milk.

So Justin didn't say anything more when Lena ran the whole length of her tail along his armrest like a slithering snake, and flicked the tip at her mousefriend as if to say, 'C'mon and pinch it!' He looked, but didn't touch.

The cubs sat down and Lena let Justin take the window seat again. Only fair, after all, since she'd seen the sights before. The mouseguy wasn't taking her bait, and they'd already explored snacking possibilities. She still wanted to visit all the bathrooms and hunt for tasty trash, but she figured that could wait until she was hungry again. Which left about forty more hours of their trip left to fill.

That meant whipping out either books or games. Lena was too bouncy for reading, so she clandestinely reached her whole arm into her navel and felt around till she found her suitcase. Justin watched, getting a little yiffy at the impossible sight of her sister with her arm up past the elbow in herself. Lena popped the latch on her suitcase and felt around. She was careful not to let her clothes or anything else float out and get away. While she was searching, she felt one of her plushies drift past her arm, and she smiled at the feel of his fur. She knew it was Doodlebean just from the brief contact.

"Aha." Finally Lena pulled her arm out, having located the little handheld game she'd rescued and repaired from the trash two years ago. She'd thoughtfully rubberbanded the baggie of cartridges to it. "Wanna take turns?" she asked Justin.

"That's okay, I'll just watch. I'm still enjoying the scenery." She suddenly grinned. "Let me know if you start getting carsick. If you puke, I'll save it in a bag for dinner."

Lena wrinkled her nose and shoved Justin a little. She stuck a cartridge in and the game 'boop'ed when she turned it on. Her ear swiveled. She was sure she'd heard the mouseguy perk up at that sound. She chuckled. 'He's probably got one of these too.'

Lena got lost in her game for a while. It was a simple, addictive puzzle-thon. Perfect for eating up time. As she watched the squares fall and shuffled them back and forth, she'd occasionally glance at Justin or point her ear in the direction of the mouseguy. When she thought he might be watching, she stretched her leg out into the aisle and flexed it slowly. She wiggled her toes until her sandal popped off, then she skillfully skootched it back on. From the slight creak of the seat, Lena could hear that the guy was leaning forward to watch. The little ratgirl grinned naughtily. She liked how it felt that she could cause this kind of reaction. For a long time she'd come to terms with being ugly, and only Daddy had been able to make her feel like she wasn't. Having someone react to her like she was a hottie was electrifying.

Justin's attention was divided between the game and the windows. She was fine with letting Lena play this one, since she sucked at it and Lena was good enough that watching her was entertaining. But outside, she could see they were passing through fields of swaying wheat. Little farmhouses punctuated the mostly-golden landscape. The horizon stretched back further than she'd ever seen before. She'd never seen a place this flat. Trees off in the distance looked like broccoli stalks. Houses looked like cereal boxes.

An hour or so passed. Lena was playing her game without conscious thought, nearly dozing. A passenger clumped down the aisle past her and snapped her back to reality. She looked back down at her game and was suddenly completely sick of it. She listened for the mouseguy. All she heard was a laptop hum and quiet keystrokes. Then she looked over at Justin, and she smiled.

Justin had become fascinated in something other than the game or the windows. The little wolffox was looking down at her legs and paws. She ran her hands slowly up and down her thighs, feeling the shape of them.

"You're pretty when you're a girl," Lena said softly.

"Aah!" Justin jumped a little. "Whoa! I thought you were still playing."

Lena shut the game off and tucked it into the helpful mesh bag attached to the seat in front of her. "Got bored. But I meant what I said. Hope that doesn't embarrass you."

Justin was clearly blushing, but shook her head anyway.

Lena scooted a little closer and put her paw on Justin's thigh. "You're softer too. Normally you're kinda wiry." She gave the thigh a squeeze. Then explored a little farther up the leg...

Justin looked all around the car. "Someone's gonna see you doing that," she whispered.

Lena's expression was serenely playful, like she had everything under control. "No they won't. That's why all the seats are kinda diagonal to each other; so no one can look across and stare at someone else. You just see legs and backs of heads. Besides, I'll hear if someone's coming." Her delicate furless fingers slipped into the waistband of Justin's shorts.

The wolffox was vibrating now. She could feel her cunny getting excited. The very possibility of getting caught was making her hornier.

"If we're quiet, no one will know," Lena whispered. The ratgirl took some time to sniff and nibble Justin's ear. She took a lick, sampling the taste. Justin shivered. Lena's tongue was unbearably tickly!

Justin closed her eyes and held the armrests tight. She felt her sister's paw slip skillfully into her panties. She'd felt this before, but part of her still expected Lena to take hold of a nice plump erection. Being this turned on and not feeling a cock tenting her underpants felt a bit surreal. Instead, Justin's pussy was hot, wet and screaming to be touched.

Her sister was panting like a puppy now. Lena loved it. She loved making Justin feel good. But her motives were twofold. She was counting on the two of them making just enough noise to be overheard by at least one passenger nearby. (Or two. She certainly didn't mind if Daddy eavesdropped and got a boner also.) The ratgirl traced her sister's muff and slid a finger delicately along the opening. Justin whimpered. Lena pushed the clit like an elevator button, then wiggled it in a circle.

Lena heard the mouseguy stop typing.

'Yes!' she thought.

The train's continuous rumbling vibration added nicely to the experience, Justin thought. She wondered if this was what those 'magic fingers' hotel beds were like. She concentrated on not making a sound as Lena teased her girlbits excruciatingly. She felt soft kisses on her cheek, and Lena's whiskers tickled her nose.

Lena heard a seat behind her creak, as if someone was scooting closer.

"Justin," she cooed, "can you do me a favor?"

"A-anything!" the canine moaned.

"Could you turn back into a boy for me? Just for a moment. It's the coolest feeling in the world to feel your junk changing. I know you like feeling mine do it..." she whispered.

Justin nodded. It was true. Cupping Lena's pussy and feeling it turn into a penis was indescribably sexy. Even more amazing was the time she'd been eating Lena out and felt her clit turn into a cock right there in her mouth!

"Only for a second. I don't want anyone to see," Justin said.

"Of course," Lena lied.

Justin let her mind relax. Lena's warm, gentle paw stroking her vulva made it difficult. Justin thought of penises. She thought of merging with Lena again, taking back her boy-ness. She felt the changes begin.

Lena watched in delight as her sister's body changed. It was such a smooth transition it was like watching ice melt. Justin's limbs shrunk a bit. She lost an inch or so of height. Her face became broader and sharper. Her hair shorted. And lastly, the fun part...

The little rat paw squeezed and Justin murred as the change between her legs began. Lena tucked two fingers inside, only to feel them being gently forced out by the impending transformation. Justin's clitoris grew and grew. The feeling was intense beyond description. Her cunny turned inside-out, becoming a furry little ballsack again, and his penis started pitching a tent in his shorts.

Lena felt all over the emerging penis as it grew, enjoying its firm warmth. She pumped her hand up and down inside Justin's shorts. "I'm gonna make you cum, little brother..." she purred.

"Oh shit, not here!" he whined. But he didn't really mean it.

"I'll bet you can't stop me," she teased. She kissed him again and sped up her hand. With the other paw, she cupped Justin's crotch and moved his balls around. "There they are!"

Justin was breathing hard, getting too close too fast. There was no way to stop himself in time! It just felt too good!

He let out a little yelp that plenty of passengers ended up hearing.

Lena grinned.

Suddenly her hand was all sticky. She'd felt Justin's cock spasm and the cum rushing up through it; felt the urethra throb as it unloaded its cream all over the boy's panties.

Lena eagerly pulled her hand out to lick it clean. "Thanks for dessert."

"You're eeevil..." Justin moaned.

"Yep," Lena said simply. Justin watched her cute pink tongue circle each of her fingers, slurping up every last drop.

Justin looked down at his shorts and could see a tiny wet spot. "Great. Now I'm gonna smell like spooge for the rest of the day."

"How's that a bad thing?" Lena asked, playfully sniffing him up and down. "Mmmm. Do you like how I smell after I cum too?"

"Of course," he said unhesitatingly.

Lena squeaked and hugged him, giving his neck tiny kisses. "Thank you. And that wasn't so bad, was it? You blew your wad and nobody caught us. Admit it; that made it even more exciting."

Justin nodded. "Definitely. I came so hard it almost hurt! I'm not taking any chances though." He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. Lena quickly took the opportunity to cup his crotch in her dry paw and feel the warm lump there disappear into a smooth curve. She shivered in delight.

Justin opened her eyes again and looked down at herself. She gave her ponytail a flick. "Girl-mode activated."

"Tee hee. What would you have done if we *had* gotten caught?" Lena purred.

"I have no idea! Yank your hand out and lie like crazy that we weren't doing anything? If it was another passenger we might get away with it. But if it was one of the... the... they're not stewardesses, you know what I mean; the train employees. We'd be in deep shit if they spotted us. Do you think we'd get thrown off?"

Lena shrugged. "Probably not. We're just kids after all. Besides, I think I have a pretty good idea what I'd do if I caught anyone spying on us."

At that, she whirled around into the aisle and came nose-to-nose with a certain mouse.

"Hi!" she said brightly.

"YAAH!!" he said, and flung himself back into his seat so hard he cracked his head on the window.


~~~~~


*part 5*

The mouse rubbed his head and stared at Lena. The panic in his eyes was like one of his nonev ancestors facing a boa constrictor.

The ratgirl got up out of her seat and nonchalantly strolled across the aisle to sit next to him. "I'm Lena, pleased to meet you!" She held out her paw for a shake.

Visibly trembling, and not knowing what else to do, the mouse shook. It was only then that he realized Lena had held out the hand she'd caught Justin's cum in.

Lena was very amused by his reaction.

In a matter of seconds, his face registered realization, then 'Ewwwww', then, 'Actually, that's kind of hot', then 'What am I THINKING!?', then finally he seemed to get himself under control. "Allow me to apologize."

Lena took her paw back and wiped it on her shirt. Noticing Justin's muzzle peeking around her seat, she waved the wolffox over. "What for? Also, this is my sister Jesse."

Justin stepped into the aisle and gave a little wave. "H'lo."

"Hello," the mouse said back reflexively, now scrubbing his hand with a moist wipe (though not before sniffing it, Lena noticed). "I'm t-terribly sorry if you thought I was spying. I swear I didn't hear anything."

Lena's grin dripped smug wickedness. "Now why would you say that unless you heard something you think we didn't want you to hear, hmmmm?"

The mouseguy blinked at her behind his glasses. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Lena was having too much fun torturing him. She reached out and tugged Justin to sit down too, squeezing herself closer to her new friend.

"Um, um, um..." said the mouse.

Lena's naughty demeanor dropped. "You don't have to be nervous. Obviously I don't mind. Why would I have been flirting with you if I minded? I liked how you reacted. Do you think I'm a sexy little rat?" She batted her eyelashes at him and made goo-goo lips.

Justin sniggered.

"Well, you're definitely a very cute young rodent," the mouse said.

Lena's whiskers bounced. "Thank you! But y'know..." she walked two fingers along his leg, "...that's not what I asked."

The mouse looked into Lena's eyes, then at Justin, then quickly glanced around the car. He leaned in and whispered, "Since I'm betting you won't mind if I say yes..." he gulped, "yes."

Lena kissed his nose.

The mouse got all flustered again, wiggling and turning pink, but with an enormous smile on his face.

"So what's your name?" Lena asked.

"Oh, right. I didn't say. Um. You can call me Ian Skyarrow."

Justin arched an eyebrow. "Is that an internet name?"

The mouse smirked. "Yeah, my gamertag. I guess I've been officially outed as a geek, huh?"

"Hey, we play video games too," Justin said. "Of course, ours are pretty old-school. 'Cuz we're broke."

Ian chuckled. "Not to, uh, spoil the invitations, but are you guys alone? Or does your parent or guardian know you're over here talking to me? I am super-duper not looking to get in trouble with anyone."

"Oop! Good point!" Lena crawled over Justin and scurried to Dad's seat.

The skunk was fast asleep with his head cradled in one arm and a drop of drool on his sleeve. He snapped awake at the feel of someone tugging his arm. "...Wha?" Lena said something but he didn't hear it because someone else was speaking in his ear. "Oh bloody hell!" he said, sitting up and pulling his earbuds out. "My audiobook's been going this whole time! I don't even remember when I fell asleep. I'll have to go back and find where I was at, plus recharge the battery and..." He noticed Lena again. "Oh. Hi, honey."

"Do you mind if Justin and I hang out with some strange guy I just met?" she asked in her sweetest voice.

Adam gave her a _look_. "What kind of guy and where?"

She giggled. "Oh he's just a couple seats behind us. He seems really nice and I've been flirting with him for a while now 'cuz I'm evil."

Adam rolled his eyes. "Oh, you." He tussled her headfur. "How old is he?"

"Mid-twenties, I'm guessing."

Adam could not believe he was going along with this. "Well, I probably can't stop you, you li'l succubus. I trust you to know your own instincts. If they're telling you this guy's okay, I won't go overprotective on you. Though I'll be right here keeping an ear up in case you need me."

"Thanks, Daddy!" The ecstatic ratgirl hugged him and ran back to Ian.

Adam couldn't help peeking over his seat to get a look at the target of Lena's affections. Most of his worries evaporated. The guy looked neither dangerous, nor like Lena was pestering him.

Lena jumped back into her seat. "All clear!"

"He really doesn't mind?" Ian asked. "Also, let's get the obvious out of the way; are you adopted?"

The cubs both nodded. "Yup, Adam's our dad," Justin said.

"Okay, that explains it. Also, um..." He adjusted his glasses, "to be honest, I did overhear a bit of you two 'playing' just now..."

Lena cackled and Justin looked a tiny bit mortified.

"If you meant for me to hear you... thank you." The mouse was blushing like a kindergartner. "I'm frankly surprised you're not disgusted with me."

Lena shook her head. "I definitely don't mind. You've been very polite about me wiggling my ass at you 'n stuff, so I figured that even if you are a perv, you've got a conscience."

"Well of course," Ian said immediately. "I'd never do anything to anyone without their permission. And, um, I don't *just* like cubs," he said very quietly. "I like women my own age. Men too, actually. I'm... open. I just don't have a special someone at the moment." He sighed. "That might change though."

Ian showed off his t-shirt. "Goin' to the Greenwater comic con. I'm gonna meet some friends there for the first time. In real life, I mean. We've known each other online for years now; we've just never had the opportunity to get together before. But I got some vacation time from work and..." He blushed. "Well, I'm hoping one of my friends will be more than a friend by the time the trip's over."

"Aww, that's sweet," Lena said.

"Good luck," Justin added, giving a thumbs-up.

Lena realized something. "Hey, Greenwater's not far from Clover City. That's where we're going. So it looks like we'll be together for most of the trip."

"Yeah, I'm at the con every year. I think they're only two stops apart," Ian said.

Justin smiled. "Cool. We'll have the whole trip to get to know each other."

Ian nodded. "Speaking of that... Uh, I'm not sure how to raise this politely, but, I overheard a little of what you kids were saying and..." He looked at Justin and spoke very gently. "I apologize in advance if I'm completely off the mark but, Jesse, are you transgender?"

The little wolffox felt her cheeks turn into stove burners.

Ian put his hands up: 'no offense'. "It's perfectly okay if you are! I know plenty of people online who identify as trans."

Lena hugged her sister. "You're right, Jesse's actually a boy at heart."

Ian looked puzzled. "So do you prefer to be called a boy or a girl?"

Justin was quivering with embarrassment, yet kinda liked it. "Well... technically I'm a boy. But I don't mind being a girl sometimes."

"Oh, okay. Considering what *else* I heard, is it safe to assume you're, uh, biologically male? Or am I asking too much?"

Lena giggled. "Naw. We don't mind talking about it, DO we Jesse?" She nuzzled her sister's ear, thinking how adorable Justin looked when blushing.

"Actually, it's sorta complicated. Though... if you want... maybe I could show you later." Justin smiled bashfully and rubbed her crotch a little.

Ian blinked a lot. "Only if you're comfortable with that," he insisted. "But, I'll admit, I am interested. You're definitely a handsome pup. Or a pretty one. Whichever you prefer."

Justin chuckled. "Either's fine."

"I'm a boy sometimes too," Lena added.

"Oh really?"

She nodded. "Have you ever been a girl?" she teased.

"Only when I play Metroid," Ian replied.

Lena didn't get it. Justin guffawed. "Nice!"

Lena rolled her eyes. "Video game stuff..." That gave her an idea. "Actually, I saw you playing something earlier and it looked cool. Would you mind showing us?"

"Oh, not at all!" Ian lit up at the prospect of having someone to talk about games with. "Lemme just save this email I was working on," he said. He clicked some buttons and put away a few programs. Then he went to his games folder. His laptop was perched on the little tray that folded out from the seat in front of him. He turned it to show Lena and Justin the screen. "Ever heard of The Adventures Of Ruthie?"

Justin's tail wagged. "Yeah! I even have a plushie of her!"

"Excellent! A fellow fan!" Ian gave the wolffox a high five. "I'll admit, I've had a crush on her ever since the show came on. And yes, I am fully aware of how much of a weirdo it makes me to be a grown man having the hots for an animated children's cartoon character."

Justin snickered. "Don't worry. I can safely promise that we're both weirder than you could ever imagine." Lena vigorously nodded agreement.

Ian clicked on the game and waited for it to load up. "It's not the most sophisticated gaming experience money can buy. It's a few years old. Standard platformer. But I still play it because it's the only game she's ever been in. It wasn't even made for PCs; I'm running it off an emulator."

Justin and Lena both leaned in to see the title screen, which showed the famous mouse adventuress swinging in on a rope to simultaneously kick two stone golems into a lava pit. Ian showed them the opening cutscene.

Justin was nearly salivating. 'I am buying this when I get home,' she thought with ironclad certainty. 'I haven't even seen him play it yet and I don't care. I don't even know what system it's on, and I don't care.'

"Would you guys like to give it a try?" Ian offered. "I've played through it plenty of times."

Lena rubbed her shoulder against his. "I'd like to try," she said coyly.

Justin looked a wee bit disappointed.

"Don't worry, I'll give you a turn soon," she promised. Lena was about to reach for the laptop and realized it'd be rather awkward trying to play it on either tray, since she was sitting in the middle.

Ian gulped. "If... if you don't mind, y-you could sit on my lap," he very meekly asked.

It was clear the mouse was worried he might be going too far, but Lena's smile reassured him. "I thought you'd never ask!" With a squeak of happiness, she skootched herself up onto Ian's lap. He helpfully held the tray out of her way.

The mouse took a deep breath. Lena was warm and soft and felt absolutely amazing. Little pink cartoon hearts were popping all around his head. Ian was scared shitless of the railroad staff seeing them like this, but the devil on his shoulder said it was worth the risk. Besides, the adorable little ratgirl was simply playing a video game. That was all. Nothing naughty about it. 'Except in my thoughts...' Ian had to admit.

Lena could feel him tense up the instant she climbed aboard. His limbs went stiff as ice. She wiggled her booty against his groin a little and heard him make a noise that belonged to no language she'd ever heard of.

'Holy shit!!!' Ian thought. 'I am SO gonna end up in jail for this!'

"You make a very comfy chair, Mr. Skyarrow," Lena purred.

"Th-thank you." He reached around Lena's arms to click 'start'. "Now, would you like me to show you where to go, or do you wanna just figure it out by yourself?"

"You can point stuff out if I get stuck, but I like exploring," Lena replied.

By now, Justin had shifted over to where Lena had been sitting. She brushed Ian's arms and could feel goosebumps. The mouse was really nervous! But Justin knew that Lena had lots of practice with this sort of thing. They'd racked up quite a respectable number of public indecencies and had never been caught. She and Lena were both mindful of paying attention to their surroundings as well as their horniness.

There was a little pixelated Ruthie onscreen now. She was standing on the bank of a jungle river. A rowboat nearby implied she was close to the temple mentioned in the intro. The graphics were typical but cute, Justin thought. At least Ruthie looked like herself.

"'D' is your whip, 'A' is your jump and 'S' is attack, though you won't need that for a while," Ian said. "Move with the arrow keys. And watch out for plants with purple leaves."

Lena nodded and plunged in. Soon she was snapping fruit out of trees for health, dodging bugs and unearthing gold coins. Lena jumped when the ground she'd been walking across turned into quicksand. "What do I do!?"

"Don't jump!" Ian cautioned. "The game designers actually did their research here. Just walk slowly to the other side. Fast movements'll make you sink quicker."

Justin nodded approvingly. "Just like in the episode with the Woovoo tribe."

"Yep, there's a lot of show references in here," Ian said. "This is one of the few game adaptations I've seen that doesn't suck ass through a tube."

Lena carefully nudged Ruthie to the far side of the quicksand. The onscreen explorer mouse paused to kick the mud off her boots in annoyance. Lena giggled at the attention to detail.

Soon enough, Lena had gotten into the groove of things and was taming the savage jungle like a pro. Justin memorized her moves for when it'd be his turn. And Ian hinted at secret areas.

He was so into watching Lena play that he actually forgot all about having a cuddly little girl on his lap. Lena had been hoping to get fondled a bit, but was having plenty of fun with the game anyway.

Ian was so into the game, he didn't even notice when a bulldog lady walked by and gave him a disapproving expression.

From her cozy seat on his lap, Lena gave the woman a look that said, 'Get your mind out of the gutter!'

As the bulldog shrugged and walked off, Lena giggled at the irony.


~~~~~


*part 6*

"Having fun with my children?"

"Awk!" Ian looked up to see a bespectacled skunk casually leaning against the seat in front of him. Then he looked outside. The sun was low in the sky, turning the wheatfields serenely orange. "Jeepers in a basket! What time is it?"

Adam pointed above. "They just made an announcement that they're seating people in the dining car for supper. Didn't you hear it?".

From the mouse's lap, Justin shrugged. "We've been helping Ruthie defeat evil, Dad."

"There's a Ruthie video game?" He walked around to look. Like a lot of fathers, he'd amassed a large repertory of cartoon character knowledge by osmosis. "Huh. Neato."

"It's pretty kickass," Lena said. "I got to level three, then Justin took over and we're almost finished with level five."

"Can you save your progress?" Adam asked. "I was going to suggest we all have something to eat together, if that sounds okay to everyone."

Ian looked rather surprised. "Are you sure?"

The skunk smiled welcomingly and presented his hand for a shake. "I trust my cubs' intuition. They seem to like you, so I have no reason not to."

Ian shook, but looked decidedly uncomfortable doing so.

Knowing what that look was about, Adam leaned in close and whispered, "They're yiffy little furballs, aren't they? Been tenting your pants the whole time, hm?"

Ian looked like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water on him.

Adam chuckled. "It's allright. We're a very 'close' family, if you catch my meaning. You can be honest about your feelings and none of us will mind."

"Yeah. Dad's cool," Lena said. She hugged her favorite skunk and then, being sure no one else was watching, gave his groin bulge a honk.

Adam went cross-eyed for a moment.

Ian giggled. "Oh jeez!"

"So, supper?" Adam asked again, regaining his composure.

Ian mentally checked his wallet. "Sure, why not. Thank you very much, Mr. Tallevasco, for inviting me." He gave Justin's hair a quick kiss. "Now get off and let me up, pup."

Justin wiggled out from between the mouse and tray.

Ian saved the game, tucked the laptop in its carrying case, hoisted the shoulder strap and stood up. "One question: which way's the dining car?"

***

When Adam saw the prices on the menu, his first instinct was to scream and leap out a window. However, he'd been in plenty of other situations where a company took advantage of having a captive audience, so it wasn't unexpected. Plus the pictures looked appetizing. Though if they brought him the equivalent of a TV dinner, he'd raise hell.

The dining car was quiet and elegant. Or as elegant as a place can be when everything's vibrating and the waiters are walking like first-time ice skaters. Justin and Ian took the window seats, with Lena sitting beside Ian and Adam sitting beside Justin. Lena immediately started rubbing up against their guest, making him fidget and Adam chuckle. This mouse seemed very susceptible to teasing. No wonder Lena liked him so much.

From under the table, something made a thump. Ian suddenly went "Oop!"

"What was that?" Lena asked.

"Something touched my leg. Oh! Zowie, there it is again!"

They both looked across at Justin. She smiled in a 'I can tease the mouse too' kind of way.

Ian quivered and giggled as something tickled him.

Lena ducked under the table briefly. "Jesse, are you playing footsy with him?" she mock-scolded.

Adam heard the thump of another sneaker falling to the floor. A moment later, Ian went all wiggly.

"Yup," said Justin.

Lena looked down and saw several little black-furred toes rubbing on their dinner guest's thigh. She gave her sister an approving smile. "Two can play at that game," she declared.

"Technically, there's already two of us," Ian pointed out.

"Okay then, three!" Lena slipped her sandals off and swiveled in her seat to deposit her paws in Ian's lap. "Say hello to my big ugly feet!" she said, sounding quite proud of them.

Ian looked the intruding ratfeet over. He gave them each a gentlemanly pat. "They're not ugly."

"Sure they are," Lena grinned, wiggling her toes at him. "They're like a pair of skis! Dad sometimes calls them my pink speedboats."

Adam chortled at Lena's candor. "Only in the nicest sense of the word, of course."

"They are kinda long," Ian admitted, running a finger up each of the insoles. Lena squeaked. "But I think they're pretty. They're a very nice shade of pink. Reminds me of bubblegum."

Lena laughed like a hissing teakettle. "Wanna chew on 'em later?" she teased.

"I might," Ian countered boldly. He was starting to develop a resistance to her.

"How 'bout mine?" Justin piped up.

Ian reached underneath the table to cup and caress the little wolffeet. "They're quite nice too. Smaller, definitely, but the fur's nice and soft."

Justin looked very pleased.

A tree frog waitress approached, looking a bit puzzled.

Adam coughed warningly. Lena quickly spun back to her proper position, bonking her feet on the table support and making the whole thing vibrate.

"The speedboats had a shipwreck," Justin deadpanned.

Lena was insensible with giggles for a few moments.

The waitress gave the quartet odd looks. "Are you two related?" she asked Ian and Lena.

"Actually no; we are," Adam corrected, pointing between himself and his cubs.

The frog's eyes went slightly in different directions. One could almost hear the gears grinding inside her head. She blinked and reclaimed her professional attitude, then recited the daily specials while passing out menus.

Justin and Lena decided to be grown up and eschew the kids' menu. Lena chose the grilled chicken and Justin felt his heart skip when he saw the photo of the flatiron steak. Ironically, since Ian wasn't too hungry, he ordered the kid-size cheeseburger.

Adam placed their orders with a smile. He vowed to tip the waitress nicely later for giving her momentary brain damage.

While the skunk, mouse, wolffox and rat waited for the food to arrive, Adam decided to test Ian's weirdness threshold. In great detail, he told the mouse all about wastelings and high-energy trash and bellybutton garbage voids. The whole bizarre family history. But, so as not to cause alarm, he cleverly framed it as the plot of a novel he was writing.

Ian, a pureblood sci-fi lover, ate it up. He listened enthusiastically, occasionally asking thoughtful questions for clarification. "So they're basically zombies?"

"Pretty much so," Adam replied.

Justin was busy stacking coffee creamers into a little tower. He grinned at Dad and Ian discussing the truth as if it was fiction.

Ian rubbed his upper lip. "Fascinating concept. Frankly, I usually hate zombies. They're so overdone nowadays. I hear the word and all I can think of is stale bread. But I like this idea of yours. It's new. It's a complete reversal. Instead of shambling, braindead hordes, there's only a handful of them and they're sentient. And they keep themselves from rotting by eating garbage instead of brains. Have I got all that right?"

Adam nodded. "Exactly. I'm glad I'm not boring you by going on and on about this."

"No, no," Ian said, staring down at the tablecloth in thought. "Something just occurred to me though. If they can maintain a continuous supply of this emotional energy... are they basically immortal?"

Justin and Lena both blinked.

Adam did too. "I, uh, hadn't thought of that."

"Zombie movies never seem to address that. Well, that one movie had them all die of starvation at the end, and that made sense. But usually the film ends with the survivors, if there are any, trapped in a world where the living dead rule forever. But that's stupid. Eventually, it's inescapable that they'll run out of living people to eat. Either they'll exhaust the world's supply of tasty brains, or the survivors will hole up where they're protected permanently. Any species with that kind of exponential growth and that kind of disregard for managing natural resources is doomed to extinction. But with these wastelings of yours, they have a manageable population and a practically limitless food supply. And you said they don't age beyond their death, right? So, as long as people still feel emotion and throw things away, the conclusion is self-evident. They're immortal."

Justin and Lena both had to pretend as though they merely found this an interesting conversation, but inside, their hearts were racing. This was intensely important. They'd all wondered about this, even Adam, but it was just offhand speculation so far. The idea seemed too good to be true. But hearing Ian talk about it as if it wasn't just plausible, but the only *possible* outcome, it made the little wastelings shiver.

'Does this mean we're gonna outlive Dad someday?' Justin thought.

Adam managed to keep his cool despite his dinner companion having just essentially proved that his children were demigods. "I can't argue with your logic. From everything I've already observed- written I mean- that does seem to be the case. Of course, if the characters don't *know* this, there's no real way to work it into the story. Other than maybe having them discuss it at some point."

Justin giggled at how insanely metafictional that was.

Ian nodded. "I understand. I write sometimes too. Mostly though, I proofread stuff my friends write. I'm pretty OCD about details, so I'm good at it." He had another thought. "It just occurred to me... you could bring up the idea in another way."

"How's that?"

"You could kill one of them."

Lena choked on her spit.

Ian assumed she was just emotionally attached the the characters in her father's story. "Oh, I didn't mean permanently! I was thinking... you said that the one wasteling used to be a normal furson, right? And he changed because the other one died with him in the trash truck and they both resurrected?"

Adam leaned forward. "Go on."

"So... if I'm understanding this right, they're immortal in more ways than just not dying of old age."

Justin felt chills running up his spine. "How so?"

Ian started acting out his theory using the salt and pepper shakers. "So this one," (he wiggled the salt) "starts out alive, and this one," (a pepper wiggle) "starts off undead. In any zombie movie, if you crushed one to death, it'd stay dead. I'm not sure I've ever seen something where a dead monster assimilates meat or blood or something from around itself once it's dead to bring itself back to life, but that's what your wasteling does. They both die," (he knocked over the shakers) "but then they both get reborn," (shakers back up again) "because they had enough trash to craft new bodies from."

Adam's eyes widened as he realized where Ian was going with this.

The mouse brushed some of the spilled salt and pepper onto his napkin. "Logically, that makes them both as indestructible as Jason or Freddy. At least, so long as one of them remains alive to reanimate the other. And so long as they can find enough trash. But any horror writer would realize there's a helluva sequel potential here."

This line of thought made Lena so excited she peed a teeny bit.

Ian tapped his lips. "If you wanted to *really* stretch the premise, you could plausibly give them the ability to regenerate without having to die first. Like, if they get a minor wound, just slap some trash on it. Or if they lose a limb, all they have to do is eat enough trash to equal the mass of whatever's missing."

Lena and Justin stared across the table at each other, wondering wordlessly whether they might already have this ability without realizing it. It was certainly possible. Adam had learned far more about wastelings from living with Lena than his old books had ever taught him. They had merely mentioned that such beings existed and that it was possible to raise one from hibernation by a ritual. And the ritual itself, the authors admitted, was discovered by trial and error.

'When's the last time we got sick?' Justin mouthed to Lena.

She shook her head. Like him, she couldn't remember.

Adam's hand was over his mouth, stroking his chin reflexively. He was trying very, very hard to conceal most of his excitement. "That's... That's a hell of an idea, Ian. I hope you don't mind if I steal it. It's too good not to at least experiment with."

"Oh, go right ahead!" Ian said, smiling. "I don't have much time to do my own writing, but I always like helping a story grow to reach its full potential. Hell, if you'd like someone to bounce stuff off while you're writing, I could give you my email address. Are you online or am I just assuming-" He stopped and looked past the skunk. "Oh, look! Food's here!"

Adam was very, very glad for the waitress' timing. He dug straight into his reuben sandwich. With his mouth plugged, it paused the conversation long enough for him to think.

The idea... It was impossible. Had to be. He would have seen signs of it by now if it were true, wouldn't he? If his cubs had the capability to heal themselves, they'd all have known already. Right?

Like Justin, Adam realized that he couldn't remember the last time either of his cubs had gotten sick. But he'd chalked that up to them either having fantastic immune systems, or the diseases being just another form of waste for them to absorb. Lena still came to him with cuts and scratches sometimes. He'd put band-aids on them and they healed normally. But what if healing by trash had to be done consciously? After all, Lena hadn't been able to resurrect herself from the trash automatically. Well, the first time at least. The second time, when they'd changed Justin, he hadn't needed to perform the ritual for Lena too. She had absorbed half the trash in the Green Beast's back, woken up and was back to normal.

So... could she do that at any time?

Could both of them? Was it possible they could repair wounds by just eating more trash than normal? How could he even test that theory!?

Adam paled as he realized that his cubs were smart enough to undoubtedly be following this same line of reasoning in their own heads and coming to the same questions. And he knew there was no way he could stop them from experimenting on one another. Lena especially.

He hoped they'd at least have the sense to not start with an arm or a leg first. Something small. A tailtip maybe.

Gawd... he could just imagine Lena coming up to him and asking if she and Justin could borrow his power tools!

Ian was digging into his burger. "I'm suddenly ravenous," he said obliviously. "I might order more, actually."


~~~~~


*part 7*

With Ian around, there wasn't any way for the Tallevascos to discuss the ramifications of his hypothesis. So, they didn't. They let it slide and just concentrated on dinner. Which was tasty enough to *almost* live up to its prices. (Though Justin loved his steak so much he thought it was worth the price of a small car.)

Dessert came after meals, so soon enough the cubs were cramming spoonfuls of chocolate-drizzled cheesecake into their craws and 'mmmmm'ing loudly.

After the foursome had filled their tummies, they returned to the passenger car and their previous activities. Adam knew his cubs would want to keep on playing their game, but he let them know he was hoping to have some quality time with them later on, where they could have A Nice Long Talk. The cubs nodded, knowing exactly what he was hinting at. They both hoped they could keep their lips buttoned until then.

Adam returned to his seat and got out his own laptop. He hoped writing down his thoughts would help focus them. He started listing facts that might either confirm or contradict Ian's idea of wastelings having a healing ability. By the time he'd wrung his brain dry of ideas, the number of items in the confirmation category outnumbered the other side three to one. Now the hardest thing for Adam to believe was that he'd never put it all together before.

Meanwhile, Lena was snuggled up to Ian's side again, watching Justin guide Ruthie through the treacherous nighttime marketplace. The level five boss had been a bit of a pushover, so long as one remembered the correct series of statues to jump on. But the difficulty curve had gone up in level six and Justin's face was set in a wince of deadly serious concentration. She 'grrr'ed softly every time she died.

While Justin's attention was on the screen, Ian let his attentions turn towards Lena. It started out as tickles. Then, as he got purely positive reactions from the young rodentette, he let his hands explore more intimately. Mouse fingers delicately danced across her tummy and ribs. Mouse fingers encircled and rubbed her nipples. A warm paw rested on her chest to appreciate the miracle of her breath and heartbeat. Lena made the sweetest little sounds at the gentle touches.

Ian was in heaven. He was normally a somewhat lonely mouse. Furson-to-furson contact was a rare thing for him. Lena's fur and warmth sent shivers through his body. 'A real, live beautiful little girl is sitting here and letting me touch her,' he thought. 'She's so soft. She's so darn cute! This is a zillion times better than petting my cat.' Ian wiggled his pointer finger in Lena's bellybutton, making her giggle. He was incredibly grateful for everything she'd allowed him to do so far. He was perfectly willing to let her decide exactly how far they would go. Sure, Ian Jr. was sending him all sorts of crazy ideas from within his pants, but he knew he could always just masturbate to them later. He was not about to spoil this moment by pushing for more. 'That'd be like opening all my presents on Christmas and then asking 'What else is there?''

Lena was content to go slow too. They had a whole night and day left before the train reached its destination. Plenty of time to work up to the big naughty stuff. Also, Lena knew the lights wouldn't go down until ten-thirty: they still had to be extremely cautious about what they were doing. Lena had her back to the aisle to shield Ian's explorations from other passengers' eyes. He was spending a bit too much time on her tummy though, and it was starting to get boring. She gently lifted his arm to position his hand in the middle of her chest, and they both had fun as Ian squeezed and jiggled her tiny boobies.

Justin's eyes mostly stayed locked to the screen, but every now and then she'd glance to the side and see Ian doing scandalous things to her big sister. Justin was kinda glad she didn't have a penis at the moment. An erection would keep bumping against the laptop and screwing up her game. Her pulsing pussy was distracting enough.

Eventually Justin encountered a sword-wielding guy she simply could not get past. No matter what she did or how she changed her strategy, he kept on skewering poor Ruthie and making her turn into a little pile of pixelated bones. "Dammit! I can't do this!"

Ian patted her paw comfortingly. He was familiar with that frustration. "Would you like me to take over for a while?" he offered.

Justin flexed her fingers, not noticing until now how sore they'd gotten. "Sure. I think I'm all played-out now anyway. Skootch over, Lena."

Lena beskootched herself and Justin squeezed in beside her. The ratgirl gave her a kiss. "You got through as many levels as I did. And mine were easier," she said. That did make Justin feel a bit better.

Ian cracked his knuckles loudly. "Let's see if I still remember how to get through this part..."

Within a few minutes, Lena and Justin were both sitting soundlessly with their jaws in their laps.

It had taken them each a few hours to get through their respective batch of levels. Ian took off like a rocket. First he blazed through the swordsman with a move Justin had never even considered. Then it was off to the military base. Ian guided Ruthie through maneuvers so polished it didn't even look like a game anymore. It looked like an unbeatable A.I. playing against itself. Ruthie got a whip upgrade early on and was soon dodging gunfire, knocking out opponents, commandeering vehicles and locating hidden power-ups, all so fast the two observers could barely keep up. Ian was making them both look like the noobs of the century.

"I don't mean to embarrass you," he said as he noticed their expressions, "but I *have* played this a lot."

"You can finish the rest of the game," Justin said absently, in awe. "I'm fine just watching you."

"Same here," Lena concurred.

"Allrighty then." If they enjoyed him showing off, then he'd *really* show off.

It only took Ian half an hour to smash through the remaining three levels and make it to the big boss. Ruthie had infiltrated the palace of the tyrannical dictator who'd been selling out his country's priceless archaeological artifacts in exchange for arms shipments. The explorer mouse plowed through legions of guards like they were no more than toy soldiers. Their guns might as well have been firing blanks. Ian knew the timing and weaknesses of every enemy. He reacted without even being aware of his fingers on the keys.

The final showdown was Ruthie on the roof, battling a helicopter armed to the teeth with machine guns and missiles. Plus soldiers kept popping up from hatches in the floor to lob hand grenades at her. Which, of course, she deflected towards the chopper. Justin and Lena both cheered when it went down in flames. And they laughed their asses off at the ending cutscene where Ruthie paraded the dictator through the town square, making him crawl on hands and knees as she whipped his fat butt.

The cubs congratulated Ian on his skills. He took a small bow. "Thank you, thank you. Wanna play something else? Or I got a few funny videos on here. And by that I mean, a few that are both funny *and* safe to play in public."

Lena snickered. "Actually, I kind of have to poop. I was holding it in until you finished the game."

"Okay, go on ahead and do your business."

Justin bashfully asked, "Do you mind if I come with you?"

Lena giggled. "Why do you think I announced it out loud, tard-boy?" she teased, tickling his chin with her tail.

Ian looked a little befuddled.

"You wanna come too?" Lena asked, grinning shamelessly.

"Umm... that's not exactly my cup of tea. But it's fine by me if you kids wanna do whatever it is you like to do. Plus, the bathrooms here are tiny. Justin'd have to sit on my shoulders."

Lena snorted. "Okay then. C'mon little sister. Poop ahoy!" She grabbed Justin's arm and dashed off.

***

The bathrooms really were tiny.

Each car had a cluster of four little compartments fused together on the lower level. They were all about the size of closets, except for the handicap-accessible one, which the cubs were too polite to use. Each bathroom had a sink, trashcan and toilet molded right into the walls. Lena was perplexed. "There's no water in the toilet."

Justin looked over her shoulder. "You're right. Huh." There was just a shallow metal bowl with a couple of stains. "Let me try an experiment first." Justin quickly shifted back into being a boy (not exactly thrilled about sitting on a public toilet seat), and whipped out his wiener. Lena 'Oooh'ed at it. Justin took a leak and hit the flush button.

The cubs were wholly unprepared for what happened next.

With a roar like a fighter jet taking off, the toilet filled with a sudden, violent rush of water. It churned white like the bottom of a waterfall. Then even more suddenly, every last drop of water vanished. A loud, jarring punch of vacuum suction cleaned everything out in a split second. Then the toilet made a few gurgles, as if digesting its meal, and was silent again.

"HOLY HOT SHIT," said Justin.

Lena stared, stunned. "That was the awesomest toilet flush I have ever seen in my life. As soon as I'm done shitting, you know exactly what we have to do."

Justin nodded. "We have to flush as many things as we can possibly think of down this miraculous motherfucker."

"Hey, you're finally getting a bit of that psychic sister power!"

"Ironic. Since, well..." he waggled his wang at her.

Her whiskers bounced. "Don't put that away yet," she requested. The ratgirl pulled down her pink shorts. "Sniff my panties!!" she commanded.

Justin did without hesitation. "Oh wow, they're pretty stinky. Did you pee a little?"

She laughed. "Yes! When Ian was talking about us maybe being immortal."

"Damn! I actually forgot about that. That Ruthie game kicked severe amounts of ass."

Lena dropped her panties to her ankles and plopped herself down on the seat without worry. What did a wasteling care about germs? "I actually had an idea about how to test that self-healing thing he talked about."

"You think he's right?"

She shrugged. "He might be. Like you said, we don't seem to get sick. And I can't remember any major injury I've had since I got wastelingified. Although I do remember one time when I was running in the dump and I tripped in a hole and felt my ankle turn sideways."

Justin winced.

"It hurt like hell. I screamed so loud Dad heard me all the way at the entrance gate and came running. He looked it over and said it was probably sprained. He carried me to the house and made me a special garbage treat by directing all his most loving thoughts at our kitchen trash. The next day, I was fine. The ankle was a little sore but I could walk on it again. We both just thought I got lucky."

Justin hadn't experienced anything like that, but then again, he'd only been undead for a few months. "What's your idea for testing it?"

Lena looked a little bashful. "Well, who do you know who gets all hot 'n yiffy when a boy bites her tail...?"

"I'm not gonna bite it off," Justin said firmly.

"No, I wouldn't ask that!" Lena assured, then giggled at his serious face. "I was just thinkin' you could take a bite out of it. Just a little chunk. If Ian's theory is right, all I have to do is eat some trash and I'm back to normal. If he's wrong, then I get a little permanent reminder that my brother loves me enough to do the crazy stuff that turns me on," she said sweetly and with complete sincerity.

"You really want to?" Justin asked, needing to make sure first. He wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of intentionally hurting his sister.

"Not right now. I still gotta poop first." She spread her legs wide and leaned back so he could watch.

Justin knelt on the cold metal floor between Lena's legs. Her butthole was winking at him. He leaned in close to smell it. A smile came to his face and his tail wagged. "Mmmmmm."

Lena loved watching him enjoying her tailhole. She grunted and gave a push.

Justin watched his sister's cute pink opening dilate. Something brown began to slowly poke its head out. Justin's heart sped up as a perfect little oval emerged and fell into the toilet with a 'plop'. There was a reason he always laughed when he saw kiwifruits in the supermarket. Aside from the fuzz, they looked pretty much exactly like his sister's adorable little turds.

Lena pushed and moaned and rubbed her clit as she peed and watched her brother watching her. His enthusiasm turned her on incredibly. She loved being a stinky, dirty rat. The fact that he loved it too made her love him more and more.

Justin waited until his sister's urine ran out. Then he rested his arms in Lena's lap, leaning in as far as he could. His nosepad touched her anus. Lena could feel his hot breath on her flesh, and it sent her arousal into overdrive. Her pussy juice dripped into his hair.

Something warm, soft and stinky emerged from Lena's tailhole to bump Justin's nose. It felt like a kiss. He abruptly lifted his head up and pressed his muzzle to Lena's in an intense kiss for real.

For Lena, there was no describing the ecstasy she felt at the sensation of pushing a firm, round poop out of her tush at the same time her loyal, loving, handsome brother pushed his tongue into her mouth. Both her entrance and exit were filled for a single moment. Two raw, primal acts happening simultaneously, two pleasures of the flesh mingling into one.

Four more little kiwis fell into the bowl. The smell of poop and pee was overwhelming this close-up, like a punch in the nose. Justin breathed in deep.

"Will you fuck me right in my smelly, dirty bumhole?" Lena asked meekly. Her face was flushed and her eyes radiated love. "Will you make love to me? Even though I'm on the toilet and I just took a big smelly dump?"

"Of course," he said, and kissed her nose.

Lena squeaked.

Justin stood up and Lena rolled back to thrust her butt out. Justin helped get her legs wrapped around his torso. She pulled him in close.

"I'm a stinky trash rat, and you still love me..." Lena cooed dreamily.

"Of course I do," Justin said again, smiling. Sometimes Lena was aggressively playful in bed, energetic as a pouncing kitten. Rarely though, she turned into a shy little preygirl, relishing the knowledge that someone loved her for everything she was. No matter how smelly or dirty. No matter what anyone else thought.

"I'll always love you, big sister," Justin said.

She held out her arms to hug him. They kissed again, muzzles turning this way and that to savor the kiss from every angle. Lena kept one arm around Justin's shoulder, and with the other she reached down to guide his hard-as-concrete cock towards her eager poophole.

They both twitched when Justin's tip made contact. He reached down to guide his missile straight and true into her bunker. Lena's anus was gaping after her bowel movement, so Justin slipped in fairly easily. He gasped at the squishy, warm flesh inside her hole. He rarely had to worry about encountering a mess inside, since Lena's turds were always nicely compact. Not that he would have much minded encountering a mess. And not that Lena would have minded sucking him clean afterwards.

Justin pushed in until his sheathfur tickled her pink ring. Lena giggled into their kiss. "Love you," she said again.

"Love you too. And everything that comes out of you," Justin replied. He started thrusting in and out. Taking it slow for now. He didn't want to start humping away in a room this small. For starters, someone might hear them. And he also didn't want to smash Lena's head into the seat and knock her unconscious. That would suck, and also kill his boner.

Instead he concentrated on the kiss above and the kiss below. Lena's mouth nibbling at his lips and tasting his tongue; Lena's ass hungrily accepting his cock like sucking on a popsicle. And then there was her exquisite stench. Justin's canine nostril's flared as wide as they could get. With each breath, he reached out and pulled in as much of Lena's stink as he could. The room was tiny and full of the smell of her waste. That rank, dirty smell. The taboo of loving it.

Justin pumped harder. Lena let a paw sneak down to her pussy. One of the things she liked about anal (aside from the feeling of having a cock in her ass), was that she could wedge her hand in between their tummies and play with her clit as much as she liked. She dug around in her folds, getting her fingers all wet. Letting the fluid trickle down her perineum to help keep her asshole lubed up.

Justin was starting to get lost in his pleasure. She could tell how horny her stinky poop fumes made him just by how hard he was breathing. Now, she thought, would be a perfect time for her experiment.

Like a cobra, her tail slithered up from the floor, up the side of Justin's torso, up towards his mouth. Just like a snake stalking its prey, except this time the snake was hoping to be the snack. She teased Justin, rubbing her furless tail across his lips. "Bite it..." she whispered seductively.

Justin opened his mouth and let her tail inside. Saliva covered it and a few beads trailed down its length. She felt his teeth on her flesh.

Her words were quiet, breathy and devastatingly persuasive. "Bite down. Harder. Take a bite. You know I'm your prey. You know I'm delicious."

Justin's mind throbbed with conflict. Lena was playing his instincts as well as Ian played his video game. She was pushing his buttons so expertly, it took a supreme effort not to clamp down and chew her tail to bits right then and there. It had the exact texture and girth of a Polish sausage... He ground his teeth against it, not daring to break the skin yet.

Lena squealed joyfully at the little bursts of pain that came shooting down her tail. They added so much intensity to her pleasure. The perfect spice. "I know you love me. I know you'd never hurt me. I trust you always, little brother. I know you'll just take a *little* bite..."

"Are you sure?" Justin panted between thrusts.

"I"m sure!" Lena squealed.

"Are you SURE?" he asked again, needing to hear it before he could let himself do this.

"Absolutely! Nine hundred percent!!"

Justin's sharp canine teeth tore into her.

Lena tossed back her head and barely willed herself not to scream. Her fingers were a blur on her clitty.

Justin tasted blood. His instincts lit on fire. He realized there was a little piece of Lena on his tongue. A penny-sized morsel. He chewed it. The taste and texture of ratmeat excited him beyond his every expectation. He pumped into Lena's heavenly butthole harder. This was *her* he was tasting! His sister! He was *eating* her! Taking a piece of her into himself in the most primitive way possible. A small piece of her that would be absorbed and become a part of him forever.

Justin chewed the little bit of tailmeat and swallowed. Lena gasped when he did. 'He did it!! He actually ATE a bit of me! That's so cool!!!'

Justin suckled at the little circular wound he'd made, licking it clean, tasting Lena's yummy, coppery blood.

Lena's heart soared with joy. She was his prey now. She couldn't explain why she felt this way, but it gave her a deep, spiritual sense of fulfillment and connection to her brother. It was as if he had claimed her. They were bound together now. Predator and prey. They had completed, in their own way, a ritual that had happened uncountable times in nature. And they had transformed it from a brutal, necessary act of survival, to a shared moment of pain, pleasure, trust and closeness.

Justin's mouth opened in a silent howl as he neared the point of no return. He was destined to cum soon. Lena slipped her tail into her own mouth. She felt the wound with her tongue. She knew she couldn't explain it, but this little bite was a badge of Justin's love for her. Part of her hoped that Ian's theory was wrong. She hoped the bite would never fully heal, and the little dent would remain forever, so she could always look down at it and remember this moment.

The wolffox could feel Lena's fingers fluttering at her pussy. He was rushing towards orgasm like a runaway train headed over a cliff. With a groan through gritted teeth, he splashed inside her. Hot wolf cream filled her tush; one strong, explosive spurt followed by several smaller follow-ups. The cum leaked from Lena's hole, trickling down her tailbase and making her shiver.

Justin braced himself with both hands against the wall. He panted, getting his breath back, and watched his sister complete her own release. She had her eyes closed in concentration. She kneaded at her pussy with both paws, digging inside, rubbing her clit, splashing his fur with her love liquid. He saw her lips moving around the tail in her mouth, speaking silent words. He could have swore he made out his name.

Moments later, Lena stiffened and squirmed. The tail muffled her cries as she came. The instant she was finished, she spat her tail out, threw her arms around Justin and kissed him sloppily and with passion. In between smooches, she muttered, "thank you thank you thank you thank you..."

"You're welcome. I love you. Thank you too..."

"Was my tail tasty?" she asked.

"Better than beef jerky," he teased.

She giggled and playfully nibbled his nose. "No, really. Did you like it? I know you were kinda unsure at first."

"I still don't *quite* understand what you get out of it, but I could see how much it turned you on. It was kinda scary, biting you, realizing I'd actually bit a piece of you off. But... it was exhilarating too. And you did really taste good. Wanna see if we can heal it now?"

Lena looked down at the red circle adorning her tail. "I almost don't want to," she said. "It's kinda pretty. Like a beauty mark."

"Well, we don't want it to get infected," Justin said.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't think that's very likely, considering we play in other people's trash and never even get the sniffles," she countered.

Justin laughed. "True." He carefully pulled out of her. He winced and shivered at how sensitive his dick was! And it was still semi-hard. Lena's asshole had definitely shown it a good time tonight.

"Gonna lick me clean?" she asked.

Justin didn't even bother answering her. He wiped his dick off in his paw, knelt and dove into her butt with gusto. Lena yowled and snatched up his paw to lick it too.

Their tongues lapped up and down, enjoying each other's nasty, sexy flavors. Justin drove into her sphincter with his tongue, scrubbing it inside and out. All the different fluids together made for a pungent, zesty concoction.

Justin even made sure to clean up around her tailbase. And her pussy too. Lena bit down on his fingers to keep from shrieking in pleasure (though she was very careful not to bite as hard as he had!). Her brother's experienced tongue brought her to a second, aftershock orgasm.

When Lena's anal region was sparklingly spotless, Justin stood up again and stretched his legs and back. "Damn it's cramped in here."

"Check the wastebasket," Lena instructed. "I'd get up, but I think you made my legs melt."

He grinned suavely. "Naturally."

She rolled her eyes at him.

The 'trashcan' was a rectangular protrusion near the sink with a spring-loaded metal lid. Justin sniffed around and looked for emotional energy. "Not much in here but paper towels." He spotted something and reached down inside, coming up with a napkin smeared with lipstick.

He handed it to Lena. She licked the lipstick, liking the waxy taste, then swallowed the bit of paper. "It's not much. You could check the other rooms."

"Allright. I just hope no one sees me and wonders what the hell I'm doing." Justin pulled his jeans and panties up, shifting into a girl again as she did so. (Lena squeaked at the cuteness.)

Justin opened the thin metal door and peeked out into the hall. Nobody there. 'Good.' She zipped into the next bathroom, and the next, and the next.

When she returned, Lena perked up at the glow coming off the small pile she'd found. "Hey, you got lucky!"

"Yup, there's some kleenex and paper towels from people who were feeling something pretty strong, and a maxi pad, and I think this is a cell phone battery. But the real big-ticket item is the diaper."

Lena drooled. Diapers were often loaded with emotional energy (no pun intended) since babies were born sensualists. Everything was new to them so every touch was exciting. She remembered Adam having read in a psychology magazine that it was fairly true to describe babies as being in a constant state of fucking everything in their environment.

Justin fed her the minor stuff first. Lena chewed the pad and crunched the battery. 'The guy who threw this out REALLY hates his boss!' she suddenly knew. Then she started on the diaper. It was rolled up in a neat little lump. She could almost feel the energy crackling in her mouth. This came from a very happy baby with a very loving mommy and daddy. Lena beamed as the pure love energy spread through her. Justin leaned in to take a taste too. They both nibbled at the crinkly plastic for a bit before Lena swallowed and the two cubs' muzzles bumped together in a kiss.

Lena rubbed her tummy. "Wow! Excellent after-dinner snack, Justin! Thanks!"

"You're welcome, m'lady. How's your tail?"

Lena checked: still bleeding a bit. "I was already pretty sure the trash couldn't heal it just by itself. I've had cuts before that needed band-aids. So I'm gonna try directing the energy towards the bite."

Justin held her paw as she stared at her tail and concentrated. She focused on the feeling of the energy within her. She knew it nourished her, helped to keep her garbage body from returning to the state it once was. She willed the energy to travel from her tummy, down to her spine, down the length of her tail... "I can feel it," she said, quietly awestruck.

They both watched as the little red spot started to change color. The bleeding stopped. The wound filled with yellow fluid. It dried quickly, then began to peel off into tiny flakes.

Lena's tail had not healed perfectly, as if the bitemark were never there. Instead, new pink skin had grown over it, looking like an old scar from years ago.

Justin looked disappointed. "It didn't quite work."

But Lena had tears in her eyes. "No, it worked *exactly* how I wanted it to!" she burst out. "I wanted it to close up, but I also kinda wanted it not to heal completely, so I'd have a little scar to look at and remember, 'That's where my awesome brother bit me'!"

"So it *did* work!?"

"It looks _exactly_ like how I was hoping it would look," Lena repeated. She stood up and hugged her sister. "This means it's true. We're immortal. We're invulnerable. So long as we have enough trash, and each other, we never have to worry again..."

It seemed impossible. Like something out of a fairy tale. Justin's eyes stared blankly at the wall. She imagined getting hit by a car, or shot by a robber, or crushed in a trash compactor. It'd hurt, she was sure of that. But it wouldn't kill her. It wouldn't be permanent.

Reality intruded though. "Dad'll still be normal though," Justin realized.

Lena nodded. "Mm-hmm. I thought of that too. Part of me was like, 'Well, why not just ask him to be a wasteling too?', but I remember us talking about that pretty soon after we met. I was getting used to being one and all the cool stuff I could do, and I asked him why not join me? He said part of him would love to try it, but he knew the change would be permanent. He said he likes being a normal, flesh 'n blood furson. Plus, he told me that, while he loves garbage and studying it and rooting around in it, he just can't deal with the thought of eating it. And also, he said it'd give him nightmares; the idea that if he didn't keep on eating it, he'd rot away to goop.

"He did teach me the ritual though," Lena added solemnly. "He said if he ever had an accident... and I wanted to try, just to see if it was possible... he'd rather be alive and a wasteling than apart from me."

Justin nodded, understanding.

"Otherwise though, he said that all his studies showed that wastelings aren't supposed to happen at *all*. We're basically like a game glitch, but in reality. And that it might not be a bad idea if we kept the number of them to a minimum."

"Why'd you let me become one then?" Justin asked rhetorically, grinning.

Lena grinned too. "'Cuz I could tell you already were one almost from the moment I met you. You just hadn't been squooshed by a trash truck and died yet."

The cubs giggled and hugged. Glancing over Lena's shoulder, Justin noticed her poops were still unflushed. "Hey, weren't we gonna have a flushing-everything-we-can-think-of party with the supertoilet here?"

"Oh right!" Lena said, perking up. She looked down at her butt biscuits. "Aww, but they're so cute. I almost don't wanna flush 'em."

"We could keep them as pets," Justin suggested. "Though they'd probably stink up the house after a while and we'd have to call the hazmat dudes."

Lena gave her a little shove. "Actually... who says we have to flush ALL of them?" She turned to Justin with a flirty look. "You always talk about how one day you're gonna eat one of my poops and you still haven't done it."

Justin fidgeted. "Well... I do *want* to. But I just can't quite make myself do it. It's weird! I know I eat plenty of other gross stuff, but something inside me still goes 'oogh' at the thought of chowing down on feces."

"You're a canine! You people are *supposed* to chow down on feces!" Lena said exasperatedly. "They always make dogs-eating-poop jokes on cartoons! And besides-" she punched him in the arm "-you eat diapers, you hypocrite!"

She giggled and rubbed the spot Lena had punched. "Allright, allright. But to be fair, at least I can't taste the poop very much with all that plastic and stuffing. How about we compromise?"

"How?" Lena narrowed her eyes. "No bellybutton-eating; that's a cop-out."

Justin held up a single finger: 'Just watch.' She squeezed past Lena to stand by the toilet bowl and picked up one of the lumps betwixt thumb and forefinger. "Geez, I'm glad I decided not to eat these normally. They've gone cold! If I'm gonna try one, I'm sure it'll taste better fresh 'n hot out of your butt-oven."

Lena guffawed.

Justin undid her jeans and let them flop to the floor. Then, with a flourish, she tucked the poo-nugget into the back of her panties. Her tail raised up.

Lena's eyes widened. "You're not gonna..."

Justin wiggled around back there for a bit, then showed her paw again: empty. "Ta-da!"

Lena gave her a round of applause, both impressed and a bit turned on again. "Do the other four!"

"You didn't even have to ask," Justin said. "That felt super ultra weird, but kinda nice too." She reached in for another Lenapoop and inserted it beside its twin.

"I should get a big clear tube and shove it up our butts and then we could poop back and forth forever," Lena suggested.

Justin laughed so hard she almost dropped the next poop on the floor. But it too went up her pink pipe. Then the next one joined in the disappearing act. Finally, Justin held up the fifth filth. "I might not be ready to eat it, but I'll do this for you." She gave the little brown lump a dainty kiss, then into her ass it went.

"What'd it taste like?" Lena asked.

Justin licked her lips, then grimaced. "Like shit."

Lena snorted. "You'll get used to it. If I can eat tires and gasoline and bigass piles of road tar, you can eat my ass-muffins every now and then."

"We'll see," Justin said. She pushed the flush button to get rid of the remaining pee. The toilet once again growled and sucked up its contents ferociously.

Lena's eyes sparkled. "Gawd! I wanna shrink myself and jump in there so you can flush me too!! That looks soooo fuckin' exciting!"

"That'd suck though, if all the poop just gets flushed out onto the tracks," Justin remarked.

Lena groaned. "Of course they wouldn't do that!! For starters, it'd be disgusting. People wouldn't stand for it; especially if you lived near the tracks. They've probably got some kinda big sewage tank in the bottom of the car that holds all the crapola until they can dump it out somewhere. Maybe a truck comes by with some tubes and sucks it all out."

Justin grinned romantically. "You're making me wanna get shrunk and flushed now too. Imagine us floating in other people's poop, cuddling and yiffing the whole time, then getting sucked up, taken to a sewage treatment plant, and flushed out to sea."

Lena considered. "I'm not sure I'd ever wanna actually do that, but you're right, it is fun to imagine. If nothing else, it'd get boring spending two whole days in a poop-barrel."

"Well, if we can't go ourselves, let's see what else we can send down there." Justin reached into her bellybutton and pulled out a long, tattered silk scarf.

"Good choice!" Lena said. She leaned over to watch as Justin placed just the end near the bowl hole. They both reached for the flush button and pressed it at the same time. Then they laughed till they saw spots. The scarf looked like a snake getting sucked into a jet turbine!

"What do you got?" Justin asked eagerly as the toilet did its post-flush gurgles.

Lena squealed as a fantastic idea occurred to her. She sorted through her inner trash for a while, then started squirting a remarkable stream of marbles out of her bellybutton.

***

Half-an-hour later, the cubs came back upstairs. Ian had fallen asleep on top of his laptop, so they went over to stand by dad.

Adam looked up from his crossword puzzle. His children had damp fur and seemingly-permanent grins plastered across their muzzles. "Oh God, I don't even want to ask."

Lena grinned insanely. "We have been doing science, father," she said.


~~~~~


*part 8*

The cubs sat with Adam and talked until the lights went out. They explained in glorious detail all the naughty fun they'd been having in the bathroom. Adam was glad his laptop was hiding the generous bulge in his pants. Lena and Justin both stroked it slowly. And when their Daddy came in his underwear, they darted their paws in to collect the stickiness and lick it up. He kissed them both and told him how much he loved them.

Then they got to the part about Lena's tail. Adam sighed, saying he knew they'd get up to experiments eventually.Though he thought they'd at least wait until they were off the train. The cubs grinned.

This led to a session of hypothesizing about this new facet of their condition. If it took a small armful of high-energy trash to repair a bitemark, this wasn't something the cubs could do on a whim. Adam extrapolated that a major injury would probably take a garbage can's worth. And, as Justin's resurrection had shown, a full-blown case of reversing death would take half the contents of a packed trash truck. Emotional energy was simply not in high enough supply for the cubs to play around with this new power recklessly. That didn't mean they couldn't play around with it *carefully* though. Adam said he didn't see any reason why they couldn't recreate the bitemark experiment now and then. Lena squeaked gleefully.

That made Justin wonder out loud if there was anything on herself she'd like to try temporarily removing.

Lena very shyly admitted that she'd always kinda wondered what Justin's balls looked like outside their sac.

The wolffox damn near jumped through the ceiling.

"Only if you were okay with it, I promise!" Lena reassured.

Justin got the mental image of his sister crouched between his legs, nibbling on his nutsack with her sharp buckteeth. It scared the shit out of her, though from within herself she could feel her penis being intrigued by the idea. "Oh shut up, you weirdo," she spoke towards her abdomen.

"I saw a show on TV once where they gelded some cows," Lena teased sweetly. "it was reeeeally interesting!"

"Don't DO that!" Justin yelped, covering her crotch.

Adam shook his head. "I love that you two still manage to completely knock my socks off with the stuff you say to each other."

After that gonad-centric interlude, the trio discussed the upcoming vacation and things they might do at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Justin suddenly lit up with an idea. He suggested that maybe Adam might let her and Lena play Master Navigator in Clover City.

Adam's eyebrows went way up. "Are you sure about that?"

Justin nodded eagerly and Lena was charged up with enthusiasm too.

Master Navigator was one of the cubs' absolute favorite games. The rules were simple: Everyone would get in the car. Justin and Lena would have blindfolds on. After a while, Adam would let them out at an unknown location and drive off, leaving them to figure out on their own how to get home.

This might sound like child abuse, but it started as Justin's idea. One day Adam had dropped the cubs off downtown while he went off to file his income tax. He'd given them money for lunch and the pay phone. The plan was for them to call his cell whenever they were ready to come home, and he'd drive back to pick them up. After being disappointed with the local shops and dumpsters, Justin had an idea. Why not walk home? Lena thought he was insane. It was a twenty minute drive; that meant they'd be walking for hours! And they'd never done it before!

"So?" said Justin.

Lena had to admit, it was a good counterargument.

Adam had flipped his lid when two hungry cubs showed up on his porch that afternoon. But the excitement of having completed their quest had Justin & Lena bouncing off the walls all night. They started planning new excursions. Adam talked with them a while about why exactly they were so hyper over this. Justin explained as best he could. It was something that had seemed impossible and dangerous at first. But once they overcame their initial fear, it turned out to be easy. They remembered the way home with no trouble and had a nice walk together. Seeing their house at the end of their journey was like seeing the gold at the end of a rainbow.

In the coming days, Justin and Lena asked Daddy to drop them off at all sorts of crazy locations. One time they had come home after midnight, covered in leaves and birdshit. Adam hosed them down while they giggled riotously and recounted their adventure.

Very quickly, the game became too easy. When Lena suggested a blindfold, Adam nearly passed out. But he eventually agreed. At first he'd been a bit uneasy about their game. It felt too much like he was abandoning them to the mercies of the cruel outside world. But then he thought about Lena having to fend for herself on the streets day after day, and how long Justin had kept himself safe from the dangers of his own family. Once that clicked into place, it made sense. Everyone's brains are wired to seek out what feels comfortable to them. What's comfortable is what's normal. What's normal is what we're used to experiencing, even if it's something traumatic. For Justin and Lena, it was an amazingly fulfilling experience to be left in a scary, uncertain situation, and then *triumph* over it. It was like all the other times they'd been in bad situations and had wished in vain for a happy ending. Now, with their own resourcefulness, they could give themselves the ending they wanted.

And so, Adam spent many days alone in his house or in the booth by the dump's entrance gate; reading, writing, watching television, jerking off, or simply thinking. It was nice to have quiet time. He had worried about his cubs at first. But that worry gradually faded as they came home safe and happy every time. He always gave them money for food, or to call home or a taxi if they got really lost. But they didn't. Even when he took them to completely unfamiliar locations, they would always puzzle out where they were and how to reach a familiar path home.

The feeling of watching Daddy drive away, leaving them on their own in a strange new place, was exhilarating in an indescribable way. Lena pointed out one day (and Justin knew exactly what she was talking about), that it made her feel like a garbage bag dropped by the curb. And since she *was* garbage, this gave her a deep sense of fulfilling her purpose. Garbage's destiny is to be thrown away. Having that feeling made her all tingly.

Some games were better than others. Sometimes they'd arrive home with their feet feeling like ground hamburger. Sometimes the route home was disappointingly easy. But they never got lost. Between them, they always figured out a way home. The only time they'd ever called Adam to pick them up was because Lena had gotten herself stuck in a fence. (Justin had nibbled her pussy while they waited.) Sometimes though, the game led to true adventures. Sometimes they found treasure troves of trash; bags with interesting contents or amazing concentrations of emotional energy. Sometimes they'd make new friends along the way. Sometimes they hitchhiked a bit. Justin was more nervous about this than Lena usually; she reminded him that if the driver ever tried anything, she could introduce them to her Bellybutton Of No Return. Most of the people they met though were friendly and kindhearted. One possum mom had let them sit with her and her kids at a pizza place, then paid their bill for them, just because. The only truly frightening moment they'd had so far was their encounter with a loud, fast and vicious guard dog. They escaped by inches. They didn't tell Adam about that one.

Clover City would be their ultimate test. Justin and Lena were experts at reading maps and bus schedules, keeping their sense of direction, being alert to trouble, and not being caught doing naughty things in dumpsters. The idea of pitting their skills against a city they'd never fully explored (Lena knew a few streets in their grandparents' neighborhood) was so exciting and frightening it made their hearts pound.

Adam was not exactly thrilled by the idea. But his cubs had proven to him thoroughly that they could handle themselves. It would be a betrayal of that proof to restrict them now, based only on his worries. He gave them the go ahead. They cheered quietly and hugged him. But, Adam insisted, the first time would only be a few miles away. If they could handle that, then maybe he'd drop them off downtown. And they would always have their emergency money handy, just in case.

The thought of entirely new stores and alleys and abandoned buildings to explore made Lena and Justin nearly whirr with anticipation. When they were out playing the game, they felt completely free. Like the whole world was theirs for the taking.

***

At ten-thirty the lights in the passenger car dimmed. Little yellow rectangles in the ceiling still glowed softly, and the stairwell was still lit, so anyone who needed to go to the bathroom could still move about. Already, Justin and Lena could see peoples' socked feet protruding into the aisle as they laid down lengthwise in their seats to catch Zs. Adam said he was planning to tap out soon too. His cubs said they had a few more things to do before they joined him in sleep.

First was the snack car. It would close at eleven, and Justin and Lena wanted to end the night with some of those little ice cream cups they'd seen earlier. The man behind the register was still there, talking with a group of friends about blues musicians. He rang up their treat and gave them a warm smile for free.

The observation lounge was nearly empty. They could hear one lady at the far end snoring with a blanket pulled over her head. A plump weasel was in another seat, taking photos of the nighttime landscape with a very complicated-looking camera.

Justin and Lena took seats side by side and ate their ice cream quietly. The train passed through a medium-sized town, sneaking behind buildings lit by streetlights and stoplights. There were few cars out. Fewer pedestrians. They saw one woman who was walking a dog nearly as big as she was. They saw a restaurant with a giant fiberglass hotdog on the roof. They saw a used car lot encrusted with hundreds of tiny rainbow-colored pennants. They saw a mother and her toddler sitting on their porch swing. They saw a pair of shirts someone had abandoned on a street bench. So many things they might never have noticed. The night and the train had turned reality into a calming, poignant slideshow.

After the cubs' first midnight snack was finished, they set off in search of different cuisine. Making sure they weren't watched, they checked the observation car's trash for tidbits. Justin hit the jackpot: a disposable camera. The film had been removed, but the camera shell itself was crammed so full of memories and feelings that it shone as bright as a lightbulb. Lena could still see its glow even as it traveled down Justin's esophagus.

They checked out every single bathroom and trashcan on the train. Most people were asleep, staring at digital devices, looking out the windows, or nose-deep in books. Few people noticed the two wastelings. They only got caught once. A punk lynx had noticed Lena with her face in the garbage can across the aisle. Justin shrugged at her. The lynx shrugged back and returned to her knitting.

Their hunting expeditions had peaked early. The diaper and the camera were the most nutritious items they'd discovered. Mostly it was paper towels and food wrappers. Though it was just enough to make their tummies happy as they returned to their car for bedtime.

Lena passed Ian and noticed he seemed to be sleeping a bit uncomfortably. His head was resting against the window at an awkward angle. One leg was on the armrest and the other dangled to the floor. The ratgirl walked over to Daddy's seat where Justin was already helping him unfold their blanket.

"Have a good snack?" Adam asked.

She nodded. "Yup. The ice cream was good and Justin found a camera."

Justin burped.

"Nicely timed!" Lena said approvingly.

Justin did a little bow.

Lena gave Adam a kiss on the cheek. "Would you mind if I slept with Ian tonight?" she asked. "He looks lonely."

"Which kind of 'sleep with' are we talking about here?" the skunk asked wryly.

"Oh, Daddy!" she giggled. "Just the regular, innocent kind. Although... If he wants to try the other way, that'd be cool too."

Adam nuzzled noses with her. "If you do, just be very quiet and don't get caught."

"I won't," Lena promised.

Adam hugged her. "Goodnight then, sweetheart. See you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Daddy." She gave her sister a squeeze too. "G'night, Justin."

"Goodnight." Justin kissed her nose and gave her tail a little pinch. Then she kicked off her sneakers and snuggled in beside Dad under the blanket. Adam reached up to click off the overhead light.

Lena left her sandals by Dad's seat and padded across the aisle to her mousefriend. She watched him breathe for a moment.

"Ian?" she said softly.

The mouse looked up at her immediately. "Oh, hello Lena. I thought I heard you walk by just now."

"Sorry to wake you up."

"It's okay, I wasn't really sleeping. Just trying to. I've been dozing half-awake for hours now and I'm not sure if *any* of it's been actual sleep."

She came over to sit on his legs. "That sucks. Maybe if we cuddle up together you'll have more luck? I can be your teddy bear," she grinned.

Ian looked around the car. "You'd do that for me? You don't have to."

"Y'ever think that maybe I like cuddling too?" she asked pointedly.

"Touché. Anyway, my answer is yes; I'd be honored to have you as my teddy rat, Miss Lena."

She smiled and leaned in to kiss his nose. He 'oof!'ed and she realized she'd put her knee in his stomach. "Shit! Sorry!"

"Worth it," he wheezed.

Lena suddenly stood up. "I just realized; we can probably get away with more sexy-type cuddles if we cover up with a blanket."

Ian's pants twitched. "Good idea."

"I'll go get one. Meanwhile, you *do* know that the seats have footrests, right?"

Ian stared at her like a dog that's just been shown a card trick.

Lena dashed to the empty seat behind him, leaving him to puzzle that out.

Crouched down, lit by moonlight from outside, Lena turned her back to the aisle. She consulted her inner inventory. She knew she had a blanket inside her somewhere. She found a few actually, though only one of them wasn't scratchy and torn up. She guided it towards her navel, reached in and felt a corner. She pulled it out very slowly, concentrating as hard as she could on not letting any trash residue follow it. She hoped it wouldn't smell. When it was all the way out she sniffed it: just a bit of ratty, skunky musk. No wolffox scent though, so it'd been inside her for quite a while.

Lena returned to find Ian fighting against noncompliant footrests. "Almost got these fuc- I mean, these darn things."

She chortled.

Ian finally managed to get them both fully extended, which added some much-needed width to the seat/bed. Lena climbed aboard and wiggled in, spooning with him. He pulled the blanket over them both. "Where'd you get this?" he thought to ask.

"A magic dimension of stuff," she replied.

"Oh."

Lena snuggled back against him. She tucked one leg between his and rubbed her foot against his denim. Ian didn't seem to know where to put his hands, so Lena reached behind her to guide his arms around her. 'Like putting on a seatbelt,' she thought with a smile. "You're soft and warm," she purred.

"I was just about to say the same about you," he replied sincerely. He gave her ear a kiss. "I really hope I won't bother you by fidgeting around too much if you fall asleep before I do."

Lena got an idea. "Well... I know one thing that usually knocks Daddy out like a light."

Before he could ask what, Lena reached behind to press her hand against his crotch.

"Yeeps!" he squeaked. "We c-could, but you really don't have to do that for me."

Lena turned her head to give him an annoyed look. "I wouldn't be doing it for you. Well, not *just* for you. I'd be doing it because I wanna make you happy, and because I like playing with dicks."

He snorted a laugh at her bluntness.

Lena's paw rubbed up and down Ian's jeans bulge. Feeling the firm, hot lump within. "You probly get turned on by me because I'm a cute little young girl, right?"

"Smart and perceptive too," he said. She smiled gratefully. "But, yes. You're correct."

Lena gave him an eskimo kiss. "Well I think you're sexy 'cause you're a big handsome adult. It's *really* exciting to me that I can shake my booty and have you in my power," she said, giggling at the end.

"Okay, I understand," Ian nodded. "And I have to say, I'm impressed with how open and accepting you are of your own desires, and how well you can describe them."

"Thanks! Daddy and I talk about sex a lot. He says being open and accepting is the most important thing; that it's really easy to hurt someone if you don't let them know what you want. Of if you expect them to read your mind, and then get pissed when they don't. Or if they assume you want one thing, and you want something totally different, and then everyone gets pissed off! Me and Daddy and Jesse yiff all the time, and we always make sure we understand each other."

"Sounds like you've got a smart Daddy," Ian said.

"You bet."

"So let's be open then." He took a deep breath. "Lena, I think you're adorable, and just being close to you is more than I could hope for. I am completely happy letting you do pretty much anything you want to me."

Her whiskers bounced. "That's good, 'cuz I wanna have fun using you as my big furry sex toy!"

"Sounds perfect to me!"

The pair snickered and kissed.

"What do you suggest?" Ian asked.

Lena sighed, feeling his body heat beside her and the train's soft rumbling beneath. "I think I'd like you to pull my shorts and undies down, and then rub your cock on me till you cum in my fur."

Ian reflexively looked around the car again, and his voice, already a whisper, dropped even lower. "Are you really, really, absolutely sure now? That's kind of risky. What about cleanup?"

"Leave that to me," Lena said, licking her lips.

Ian murred at seeing that. "You've got a cute tongue."

"Thanks." She showed it off by curling it into a tube.

"I've never been able to do that," Ian said as he reached beneath the blanket.

Lena looked up to the stars and streetlamps visible through the window. She felt Ian's hands moving around, brushing against her butt and tail. She heard a zipper descend. Then she felt hesitant, quivering fingers carefully undoing her button fly and exposing her panties. A moment later, those gentlemanly fingers were inside, tugging them down. Lena had her shorts around her knees and her fluffy tush completely exposed. She squeaked in glee when she felt his penis touch her fur. She closed her eyes and bit into the blanket.

Ian shuffled about a bit to get both of his arms wrapped around her. He kissed the back of her neck. "Thank you," he whispered. "This means a lot to me. It's not every day I get to have insanely risky public sex with a gorgeous little charmer like you."

She thanked him for his words by pushing her buns against his hard-on.

Ian held her tight, nuzzling her hair and ears, as he began to gently thrust. He was very quiet. Lena could only hear his breathing, and feel it in little warm puffs on the back of her head.

Lena reached beneath the blanket to invite her pussy to join the fun. But she quickly realized she wasn't in the mood for fingers. Then her heart sped up as she got a really great idea! "Ian, give me your tail!"

"Hmm?"

"I've always wanted to do this with Dad or Jesse before, but their tails are all covered in fur. It's too tickly. But your tail's like mine. Loop it up between your legs and let me play with it."

It took him a moment to realize what she meant by that, but then he 'Oh!'ed and happily complied.

Lena pulled her panties down a little more. She felt the end of Ian's tail slithering towards her. She grabbed the end and squeezed it; nice and smooth. Not as thick as her own, but hopefully that'd mean she could push it in deeper.

Ian gasped when he felt something wet kiss his tailtip.

"It's going in," Lena said gleefully. She closed her eyes so she could concentrate solely on the sensation of touch. Ian's hot cock pressing into her backside felt like a sizzling red metal rod. His tail was slowly inching up inside her. His steady breaths warmed the back of her hair. The blanket was soft and fuzzy, and its smells reminded her of Daddy. She was balanced between the seat and the footrests, so she had to devote a small part of her attention at all times to not toppling off. Their clothing shuffled and rustled. Lena felt like she was wrapped up in a warm little cocoon. Or a cozy burrito.

Ian fed his tail into Lena's hungry bottom-mouth. He went slow, letting her choose the pace. He was amazed by how much she could take in. Several inches now, with no sign that she was full. He took a deep breath and pushed a little faster and a little harder against her perfect little buns. Like fur-covered marshmallows. Like fucking a cloud. Ian breathed through his nose so he could clamp his mouth shut and hold back the temptation to moan, scream and tell the world how extraordinarily, wonderfully amazing this was.

That tail was great! 'It's like a cock that doesn't stop!' Lena thought. Naturally, she had shoved her own tail up her twat plenty of times (What ratgirl hadn't?), but she was used to it by now. Ian's tail was new and different. She was sure she had more inside her now than the length of Daddy's cock. She wondered if she could shove it all the way up her cervix, or if it'd just start curling around at that point. Only one way to find out.

Ian's thrusts were coming faster and faster. The mouse's breaths were louder. He had his eyes shut tight, devoting all his attention to the feel of fur on his cock. Impossibly soft little ratgirl fur... "L-lena..." he whispered.

She could tell he was close by the helplessness in his voice. "Cum all over me," she whispered back wickedly. "Make a mess right on my hot little ass!"

"Oh fff-!" Ian tensed up all over. Lena felt his arms go rigid around her. His feet kicked empty air. He made a 'mmmmmmmm' sound as he held back his yelp of orgasmic release.

Lena squealed into the blanket at the feel of hot cum painting her fur. There was a lot of it, too! More than she'd counted on. Ian must've been really backed up. Lena squirmed blissfully as the hot sticky stuff blasted against her ass and dribbled down to the seat.

Ian went as limp as a lasagna noodle. He panted like he'd just run a marathon. He nuzzled Lena's hair and gave her tiny kisses. "That was incredible. Incredible! I can't even... Wow."

"You're super welcome," Lena said, squeezing his hand in hers. "Mind if I use your tail to finish up?"

"Go ahead! Please! It's only fair, after all."

She craned her head back to kiss his nose. "Thanks. You just relax. It felt like you spooged an oil tanker's worth!"

He chuckled. "Felt like it! I think I need a few energy drinks now..."

While Ian went back to enjoying the softness of her hair, Lena made good use of his tail. He let her direct it completely. She shoved in more. Her feet kneaded against his jeans. With one hand she manipulated the mousetail; with the other she flicked her bean.

She felt a 'pop' from inside her. A good one! 'It got through!' she thought. Or at least it felt like it had. She imagined his tailtip actually poking into her womb. Holy shit, that was hot! If it'd been a cock, he would have filled her up with cum and then she'd have tons of cute little rodent babies.

Lena knew wastelings couldn't get pregnant, but still, the mental image of herself with a big, round, taut belly half the size of her whole body...

Ian held Lena as she shuddered, wiggled and let out tiny squeaks. He felt her girlfluid drench his tail. 'That was definitely a respectable squirt!' he thought. He'd have to give his tail a sniff after she pulled it out.

Lena was panting now too. "That kicked ass," she whispered.

"Feeling you cum was amazing," Ian replied. "You're quite a squirmer."

Lena 'tee hee'ed. Then she leveraged herself into a sitting position.

"Going somewhere?" Ian asked, sounding disappointed.

"No, I just wanna look around. Plus I gotta clean up all that cum."

"Oh, right."

Lena cautiously eased off the footrest and stood up. She looked over all the other seats in the passenger car. By now it had to be close to midnight. Most everyone she saw looked asleep. She noticed the glow of a laptop not too far away. That furson might have heard. But no; from the way their head was bobbing they had on headphones. Lena crouched back down. "I think the coast's clear."

"Excellent. The feeling of 'we might get caught' is exciting, but I absolutely don't want to find out what it's like for real!"

Lena nodded. She unlocked one of the footrests so she could kneel down beside the seat. She poked her head under the blanket. Whoa! Boy did it smell like sex under here! There were little puddles of cum all over.

Ian barely stifled a scream in time as a tickly little tongue assaulted him out of nowhere.

Lena paused her licking. "Here, have a lollipop," she said, handing him his tail.

"Good idea." He sniffed it. Ohhhh, holy shit. That was some powerful stuff. He took a slurp and soon was suckling like a baby at a teat.

Lena was very thorough, as always. She knew dried cum was a bitch to clean up, so it was best to deal with it quickly. Plus it was tastier when it was fresh. Ian's was kinda flavorless compared to Adam or Justin's, but that made disposing of it no worse than lapping up rice pudding.

"All done," she said cutely. She put the footrest up again, pulled up her shorts and panties, and settled in beside Ian. "Think you might be able to sleep now?"

"I'm feeling quite happily drained, yes. Thanks again, little angel." He zipped his pants back up.

She smiled broadly. No one had ever called her an angel before. "Y'r welcome," she said, snugging the blanket around them both. She buried her nose in it and closed her eyes. She yawned.

That made him yawn.

And so, Ian drifted off to the best sleep he'd ever gotten on a train.

...Which was about five hours' worth. Then he found himself wide awake with a snoozing little ratgirl wrapped around him. Not too much of a problem though. He simply got out his laptop and prepared to entertain himself a while.


~~~~~


*part 9*

Let's rewind time a bit. Just to the point where Lena left her dad and sister to go volunteer herself as Ian's sleep aid.

Justin gave Lena's tail a pinch as she left, and loved the cute giggle it coaxed out of her. 'One more thing I can do to make my sister happy,' she thought.

Adam watched his canine son/daughter pop off her sneakers. Then he held the blanket up for Justin to slide in beside him. The little wolffox wiggled into place, tummy to tummy, looking perfectly contented.

Adam reached up as far as he could stretch to flick off the overhead light. Then their little seating area filled with cool blue darkness. Suddenly they could see the moon and the starlight from outside the window.

Adam hugged his son close and ran his paw up and down along the girl's back. He knew Justin liked these gentle massages. "How are you enjoying the train so far?"

"It's pretty cool. I thought I'd be bored, but it feels like the day's just flown by."

The skunk nodded. "It's a lot harder to take a trip like this by yourself. Having someone to talk to works wonders."

"And someone to screw," Justin said with a little grin.

Adam chuckled and nuzzled noses. "That too." He kept on giving Justin a backrub, noticing the difference from how it felt when the little canine was a boy. "This is probably the longest time you've had to be a girl in public, isn't it?"

Justin shook his head. "Probly not. Remember, I gotta be a girl every time you drop us off to play Master Navigator."

"That's right. I tend to forget since, while you're out conquering the landscape, I'm usually at home clipping my toenails. Though this is still a pretty long time. How's it feel?"

"Um, what do you mean?"

Adam gave Justin a fatherly smile. "I know you don't talk much about it, but I've noticed how you are when you're a girl. You get quieter than normal, with this thoughtful look in your eyes."

Justin blushed, knowing it was true.

"I've just been wondering what it's like for you. You seem happy. But I know most boys your age would rather be put into a series of medieval torture devices than get turned into a girl."

The wolffox chuckled.

"I know Lena doesn't mind being a boy. I know you've seen her waving her dick around like it's the coolest toy she owns. She's certainly not shy about voicing her feelings; Little Miss Blabbermouth Of The Century," he kidded.

Justin flat-out snorted. She was dead sure Lena would have gleefully agreed with that title.

Adam brushed his paw through Justin's hair. "Sometimes I've seen you just sitting by yourself, being female, looking completely at peace. I can tell you're happy, but I can't guess what else is going on in your mind. So can you tell me? I'm really curious what it's like for you. What does being a girl make you feel like?"

"Umm..." Justin took a slow breath. She looked down between the blankets, seeing the curve to her chest and feeling the difference between her legs. "It's nice."

"Is that all?" Adam teased.

Justin lightly head-butted him. "Let me get started, jeez! Um," she rubbed her feet back and forth a little, "I like that I haven't gotten quite used to it yet. I'll change when we go out somewhere, then we'll be eating dinner or whatever, and I'll see my hand and I'll be kinda shocked for a second. 'That's not my hand!' Except it is. It's my girl hand. And these are my girl legs and my girl paws... And my girl... 'stuff'."

Adam chuckled.

"I was actually thinking about this a while ago. Remember last month when you drove us out to the apartment dumpster and we had a sleepover in it?"

"How could I forget? You two were practically glowing the next morning when I picked you up. Both from happiness and all the trash you'd absorbed."

Justin smiled at that. It had been one of the best nights he could remember, cuddling and talking with Lena all night long while they wiggled deep down inside the mass of squishy bags and explored all their contents. "You probly don't remember, but I was lying outside for most of the morning before we left."

"I think I recall that," Adam said.

The wolffox closed her eyes and put herself into the memory. "I was being a girl and concentrating on everything about it. Feeling how it felt. Thinking about how my legs were a little longer and a little curvier. How I walked different. Feeling my little almost-boobies."

A snicker.

"And I was trying to nail down what *specifically* I was feeling. It wasn't just physical. It was something about the whole shebang of Being A Girl. I completely lost my train of thought that day because Lena ran up and told me you were getting ready to go."

"Sorry about that."

"No problem; I remembered later. I was in bed, thinking back on it, and it finally came to me when I thought about Lena. How she's like when she's in boy-mode. She doesn't really act much different from normal."

Adam thought about that. "That's a good observation. I hadn't really noticed it myself. Well, I mean I'd *noticed* it, but I hadn't really thought about it. I think I knew as soon as she realized she could switch how she would react to it: 'She'll think it's really cool and that having a penis is nifty, and overall it won't be much of a big deal for her.'" Justin thought that was spot-on. Adam lightly tickled her tailbase. "But I can also tell it's kind of a big deal for you."

Justin nodded. "It took me a while, but I finally figured out what the difference was between us. Lena was comfortable being a boy *before* she was a boy."

Adam was intrigued. "Go on."

"Like, when we first met. I could tell within a couple of seconds that she wasn't a girly-girl. Her clothes were all dirty, and they were kind of boyish. She didn't mind playing in garbage with me. We talked about you and her fixing cars. None of that is typical 'girl' stuff. And yet... She also showed me her plushies when I showed her mine. And she dresses pretty sometimes. And sometimes she listens to music so girly I can practically see rainbows and ponies and kittens pouring out of the speakers!"

Adam laughed a little too loudly at that. He knew Lena certainly enjoyed classic rock and modern electronic stuff, but at times she did go into her room and blast pure bubblegum out of her stereo.

"Anyway..." Justin looked into Adam's eyes. "You're a dad who doesn't mind all that stuff. You let her do what she likes and be who she likes. You're not all uptight about her being 'gender appropriate'." Justin gagged a little at that term. "It's so stupid that society makes so much of a fuss over that! It's easier for girls, I guess, I'm not sure. But for boys, we've gotta be soldiers. Even when my dad wasn't around, I had my brothers patrolling the house. They were always 100% 'gender appropriate'. They talked about fucking girls and cars and sports and getting drunk. They acted like a bunch of frat boys. And just not wanting to be near them made me a fag! Just not wanting to let them punch me. Wanting to be alone. Wanting to read a fucking *book*! God forbid!!"

Adam stayed quiet, letting Justin's floodgates open.

The wolffox took a deep, angry breath. "They were shits. But Dad was worse. Whenever he was home, I had to watch how I walked, how I talked, how I *sat*... If he was watching TV, we all had to watch it too, and whatever channel he wanted.

"Wanna hear a true story? This one time, we were all in the livingroom. He was in his chair, Mom was poured all over the couch. Greg, Royce, Dave and me were on the floor. Football was on. I pretty much ignored it and just watched the commercials. Then this one toy ad came on. It was some Barbie-kinda doll, but an astronaut. I didn't care about the doll, but she had this silver and pink car that turned into a space jet. *That* was cool. I knew it was pink and had hearts on it and was a girl toy, but I had to admit, I really wanted one.

"And my dad... I swear that fucker had ESP... he just knew. Just from how I was looking at the commercial. He reached over and SLAPPED the fuck out of the back of my head! He almost drove my nose into the carpet. I didn't even realize what had happened at first. He looks at me, holding a beer as always, and he said, 'Do you have a cunt down there? Is that it? Does my son have a cunt and no one remembered to tell me?'"

Adam winced. "Scumbag prick bastard," he muttered.

Justin gave him an approving smile for that assessment. Then she looked down at her crotch. "Now I actually *have* a cunt. And it's scary! Not, like, just to have it. But I'm still on edge. Whenever I turn into a girl, there's usually a moment where I hear a noise behind me and I flinch, expecting that big fat hand to slap me in the back of the head again."

Adam patted her shoulder comfortingly.

Justin put her hand over his. "At first I was terrified all the time. But gradually it got better. I just kept telling myself, 'He's not here. He's not here. None of them are here. You don't have to worry about his retarded rules anymore. You don't have to be dripping testosterone every second, breakfast to bedtime, or else he'll beat the crap out of you. You can relax now.'"

Justin paused, then smiled sweetly. "And I did, eventually. I started enjoying being able to say 'screw you' to the part of me that said I wasn't supposed to like anything not sufficiently manly enough. I accept it: I *am* a bit of a wimp. So? I like reading and poetry and stuffed animals. I like it when I turn into a girl." Justin was blushing very hard now. "I... I like looking at myself in the mirror, and seeing how delicate and graceful I look. I like feeling pretty. I like my ponytail."

Adam looked very proud of his cub's courage to admit to that.

"Not always though," Justin quickly amended. "I don't want to be a girl full-time. And it still makes me nervous to admit it."

"I can tell," Adam said with a sympathetic smile.

"But I wanna get to the point where I'm like Lena. I wanna be comfortable being either. I want to just do whatever I enjoy doing, and not even *think* about whether it's 'girl stuff' or 'boy stuff'."

"I always thought you had a touch of the feminine to you that you wished you could express more freely," Adam said. "Not that I mind a bit, of course. I'm incredibly proud of you, hearing you say all that." He kissed Justin's cheek. "I remember being a boy too. I remember how important it was to keep that stick firmly up your ass at all times: 'Be Masculine, Or Else!' Always act macho, never show feelings, stomp down your emotions. It's exhausting."

"It is!!" Justin burst out, then hugged him for his understanding. "It's so goddam tiring! It felt like I was holding my breath all the time! Being able to relax, to not give a shit about any of it anymore, it's such a _relief_!"

Adam kissed Justin's forehead. "I promise I will never make you feel bad about not living up to some imaginary standard of manhood. You are Justin. That's all you need to be."

"Thank you," the little wolffox said, her tail wagging a bit under the blanket.

"I think there's at least a little bit of the opposite gender in all of us," Adam said. "It's been my experience that empathy is a strength. Being comfortable with someone else's difference is a strength. I'm glad I have a girl who doesn't mind being a boy, and a boy who doesn't mind being a girl. You cut yourself off from experiences if you label them as off-limits. I still never get tired of telling you how astonishingly brave you were to stick to your poetry before you met us. That must have been the most hostile environment on earth for it."

Justin nodded. "Sometimes I felt like a little blade of grass always having to hide from lawnmowers."

"That's quite apt," Adam said, nuzzling Justin's forehead. "And I'm glad you learned to ignore all the bullshit they heaped on you. You're in good company, Justin. There's been uncountable male poets throughout history. What was Shakespeare but a writer who made plays out of poems? Every male rock star you can think of who writes their own music is a poet."

Justin's cheeks flushed.

"Even if you write them just for yourself, or just for me and Lena, that's fine. Writing keeps you in touch with who you are inside. That's such an important skill. If we don't acknowledge our emotions and thoughts and daydreams and desires... If we don't bother exploring who we are, then we're just slaves to our instincts."

Justin chuckled. "Like my dad's instinct to drink and hate everything, and my mom's instinct to suck on the TV with her eyeballs like a leech."

"Slightly stomach-turning, but very evocative imagery there!" Adam commended.

With a happy shiver, Justin suddenly slid back into being a boy.

Adam felt the change. In his arms, his daughter transitioned fluidly to his son. He felt her curves straighten, her tush recede, her ponytail vanish.

"I just felt like it," Justin said.

"And that's fine," Adam replied.

Justin suddenly hugged Adam with all his heart. Gratitude overwhelmed the little wolffox. He remembered telling Lena about how sometimes he'd forget for a moment that this was his new life, that this was his real father. Justin was almost glad for forgetting now. Because the remembering felt so good.

A sparkle of mischief appeared in the boy's eyes. "Hey Dad, you wanna play around a bit before we go to sleep?"

Adam reflexively looked around the car. He couldn't see or hear anyone observing (although he did catch a bit of a rustling sound a few seats away that was likely his daughter having fun with a friendly pervert). "If we're quiet enough, sure. What'd you have in mind?"

Justin grinned and slipped down to the floor. He tucked one of the footrests out of the way, but left up the one closest to the aisle, for camouflage. The frisky pup pulled the blanket as far over himself as possible. To anyone passing by, he'd hopefully be invisible.

Adam felt little paws unzipping his fly.

He ruffled his son's headfur. "What a good boy. What a devoted son, to want to give his daddy a blowjob," he said teasingly.

Justin's tail wagged at that. He liked being talked to like a pet puppy sometimes.

In the musky cave of the blanket, Justin worked by touch to tug his father's pants down and reveal the prize within. For a few moments, Justin simply massaged his dad's already-rock-hard erection through his boxer shorts.

Adam was very, very good at keeping perfectly silent during sex, since his childhood bedroom had been one door down from his parents'. He made no sound, but inwardly he groaned and murred at those talented little fingers working their magic. He lovingly caressed his boy's ears and headfur.

When Justin could contain his temptation no longer, he slipped his hands into Adam's boxers. Immediate warmth. Daddy's cock was the perfect size for him to hold. Justin could feel blood rushing through it. He imagined love flowing from Adam's heart to his cock and back again.

Justin leaned in closer and kissed the tip.

Adam took in a sharp, deep breath through his nose. "I love you so much, Justin," he whispered.

The boy's heart glowed at hearing that. He opened his small canine mouth and slowly let Adam's penis inside. Justin's tongue cradled it like a hotdog bun.

'I've got my dad's dick in my mouth,' Justin thought to himself. 'I'm tasting it. I am literally a cocksucker right now!' He felt his cheeks burn. He kinda liked the unique embarrassment of this. After being called a fag by his brothers so many times, it felt intense to be so brazenly proving them right.

'And why not?' Justin asked himself as he began to bob his head back and forth. 'They're the ones stupid enough to think this is the worst thing you can be. They're the ones who are terrified of not being macho enough. Ha! I'm more of a real man than they are because I've got the guts to do something they wouldn't even do to save their lives. I've got the guts to be true to myself and not be afraid to do something I love doing.' He never would have imagined that one day he'd find himself admitting that he loved having a cock between his lips. But that wasn't exactly accurate. What he loved was sucking his _Dad's_ cock. He loved giving his real, true father pleasure, to thank him for everything he'd done.

Adam focused on his breathing and the indescribably wonderful sensations of his son's expert blowjob. The pup very clearly enjoyed this. Adam smiled, thinking how cute Justin was when he was in a subby mood. His hand travelled all over the boy's head; petting his hair, skritching behind his ears, stroking his muzzlefur...

Justin imagined that his three idiot brothers were watching this. That they were trapped in a soundproof glass room just a few feet away, forced to watch Justin bring shame on the family name by gulping skunk cock. He imagined them throwing all their worst insults at him, but nothing could make him stop! Justin sucked a little more enthusiastically, putting on a show for them.

He imagined his father (his *fake* father, that alcoholic, vengeful sack of shit), trapped in the glass room too. Justin saw the big bad wolf howling at the top of his lungs, banging on the glass with both fists. He was screaming his throat raw; ordering Justin to stop doing something so unthinkable. And to a SKUNK!! Couldn't Justin at least have the pride to suck off a fellow wolf!?

Justin grinned ear to ear. 'I'm a sissy cocksucking faggot and no one can stop me!' he thought with glee. 'Hey 'Dad', watch this!'

With a thought, Justin chose to be a girl again.

Adam jerked a bit at the incredible feeling. He felt hair sprout from his son's head. Felt the whole shape of the boy's mouth change, until it was a little girl's mouth wrapped around his cock. He whimpered almost inaudibly with lust.

Justin could not have been more happy. She could feel how much that turned Adam on. And she could imagine how much her fake dad would have raged and swore and puked to know he'd raised a 'tranny'. Justin couldn't resist a giggle fit.

Adam peeked beneath the blanket. "Giggling is not usually standard behavior during a BJ," he observed

Justin flashed him a beaming smile. "I'll tell you later, pop."

"Okeydoke. Also, you are doing an _amazing_ job!"

"Thanks!" Justin cheerfully went back to work.

She licked the delicious skunk cock from shaft to tip. She nuzzled the downy soft ballfur. She kissed the shaft up and down, then lightly drilled her tongue into the sensitive peehole. She plunged the whole thing in her mouth like a pro, right to the back of her throat. In her mind she pictured her whole old family losing their shit so much they all had heart attacks and keeled over dead. Justin laughed so much she almost choked a little.

Justin was rewarded with a sudden mouthful of hot frosting. Like a good girl, she caught it all, not letting a drop go to waste. She swallowed, feeling the gooey load slip warmly down her throat to her tummy. Emotional energy didn't just come from garbage. There was plenty of nourishing love in Daddy's cum.

The satisfied wolffox put the footrest back in place and tucked herself under the blanket. Adam was panting, recovering from his recent eruption. "That was fantastic. Thank you so, so much, Justin."

She giggled and kissed him. "You're welcome!"

He could taste cum on his daughter's lips. 'That's hot,' he thought. He kissed Justin again, tasting the little girlboy's mouth. "Would you like me to reciprocate?"

"Naw, that's okay. I'm actually feeling sleepy now all of a sudden." She yawned to prove it. "Besides, I'll probably cream my panties sometime during the night from dreaming about blowing you and fucking the crap outta Lena earlier."

Adam chuckled. "My little horndog." He nuzzled noses with her. "But if you do cum, I get first dibs," he added, licking his lips.

"Sounds like a fair bargain," said Justin. She closed her eyes and snuggled against Adam's shirt. The fabric smelled comfortingly skunky.

Adam gave his little girl a loving squeeze. "I'm so lucky to be your dad," he whispered.

Justin practically purred.


~~~~~


*part 10*

"Isn't she a little *young* for you?"

Ian's head snapped up. He'd been so glued to the internet, he hadn't even noticed the woman standing there. Her question startled him into incomprehensibility. "Uhm? Hwa?"

The guinea pig was middle-aged and had a tight, sharp frown on her face. She looked down at Ian with eyes that burned. "I *said*, she looks awfully *young* for you to be touching her in that way."

Ian looked down at Lena, who was still snoozing. She was hugging him around the waist and had the sweetest little smile on her snout. Ian looked back at the woman with a bit of defiance. "It's not-"

"Are you related to her?" she interrupted.

"Well, n-no..."

The woman's eyes narrowed even more than they already were. "I thought not. I wonder what's going on underneath that blanket you've got so strategically placed there? Are you even dressed underneath it?"

"Of c-c-course!" Ian stammered. Though now he didn't remember whether his jeans fly was open or not.

The woman loomed over him, drilling him into the seat with her hateful stare. "Why do I doubt that? Why do I have a hard time believing that someone like you, who'd flaunt their sickness in public like this and think people won't catch on, would have any limits of decency at all!? Where'd you kidnap that poor child from!? If you think you're getting off this train without a police escort, you are dead wrong!"

Other passengers were starting to turn around in their seats and look. Ian's heart thudded frantically. His vision blurred around the edges and he felt the blood drain from his face. He thought he was very close to passing out from sheer fear.

"I'm calling 911 right now," the woman hissed. "You can explain to them why I found you sleeping with such a very young girl, right in plain sight! Do you think society's gone to hell so bad that you can just-"

Someone tapped her shoulder.

The guinea pig turned around and found a skunk looking back at her with a look of pure, ice-cold loathing.

"Excuse me," said Adam.

The woman looked frightened for a second, then regained her righteous wrath. "This is none of your business, sir!"

"I think it very much is," Adam said, quietly and patiently. "That's my daughter."

The woman laughed.

Adam tilted his head to the side, regarding her as a microbiologist regards a virus. "Would you like me to open up my wallet and show you pictures of her in there? That is my adopted daughter, whom I love more than you can possibly comprehend. This is my other daughter, by the way."

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Justin gave the woman a slight wave. She'd been woken up by a voice that sounded uncannily like her mother's. It took her a moment to realize what was going on. Realizing the trouble Ian was in, she'd quickly prodded Adam awake. The skunk had jumped up immediately, looking as pissed-off as Justin had ever seen him.

The guinea pig looked back and forth between the cubs and the skunk. "I'm sure you care very much for them, but *I'm* a mother, and I can see for myself when something's not right in a situation."

Adam took a half-step closer and continued staring directly into the woman's glass-black eyes. "Are you trying to say that, because my children are adopted, That Makes Me Any Less Their Father!?"

The words were ground glass drizzled with acid. The woman backed up a step. "Well, no! Of course not. I just-"

"You just what?" Adam pressed. "You just saw something you didn't understand, and came to the worst conclusion your cynical, paranoid heart could imagine?"

"That is completely uncalled for!" the woman huffed.

The barest trace of a thin, venomous smile appeared on Adam's lips. "The man whom you were just threatening is someone with whom I'd entrust my children's lives to. He has known them for most of their lifetimes."

Ian blinked. He'd been stunned speechless so far by Adam's defense, but was now somewhat awestruck with how artfully the skunk had lied on his behalf.

"Ian, darling, would you stand up?" Adam asked.

That one word clued the mouse in on what the skunk was thinking. "Of course, honey," Ian replied. He gently jogged Lena's shoulder to wake her up.

She blinked and yawned. Even in her sleepy state, she assessed the situation quickly. Daddy never looked this furious without a reason. And from the ugly, confrontational sneer on the guinea pig lady's face, Lena had a good guess what this was all about.

Ian swished past the ratgirl to stand by Adam's side.

The skunk's gaze never left the guinea pig woman. "Ian is my life partner. And if you have the faintest clue what that means, you'll realize how ridiculous you ought to feel for jumping to the conclusion that he could possibly be sexually attracted to our daughter."

The woman's eyes got a bit bigger, but just in case she still didn't get what he was hinting at, Adam turned his head and gave Ian a quick, steamy kiss right on the lips.

From behind them, a few other passengers snickered. One went "Wooo!"

The woman jumped back a bit and put a hand over her mouth. She scowled with all the fury she possessed. "That is DISGUSTING!"

"No, you are," Adam countered, not missing a beat. "Love isn't disgusting. Disgusting is when someone's concept of their own self-worth is so damaged that they think the whole world ought to change to suit what they consider moral."

From the woman's expression, Adam guessed that she hadn't fully understood that, but knew it was an insult.

The skunk's expression softened, becoming almost pitying. "I appreciate your good intentions, ma'am, but it's best to investigate a situation before you make judgements about it. Now, how 'bout you go on back to your seat before you make an even bigger fool of yourself?"

She was pulsing with anger now. So furious she looked like she might be ready to strangle him. "I know what I saw," she spat accusingly, hoping to hold on to one last shred of moral ground.

Lena had a sudden moment of lucid mischief. She hid her grin behind a gasp of horror. "You mean she was watching me sleep!?" She clutched Daddy in a hug while turning to face the woman. "You PERVERT!!" she screamed.

Justin *barely* held back a snort.

Outraged beyond words, the woman sputtered a few half-syllables, then turned and stomped out of the car.

A few other passengers clapped.

Relief crashed through Ian like an ocean wave. He kissed Adam on the cheek in gratitude. "I can't thank you enough! I can't believe you did that!!"

Adam gave him a 'no big deal' shrug. "It was my pleasure." Then he gave the mouse a leering grin. "By the way, how was that kiss?"

Ian blushed a little. "Not bad, actually."

Justin joined Lena in hugging their brave daddy. "You were great, Dad!"

Adam fuzzled the pup's headfur. "Just doing my civic duty to protect innocent citizens from the forces of evil. Of course, the delicious irony here doesn't escape me. And speaking of delicious," he licked his lips, "since we're all up, how 'bout we all get dressed and go to breakfast?"

"My treat! No matter the cost!" Ian pledged immediately.

***

Everyone rustled around in their luggage for a change of clothes (Justin and Lena were able to do it mentally). The foursome headed for the bathrooms. Lena snuck Ian a quick French kiss in the stairwell to thank him for last night.

The kids shared a bathroom and happily molested each other at every opportunity while they dressed. Noticing that it didn't smell too sweaty, Lena kept her shimmering silver top. A purple skirt and headband complimented it nicely. Justin thought she looked gorgeous. The wolffox was still a bit self-conscious about wearing obviously girly clothes in public, so she stuck with shorts and a t-shirt. Though she was brave enough to choose a pink one.

The grownups were waiting in the hallway. Ian's new shirt featured an adorable bunny firing a laser gun.

Off to the dining car. The quartet placed their orders and got to talking and laughing so much, they barely noticed when the food arrived. Justin was feeling experimental and mashed her bacon and pancakes together into a delicious syrup-drenched mound. She had to duel Lena with forks to keep the ratgirl from taking bites of it. The little rat was able to score a brief victory though, strategically distracting her sibling by squirting scrambled eggs through her teeth.

With an obscene amount of euphemisms, Ian and Adam compared their previous night's experiences. Justin and Lena felt quite proud at hearing their performances given such praise. Plus, soon enough they each had a nice hard crotch-bulge to play with under the table.

The cubs skillfully disposed of the small amount of garbage left after the meal without Ian seeing. They were nice and full from breakfast, but were still feeling a bit of their other kind of hunger. The bathrooms' trash hadn't yielded anything nutritious either. Neither cub worried too much. They were bound to find something else on the train eventually.

The Tallevascos were scheduled to arrive in Clover City at the unfortunate hour of one o' clock in the freakin' morning. Ian's stop, Greenwater, would be around midnight. That meant they all had a full day to fill before they reached their destinations.

After breakfast, the four furs gathered in the observation lounge for a while. Ian took lots of scenery shots with his little digital camera. It was nice and warm inside the train, but they were passing through a state that was blanketed with snow. It seemed impossible. Justin and Lena both remembered how scorching it had been the day before they left. Yet here they were, seeing a landscape that was white all the way out to the horizon. The sky was so enormous it defied belief. The clouds looked bigger than cities. Farm buildings off in the distance seemed like toys someone had left out in the snow. They saw a herd of cows that looked no bigger than rabbits.

Back in the passenger car, Lena sat with Daddy. They both chose books to read and let themselves drift into their stories. Adam sat with his back to the window, propped up by one of the train's complimentary pillows. Lena's pillow was covered in the softest, warmest skunkfur, and burped now and then.

Justin sat with Ian. The mouse showed the pup all sorts of stuff on his laptop, including a collection of funny videos which had Justin clamping her muzzle shut with both paws to avoid disturbing the other passengers. Ian also let her play the Ruthie game for a while, and this time Justin finally got past the swordsman.

After a few hours, Lena had to pee. She got up and gave Daddy a kiss for being so comfortable. She padded over to Ian's seat and asked with a flirty wink if he'd like to accompany her. The mouse fretted a bit, worried that someone might catch on. Lena suggested that she go ahead and wait for him in the bathroom nearest the stairwell (this would also let her check the trash again). Justin said she didn't mind being left out this time, as she'd nearly gotten the hang of making Ruthie drive the jeep.

Lena hopped down the narrow stairs, ransacked all the bathrooms, found nothing particularly edible aside from a broken earring, and waited on the toilet for Ian. After a few minutes he opened the door to find her completely nude and grinning. He stumbled back and blinked a few times. Lena giggled. Ian regained his senses, stepped inside and _locked_ the door behind him.

Several kisses followed. Lena shivered at the incredible feeling of being naked in a forbidden place, on the potty with a gentleman mouse smooching her. Ian ran his nimble hands over her ears and hair. Lena asked him if he'd like to be her booster seat. She got up off the toilet and started unpantsing him. He was happy to let her take control. She playfully shoved him down onto the seat; his boner twitched at how warm it was. Adjusting for the rocking of the train, Lena carefully sat herself on Ian's lap. She advised him to spread his legs really wide.

Ian squeaked when he heard liquid trickling into the bowl beneath. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Lena and nuzzling into her neckfur. She guided his hand to just below her tummy. He could feel her insides pushing out pee. He dared to extend a single finger and felt hot droplets splash it. They both moaned.

When Lena was all done urinating, she asked very sweetly if Ian would mind cleaning her up. Ian agreed, but had to take a moment to get his mind past the idea of tasting pee. He finally used his horniness to club that worry into submission. Lena got up and sat on the counter by the sink, legs spread. Ian managed to kneel with his face pointed right towards her honeypot. He inhaled. The scent was incredibly strong and incredibly sexy. Quivering, he gave her pinkness a kiss. The taste was definitely salty. He could feel little droplets of girlpee on his lips. Certainly not enough to stop him from continuing. He got used to the taste quickly. The texture of Lena's chewy little cunny was quite nice, and her squeaks of pleasure even better.

Lena bit down on her tail when she came. It let two little indentations. "Didn't that hurt?" Ian asked. Lena just giggled.

With Lena nicely lubricated, she thought it was definitely time to reward Ian for such a good cuntmunching. She managed to stand up on the toilet seat, slightly terrified of slipping and falling in. She waggled her rump invitingly. Ian braced one leg against the counter and another against the door. This was going to be tricky.

The unpredictable motion of the train was not exactly helpful. Sometimes there'd be a sudden lurch and he'd either slip out or poke Lena uncomfortably. Still, she cheered him on. Ian was surprised he hadn't spurted already just from the fact that he was yiffing an adorably frisky young rat in a highly dangerous public place. Though having to work against the train's efforts to wobble him off his feet didn't help his concentration any. At least when he'd been eating her out he'd been able to cling to the counter. Standing up was a whole different thing.

Lena sensed his frustration and asked if there was anything she could do to help. Blushing a bit, he asked if she'd ever done any roleplaying. Thinking of all the times she'd imagined herself as a plump, green sexy trashbag during a yiff session, she simply nodded. Bashfully, Ian asked if she minded pretending she was Ruthie and he was a tribal warlord who had taken her prisoner in his camp. Lena cackled. Ian looked utterly devastated for a moment, until she apologized and said she hadn't meant it in a mean way. It was just unexpected, and kinda cute. She said she'd be happy to be his damsel in distress.

Soon Ian was ignoring the train's motion, leaning over Lena and whispering evil things to her. That she had trespassed on his ancestral lands and now must be punished. She struggled theatrically and made the cutest little whimpers. It was hard for her to keep the smile off her face though. She said he was a very handsome tribal warlord, and asked if they could strike a deal. If she agreed to be his captive sex slave for a while, would he let her go unharmed? Ian said that sounded agreeable.

"...And tell me where the bad men hid the Sapphire Of Lightning?"

Ian perked up. "You remember that episode too?"

"Of course! Even I thought Ruthie looked hot all tied up!"

Ian kissed her all over. He resumed thrusting into her tight little pussy, calling her Ruthie occasionally. Lena quietly shouted that she was his helpless prisoner and she'd let him do *anything* to her if it meant getting that stolen gem!

"I think you're going to get it very soon," Ian said through clenched teeth. He suddenly held her closer and let out a growl that she couldn't believe had really come from her shy, nerdy mousie!

Lena murred at the feel of all that hot cum filling her up. Ian panted hard and nibbled her ear, thanking her with each breath. "I hope you didn't mind indulging my silly fantasy," he said.

"Not at all! I'm thinkin' maybe I can find a pith helmet somewhere and I can teach Jesse how to tie me up when we get back home!"

He chuckled and tickled her ribs. She wiggled cutely.

Ian suddenly had a chilling thought though. He felt his semen dribbling out from where the two of them joined. "Um... you haven't started getting your period yet, have you?"

She snorted. "No reason to worry about me getting' babyfilled, I promise!"

"Oh good!"

Lena traced a finger around her labia, collecting some cum, then popped it in her mouth. "Still tasty!"

***

At lunchtime, the Tallevascos decided to skip the expensive dining car meals and nosh on the still-expensive-but-comparatively-less-so snack car stuff. Justin and Lena described the fare there and Adam sent them down with a few bills. The smooth-talking puma was still manning the cash register, this time playing chess with an old lady in an outrageous hat. Justin thought it was a miracle the pieces didn't fall all over the place. The puma smiled and said, "Magnetic." Justin nodded, feeling like she should have realized that.

The cubs trekked back through the train with armfuls of edibles. All four furs managed to cram into two seats and share space on the two seatback trays.

Partway through their meal, a lady goat in a train uniform interrupted. "Excuse me sirs, this is in regards to an incident that happened this morning."

Everyone got quiet.

Adam's tail frizzed up when the lady mentioned that the guinea pig woman had indeed called the police. The cops had called the train company, who had called the engineer, who had talked to the staff, who had talked to some of the other passengers. Ian was sweating by now, certain that the goatfemme could smell sex on him.

She noticed his nervousness and smiled. "Oh, please don't worry, sir! Everyone else we talked to fully contradicted her version of events. She actually told the police that you'd *attacked* her when she confronted you. The other passengers said that was, to put it lightly, horse doo-doo. When we spoke to her a second time, she became more than a little violent. She's been instructed to remain in her seat for the duration of the trip, and if she bothers any of you again she'll be let off at the nearest stop."

Lena burst out laughing. No one else could keep a grin from their faces. "That sounds completely fair to me," Adam said.

"Hmm, I dunno," Justin said blithely. "Uncle Ian suffered grievous mental trauma. I think we should all get a free dinner for compensation."

Adam's eyes bulged a little at the wolffox's chutzpah.

The goat lady smirked. "Why you little schemer! I'm not sure we can do *that*. But because you asked, I think maybe I could arrange a voucher that would get you free desserts tonight. How's that sound?"

Justin grinned smugly at Daddy. "See? Never hurts to ask!"

Ian shook the lady's hand. "Thank you. I'll be sure to leave a four-star review on your website."

"Customer service is always important," she said.

***

The hours until dinnertime were mostly uneventful, up to a point. Lena finished her book and started on another one. Ian showed Adam the Ruthie game. Justin sat by herself and stared out the window. The tracks now cut through a vast, dense forest. Every now and then they'd pass a shed near the tracks or go through a tunnel, but other than that it was easy to imagine they were the only instance of civilization for miles. Justin saw more evergreens than she could have ever imagined existed. There were mountains in the distance, dotted green and white with trees and snow. The train crossed several rivers, rumbling over metal bridges high up in the air. Justin completely lost track of time.

That is, until her stomach rumbled. She was still full from lunch, but her tummy craved a different kind of junk food. The camera she'd had last night had been wonderfully filling, but it was the only real 'meal' she'd had since they left (besides a bit of diaper energy). Justin decided to do some scouting around. He let Lena know what he was up to, and that he'd bring her back some of whatever he found. She let him know that her stomach was also complaining.

Justin set off for the front of the train, figuring she'd start there and check every trashcan in every car. She was worried about the other passengers getting suspicious, but tried to dismiss it. No one who saw her go down to the bathrooms in one car would notice her doing the same in another. And *nobody* could have possibly guessed the reason for her behavior.

The hunt was largely unsuccessful. Every bathroom trash was 90% paper towels and toilet paper. Even the food wrappers were devoid of all but the most elementary traces of emotional energy. Justin found a few items suitable for snacking, but they wouldn't satisfy her or Lena for long. She ate some of what she found and pocketed the rest for her sister.

When she'd made her way up and down the train and back, Justin sat by Lena and told her the situation. She nibbled tissues while Justin talked. The simple fact was, they'd picked off all the good stuff yesterday, and unless they got lucky, there simply wasn't any more.

The cubs asked Adam what to do. He said he wasn't sure. He knew there were other stops coming up. They could check the trashcans there. But if the ones at their departure station were any indication, the pickings were likely to be slim. The skunk tried to be optimistic. "Worst case scenario: as soon as we reach Clover City, I'm sure there'll be a fast food place nearby. You can sneak on back to the dumpsters." That would be cutting it close, both cubs knew. If their tummies were borbling now, they'd be roaring by midnight.

So they found ways to distract themselves. Ian was happy to let them sit by him again, since he'd long finished cleaning out his inbox. Justin played Lena's handheld while Ian showed Lena some of the videos Justin had giggled at earlier. She had the same response, with the addition of a tiny squirt of pee on Ian's lap. He didn't mind.

Lena's game was easy and Justin found her mind wandering. She remembered the other day when Ian had asked if she was transgender. She chuckled. Then an idea occurred.

'I wonder if I could change just *part* of me?' Justin thought.

Justin gave Lena back her game and said she wanted to go check something in her luggage. She went back to her own seat and squeezed herself far into the corner, wanting to be as invisible as realistically possible. This would be a bit risky. But if she accidentally went into full boy-mode in front of Lena or Ian, they'd know in a second. If some passenger saw, it might not even register.

Justin cleared her mind. She pictured Lena. Pictured her and Lena hugging. Merging with Lena. Taking back her boyness. But only one very specific part of her boyness. She imagined a magic circle around her groin.

She suddenly let out the breath she'd been holding when she felt a totally new type of change take place.

When she looked down, her tail wagged.

With a proud grin, the little canine sauntered back over to Ian's seat. She asked if Lena'd mind giving up the mouse's lap. Lena said sure, and scooted over to let Justin by. Ian let Lena keep using his computer. He showed her a treasure-matching Flash game and she dived into it.

Justin sat on Uncle Ian's lap, biding her time. She waited until the mouse was engrossed in watching Lena's progress. Then a little black-furred paw reached out for his. Justin guided the hand up her thigh, directly between her legs. Ian gulped, but kept his eyes on the game just in case someone suddenly walked by.

"I told you yesterday I'd show you if you were good," Justin whispered. "And you've been really good."

Ian was too awestruck to speak for a moment. "...This is the best vacation of my entire life," he finally said, and gave both cubs kisses.

Lena glanced over and noticed where Ian's hand was. She giggled, suddenly having an idea of what Justin had managed to do.

"You can touch it," Justin said shyly.

"Okay, sweetheart," Ian replied. The mouse tenderly nuzzled the wolffox's cheek, then slid his hand up to her waistband. His fingers slipped in slowly. When they felt a hill instead of a valley, Ian's eyes popped open. "Oh my. You weren't kidding."

Justin squirmed as Ian's fingers explored. "I like being a girl... but I like my dick too."

"So do I," Lena added.

Justin flicked her tail under the ratgirl's nose. "We all know that, ya floozy."

Lena sniggered. "You're one to talk, Miss Meat!"

Both cubs 'tee hee'ed for a bit. Ian could feel the warm furry bump grow, and soon something slick and cylindrical emerged into his hand.

Justin murred. She closed her eyes, feeling the train's vibrations, feeling the unfamiliar paw tucked into her panties. If it was gay to suck Daddy's cock, it was doubly gay to let Ian give him a handjob in public. Justin smiled, loving the feeling of not caring. All she needed to care about was how good it felt.

Lena let the other two drift into yiffiness. She took up the role of lookout. Whenever a passenger would walk by, she'd hold the laptop up just enough to cover all the public indecency going on. It was nerve-wracking, but thankfully most people seemed to have other things on their mind. Most didn't even glance in her direction.

Ian caressed every soft curve of Justin's cock and balls. He rustled the fur of the tight little nutsack. He rubbed the sheath up and down against the penis. He traced his fingers up and over the spongy little glans. "I wish I could kiss it," the mouse whispered.

Lena looked all around. "There's no one coming. You probably could."

Ian's heartbeat sped up. Justin's did too, and she undid her shorts fly. Ian coaxed the pup's panties down just enough to see a bit of pinkness. Justin couldn't believe she was showing her dick on a moving train, surrounded by dozens of passengers! Enjoying the terrifying thrill of it all, she let her pinkness stand up proudly; completely exposed!

Lena couldn't believe her sister's boldness. She could barely take her eyes off the thing long enough to keep tabs on the other passengers.

Ian decided to be daring too. Turning Justin to the side a bit, the mouse leaned over as far as his spine would allow and kissed that perfect pink pup penis. Justin whimpered needfully. Ian looked to Lena; she gave him the go-ahead. A moment later, Justin's cock was 100% in Ian's mouth.

The moist warmth, plus the excitement of danger, set Justin off like a bottle rocket. Within just a few moments of Ian bobbing his head on the little pole, the mouse's mouth filled with canine cream.

The passenger car door opened.

"Oh shit!!" Lena hissed.

Nearly panicking, Ian stuffed Justin's schwanz roughly back in her panties, zipped her shorts, then tucked her shirt down over everything. He sat up like nothing had happened.

A bored-looking businessman otter walked by, completely oblivious to the grown man with a mouthful of cub semen.

Ian swallowed. "That was close."

Justin's heart felt like it was banging against her ribcage. "Holy fuck! That almost scared the living poop out of me!"

"But you guys got away with it," Lena said brightly. "That was really hot, by the way. Howd'ja like my sister's cum?" she asked Ian.

Ian swished his tongue around in his mouth. "Hmm." He reached into his carry-on bag and fished out a travel-size bottle of mouthwash. "No offense," he told Justin.

***

Soon after, the train slowed to a stop outside a little log-cabin-styled station no bigger than a two-car garage. Justin and Lena had been looking forward to getting off and hunting for trash, but the PA announcement said this was a short stop and there'd be no time for anything longer than a cigarette break. With their tummies rumbling, they decided to risk it. As soon as the doors opened, they wriggled past the other passengers and darted for the station's restrooms. Both were unoccupied, so the two siblings simultaneously dug their paws into their respective trashcans, rooting around for something, anything!

When the conductor's voice called out "All aboard!!", the cubs plodded back, neither having found more than light snacks. Although Lena had found a cute fast food toy that someone had chucked. It was a turtle girl with boxing gloves, and Lena enjoyed making it punch Justin in the head.

Dinner helped. It wasn't trash, but it was tasty and distracting. Lena decided to try the steak Justin had raved about the night before (and liked it just as much), while Justin picked chicken tetrazzini largely because the name made her giggle.

While the cubs focused on eating, Adam and Ian swapped college stories. Adam told about a professor whose 'class' was usually nothing more than him sitting on his desk and telling stories about watching TV, buying groceries or maintaining his small plane. He was politely asked to leave after several months of this, since the college couldn't actually fire him. Ian talked about a girl who was known for being the biggest social revolutionary on campus, but with a very short attention span. Every week she championed a new cause after hearing the barest summary of it online. A group of furs who'd gotten sick of her, led by Ian's roommate, had conspired her downfall. They pointed her to a website (which they'd created) detailing the plight of a foreign country where the beloved and democratically-elected new leader was in danger of being ousted by a corrupt military coup. The girl had leapt into action, putting up posters and marching with a sign in support of the beleaguered leader. That is, until campus officials stepped in and asked why she was supporting a brutal dictator who had been slaughtering his own people for the last forty years and was now finally on the verge of being deposed by a citizen revolt. Mortally embarrassed, she'd mentioned the website. But alas, it had disappeared without a trace. Adam nearly choked on his green beans laughing.

Both grownups noticed how sleepy the little ones looked by the end of the meal. When they went back to the passenger car, Adam suggested they might like a nap. That sounded pretty good to the cubs so they each chose their pillow. They switched from last night, with Justin propped against Ian and Lena lying with her head on Daddy's lap.

The cubs slept quite soundly for several hours. Ian tried not to giggle too loud at the snore Justin had developed. It sounded like the little canine was going "eee... eee... eee..." A particularly noisy tunnel woke the pup. Her stomach started nagging her immediately. Ian could hear it growling. Justin claimed it was just a bit upset by dinner. The mouse hugged Justin comfortingly. She got up a little later to slip out of sight and check her luggage. Reaching deep within her bellybutton, she retrieved her plushiefox Amanda and a random book. Justin sat by Ian, reading and cuddling, until Lena awoke.

Of course she needed to go to the bathroom as soon as she got up, and Justin watched. The ratgirl gleefully played with Justin's willy while she peed. After some guidance from Justin and a bit of practice, she had one too! Boy was Adam surprised when Lena went back to her seat!

Whether you're traveling by train, bus, car or airplane, the longest hours are always the ones when you're closest to your destination. By nine o' clock, Ian was getting antsy. By ten he'd already started checking and rechecking his luggage. Adam suggested that Lena might want to go sit by him too, since they wouldn't have much time left together.

The ratgirl joined Justin by Ian's side, butting in to hug the handsome rodent. He thanked both cubs again for being so cuddly and making his trip so memorable. He asked when they'd be coming home from Clover City. Maybe they could share a return trip? Lena said they planned to stay for almost two weeks. Ian's face fell. He would only be in Greenwater for five days. Just the convention and then back home. He knew he didn't have enough money to change his return ticket and extend his hotel stay that long.

Then Justin had a thought. "You've been on the train as long as we have. When did you get on?"

Everyone was relieved and happy to discover that Ian only lived a state away from Justin's hometown. It meant they'd be on opposite ends of the country if the Tallevascos moved to Clover City, but in the meantime they'd be only about two hours apart. That was perfectly do-able. Lena and Justin weren't exactly sure about letting Ian see their messy house, but he was fine with inviting them and Adam to his apartment for a short visit. If they didn't mind sleeping on air mattresses or the couch.

"Or we could get in bed with you..." Lena purred. Ian twitched.

And if that idea fell through for some reason, there was always next year's convention. Ian had attended three years in a row and couldn't think of anything that'd break that pattern. He promised the cubs there'd be all sorts of stuff they'd like there, which made them a little disappointed that they couldn't go with him this time. Lena was already imagining who she'd be for the costume contest. Justin suggested a turd. She giggled and slapped him playfully. "Then you could be a toilet and I'd ride on your shoulders!" Ian supposed he could then be a plunger.

Thirty minutes to midnight. Outside the train, the cubs could see civilization overtaking the wilderness once more. They passed shops and houses, even a marina with dozens of boats all docked in a row like seagulls with their wings up. The streets were mostly quiet, with traffic lights reflecting in pools of rainwater.

Ian could feel his heart beating faster. Two whole days on a train and it was finally about to end. He didn't know which he wanted more; to walk a while and stretch his legs, or head straight to the hotel and sleep for twelve hours.

He looked back at Justin and Lena and noticed again how noisy their bellies were being. It didn't seem to make sense. They seemed to be acting hungry, not sick. But both of them had inhaled their meals at dinnertime (plus their free desserts). It was like the food had passed right through them. Or they weren't getting any nutrition... from... it...

Ian suddenly got a crazy idea.

He thought about it a bit. Of course it was insane. But it explained some things. Quite a few things. Was there a way to test it without seeming like a lunatic?

He puzzled it over, then came to a decision.

Justin and Lena watched him get his duffle bag down from the overhead compartment. This was surprising, since earlier Ian had been fastidiously making sure everything in it was all nicely packed away. The mouse pulled out a bag containing his dirty clothes from the day before. He took a deep breath, then hugged it.

The cubs watched him, confused and fascinated.

Ian concentrated with all his might.

And the bag began to glow.

When Lena realized what he was doing, her mouth dropped open and she felt tears in her eyes. He couldn't be... Was he really?

When Ian finished, both cubs could see that he had infused the bag with a staggering amount of love energy. He panted a little, looking exhausted but very happy. He handed the bag to the two little wastelings.

"Say, would you guys do me a favor and go throw this away for me?"

They looked up at him in astonishment. Justin suddenly leapt out of her seat to hug him, and Lena did the same. Without words, they confirmed Ian's hypothesis. And also without words, he let them know that their secret didn't bother him a bit.

The cubs squeezed Ian a bit more and both of them gave him a sprinkling of kisses. Then they ran down the stairwell to the bathrooms and breathlessly opened the bag. Lena breathed in the yummy sweaty mouse musk. She held up Ian's dirty underpants. They sparkled dazzlingly.

Grinning, the cubs divvied up their unexpected feast. Lena had already claimed the undies (but let Justin sniff them), so Justin got the t-shirt. They both picked a sock, and since it wasn't quite equal yet, Lena got the bag too.

Then their midnight snack began. Lena saved the underwear for last. She slurped up her sock like a long noodle. The fuzzy texture tickled her tongue. The emotional energy crackled in her mouth like carbonation. Justin let her inner puppy loose on the shirt. She happily chewed and tore at it, swallowing down swatches at a time. Lena chewed the crinkly grocery bag with gusto. Justin downed his sock in one gulp, then sneakily gave Ian's underpants a lick before Lena could stop him.

Ian's smile was a mile wide when he saw two soundly satisfied cubs waddle their way up the stairs. They immediately hugged him. Words weren't needed. Ian ran his paws through their hair lovingly.

"Thank you..." Lena whispered.

"What are you thanking me for?" he gently teased. "I just asked you to get rid of some stinky trash for me. You guys're acting like you *enjoyed* it or something."

Both cubs giggled.

***

Soon the conductor's voice carried through the train: "Next stop is Greenwater! Greenwater in ten minutes!"

Justin and Lena never wanted to stop hugging their mousefriend. Adam came over to say goodbye as well. He and Ian exchanged phone numbers and the mouse wrote out his email address. Adam said this was as good a reason as any for him to finally get one himself. Ian stood and they embraced. Adam thanked him for making his cubs so happy. Ian again thanked Adam for getting him out of that predicament with the guinea pig lady.

"You're welcome, Ian darling," Adam said, making kissy lips.

When the train chugged to a stop at the Greenwater station, no one wanted the hugs to end. They all stood on the platform, saying goodbye again and again, pledging to see each other sometime soon, and remembering the fun they'd had during the last long two days.

Too soon, the conductor was telling everyone that the train would be departing in one minute.

Justin wished Ian a good time at the convention and good luck in hooking up with his friend.

Lena thanked the mouse one more time for being her toy, and gave his crotch a quick grope when she thought no one was looking.

Adam practically had to peel his cubs away, lest they be left behind when the train started rolling again.

As they boarded, they all looked back to see Ian walking away, wobbling from the weight of his luggage.

When the cubs were back in their seats, they looked out the window at just the perfect time to see Ian set down his duffle bag, turn and wave to them.

They both waved back. A swell of bittersweet emotion rose up inside them. Justin and Lena knew they would never, ever forget this moment.


~~~~~


*part 11*

The hour it took to get from Greenwater to Clover City felt as long as the entire rest of the trip combined.

Justin and Lena were coiled springs. They already missed Ian, plus there was the anticipation of finally getting off the train and the excitement of seeing Grandma and Grandpa. Lena was so excited for Justin getting to meet them the first time. She thought about all the neat stuff at her Grandparents' house. All the fun things they'd done the last time she'd visited. Why wouldn't the damn train just HURRY UP!?

It crawled along agonizingly slow. Looking out the window, Justin estimated that even a piece of shit car could've matched their speed. Hell, a good *bicyclist* could have kept up with them! Adding to their agony, the train made one more stop in Villaverde. Justin and Lena tried to force it psychically to get moving again quicker.

Mostly they passed the time talking to Daddy. They told him about Ian's amazing laundry bag and Adam was dumbstruck. Then again, it wasn't entirely surprising that the mouse had figured it out. He'd realized the cubs' quasi-immortality the day before with pure logic. Adam was actually more impressed that Ian had discovered the cubs' true nature as trash-eating undead, and didn't mind.

"I guess it's hard to be scared of a monster you've been yiffing nonstop for two days," Justin reckoned.

"By the way, you *did* call Gramma and Grandpa to make sure they knew we were on time, right?" Lena asked.

"OH SHIT." Adam started frantically tearing through his pockets to find his cell phone. He punched in the numbers as fast as he could. He fidgeted while it rang. "Mom!? Oh my gosh, I am SO sorry! I meant to call earlier, but-"

Justin heard a warm laugh on the other end. "-But you forgot. It happens! Nothing to worry about."

"You can start heading to the train station now. Seventeen minutes might be enough time to get there before us."

"We're already here, hon," she said patiently.

"Oh."

"See you soon. Tell my new grandson I'm looking forward to hugging him till he turns blue."

Justin heard that and blushed.

"She will, too!" Lena whispered.

Adam chatted a bit longer, then closed his phone with a click. "Well, at least that's all worked out." He ruffled Justin's headfur. "Ready to add to your family?"

"I think so," Justin said hopefully.

***

Elation and relief swept through the Tallevascos as the train finally, finally, FINALLY came to a stop at the Clover City station. It was an old building, featuring high arched windows and several stone columns. Adam stood in the aisle holding his luggage, just like everyone else who was getting off. Lena and Justin both wiggled in anticipation. Finally, people started moving toward the stairwell. The three furs shuffled along, trying not to trip or bump anyone too much.

Justin hopped down off the train and sucked in a lungful of fresh air. The night was cool and dark and smelled sweet like leaves. Justin suddenly realized she was up way later than her usual bedtime. One in the morning! But she didn't feel sleepy at all. She felt a bit wired, actually. Though she knew she'd probably collapse the instant she so much as looked at a bed.

Adam came up and skritched the pup's ear. "Might wanna change back, sweetheart. My parents aren't expecting two granddaughters."

Justin chuckled. "Oh, right!"

It was an incredible thrill to transform herself in public like this. But she knew it was safe; everyone surrounding them had other things on their mind. Some were even meeting and hugging people right at the gate. Justin thought about Lena, about being a boy, about making her crotch match the rest of herself. And with a shiver, he did.

Lena squeaked. "I could watch that a zillion times and still get turned on!"

Justin tacklehugged her.

Adam craned his neck to see over the other passengers into the station. "I think I see them. No... Oh, wait! Yes, that's them! C'mon furballs, you can yiff later!" Giggling, they followed him.

The station was bright and warm and bustling. As soon as she stepped inside, Lena shrieked and took off like a rocket sled. A moment later, Justin caught up and saw his sister being engulfed by two big furry cannonballs.

Grandma Patty and Grandpa Townsend were both skunks like Adam, but they were certainly shaped differently. Justin recognized his dad's round face and fur stripes, but Adam was a beanpole and these two were as pleasingly plump as a pair of Santa Clauses. They both had glasses too. Grandpa Townsend had a button-down white shirt, khakis and a snappy fedora. Grandma Patty had an outrageously bright floral print dress and purple shoes.

"There he is!!" the ladyskunk shouted.

They moved with surprising swiftness for being so round. Quick as a wink, Justin found himself smothered by two jiggly soft tummies. He felt like the creme in an Oreo.

"Hi Grandma 'n Grandpa," he wheezed out.

Patty stepped back to squoosh his face in her soft paws. "My goodness! You don't look at all like your voice on the phone."

"Ish that a goo' thing?" Justin mumbled as his cheeks were thoroughly grandmothered.

"Definitely handsomer," she said sweetly.

"Yo, pup," said Grandpa, giving a wave. "Tired from the trip?"

"Sorta. Excited too. Kinda both at the same time."

Grandpa nodded. He looked up to Adam. "Quiet and polite like you. You sure this one's adopted?"

Adam chuckled. "I think I'd be aware if he wasn't."

"I can't tell you how happy I am you're all here," Grandma said. She hugged both her grandkids again, ensnaring them in her big soft tail. "I've been driving myself bonkers getting everything set up for you. Cleaned the house about five times. Got a bedroom all ready for you. And presents, of course."

"Presents!?" Lena exulted.

"Naturally, my li'l squeakers," said Grandpa. "We're gonna pump you so full of toys and sugar you'll be like wee fur tornadoes." He clapped his arm around Adam's shoulders. "Half the fun of being a grandparent is making your kid's life insufferable."

Adam rolled his eyes. "I let 'em bounce off the ceiling most of the time anyway, so your plan may backfire."

Grandma hunched down a little; eye level with the cubs. She cupped her paw to her mouth and whispered, "Also, I'm sure that long trip must have been hell on your little stomachs, so we've saved up about three weeks' worth of rubbish in the basement. You can eat as much as you need to when we get home."

Justin's eyes got as big as dinner plates.

Lena started guffawing.

"YOU LYING FARTMUNCHER!!!" he exploded, poking his sister all over. "You had me worrying for WEEKS! I thought I'd spend the whole vacation having to sneak around and keep them from realizing! You said they'd have heart attacks if they found out!!"

The evil little ratgirl was laughing far too hard to reply.

"Oh lord," Grandpa said, rolling his eyes.

Then Justin blinked. "Wait a minute..." He turned towards Adam, eyes blazing. "You *had* to have known too!"

The skunk shrugged nonchalantly. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I would *never* keep quiet and let Lena trick you into thinking Mom 'n Dad had no idea you two were wastelings."

Justin's jaw hit the floor. "I have the most deviously evil family ever..."

Grandma Patty smirked. "And you're about to find out just where our son gets it from."

"PLEASE don't tell me you were in on this too!!" Justin wailed.

She smirked harder. "We just waited for the topic to come up, and when it didn't, we waited some more."

Justin swiveled to stare mock-furiously at his sister.

Lena grinned sweetly. "You have no idea how hard it was listening to you on the phone with them, trying not to laugh my ass off at you doing everything you could think of to explain how you got adopted without mentioning garbage."

Justin bit her tail.



The End
for now...




*****




END NOTES:
Once again, thanks go out to my amazing proofreading team of Poe, Kanada and Alfador. You guys are like typo ninjas.

Also, there was no way to mention it in the story, but I am canonically making Lena's handheld game an Atari Lynx, and she was playing Klax on it. How retro is that, mofos? Good God, did Todd's Slime World ever make my skin crawl back in the day.

Also, anyone who spotted the Bill Hicks reference gets ten points. Toodles, dear reader!



"I Love My Sister"
Started: 03/15/2012 Finished: 04/14/2012 Editing completed: 05/16/2012