Thursday. Afternoon, which meant it’s the lunch period for my high school. The name’s David. Currently, my gray furred head was being dunked into one of the toilets in the Boys Room by Dakota and his goons. Sadly it was the second time this week. It’s what I deserve for making the mistake of meeting the fat fuck donkey’s gaze when he got in my face. Instinct caused me to push him away before I could even think. Which meant this was totally my fault. With no backup plan beyond the shove, I was not prepared to turn the tables on four dudes my own size. Then again, I never really do have a plan in these situations. 
Dakota got a good hit in this time though. He hasn’t needed to resort to physical violence in a long time, but today I royally fucked up. Cursing my own stupidity, I choke and sputter on what I can only hope is clean toilet water at this point. At least the cool water feels good on my swelling black eye. 
“Not used to drinking toilet water Davey? Good dog! Good boy!” Dakota brayed. 
The goons all laughed at the joke, even though it made no sense. I’m a wolf, after all! Not that it really matters in my current position. Dakota loved to belittle me by calling me a dog, talking down to me disrespectfully. If only he could come up with something other than that. Regardless, these kings of comedy have a great laugh at their leader’s wit. Thankfully, like the animals they are, their attention span only lasts so long before they grow tired of this and focus on new prey. Throw me to the tile floor, threaten to drown me next week, and leave the bathroom for a quick smoke before the next class. Like clockwork. Always the same routine. 
“I’m fixin’ to have a stogie,” the chubby donkey announced ten minutes later while I picked myself up off the floor. 
Much like Dakota and his crew, I have a well practiced routine too. Wash my face and dry my clothes to the best of my ability with the hand drier. I’m getting quite good at it, but practice makes perfect as they say. Looking in the mirror to make sure I’m presentable, I’m met by bloodshot blue eyes and a shit-eating grin. Just a dumb, happy, beat up lupine. Odd to be happy after such an encounter, but not even that jackass and his cronies can ruin this week for me. 
Nothing could. 
You see, my father was finally home! After years of deployment, he was home for good! Not just an afternoon picnic at the military base. Not just a weekend visit. Permanent. I began to think my dad was never coming home, especially with his recent promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Military for life. Hoo Rah and all that bullshit. Even that donkey asshole couldn’t ruin the high I felt from the news my old man was done with the military.
So imagine my surprise and elation at the unexpected news he was leaving the service! It had been so long since the last time I saw him, I was afraid I wouldn’t recognize him. He hadn’t had a weekend leave since I was in grade school. The last four years, our only interactions were occasional phone calls which became a rarity in recent months. Mom didn’t give me much information about why the sudden change of heart and I didn’t really care. I just wanted my dad back. 
And today, he’d be there when I got home. My excitement was palpable. Not even the jackass’ senseless bullying could ruin the thrill. 
My father had been back from deployment for a couple days, but couldn’t leave the base until today. Mom said it was for observation or whatever. Again, I didn’t care. 
Admittedly, life without dad wasn’t terrible. The military pays incredibly well when you sign your life over so completely. My father’s position came with the perks. He provided a wonderful life for my mother and me. Probably another aspect of myself that gained Dakota’s ire. Where I lived in an affluent neighborhood, he lived in a two room trailer. Where I had new clothing and shoes, the donkey had hand-me-downs. The fat prick was jealous, plain and simple.
At least the asshole had his father in his life. Something for me to be jealous of, but no longer!   
Examining my reflection, I adjusted my now dry polo shirt and ruffled the damp fur on my head into place before inspecting my black eye. I growled to myself, “Never again, jackass.”
Today was the last day I’d be defenseless. My father promised to teach me some self defense once he heard about my bullying during a phone call a few months back. Actual military techniques no less! The thought of fighting back against the donkey and his buddies put a wag in my tail since breakfast that wouldn’t stop. Not looking sullen and defeated for a change brought about the donkey’s ire that resulted in my eye’s beautiful new hue. 
Dakota would be sorry the next time he tried to lay one of his fat paws on me! They say you can lead a donkey to water, but you can’t make him drink. I glanced at the toilet and felt a grin split my muzzle. 
We will see about that. 
I left the bathroom with a bounce in my step and a wag in my tail. The sharp ring of the bell announced the end of lunch. Only three classes left until the end of the day, even if the first of them was PE.
My dumb luck placed me in two classes with my nemesis. The first was homeroom which made for a dreadful start to every day. Thankfully, my brains prevented any chance of us being in too many classes together. The idiot couldn’t even add 2 and 2 together, so there was no chance of him being in my algebra or physics classes. A remedial reading level kept him out of my english lit course as well. It wasn’t lost on me that the donkey wouldn’t even be a problem for me if he hadn’t flunked second and eighth grade. He could have been someone else’s problem. Yet another example of my dumb luck.
Sadly, no amount of brains can get you into a more advance PE course, and my wonderful luck struck again. Of course, the only other class I had with the bully was the least supervised as well. Considering the lazy sack of shit the chubby donkey was, PE usually ended up being free reign to bully me further. Like he was going to run a mile or do pull ups and the coach sure as hell didn’t care either way. 
Yeah, my day started dreadfully, only to become more dreadful before it was over. 
“What happened to your eye, Mr. Kent?” The suspicious coach asked with a tired sigh as I entered the locker room. There was no concern in the buck’s flat voice that just barely managed to contain their fatigue, he was only going through the motions.
I shook my head, “Nasty fall during lunch.” I hated myself more and more every time I lied to cover up Dakota’s abuse, but it was easier this way. It never ended well when I told the truth. It was good enough for the deer, who rolled his eyes and shrugged without another word.  
To my relief, Dakota decided to take an extended smoke break. The donkey never showed up to class, so he wasn’t my problem anymore! Maybe he was worried I’d tattle on him, which was smart considering the shiner he left on me. I knew that even if he got expelled, it would amount to nothing but giving the jackass more time to find ways to ruin my life. A threat he never failed to dish out when tormenting me. 
Before I knew it, the final bell rang and ended the school day. I don’t remember the last time I got home from school so fast. Empowered by the fact I would finally have the tools to stop Dakota and his cronies from making my life a living hell, I pedaled harder than ever in my excitement. I wasn’t even out of breath!
There was an unfamiliar truck in the driveway when I got home, a new model pick up with fancy lights and huge tires. I dumped the bike on the lawn, hopping off before it even stopped moving, and practically bursted through the door. 
And there he was. I trembled in disbelief as I saw my dad sitting next to my mother on the couch. Hardly giving him any chance to react, I rushed in and gave him a tight hug. Every problem, worry and concern left my body with a squeeze from his muscular arms. No one was stronger than my father!
Philip Kent was a big wolf with broad shoulders. He looked like a taller, stronger version of myself. A life of military service has a major influence on your physique, I guess. I didn’t want to let go, just in case it was a dream, but his form shook with a laugh as he leaned back. 
“I’m happy to see you too, trooper.”
My tail wagged at the name. He always called me that for as long as I could remember. It was nice to hear again.
Philip’s warm smile faltered as he looked me over. While mom had gotten used to me coming home with the occasional bruise or other signs of abuse, it was all new to my father. Not that my mother was pleased or compliant about the situation. There just wasn’t many options. She attempted to talk to the principal, but it was clear there wasn’t much he could or would do after he brushed her off with a ‘boys will be boys’ response. Mom even tried talking with the donkey’s father once. That resulted in a severe beating from the jackass the next day. I knew I was in for it when Dakota showed up at school with a fat lip and black eye of his own. 
“Who did this to you?” My father’s voice was cold, the soldier holding back his anger. 
“Ah,” I tried to chuckle and wave it off. “Its nothing.”
The big wolf’s paw caught my chin and turned my head to examine the bruised flesh around my eye better, “Doesn’t look like nothing.” His nose cringed after he sniffed me a couple times, “And when do you use toilet cleaning chemicals as deodorant?” 
That got my ears to flush, “Dad!”
“Who did this to you?” Phil asked again, his eyes locked on my own. 
I sighed and looked away. This wasn’t how I wanted my first interaction with my father to go. The donkey was the last thing on my mind and the last thing I wanted to even think about, “Dakota Miller.”
“Dakota,” my father repeated. 
I nodded my head.
“Where does he live?”
“Dad!” I looked back at him, “Come on! I’m not six anymore. I don’t need you to fight my battles. Besides… You said you’d help me, right? I can do handle this.” 
My father sighed, then smiled with a shake of his head, “You really have grown up, trooper” That got my tail to wag before he pulled me into another hug, “Come ‘ere!” This time, the big wolf lifted me off my feet, something no one has done in ages. I felt like a pup in his arms. Good. Safe. Secure. 
My mother had already disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a pack of frozen peas and handed them to me, “These need to be thawed out.” 
“Thanks mom,” I smirked as I covered my eye with the package of veggies. 
“Uh huh.” My mother didn’t try to conceal her annoyance. “There are better ways to thaw veggies you know.” 
“Yeah. Like in the trash!” My father’s wolfish grin could best be described as charming, “I hope this means all the meat is already thawed, Maria.”
I lost myself in the moment. The sound and scent of my father was new, but welcome. Relaxing and calming somehow. I took it all in quietly. Apparently, it had the same effect on my mother. There was already a change in her. More energetic and lively. Even the condition of my eye couldn’t shake her good mood. Looks like that bully wasn’t able to bother anyone today. 
A paw reached over and ruffled my head fur, “I have a better cure for that black eye, David. You ready for a bit of training or do you need some more time with your veggies.”
“Training?” Mom asked as she looked between us, only to get the idea as we both grinned back at her. “Oh ho no!” Her head shook, “You’re not training our son to fight.”
My father shrugged, “Alright. I guess that shade of black and blue looks good with the boy’s gray, right?” Always the joker, dad grinned at his sarcasm, “It’s just some self defense techniques, Maria.”
The scowl on my mother’s face said it all. She wasn’t convinced. Her head gave a slight shake before my dad held up a paw. Scout’s honor. 
“I swear I won’t teach him the five finger death punch. Or how to kill a man with a toothpick.” He winked at me, “Yet.”
We laughed, but part of me hoped he was serious. Was there really a ‘five finger death punch’? How many ways could you kill a man with a tooth pick? My mind went wild as my excitement grew. I was eager to learn. 
“Fine!” Maria sighed, in on the mirth as much as the next guy,  “But get out of your school clothes first. I can teach you some scary ways to kill someone if you get any grass stains on them. And only after a shower! Whatever you got into this afternoon, you reek.”
Dad gave a quick nod of his head before I jumped off the couch and ran for my room, dropping the frozen peas in my mother’s lap. My shirt was off before I was through the door, tossed in a clump on the floor. Mom always hated coming in to find my school clothes discarded willy nilly, but there were more important concerns at the moment. I hardly spent any time in the shower, long enough to wash my headfur and face. 
This was it! I was finally going to learn some ways to protect myself. My imagination ran rampant. Images of a battered and bruised donkey. Tears caused by my paw. The illusion already made me feel powerful and I hadn’t even started! I hurriedly dried off before I put on a tank top and a pair of sweat pants and dashed back to the living room. 
Mom sat alone watching some early afternoon news or talkshow or something. I didn’t care. She glanced at me and pointed toward the back door, “Out back.”
Standing tall, Dad was waiting with his broad shoulders back and squared. He was an imposing figure. A spitting image of the drill sergeants seen in movies. A calm, confident countenance I could only dream of having someday. Did the military do that to him or was it always there?  
“Ten hut!” His bark made me stand at attention instantly, ears perked and alert. I tried to maintain eye contact with him, but couldn’t and looked away. The weight of his gaze remained heavy as the silence spread for a couple moments before he cleared his throat.  He spoke quietly, more my father than a drill instructor at that moment, “Ahem… You’re supposed to say ‘Sir yes sir’.” The familiarity was fleeting. “Ten hut!”
“Sir yes sir!” I stood tall and threw in a salute for good measure. 
“Good!” He barked, slowly pacing in front of where I stood. “You will address me as ‘Sir’ or ‘Commander’, do I make myself clear, soldier?!”
“Sir, yes sir, commander!” Shooting for the stars, but I liked to give it my all. 
Despite his little role play, he snickered once at my enthusiasm before he continued with the serious, unsmiling tone, “You might come into this a boy, but I’m here to mold you into a man. If you don’t think you have what it takes, you can run back in to your mama right now! Are you a mama’s boy?”
“No sir!” I barked, keeping my eyes straight ahead. 
Dad got into my face then, “I couldn’t hear you son. Are you a mama’s boy!?”
“No SIR, commander! I am not a mama’s boy.” I began to get into it as well. 
“Then what are you!?” The pacing began again. 
“Uh…” I was at a loss as to the best answer for that. I thought hard about it for a moment as he paced, needing to give the right answer. “Uh…”
My father stopped and growled, “Those sound like words you’d say to your mama! Do I look like your mama, soldier? What. Are. You!?”
The answer!
“No, Sir! I’m a soldier, Sir!”
“Good!” That got a grin from my old man, “At ease soldier.”
I relaxed, letting my excitement get control again. My tail began to wag. 
My father… Nay… Commander continued, “A soldier’s value is his ability to protect himself and those around him, son.” My father began sagely as he walked back and forth before me like a drill sergeant. “Now. Most fights are won before a punch is ever even thrown. Body language speaks volumes and can be a show of force all on its own. Notice the small things.” He looked hard into my eyes, “Eye contact shows confidence. Steady breathing…” He takes a slow breath, then exhales, “Show’s control.” Dad stopped right in front of me and grinned, “Show fear. Show weakness. Show uncertainty. And you’ve already lost.” He tapped his head, “Its all a mind game.” After a glance at the house, to ensure my mother was distracted, my dad grinned at me, “Now. Want to know how to beat the shit out of someone when they’re too stupid for mind games?”
For the next hour, my father taught me some of the coolest things. Things that would make a ‘five finger death punch’ look like a game of gentle massage. Punches that incapacitate. Kicks to shatter knees. Grapples that break bones. All with a disclaimer of their implicit danger. Punches to the throat are meant to kill, after all. My favorite were the moves that use your opponents momentum, and therefore anger, against them. Dad called it brazilian style or something. 
We were in the middle of some ground defense tactics when mom came to the back door, “Get cleaned up for dinner you two!”
“Aww,” I whined as my father held a paw out to help me up. 
“Good timing, Maria,” Dad ruffled my hair as I stood next to him, “I think David here was about to kick my ass.”
“Uh huh,” Mom shook her head and disappeared back into the house, uninterested in the world of violence. 
We laughed as we headed toward the door. I felt so good in that moment. This was the type of bonding time I’ve been starving for. Just some basic roughhousing with my old man. Looked like he felt the same, considering the way his tail wagged as we entered the house. 
“See this, mom?” I proudly held up a pinky finger and wiggled it as I entered the house, “Its now a weapon of mass destruction! I can kill three or four men with it alone.”
The female wolf smirked, “All the more reason for you to keep it clean then.”
Dinner went smoothly! We ate while my father regaled us with his adventures in the military. Serving in the armed forces took my father all over the world. Most recently, he was stationed in north Africa. For what he said, every day seemed like a safari. I imagined my dad as a hero from some Hemingway or Conrad story, braving the darkest of jungles and harshest of deserts. 
The military didn’t sound so bad! 
“Hey dad,” I asked after a particularly rousing story involving a skirmish with some local militia or other that made my dad sound like an action movie star, no doubt due to the embellishments he added. “Why did you decide to leave the service?”
For the briefest of moments, a peculiar look flashed across my old man’s expression. It was fleeting, but I noticed a clench of his jaw and twinge in his ears. It made me wonder if something may have happened to him. Then it was gone as fast as it appeared, in a flash. Like it never happened.
“It was time to move on, you know?” Dad grinned, “I missed my pack. Won’t have much time left with my boy before he’s a man.” His head nodded toward my mother, “Plus your mom here isn’t getting any younger!”
“Uh!” Mom looked hurt before she gave her husband a playful slap on the shoulder, “Good thing you came home then! Being a single mother piles on the years!”
“Well I’m glad you decided to, dad,” I smiled. “Can we get some more training in after dinner?”
“I doubt you have any class assignments that involve roughhousing with your dad,” Mom piped in.
“Damn. What kind of school do you go to, kiddo?” The older wolf laughed, “Bet its all math and science. Lame.” He winked, “But your mom has a point. Also, much like your mom, I’m getting old too. I’m going to do what I haven’t done since before you were born. Sit on the couch and watch terrible TV. We can do some more tomorrow after I’m done job hunting.”
Always the responsible one, my old man. I was slightly disappointed to hear he’d be jumping right back into a job so soon, but the hunt for it was still before him. We’d get some great quality time in before he found something. 
“And we can start your boot camp this weekend,” he added. 
“Yeah!” I must have lit up at that because they both smirked.
“Yeah,” Dad said. “Bright and early Saturday morning. 4AM.”
4AM! On a weekend? I instantly lost that excited fire, but they kept laughing. Soon, I was too. Being up that early only meant I’d get more time with my old man. And we had a lot of that to catch up on. 
The next day still felt like a dream, riding high on the euphoria I felt all week. Optimism mixed with my new found confidence. Probably a result of the adrenaline that gradually grew as Friday morning wore on. I felt a shiver run through me as I walked up the path toward my first class. The normal apprehension of the school day was nonexistent. After one ‘training session’ with my father, I felt like I could take on the whole world, let alone just one bully. My mind went into overdrive with all the ways I could deal with Dakota. Just let the jackass try something. I was ready! 
The excitement I felt bordered on pure arousal as I watched my classmates enter, one by one, waiting. My eyes never left the door, stupid grin plastered on my face. 
 “What’s got you so happy, dude?”
A lanky otter took a seat next to me. The mustelid was one of the proud few that maintained contact with me throughout the bullying. Most of my friendships ended the moment Dakota got involved. No one wanted to risk being on the receiving end of his punishment, even if it was only the overflow from my own. Not Ethen Reilly though. Granted, he never lifted a finger to help me if Dakota approached, he didn’t let the donkey run him off. 
We were best friends, but sometimes I wonder if that was forced upon us. Being the child of a single mother, it wasn’t strange for Ethen to stay entire weekends with me when his mother had to work a double shift or take on a second job temporarily. My mother commiserated with her, empathetic to her plight after spending most of her time raising me alone. Unlike her though, Ethen’s father wasn’t in the military, forcing her to be the sole provider of support. 
 “Better not let Dakota see you so happy,” Ethen warned with a smirk. “I think he has an allergy to happiness or something. You might be in luck though. I didn’t see him walking to school today.” The otter lived in the same trailer park as the donkey and they took the same route to school together. Another reason it was surprising the jackass never ran the otter off considering how the donkey could make his life a living hell both in and out of school.
“What!?” I barked a bit louder than expected. Was there disappointment in my voice? 
“Dude!” Ethen chuckled, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d start to think you were getting some type of perverse thrill from getting your ass kicked.” The dopy otter teased further, “I mean… I’m not going to judge you on your kinks or anything. Whatever floats your boat.”
“Shut up, man!” I laughed, “Just because sick shit keeps your boat afloat doesn’t mean we’re all pervs.”
Ethen and I knew everything about each other and that never changed as we grew older. We shared all of our secrets. I was the first person he told when he came out of the closet. Unfortunately, that also meant he wasn’t shy about sharing his personal interests either, never missing a chance to show off some hardcore porn or extreme fetish video. I’m not one to judge though. As he said, whatever floats your boat.   
The otter shrugged and sank back in his seat, paws tapping the desk, “Don’t knock it til you try it! You’ll miss out on the good stuff in life.”
The first bell rang, signaling the start of the day. All the students found their seats and quieted down as the teacher stood at the front of the room, starting role call. No sign of that jackass! Normally, the donkey missing a day was a godsend. Even being late was normally a relief. Oddly enough, I felt a twinge of disappointment. 
Can you believe it? I actually felt disappointed that the jackass was absent! Silly, I know, and probably a good thing now that I thought about it. I might have the technique advantage but he’d still have his buddies backing him up. The longer this took to play out the more time I had to prepare. Besides, I’ll have a whole new arsenal of tactics after my weekend boot camp. Enough to win a war, hopefully.
“Well look at that,” Ethen whispered with a snort. “Guess we can be happy today!”
“Mr. Kent! Mr. Reilly!” The teacher barked from the front of the class, “Something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?” We both shut up with a shake of our heads.
The otter was right though. Shaking the strange sense of disappointment, I was able to be happy for the rest of the day. Without their leader there to instigate things, the donkey’s cronies normally kept to themselves. Sure they’d spit some obscenities my way or steal stuff, lunch and pencils and the like, but never got physical. That was Dakota’s thing. 
During lunch, I sat with my friends, chatting about our plans for the weekend. As I said before, most of my classmates didn’t want to be anywhere around me out of fear of getting the residual bullying from the donkey, so my circle of friends was an astounding two. Ethen and Kevin. 
“That’s so awesome that your dad is home,” Kevin beamed. The boar was genuinely happy for me, his smile lopsided by his growing tusks. Unlike the more outgoing otter, Kevin was more of an introvert. Others took his silent demeanor as shyness, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The pig never shut up around those he was comfortable with and had quite a sense of humor. 
“You have no idea,” I said with a grin. “He’s been teaching me some self defense techniques too.”
“Man,” the otter’s voice cracked a bit. The poor guy was a bit behind in the adolescence department, but catching up rapidly. “I wish I had a burly military daddy to teach me some techniques.”
“Dude!” I scowled at Ethen. Sometimes my flamboyant friend didn’t know how to bite his tongue. “That’s my dad!”
“Don’t mind him,” Kevin shook his head. “Ethen is still learning how to deal with those new ‘funny feelings’ he’s getting lately.”
“Shut up, man!” Ethen squeaked again. “You know I never had a daddy.”
“Do you even know what a dad is?” Kevin smirked then looked at me, “I’m sure he would be happy with any burly daddy willing to train him. Not just yours.”
“Damn it!” The otter’s voice raised in pitch. The boar had a knack for pushing Ethen’s buttons. 
“Damn it!” 
From behind me, a voice mimicked the otter’s in a mocking tone. My laughter stopped instantly. An icy chill ran down my spine that made my hackles rise. I recognized the teasing voice instantly, even as it tried to replicate Ethen. One of Dakota’s crew, a large cougar. Both of my friends cringed as well, looking down at the food before them. The best defense was to not antagonize any further. Words only hurt so badly, after all.
“You fags talkin’ about the cocks you’re going to suck this weekend?”
No one answered. My paws balled up into fists, squeezed tight. They shook a bit as my adrenaline spiked. I tried to control my breathing, but it began to come out in short pants. 
“Hah,” the cougar prodded, one of his paws clapping my shoulder. “Look how excited you get at just the mention of dicks, Davey.” 
I hated being called Davey. 
The tawny paw moved from my shoulder to grab at my uneaten sandwich, “Give me this.”
Normally, that would be the end of it. Bully says what they want, teases for a few moments, steals some food, and then goes off happy with their little victory. Often times, they’d just throw the food in the garbage. 
Not today.
Without much thought, my paw shot out and caught the cougar’s wrist. It was like an uncontrollable nightmare, as if I watched from outside of my body. Nothing more than an inactive viewer. 
Roughly, I twisted the wrist as I stood, much to the shock of the unsuspecting cougar. I squeezed until the feline cringed at the pressure. After releasing the paw, I shoved the cougar away and stood tall as he stumbled back a couple steps. 
Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck…
The cat looked shocked at first, then angry. Miraculously, I kept my cool. Even though my arms shook and my tail twitched behind me, I held my ground and never took my eyes off him. My father’s words went through my head. 
Most fights are won before a punch is ever thrown. 
Body language speaks volumes. 
I leveled my gaze, eyes narrowed as I steadied my erratic breathing. It may not be the donkey, but practice makes perfect. No fear. No uncertainty. I grabbed my sandwich and held it out, waving it like a treat for a pet. 
“You want this, come take it from me,” I challenged, heart racing regardless of my icy demeanor. “Or are you too much of a bitch to take it directly from me?”
At a loss for words, the cougar rubbed his wrist. The hard, angry expression melted slightly. He managed a good few seconds before his eyes darted around, uncertain. That angry edge melted away, perhaps showing a bit of fear. Dad was right. Body language did speak volumes. Show fear or weakness and you’ve already lost. He wasn’t going to fight me.
 “What… What did you just say to me?” There was a quiver in the feline’s voice, ever so slight, but audible enough. “I’m going to…”
“Going to what?” I interrupted him. A sneer curled my lip as I took a step forward. The thrill that ran through me when the cat retreated a step was indescribable. 
A small group of nearby students began to take notice of the altercation. The cougar looked to my friends, then back at me. Kevin and Ethen weren’t going to do anything, and I didn’t expect them to. No fault of their own. I probably wouldn’t volunteer help in a situation like this either. Especially if one of them were inciting the violence. For once, I wasn’t the one afraid. What a powerful feeling.
He didn’t answer, and I couldn’t help myself, “Not so tough without your lard ass of a leader around are you?” Kevin and Ethen both gasped at my words, spoken before I thought about the consequences. In that moment, so much of my built up resentment and anger boiled over that I was unable to censor myself at all, “What are you going to do?”
When the cat’s ears flicked, I knew the battle was won. He tried to talk big, but he couldn’t bring his gaze off my chin, “Tsk. Fuck this. You fags aren’t worth wasting my lunch over. You… Your wimpy ass needs the food anyway.”
The large cougar turned tail and walked away, faster than normal. I didn’t let him go just yet. I was dangerously close to crossing a line and turning into the enemy. Becoming a bully myself. I called after him, surprising myself at the volume my voice carried. Everyone around could hear. 
“That’s what I thought!” I growled, “Run along now, pussy!”
Laughter from more than one of the gathered audience chased the feline as he made his escape, continuing long after he disappeared around a corner. They were going to talk about that one.
Triumphant, I took a big bite of my sandwich as I turned back to my friends, grinning from ear to ear. I mumbled around my mouthful of bologna and cheese, “Mmmmm…” I chewed as if it were somehow symbolic of my victory, “My sandwich… What?”
Kevin and Ethen both looked stunned, muzzles agape. My chewing stopped as they processed what they just saw, neither appearing able to do so. Finally, the otter nodded his head and looked at Kevin. 
“Yeah,” Ethen said to the boar. “I definitely want David’s daddy to train me.”
“Dude,” Kevin still looked shocked as I sat down, “What was that?”
I grinned, haughty for once, “What? Told you my dad was giving me some pointers.”
“Like picking a fight?” The boar didn’t look quite as impressed as Ethen. “Did he give you the sagely advice to call Dakota a, and I quote, ’lard ass’?”
Oh fuck… That caught me, replaying the encounter in my head again, word for word.  What have I done?
I was a dead man! Sure the cougar ran away with his tail between his legs, but he was small fry. More of a weasel than Ethen was. Right now, he was probably calling that damn donkey to tell him everything that happened. Exaggerating all the details so it sounded so much worse too. Oddly enough, I found myself strangely calm at the thought. Let him get angry. I’d have done the same thing if the donkey had been there. 
Right?
“Fuck it.” I savored another bite of my victory sandwich as the bell rang to end lunch. “I’d have said it to Dakota’s face if he were here anyway.”
Kevin’s floppy ears bounced against his head as he shook it, that lopsided smirk returning to his snout, “Man… You’ve become too cool for me to hang out with.” He gathered his stuff, “At least for a week or two!” 
I knew he was only joking, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Kevin kept his distance for a day or two after that display. A pig was easy pickings for any bully, so who knew what kind of shrapnel would come his way with a hot to trot donkey. 
“Mmmm mmmm,” Ethen never missed a chance to rib the boar either. “I never get sick of watching you walk away.”
The boar’s ears flushed red, easy to see on his beige ears. Kevin’s sexuality was hard to decipher and he never talked much about it. Unlike most our age, he never made sexual comments. Never over reacting when he saw a pretty girl… Or guy. Considering his reaction to the otter’s teasing though, I had to wonder. That was his business though and he would make it mine when he felt ready.
The rest of the day flashed by, the minutes passing by like seconds. My victory, no matter how minuscule, still felt like a huge win. Each time I replayed the encounter, it was more and more exciting. I couldn’t wait to tell my dad all about it. 
Between fifth and sixth period, enroute to my next class, I saw the cougar in the halls again. Our eyes met briefly and I considered calling out to him, yell something derogatory or mean spirited. I stopped myself. That wasn’t like me. My sadistic side was satiated when the cougar lowered his gaze and turned a corner to avoid me. As I sat in my physics course, the promise of a weekend with my father only an hour away, I found myself hoping the cat would tell Dakota everything and make the story good. 
I sure as hell didn’t spare any of the details that night at dinner. I couldn’t hide my joy as I told my parents how I handled the bully, perhaps even embellishing some myself. Sue me. It wasn’t every day I got to tell such stories. They looked proud that I stood my ground.
“Guess we don’t have to worry about him giving you a black eye anymore, eh trooper?” There was pride in my father’s voice as he said that.
“I wish,” I grumbled. “Dakota didn’t show up at school today.”
“Another bully?” One of my old man’s brows quirked questioningly. “How many of these thugs are you dealing with?”
“Eh,” I shrugged. “I wouldn’t say its another bully, just one of Dakota’s hombres. Doubt he’ll mess with me again.”
Dinner continued pleasantly. My dad seemed to have an endless supply of tales to tell, but I hung on every word. 
“Oh!” Dad pushed his plate away, “I have some news!”
I gathered the dishes and took them into the kitchen while he continued. 
“I found a job!” The old wolf announced.
“That’s great!” My mother replied. “What will you be doing? When do you start?”
“Monday,” he grinned. “And a foreman over at the new tract they’re putting in on Smith street.”
Mom seemed pleased, as she should be. That’s a pretty good gig to get. The news made me frown as I returned from the kitchen. I had hoped we’d get more time together.
“That soon?” There was no hiding my disappointment.
“Yeah,” my dad read the dispirited expression on my face. “Sorry kiddo. But we still have the weekend! And its not like I’m going anywhere.”
Dad was right! I met my father’s grin, “We’ll have to get in some extra bootcamp then!”
“That’s right, trooper,” he replied. “Speaking of… You ready?”
“Yeah!” Tomorrow morning couldn’t come soon enough. 
“4AM,” he reminded me. 
“You were serious?” There was that downcast expression again.
“Of course not,” Dad laughed. Obviously he wasn’t serious. Who would get up that early? I felt sheepish but relieved. “No one gets up before 4:30.”
“Bah!” I growled at the tease.
“I guess we could just skip it if you want. Just sleep in and waste the day away with movies and games. Doesn’t seem like you need more training anyway. ” The old wolf was teasing me again.
“No!” My tail wagged. “4 it is. Actually, lets say 3:30!”
Turns out the time didn’t matter. Sleep was no match for my excitement. At 3AM, I nearly went to wake my dad up, but managed to maintain that last hour. By 4, I was ready and waiting in the kitchen when he came in. 
“Morning Dad!” I exclaimed. 
“Hey trooper!” 
There was no sign of wear and tear on the old wolf. Being used to the military, 4AM was probably sleeping in to him. He was dressed in a pair of track pants and a worn sweatshirt with some type of military emblem on it. You’d think I’d know what branch he was advertising, considering how long my father was in the service, but embarrassingly enough… Nope. 
“What are we starting with today?” As a bundle of nerves, I was unable to contain myself, shivering where I stood. “Tornado kicks? Throwing fire balls from our paws?” I mimicked the gesture my favorite fighting game character made right before he threw a glowing orb of flame at an opponent.
Dad laughed, “And ruin all the fun so quickly? You gotta work up to those, trooper.” He wagged, “Today, we start with a run.”
And that’s how I found myself struggling to keep up with my father as we started our third mile half an hour later. Somehow the older wolf had an endless amount of energy, hardly panting as we came to the edge of our little suburb. Bent over with my paws on me knees, I waited for the light and my breath to once again fill my burning lungs. My father ran in place. Standing still wasn’t an option for him.
The world was bathed in blues and blacks that matched the current condition of my eye. Along the horizon, the sun already began to cook the mountains in an orange glow that spread along their peaks. A cool morning mist was already rising from the dew covered grass that covered the well manicured lawns. Even though there were no cars, we waited for the light to change before we crossed the intersection. 
On the other side of the street was a strip mall. One of those places comprised of small specialty shops anchored by a major chain store right in the middle. I followed my father, thinking we were going to run by and follow a new path that would hopefully carry us back home. When my father turned into the parking lot, I nearly kept going. I made it a few long strides before I realized he had stopped. 
Dad waved me over then lead me to a non-descript store front. Unlike the other stores with advertisements posted along the wall, this one only had a single, dreadful word written across its foreboding door in blood red letters. 
GYM. 
“What’s this?” I asked. There must have been an accusatory look on my face. 
“It’s called a gym, son.” Always with a dad joke. 
“I know what gym is!” I looked at the door, then to him. “What does it have to do with us?”
Dad opened the door with a wag in his tail, “You think those noodle arms can handle throwing fireballs?” He held it open for me, expectantly. “I bet you get a single tornado kick off before your legs snap in two.”
“Har har!” It was the only response I could think of after running three miles. 
“You wanted boot comp,” his head nodded toward the open door. “Come on.”
Apprehension filled me as I went through the door. This wasn’t my scene in any way. I had no idea what to expect. At least it should be fairly empty this time of day so no one could see my inexperience. Inside, there was an entry way that lead to another door. Relieving quiet hit my ears, like the place was empty. That was short lived as my father opened the inside door. 
A deep grunt bellowed from within, followed by the clang of metal against metal. The grunt-metal beat looped, ad nauseam. The place was full! Even at this early hour! My nose curled instantly when I entered. It smelled of sweat and musk. A very masculine scent that overpowered everything. It was like my school locker room only concentrated and way more intense. I noticed my father inhale deeply, then slowly exhale. Was he savoring it?
“Ah!” A voice bellowed, “Lieutenant Colonel Kent!”
A massive bull stood from a bench near a counter piled with supplements and powdered shake mix. By comparison, the muscular bovine made my father look small and that said something. He held up a huge paw in salute to my dad. Holding up a paw, my father returned the gesture. 
“At ease, soldier,” Dad ordered.
The bull laughed, a hearty baritone rumble that carried over the loud male grunts and clanging metal in the background, and turned his salute into a hand shake which my father eagerly took, “How are you this morning?” The bull’s eyes turned to me, “And who is this?”
“Doing great Brad,” my father replied before he tilted his head in my direction, “This little soldier here is my son. David, this is Brad. Retired military like myself. He started this little gym when he finished.” There was some excitement in my father’s voice, “David here is starting his own little ‘boot camp’ today.”
Brad quirked a brow, “Oh? Boot camp? Think you can maintain soldier?”
I told the truth, “Honestly, I think I made a mistake. Traded one bully for another.”
That got another laugh from the big bull, “Good luck, kid.” He grinned to my father, “Good to see you again, Phil.”
Again? I guess my father has been back a few days. This morning routine might not be as new to him as I thought. Old habits die hard apparently. 
 “You too Brad,” the old wolf’s tail wagged as he took a couple offered towels from the bull then led me into the main gym with a paw on my shoulder.
The place wasn’t as fancy as those huge chain gyms advertised on TV. There weren’t any machines with webs of cables, digital readouts that keep track of your workout and stacks of square weights. Everything was free weight with all the usual suspects; bench, racks, and lifting plateforms. Along one wall was a room length mirror with an assortment of dumbbells in all shapes and sizes stacked under it. To my amazement, there were at least twenty other guys there in different states of exhaustion. One thing they all had in common were their physique. They made my father look average in comparison. No slight against my old man, but these dudes were buff! Suddenly self conscious I tried not to stare. I’d never consider myself gay, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t be impressed by the male form when they worked that hard on it. A few of them also saluted my father as he made his way through. They all knew him already from his short time home. This couldn’t be more than his second or third time there. 
A dumb, dopy grin was on my father’s face as he watched me, “We will start with squats.”
I think the old wolf was actually proud of me despite how pitiful I must’ve looked comparatively in that moment. He stood next to a metal rack, about seven feet high and nearly as wide. An empty barbell sat on some hooks about chest level. It was unnerving. The whole thing looked like some kind of torture device. Little did I know how close that was to the truth. 
What followed was the most excruciating hour of my life! I wanted to learn military techniques for self defense, not techniques for torture. Methods intended to maim and punish with names like burpees, hanging pikes, and deadlifts. Apparently, gym and training were the names of the fourth and fifth levels of hell. A show of avarice and wrath. Push all those weights to greedily gain muscle to then put those muscles in service to anger. What I’m trying to say is it was pure torture. 
Hell.
By the end of it all, I hardly had the ability to take a breath, much less stand. It felt like my fur was soaked through to the skin. The sweats I wore were definitely a few shades darker with sweat. And it was only 6AM!
“W… Wha…” I babbled between sharp pants. “I… Ca… Uh…”
Dad laughed and ruffled my ears, “You survived, trooper!” 
“Oh thank god,” I collapsed back on the weight bench and groaned, my arms dangling at my sides. If my father thought they were like noodles before…
“That was good, trooper!” Regardless of how tired I was, my tail twitched at the praise from my old man. It was short lived. “Now we just have to run home!”
Somehow I managed. Barely. I wouldn’t call what I did to get home ‘running’ exactly. Maybe more a forward stumble at best. It did the trick though and I soon found myself panting at the front door. Dad stopped me when we got through the doorway.
“Alright,” he announced. “Let’s train! I think you’re ready to throw some fireballs now.” 
“You have to be fuckin’ kidding me,” I blurted before I could catch myself. My father looked shocked for a moment at the unexpected language, then laughed. I joined him. Never crossed my mind that getting rid of one bully would require me to get another one. 
“Okay,” he finally said. “At ease, soldier. Go wash up.”
“Gah,” I said, turning away to head to my room. 
I didn’t make it much further than my bed before I crashed down on it with a groan. I only intended to rest for a moment before getting in the shower, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I must have dozed off. 
The clock said it was shortly after 11. For a few disoriented moments, I was worried I missed my training with my father, but that fear was put to rest immediately. Intense pain rushed through my arms and legs when I attempted to sit up, clearing up any lingering confusion in an instant. 
There was no doubt that nightmare was real. Every step to the bathroom was a master class in pain. Sore muscles melded together into a single, throbbing knot that threatened to not support my weight. Hot water did little to comfort them. If anything, their complaints only increased by the time I turned off the water, dressed and managed to plop myself down in the living room. 
“There he is,” Dad’s tone was jovial, carefree. He took a seat next to me as I groaned, “Thought we lost ya there, trooper.”
I managed another groan, but not much else. 
“I think we know your limit at least,” he grinned. “Now we have to push you past that. How do Tuesdays and Thursdays sound to you?”
“Wha?” Somehow, I managed to turn my head toward him, but it didn’t lift off the back of the sofa.
“We got home this morning around 7.” I didn’t like where this was going. “That means we could probably hit the gym before I head in to work and you go to school.”    
Ugh!
“Yeah,” he was actually smiling as he thought about it, no longer recognizing my look of disdain. Or maybe he did and didn’t care. “Get a good workout in and then I can drop you off at school on my way to work. Then get some training in at nighttime.”
“Ugh,” my head shook again, eyes closing. “No. Nope. Huh uh.” I panted with the effort of that alone. “I choose the bully. Hurts less.”
Dad laughed like it was a joke. I wasn’t convinced it was. We didn’t get any more opportunities to train that weekend. I hardly moved Saturday after I made it to the couch. When I did, it was more of a shamble than a strut, that’s for sure. My zombie impression improved ten fold though, moans and all. My parents found it funny. 
Sunday was much the same and I was alright with that. It wasn’t the quality time I had expected, but apparently it was the quality time I needed. My body wasn’t complaining so hard anymore, my walking much less a shamble and more a slow trot. By that evening, I was ready to train again! 
“Sorry trooper,” Dad said when I suggested it. “Heading out to meet up with my new crew at the site.”
“Tonight?” I thought that seemed weird, but he just nodded.
“Now now. A good soldier is always prepared,” the older wolf pulled on his jacket, then stopped at the door. I didn’t like the smile he flashed, “Judging by your eagerness to train, you must be ready to hit the gym again tomorrow.”
I groaned. Oh no. What have I done?
“4AM!” Dad reminded me before heading out the door. 
As if that weren’t the first thing to come to mind.
Fuck.
Thankfully, sleep wasn’t as hard to get this time. For some reason I wasn’t as excited about our morning workout like last time. I was out cold before my head hit the pillow.
It was still dark when I awoke. At first I thought it was time to get up and face that I was disappointed to be conscious. It was no time to be up, especially with Monday looming on the horizon. You can’t imagine the relief I felt when I looked at my clock. The dimly glowing digits read 1:14AM. I was nearly out when I heard a crash in the kitchen, followed by a curse. 
My father’s voice. 
I was going to let it go, desperate to get more sleep. Wasn’t like I wouldn’t be seeing him in a few--way too short--hours anyway. Another bang in the kitchen caught my attention. Dad wasn’t normally such a klutz. Curiosity got the best of me and I slipped from the warm embrace of my bed. On quiet feet, I slipped from my room and crept down the hallway. Something pushed me to stay as silent as I could. Light from the kitchen showed my father drinking a glass of water as if he were dying of thirst. 
The first thing I noticed when I approached was an acrid odor coming from the old wolf. My knowledge of alcohol was limited. Mom wasn’t much of a drinker, but I recall the bitter scent of it from the times she’d drink wine. This scent was missing the ripe fruit smell though. This was much harder. Mixed in was the clogging odor of smoke. Beyond that was a heavy, underlying musk from sweat or something. Must be the result of an evening at the bar with the boys, my tired mind figured. 
The second thing that caught my half-asleep attention were his clothes. They were clean and orderly when he left. Almost military in cleanliness. Now they were disheveled and dirty, untidy like they were pulled from the clothes hamper and tossed on willy-nilly. His fur wasn’t in much better condition, matted as if allowed to dry after a shower without any grooming.
“Dad?”
The big wolf jumped at my voice, sputtering on his drink, then… Giggled? “Hey son!” 
My father was normally a jovial wolf, prone to moods that ranged from good to great, but I’d never heard the man make such a noise. Not even Ethen giggled like that. He must have read my expression because he cleared his throat and stood straight, controlling that dopy grin splashed on his maw. 
That’s when I saw his black eye. It was a good shiner too. Framed the socket perfectly. He noticed me looking and smirked. 
“You should see the other guy,” he joked, touching it delicately with a paw. His words were a bit slurred and he stumbled enough to require the kitchen counter for support. 
I smirked, realizing my dad was pretty drunk. I got real serious and growled, “Who did this to you? Were does he live?”
“Har har, trooper,” Dad chuckled at my mockery of him, then stepped forward to ruffle my headfur. The stench was even worse once he was close enough for me to smell his breath. Once again, he posted up against a nearby counter before he lost his balance. “Things got a bit rowdy with the guys. They’ll be a good crew.”
“Looks like you had fun, hon.” Mom stood in the hallway. The commotion in the kitchen must have woken her up. 
My dad made that funny giggle again and lifted a finger to his lips, “Shhh, babe. You’re going to wake up my wife.”
“Oh my god. Look at your eye!” My mother’s concern was short lived as she came closer, assaulted with the cloud of stench that came from the big wolf. She cringed, “Jesus hon. What did you get into?” When she was close enough, she took a closer look, “So this is where David gets it from, eh?”
She took one of Dad’s arms over her shoulder to better support him. Seems like he was using the counter for support more than I originally thought, “You should see the other guy!”
Already used that one, old man, I thought to myself. 
“Uh huh,” Mom sighed and shook her head, but held her smirk and took my dad’s little condition in stride. No reason to get upset if he had a bit too much fun with his friends. The military isn’t exactly known for ‘fun’ after all. “And was this other guy a skunk or something?”
“Mmmm,” was about the only answer my father managed. 
“Alright,” Mom laughed. “Lets get you showered before you make the whole place reek like a bar. Good night, David.”
“Night Mom,” I replied. As they went down the hallway toward their room, I called after them, “See you at 4AM, Dad!”
“What!?” At their door, he glanced back with that drunken giggle, “Who gets up that early?”
The master bathroom shower was running by the time I fell back into bed. Soothed by the motonous drone through the wall, I found it easy to fall back into peaceful slumber.
Bright, stinging light left me disoriented when I awoke. Initially, I thought I forgot to turn out my lamp, but slowly realized it was sunlight.
At 4AM?
Confused, I looked at the clock and jumped out of bed! It was 7:30! That would be late on a normal day! I overslept. 
“Dad!” I rushed down the hall, but found the kitchen and living room empty. 
I know I complained a lot about having to be up at such an early hour, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed at missing an opportunity to spend time with my father. Considering his condition the night before, I figured he might have overslept as well. I was about to go knock on my parent’s bedroom door when my mom came out. 
“Where’s dad?” I asked excited.
“Good morning to you too, David,” she was cheery, obviously up for a while already. 
“Hah,” I smirked. “Sorry. Good morning Mom! Where’s dad?”
“I was just about to wake you up. Figured you could use the extra sleep after your father’s ruckus last night.” Mom said. “Your father went off to his first day of work.”
My shoulders slumped, “Dang.”
Mom walked by me into the kitchen, “I doubt your father was in much condition to do any training anyway.”
I followed, “That’s not usual for Dad is it? I mean… He looked like he got into a fight or something.”
Mom shook her head, “Nah. Your father likes to drink… When he actually has the time to do it. He doesn’t get to do it a lot though so let’s just say he’s not nearly as good at that as he is at training.”
I nodded, but felt disappointed all the same. 
“Go get ready for school and I’ll make you some breakfast,” she said as she pulled a bowl from the cupboard. 
While in the shower, I convinced myself missing a training session was probably for the best. After Saturdays trip to the gym, I’m not sure I’d be able to finish training and then go to school for the day. Just imagine running into Dakota in that condition, too sore to even lift a paw to defend myself. I’d probably seem even weaker than the jackass already thinks I am. No thank you.
A flashing light on my phone caught my attention when I was getting dressed. Before I could check it, my phone beeped with another message. Two unread text messages greeted me when I unlocked my phone, both from my dad. The timestamp for the first one was marked 6:05AM. 

Sorry trooper. We will have to postpone training today. Even the commander oversleeps sometimes. ;) Tomorrow, for sure. Be ready!

Seeing the text made me feel better as well, despite knowing I’d have to be up so early again. That strange excitement of getting up so early to spend time with my dad had my tail wagging. The second text, the one that just arrived, left me confused. 

Last night was a mistake. It won’t happen again.

Huh. Dad really seemed distraught about last night. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. So he had a bit of fun with his new crew, so what? I was in the middle of replying when I got a third message. 

Oops! That was meant for your mother! LOL

I replied anyway. 

Just don’t let it happen again, young man!

A smiley face emoji with the tongue poking out was all that I got in response. I left the conversation at that and went to school. Once again, without any anxiety. It was nice being carefree for once. There was enough to worry about with my studies anyway. No need to have to focus on avoiding a bully too. That carefree sensation continued until homeroom. More specifically, it continued until my friend arrived and took the seat next to me. 
“Hey,” Ethen managed with a tired voice. Exhaustion wasn’t unusual for a Monday morning, but the otter seemed particularly out of sorts. 
“Hey yourself,” I replied, ears perked. Despite his condition, I continued to smile. “Had an exciting weekend, huh?”
The otter visibly cringed at the question, an odd reaction, “It was… A long one.”
“Yeah it was,” I agreed. “Actually got up Saturday at 4AM! Dad trained me again. This time we went to the gym.”
Ethen’s head rolled toward me as he smirked, “Oh my god, David. Don’t say things like that.”
“Alright. Alright,” I chuckled. “I figured you wouldn’t be interested in hearing about the gym we went to. It was full of old, sweaty ex-military guys anyway. It was gross.” That got the otter’s attention, but I left it at that, “What did you get up to?”
Ethen’s demeanor changed as the question made him instantly stop thinking about the gym and older men. His reply was curt, “Nothing.”
“Uh huh,” I gave a slow nod.
The otter’s head shook, “It was just long.” Normally the otter was all chatty. This wasn’t like him.  
“You cool, man?” I asked.
“Yes!” Ethen blurted, louder than even he expected, voice annoyed. A couple of the other students glanced our way as the otter bit his lower lip. “Sorry.” His head nodded, “Yeah. Just tired. Didn’t expect an assignment to take me as long as it did. Ended up getting no sleep.”
That made sense. Wouldn’t be the first time a teenager got carried away with their weekend and pulled an all nighter to complete an assignment for Monday. I didn’t press on and changed the subjet. 
“Did you see Dakota this morning?”
Ethen jaw tensed at that question as his gaze lowered to his desk. His fingers rubbed at some markings on the surface as he gave a shake of his head. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it appeared like his ears splayed for a moment. 
Strange.
“No,” he said after a moment before he was saved by the morning bell. 
Monday started similar to Friday. I had to shake that peculiar sense of disappointment at my bullies continued absence. If I wasn’t careful, I’d probably start missing the guy or something. Homeroom ended after the daily announcements and Ethen left without another word. Normally we walk to our next classes together. It must have been one hell of a project to burn him out so badly. Probably just eager to turn it in and be done with it.
After Friday’s encounter, I expected some form of retaliation from the cougar. Even if the donkey didn’t show they still had friends willing to fight. I kept my guard up when I went between my first three classes, just in case, but nothing happened. Those goons really were cowards when alone. Or lacked the motivation without Dakota.
By lunch time, euphoric and carefree, I entered the quad. Ethen sat alone in our normal spot; a beat up wooden picnic bench decorated with carvings of illicit drawing and vulgar sayings. I took a seat across from him, all grins. The otter returned the grin. He appeared to be in far better condition. 
“Sup, dude!” I greeted. “Manage to get some Z’s in?”
Ethen nodded, chewing on his sandwich for a moment before he replied, “Yeah. English is good for that. They pay the teacher to read us bed time stories. It would be rude not to sleep.”
I began to unpack the contents of my lunch sack, “Where’s Kevin?”
“Computer lab,” the otter smirked knowingly.
As expected, Kevin kept his distance that day. Normally lunch was the first time I saw the boar. We only shared one class at the end of the day. The boar probably used some excuse to spend his lunch period in the computer lab, something he did sometimes to avoid the crowds. I figured he’d try that ruse for a couple days after the event on Friday. As I said, introvert through and through. We’ll all be working for the guy someday. 
I don’t remember the last time I had such a wonderful Monday. They normally suck the life out of you, but the good mood stuck with me. Even when I got home to find that my father was going to be working pretty late. Must have been a busy first day for the new foreman. Then again, Dad probably wasn’t the only one nursing a hang over from the night before. 
I was in my room studying when he came home. By the time I got out of my room, he was already in their bedroom. Dad didn’t waste any time going directly to the shower. Must have been a hell of a day. Mom said he was probably going straight to bed. 
A devious voice in my head told me to make sure he was up for our workout the following morning, no matter what. The vindictive part of me couldn’t help but grin. Paybacks are a bitch. 
Sleep came easy that evening. The next morning around 3:45, I slipped from bed and crept around my room in the dark. I didn’t want to wake anyone up while I prepared to leave. After I put on my workout clothes, I snuck from my room as quietly as possible and approached the master bedroom door. My paw was poised, ready to knock firmly at 4AM on the dot. 
This was going to be good.
“Your mother will kill you if you wake her up, trooper.” my father’s voice startled me, growled from the darkness further down the hall. “And that won’t get you out of training.”
What the hell?! Already up? Did he ever sleep? So much for my vengeance. 
“Jesus, Dad,” I whispered as I found him in the kitchen, sitting at the table with a mug of coffee. 
“I thought I was going to have to wake your lazy butt up again,” my dad grinned. 
There was some light coming from above the stove, enough for me to see the big wolf. He was dressed in a pair of sweats and a tanktop with a hoodie draped over his shoulders. Since I didn’t hear any movement, he must have been up and waiting since before I awoke. 
“How are you so… Awake?” I yawned. 
“Hardcore drugs,” he lifted his mug and winked before he finished its contents. 
“I think the military must have replaced you with a robot.” I slipped on my shoes, this time prepared for the run. “Ready?”
The bigger wolf nodded and stood, “Lets do it.” 
On the porch, the world was still deep in slumber. A white mist blanketed the ground, creating a white gradient before dissipating into the cool air.  I jogged in place a few moments and I grinned up at my dad. 
“I’m gonna win this time,” I swore. 
“Oh yeah?” He met my grin, stretching his arms before doing a couple squats to work his legs, “Lets make it interesting. Loser has to take the trash out for a month.”
“Hah,” I nodded. Who did he think was doing it? “Deal.”
“Alright,” he got into position, legs bent and torso forward, ready to propell himself forward in a flash. “Ready…”
I got ready, copying my father’s stance.
“Set…”
Tense, I took a deep breath and held it. It was thrilling for some reason. 
“Go!”
The moment he barked the final word, I sprung. Jumping the two steps of the porch, I landed in the grass and darted across it toward the street. It wasn’t until my feet hit the street that I heard a chirp from my father’s truck as he unlocked it. The headlights flickered twice and made my shadow dance briefly over the street. 
“Cheater!” I said, probably a bit too loud for a suburban neighborhood at that hour. 
“Oh man,” Dad was laughing from behind the wheel by the time I climbed into the truck. “Don’t let me stop you if you want to run that badly, trooper.”
“That intimidated, dad?” I closed the door and smirked over at the bigger wolf. 
My father nodded as he put the car in drive and pulled away, “I’m not going to mess around when there are chores on the line.”
Even that short sprint across the lawn left me winded, but I didn’t want my dad to know, so I focused on controlling it by breathing through my nose. Someone on my dad’s crew must smoke as the faint odor of burnt tobacco continued to cling to my father’s fur. At the gym, I could detect it much better as he spotted me. With him that close, it was far stronger too, there was something else too but I couldn’t place the scent. Sawdust from his new job maybe? 
Not sure why it stuck out to me so strongly. Probably because it was new and different. I didn’t dwell on it. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to my dad about his scent or get distracted while lifting these torture devices. 
The workout wasn’t as intense as Saturday, but I was still thankful we drove. At my father’s insistance, we added a bit more weight to every lift. My muscles handled it better, but were still pretty sore by the time I got back home. At least I didn’t spend the day at school walking in that undead shuffle of the weekend. 
Much like the previous day, I found the day almost blissful. If you could call a day of high school ‘blissful’ anyway. Ethen was in great spirits too. The otter must have gotten some sleep. By Wednesday even Kevin came out of his self imposed isolation to join us for lunch. 
Then again, Dakota skipped another day, so that may have had something to do with it. I couldn’t remember the last time the donkey had missed so much school. This time, I wasn’t so disappointed he wasn’t there to face my wrath. Let him take all the time he needed. I could enjoy this vacation. 
	Amazing how one sadistic fat fuck can make existence miserable. Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t like school was suddenly a paradise or something without the donkey. Kids will be kids after all, but it was nice not having the animosity aimed directly at me with such focus. Besides, there were better things to think about. 
Like the new Beast Brawl game coming out! 
“Dude,” Kevin shook with excitement, always thrilled for new video games. “You guys are free this weekend, right?”
“Nope,” I said, waiting for the boar to show his disappointment. “I’m going to be busy playing video games with you guys.”
Kevin snorted, but let it go, his mind elsewhere, “I can’t wait! Oh man.” He wiggled in his seat, “There are so many characters, dude. We will never get through them all.”
Ethen laughed, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure the rounds don’t last long so you can try as many of them as you want.”
Kevin nodded, “We know you won’t last long. Appreciate you, bud.”
“I didn’t mean it that way!” The otter’s voice squeaked in his agitation. 
“So you’re not going to use Bull for each round?” I questioned. The otter loved to play with the large bull character. Not because he was good, but because he only wore a loin cloth. 
“I never said that either,” Ethen pouted but smirked. 
“Alright,” Kevin returned to more important matters. “Who’s house?” 
“I think Kevin means to say ‘When should we show up, David’?” Ethen smirked.
Everyone knew it would be at my place. More space and better equipment after all. Plus the guys haven’t met my father yet and I was eager to introduce them.
“Mmmm,” I chewed the last of my sandwich. “I won’t be able to wait much longer than Friday afternoon to start playing. What do you guys think about staying the weekend? I’m sure my parents would be alright with that. You guys could meet my dad too.”
So the weekend was set. As expected, my parents were fine with it, even for two nights. My dad even seemed excited to meet my friends. The guys would come over Friday after school and head home Sunday after breakfast. I couldn’t wait!
Thursday morning, my dad surprised me when we skipped the gym in favor of more combat training in the back yard. We were still up at 4AM and sore by 6, but it was my favorable workout so far. I learned a few new moves and further perfected the ones I learned before. To further this wonderful morning, my father was able to drop me off at school on his way to the construction site! 
It seemed as the week wore on and he settled into his new role there that things were flowing much more smoothly. Monday was the last night he had to work late and his mornings were far more relaxed. I hoped this would be a common occurrence.
My delightful morning was short lived though. 
Students milled about in front of the high school when we pulled up, waiting for the morning bell to signal the start of the day. Before I got out of the car, my eyes landed upon Dakota. It occurred to me that I hadn’t seen the donkey in over a week. I almost forgot I ever had a bully. The whole morning, while training with my father, I never once thought about using anything I learned against the burro. It was nothing but pure, quality bonding time. 
Now though, my head filled with images of me using each one. It amazed me how overly anxious I suddenly felt. Tension made my scruff and jaw tight as my ears grew loose and splayed on my head. I didn’t realize I was growling until my father spoke.
“Love this place that much, trooper?”
I sighed and shook my head, “No. Looks like Dakota’s back.”
“Your bully?” He glanced out at the crowd, looking between the students. “Where is that jackass?”
“Over there,” I only gave a nod of my head, as if that would single him out. “The donkey.”
My dad snorted, “Oh shit. He really is a donkey?” He continued to look until he found the only donkey in the crowd. The big wolf’s posture changed when he found Dakota, muzzle quirked as his shoulders slumped. There may have been a splay in his ears too, but I was more focused on the donkey. “That’s… Dakota?” There was a slight bit of confusion on my dad’s face, it was hard to read. Then I understood why, “He looks a bit… Old.”
I nodded, looking back at the donkey, “Yeah. Proof of his academic prowess. Held back twice. Probably going to happen again considering how much school he is missing.”
That was when the jackass glanced our way. My heart raced as I held his gaze, once again remembering my father’s words. Like a chant. 
Eye contact shows confidence. 
Body language speaks volumes. 
Dakota held my gaze, as if reading my mantra, I could feel the same sense of intensity I’d get while trying to maintain eye contact with mom or dad. He turned fully to face us and I was about to break eye contact before his eyes darted to my father. Seeing the large wolf, his eyes went wide, almost like he was impressed. Or... intimidated? I was grinning when they returned to me. The donkey’s eyes narrowed before he turned away and disappeared into the school. 
“Bastard,” I grumbled as I opened up the truck door. A paw landed on my shoulder before I could exit. 
“Trooper,” my father said in a serious tone. “Remember… Only use what I taught you in self defense.”
I glanced over my shoulder at my old man. His expression was a bit hard to read in that moment, something I could only register as worry. Was he afraid I would hurt the donkey with what he showed me?
Good, I thought before I nodded. 
“Of course, dad,” I said, not able to suppress my grin. “I mean… Sir, yes sir!”
My words eased the bigger wolf, his contenance changing back to the more familiar jovial wolf, “Good soldier. Don’t be the bully.”
I jumped from the truck, “That’s right! Just beat him up.” 
Before he could say another word, I closed the door and didn’t look back. My focus was on the matter at hand. What had become such a comfortable and even relaxed place was suddenly enemy territory. The goons had their captain back so there was no telling what could happen. Monday, I was steeled to face Dakota, confident and charged up. Now though, I had put him so far out of my mind that I was ill prepared for it. 
What would I do if he tried something? There were so many options going through my mind, the possibilities were endless. It felt like I was making a plan of attack for a fighting game or something. I knew the jumbled thoughts would only lead to failure if I didn’t get my thoughts in order. I made my way to homeroom post haste with a good ten minutes left until school started. There’s no way the donkey would try something there. 
I felt light headed by the time I sat in my usual desk. There was no telling if my paws were shaking from excitement or anxiety. Probably both, and that was a volatile concoction that left my breath short and heart racing. Fuzzy black clouds began to tickle the sides of my eyes as my head swam. Was I really going to pass out? 
Easy there, I closed my eyes and repeated the words. Calm.
“Meditating now, man?” Ethen’s voice brought me out of my head. The otter sat in the desk opposite me, as per the usual. He glanced at the door, then back to me, “I’m guessing you saw him then?”
I nodded, but didn’t say anymore. Slow breaths eased my nerves and helped stop my head from spinning. Was that a panic attack? I wasn’t that intimidated by the donkey was I? Would I have reacted the same way Monday if he were there? Does that mean my carefree and happy mood all week was a false sense of confidence? I could drive myself crazy with the unending ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes’ bogging me down. 
When Ethen cringed and lowered his gaze, I knew time was up. Glancing toward the door, I saw the donkey enter the class. Our eyes met from across the room as he took a seat, a sneer on his muzzle. He gave a slight nod of his head before he looked away. 
What the hell?
Not even Dakota was stupid enough to try something with the instructor sitting at the front of the class, but that behavior was still odd. I still expected something. A rude gesture, at least. Despite the odd smug smile, his behavior was almost… Friendly? Whatever it was, it was unexpected. And weird. 
After homeroom, the donkey was up and out the door in an instant. Probably to prepare for some type of ambush now that we were free of the teacher’s supervision. The nerves came back as I left, but I was ready. Maybe even excited. I must have been excited, because I was definitely disappointed when I found the hallway clear of the jackass. 
Ethen got my attention when he bumped my shoulder with his elbow, “Tellin’ ya David. Being bullied is the weirdest kink to have.”
My disappointment must have been visible. I laughed and shook my head, “Speaking from experience, man?”
“See you at lunch,” the otter smirked and disappeared into the flow of students in route to their next class. 
I gave another cursory glance around, but found no sign of the donkey. There had been no retaliation from the donkey all morning. If the cougar had tattled, then the jackass didn’t care. I did see Dakota in passing between classes, but he only flashed that smug grin and nodded. No homophobic slurs. No offensive hand signs. Most importantly, no physical violence at all. Just that grin. It was a little unnerving. 
Things remained peaceful. Until lunch, anyway. 
I sat across from my friends, excitedly talking about our plans for the weekend. Distracted by the conversation, none of us noticed the donkey approach until his chubby fist shot out and socked Ethen in the shoulder hard enough to make him gasp. Before I could stand, I saw the otter give a quick shake of his head, rubbing his arm. 
Dakota plopped down next to the otter, “How’s ya hurt your arm, pipsqueak?”
Pipsqueak? That was a new one. Was Dakota picking new game? 
Dakota didn’t wait for the otter to answer before his eyes moved to me, “Was that your pa dropping you off this morning, Davey?”
He knew I hated being called that. Made the mistake of telling him so back in grade school. One of my many failed attempts to make him stop bullying me. I wasn’t always the brightest pup back then. Unfortunately, I still paid the price now. 
An almost tangible tension sullied the air between us as he held that smug grimace on his fat muzzle again. While his smile didn’t show any malice, his eyes were full of it. This wasn’t a pleasant little chit chat. My heart raced. Once again, he didn’t wait for an answer, not that I intended to give him one. 
“Huh, big motherfucker, ain’t he?” Dakota continued. “Bet he could hold his own against a few guys. Take ‘em no problem. Air Force, right?” I tensed when the donkey leaned forward, as if to finally tell me the secret that’s kept him so smug, “Bet he took on lots ‘a guys every night then.”
At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to try one or two moves my father taught me, but his words were still in my head. Don’t be the bully. Only use them for self defense. Besides, I shouldn’t let the donkey’s ignorant homophobic remarks get me so worked up. I sank to his level anyway. 
“Your father telling you stories about his time in the service again?” Well, I guess I said that, even though I didn’t realize I was even speaking. Yet, I continued. Why wouldn’t I stop talking? “Oh yeah. He didn’t last long enough to have any.” 
A sharp edge came to his grin, a fleeting show of annoyance. Surprisingly, he let the remark go, “Too bad you only got your mama’s genes. All those girlie bits.”
Oddly, his ribbing didn’t bother me, as uninspired as it was. The nerves weren’t so bad either. Maybe it was the new confidence I had that gave me a false sense of bravery. Maybe it was the millions of thoughts cluttering my mind preventing me from thinking clearly. Whatever it was, I spoke before I considered what I was doing.
I looked disgusted, “Are you hitting on me? Fucking flirt.”
The look in Dakota’s eyes was priceless. Even he snorted at my comeback. I expected retaliation. I expected vengeance. I expected… Something. Instead, the donkey gave a slight nod of his head and stood from the bench, “Heard ya got yourself a backbone. Good dog! Good boy!”
I wanted to sock the donkey so hard in that moment when I heard that mocking tone, but Dakota walked off without another word. Not so much as a glance back our direction. 
“That was… Odd,” Kevin said. 
It really was. Especially since that was it. 
I expected Dakota to do something, but nothing happened. Besides the smug grin he’d flash my direction any time our eyes met in passing, it seemed the donkey wasn’t interested in bullying me anymore. Perhaps Dakota had a newfound respect for me after his minion told him about our encounter. As if. I really did think he’d be chomping at the bit to get revenge. Maybe he was planning something big in retaliation.
Unlikely.
Dakota wasn’t that smart. Doing anything but reacting on pure instinct was above the jackass. Even his offhanded, homophobic comments were never thought out. Then it occurred to me. What if the donkey found someone new to bully? 
Oh god. You’re not jealous are you? Disappointed? I thought to myself and felt stupid at the mixed emotions. What’s worse, I didn’t have an answer. I honestly felt a mixture of emotions at the thought some unfortunate new fool that had gained Dakota’s wrath.  Silly right? 
I make myself laugh sometimes too. 
“What are you laughing about?” Kevin asked, then laughed as well. 
“I really think he was flirting with me,” I said. 
“Wouldn’t brag about that, dude,” Ethen pointed out. 
“You’re probably right,” I nodded, “Bastard still ruined my appetite. At least he can’t ruin this weekend.”
With that, my thoughts were on to more important things. Regardless, I kept my guard up, just in case the jackass was lying in wait around the next corner, but that encounter at lunch really was it. Besides that smug grin and nod of acknowledgement, Dakota didn’t so much as say a thing, much less make any moves physically. By the end of the day, he was the last thing on my mind. Friday was similar. Every time we passed each other in the halls, it was the same. A stupid grin and bob of his head. 
And it no longer mattered. My carefree attitude returned by Friday afternoon. Fueled by my excitement, the day rushed by without incident. If there were any, I didn’t notice anyway. My focus was solely on Beast Brawl and the fun of the coming weekend. It took every ounce of will power not to run out of my last class like an excited pup. That only lasted until I saw a clear path to the bike racks. 
The plan was to meet up in an hour. That would give me enough time to ensure everything was set up so nothing could stop us from diving into the fighting game. Dad wasn’t home when I got there. According to my mom, he would be home a bit late, but was still excited to meet my friends. 
As planned, Ethen and Kevin arrived about an hour later. We wasted no time retreating to my room and starting the game. Kevin and I picked random characters, but as expected Ethen stuck to his guns and picked the large bull as his fighter. Of course, we teased the otter mercilessly about his choice, knowing he was picking it with his sheath and not his brains. Surprisingly, the otter lasted a while before growing frustrated and throwing his controller down. 
“You guys suck!” Ethen grumbled as we played the next round without him. “Hey dude, is it okay if I use your computer?”
“Sure,” I said, more focused on kicking Kevin’s ass than what the otter was up to. “But you can’t look at porn. My porn searcher is broken.”
“Har har,” the otter lifted my laptop and opened the screen. “Its a good thing I brought my own.”
Ethen knew I was only joking. The otter often used my laptop to fulfill his porn needs, not having much access to the internet himself. Can you believe he still types up his homework on a word processor? Even his cell phone was just a phone. At least it had a camera. 
I never looked away from the screen, “Just make sure you delete the history. I don’t need to have that talk with my parents if they come sniffing.”
Kevin snorted, “Could you imagine how awkward that would be? Trying to explain to your parents your interest in older men?”
The otter threw a pillow at the boar, “Maybe you can give him some pointers on how you explained it to your parents.”
Kev laughed, somehow pulling off a super move at the same time, sending my character soaring to his doom, “I do what everyone does. Blame you.”
Kevin and I returned our focus to the game at hand. We were evenly matched and nothing else mattered beyond who won these next rounds. I gave it my all, but the boar had some new moves he was eager to share. In the end, the damn pig won by a single victory. 
“Damn it!” I growled, “Ethen. I need you to distract Kevin while I kick his ass.”
Ethen yanked his paw from his pants, then tried to make it look like he was fumbling with my laptop. His eyes were wide, shocked in that ‘oh shit’ kind of way. Then he blushed. 
“Really dude?” I smirked, muzzle twisted. 
“What?” Kevin asked as I got his attention, looking back at the blushing otter too. A smirk spread on his muzzle as well, “Jesus, E. Keep it in your pants for one night.”
“Yeah,” I teased. “Don’t be that guy.”
“What!?” Ethen’s voice cracked like it always does when he gets nervous. Or excited. “I was just… Just looking…”
“Nope!” I said, looking back toward the screen, “I don’t want to know what you were looking at. Just make sure you delete it.”
A knock at the door got our attention off the otter and the game as my mother peeked in, “Pizza’s here.”
That was all Kevin needed to hear, leaving the game paused on the character select screen. He followed my mother toward the dining room. I stood and looked at Ethen. The otter looked kinda spooked, but that wasn’t surprising. Regardless of his nerve, he was still shy and nearly got caught stroking himself. Must have been some exciting video.
“Come on, man,” I said, then grinned as he gave me a pleading look. I nodded, “I’ll let them know you’re washing up.”
Kevin already had a piece of pepperoni pizza half eaten by the time I joined him in the dining room. I took a seat and fished out a piece for myself. 
“Where’s dad?” I asked my mother before I took a bite.
“He had to work late today,” my mom said as she took a few pieces of pizza into the living room. “Should be back later tonight.”
“I can’t wait to introduce you,” I told Kevin. The boar nodded, but didn’t reply, too busy eating his second piece of pizza. 
Ethen joined us a few minutes later, far more composed than he was. I wanted to tease him about the video and his behavior, but I let it go. He still looked bothered by something. Probably something he wouldn’t want to bring up in front of Kevin. By the end of dinner, Ethen was back to himself and we all went back to playing Beast Brawl. The otter never failed, and picked the lousy minotaur again. 
Say what you will about the otter, but he definitely had his type. 
Big and burly apparently. 
We were busily playing what must have been our hundredth round when I heard the front door open. My dad was home! By the time I paused the game, there was a knock at the door. All three of us looked over when the door opened. 
“Hey boys!” My father had a cheery smile on his face as he waved to us. 
“Dad!”
I stood and gave the larger wolf a firm hug. He patted my back, tail wagging, “Hey trooper.”
“Dad!” I wagged with him as I turned back toward my friends. “I want to introduce you to my friends. This is Kevin.” 
The boar stood and extended a paw, polite as ever even if quiet, “Hey Mr. Kent. Nice to meet you.”
My father took a hold of the offered paw, “Kevin. Great to meet you.”
“And this is Ethen,” I said, presenting the otter sitting on my bed.
Ethen’s eyes went wide and his jaw dropped as he looked up at my father. Dad held his friendly smile and extended a paw toward the mustelid. Strangely, the otter looked like he saw a ghost. 
Or his dream man. 
It wasn’t like the otter to be at a loss for words. Maybe big and burly really was his type. He starred until I poked him with an elbow and smirked. 
“Dude.”
Ethen shook his head, then shook my dad’s offered paw a little too excited. “Hi sir!” His voice cracking again. Nervous. He cleared his throat, his voice obviously a couple octaves lower than its normal timbre in an attempt to sound more… Nasculine? “It’s uh…a pleasure to meet you!”
Dad laughed, taking it all in good stride. A guy like him was used to that type of reaction, I’m sure. Still strange to see the usually outgoing otter clam up like that. 
“Pleasure to meet you too, Ethen. I’ve heard a lot about you both.”
“Do you think we could try some of that ‘boot camp’ tomorrow with all three of us?” I asked. 
Kevin snorted as he took his seat again, “I ain’t waking up at 4AM. Ever.” He shook his head, “Like… Never ever. I can protect myself with my wit alone.”
Dad smirked but agreed with the boar, “You’d be surprised how far that alone can get you.” His paw moved to ruffle my ears, “Sorry trooper, but I have to get some work done tomorrow. Another long day.” 
“Awww,” I was disappointed, but this weekend wasn’t about that anyway. “Lame. Its Saturday.” 
“Don’t remind me,” he replied. “I’m going to go relax for now though. You boys enjoy that game! It was great meeting you.”
“You too, Mr. Kent,” Kevin was already selecting his character again. 
Ethen, still oddly shaken, had a paw near his forehead, as if he were trying to decide if he should salute the large wolf, “Ummm… Yes sir!” He scratched it instead, keeping that fake lowered tone.  
When my dad left, Kevin smirked at Ethen. The otter tried to ignore it as he looked through the character roster only to land on the bull again. The boar didn’t start the game and Ethen finally took the bait. 
“What!?”
“What?” Kevin teased. The pig lowered his voice a few octaves, forcing a deep tone mimicking the lanky otter’s interaction with the older wolf. “Hi Sir! Its a pleasure to meet you, sir.” I laughed, having noticed the strange behavior too. Kevin couldn’t help himself as he looked at me, “I think our little friend here was flirting with your dad, David.”
“Was not!” Ethen squeaked with his nerves, ears splayed. They held a red tint “Shut up!”
“And you’re terrible at it too, dude! You lowered your voice and everything.” Kevin really hit hard when he got going. “I’ve never seen you puff your chest out like that either.”
I had to get in on it too, “I thought you were going to salute him, myself.”
“Come on, guys!” The otter’s whine made us giggle. “I wasn’t flirting! Stop it!”
“Make us,” I challenged as I selected my character. 
“I don’t know, David,” the boar faced the screen again. “Ethen might be a bit distracted right now.”
“That’s it!” Ethen held his controller. “I’m taking you both down.”
He didn’t. In fact, the otter lost all but one round where he only came in second. We stopped ragging on him though. It was all in good jest and we knew when to stop. 
We weren’t bullies after all. 
I awoke that night to the dull glow of my laptop. Kevin snored away in his sleeping bag on the floor. Ethen obviously wasn’t asleep though as he sat at my desk bathed in the dull glow of the laptop. His back was to both of us. I rolled my eyes and let it go. Whatever was on the screen really had his attention. 
I was the first awake the next morning. Ethen must have fallen to sleep at some point after I dozed off because the laptop was off and he was snoozing away near Kevin on the floor. I crept out to the kitchen for a drink. My dad was already gone for the day. It sucked he wouldn’t be around, but I achieved my goal and introduced the guys to him. It wasn’t like I expected us to spend the whole weekend hanging out with him or anything.
Even if I had, it wasn’t like we were going to come up for much air from our new game. We hardly even stopped to eat. Kevin’s skill was exceptional, already mastering a few of the new characters and improving with his old favorite. I even improved to the point I was a challenge for the boar. And Ethen continued picking the bull and losing pretty hard. 
We all had fun.
The boys left Sunday after a breakfast of pancakes. I made sure to remind my mother to keep the bacon in the fridge for Kevin’s sake. I’d rather avoid a repeat of the awkward breakfast we had the first time Kevin stayed over. With the rest of the afternoon, I planned to finish my weekend assignments and prepare for the week. My dad went out to meet up with the guys from work again. Apparently the Sunday night get together was going to be a regular thing. 
Thankfully, my homework wasn’t too complicated and I easily finished it by early evening. After my mother said good night, I decided to take the rest of my evening to handle some other needs. I am a teenage male wolf after all. One with trusting parents and a new laptop with uncensored access to the internet. With one last glance out of my room to make sure the coast was clear and the house was dark, I got to work on the real important chores. 
Having my friends over for the weekend was great, but two days is two days and I was pent up. Opening my laptop, I entered my password and logged in. While it loaded the desktop, I slipped out of my pants and got comfortable on my bed. After I got comfortable, I pulled the laptop over and began to type in my favorite site. It didn’t surprise me to see the browser’s autofill complete an address. 
Of course, I rolled my eyes. 
Ethen, once again, forgot to clear the history after he was browsing Friday evening. Thank god my parents didn’t check, not that they ever have or would. Despite that, I always clear the history after a session. Always clear the history. Its one of my golden rules. Right up there with always having the laptop sound muted. Doesn’t matter if no one else uses your computer or not. 
Yeah. I’m a paranoid one. 
My muzzle quirked and nose cringed when I read the autofilled address to the link Ethen had viewed. 

www.smutsavior.com/view-video/gay/dad-son-mare-break-view=333426

Jesus, Ethen. What were you looking at? 
I’m never one to judge, ever, but that damn otter was into some odd stuff. It wasn’t a secret Ethen had a thing for older guys. Most of the confusion came from the word ‘mar’ though. Wasn’t Ethen gay? A big thing, considering his reaction to meeting my father. Incest was new though. Not fully sure why I hit enter and loaded the page. I wouldn’t use this to tease the otter or anything. As if he’d feel shame at such things, anyway. Curiosity maybe? I’ve seen gay porn before. Its 2021 and I’m a horny teenager. It never really did anything for me, so I don’t know why I’d be curious now. 
The page loaded a generic video streaming layout; small video player and a description below it. According to the metrics, the video was really popular. Big, red letters announced that it was “HOT” and all five of the stars were filled with gold. Uploaded only two days earlier, the video already had hundreds of thousands of views and over a hundred comments. A vague one sentence description gave all the info a horny viewer would be willing to read. 

Brand #1: Father teaches Son how to break in a new mare.  

The comments were as generic as you’d expect on a porn site; countless submissive males saying the same thing. “Wish I could be the next mare!” And “Horse cock is the best cock.” A few were a bit more… Intriguing though. “Whoa! They branded that bitch!” and “Was that consensual? It looked kinda real.” Usually, this would be when I pick a different video, but the sheer amount of views, votes and assorted comments caught my attention. What was the big deal?
The video started, obviously the product of a cell phone. While the quality of footage was alright, whoever filmed it wasn’t. There’s professional porn, amateur porn, and then this. It was the equivalent of z-grade film. All that was missing was the grainy film stock. It ticked all the boxes. 
Dingy locale? Check. The shot lingered on a stained and worn carpet littered with beer bottles and empty food wrappers. I expected to see roaches scurrying about in the thick matting. The yellowed paint on the wall was stained from heavy smoking, wisps of which wallowed in the air. After about five seconds the angle changed to show the first of the ‘stars’.
Fat, hairy guy? Check. This must be the ‘Dad’ of the title. He sat pantsless in a worn kitchen chair; one of those armless steel things with vinyl cushions. Unlike the muscular, model caliber actors that usually show up in this type of flick, this guy skipped every leg day and the rest of the workout too. Thick, unkempt salt and pepper fur covered a gut built of beer and fried food that couldn’t be contained by the stained white undershirt he wore. In fact, it felt like I could practically smell the guy myself. Next to him was the source of the smoke, a lit cigar smoldering in an ashtray. 
Exceptional cock? Double check! ‘Dad’ was a horse of some type judging by the thick cock that rested over a pudgy thigh. The splotchy shaft came to a blunt, heart shaped tip. My judgement of the male anatomy wasn’t perfect by any means, but I knew a horse cock when I saw one. There was no taper and the veiny bastard had an angry medial ring half way down. That was the only indication of species as they were careful to obscure any faces.
The same gray fur happy trailed down from his beer belly to create a thick nest for the leathery nutsack to nestle into. Regardless of his physical shape, it was quite the impressive sheath. Again… Not gay, but I can appreciate a nice dick. I was beginning to understand why Ethen was so hot and bothered by the video. Definitely fed most of the otter’s interests with nothing more than a single shot. 
Smoke bellowed from the top of the screen after the horse took a drag from his cigar. Setting it back in the ashtray, he pumped more life into his swelling maleness with a few leisurely strokes. The other paw held a length of leather that turned out to be a leash. When he gave it a firm yank, a canine of some type stumbled into frame and landed on his knees near the sitting horse. A full head leather mask obscured the dog’s identity as well. A silver zipper adorned the mouth, the zip undone. If the long muzzle and pointed ears of the face covering weren’t enough to indicated he was a canine, the tapered throbbing cock jutting up from his crotch would have been a dead giveaway. It looked a lot like the one slipping out of my own lupine sheath.
A purple collar clung to the dog’s thick neck, attached to the leash gripped by the equine. Muscles bulged under a tight black leather or rubber shirt that looked as if it came with the gimp mask on his head. Both arms were pulled behind his back and restrained there, like a straight jacket. The outfit continued over thin hips and bulging thighs, thick with muscle and not the fat of the slob he knelt next to. Besides his twitching erection hanging from the crotchless pants, everything else was covered. Even his tail was restrained, pulled upwards into a sleeve that ran the length under his bound arms to leave the male’s asshole lewdly displayed. Unlike the fat old horse, the canine looked more like your usual porn star. 
Well, more like your usual porn star besides the cock anyway. The kneeling dog’s length probably didn’t even reach five inches from tip to swollen base, even in his twitchy state of arousal. Nothing to write home about. 
And with a physique like that too it really stood out. 
The camera moved, zooming in on the collar around the canine’s throat and the tag hanging from it. The image went blurry as it tried to focus on the tag before displaying four large letters.
 
MARE

So this was ‘Mare’. After a brief moment to get the tag, the camera pulled back, once again stopping at the point just before it showed the sitting horse’s head. The equine’s length throbbed now, the paw now only squeezing the base. When he gave it a shake, Mare looked up and shook his head. 
I paused the video then, curious about what was being said. Mare shook his head to something. Quite eagerly I might add. I needed to know what it was. There’s no doubt it would just be terrible porn dialogue. Something silly to move the ‘story’ along to the inevitable fucking. Yet, there was something different about this video. I was hesitant, but finally unmuted my sound and pulled out a pair of earbuds. 
When was the last time you watched porn with any sound? 
Skipping back a couple seconds, I hit play again and settled in. Some country music played in the background, but it wasn’t meant as ambient music for the action on screen. Someone just left a radio running nearby. The sound was off though; strange. I could recognize the tune, but it sounded metallic like some cheap audio effect was put over the already poorly captured video. The paw shook the cock again.
“This what you want, bitch?” 
The voice was robotic as well, definitely filtered in another attempt to mask everyones identity. Like one of those investigative news reports with a silhouetted interviewee with a voice three octaves too low.  Mare’s head shook to the laughter of his captors. He didn’t want it. 
“Yeah right!” A paw appeared, the camera man apparently, and pointed at the dog’s twitching dick. “Look how badly he doesn’t want it, Pa.”
“Can’t trust these sluts, boy,” Pa tugged the leash tight and pulled the gimp’s head closer. So the son was filming. “Most of the time, they don’t even know what they want themselves. So we gotta show ‘em. They never mean no.”
Mare whimpered. A nasally, pathetic whine. He appeared to struggle, but the leash was stronger. He squirmed and pulled, but there was no leverage and soon had his covered muzzle pressed into the horses taint. I could hear him whine again, but was apparently left panting with the effort. Soon, there was no struggle as he huffed the large equine balls smashed against his nose. 
“See?” Pa continued. “Some don’t need much encouragement.”
“Fuck,” Boy commented as he zoomed in again, this time putting a closer frame on the canine’s muzzle where it pressed against the horses nuts. A tongue poked out from the opening of the mask to flick against the musky flesh. “He’s actually licking.”
Pa yanked Mare’s collar hard enough to make him yelp before he snorted down at the gimped out canine, “This what you want, bitch?”
When Mare’s head nodded this time, I felt a strange surge through my sheath. The power the slovenly horse had over this physically fit canine was incredible. Imagining that type of control over someone sent a thrill through me. That big strong male could easily overpower that fat equine, yet he just knelt there, degraded and humiliated, practically begging for the horse’s cock. It was weird to see another male’s dick throbbing so shamelessly in such a degrading and compromised position. Was the canine that shameless? Perhaps anonymity helped, or maybe the gimp hood prevented the canine from knowing he was being recorded but that dog still had to live with the fact this old horse and his son turned him out. 
I hated to admit it, but it was hot even if there wasn’t a proper mare present. As Pa fed Mare inch after inch of twitching horse dick, I closed my eyes and let that image overwhelm me. Any attempt to sexualize the situation on screen did nothing to excite me further. Editing the images in my head by switching out the buff stud for a voluptuous vixen and the fat horse for myself didn’t excite me at all. It wasn’t about that. Those weren’t the ingredients that had my sheath swelling. 
I let the image return. Me standing there with that buff bitch at my feet, gagging on my lupine rod. The idea of a blow job from another male really didn’t do anything for me, but the idea of having that kind of power over another male did. Somehow, these dirty fat horses tamed this ideal specimen of a male canine. Muscles don’t grow on trees. It takes time. I should know. All that focus and discipline, all that effort to prefect his body, wasted to pleasure a fat old equine slob.
My paw lowered to my swelling shaft and gave it a couple strokes. Sure, I was masturbating to strange gay porn, but at the moment, I didn’t care.
“Shit, Pa!” I heard Boy gasp. It was more sarcastic than anything. For show. “He took the whole thing?”
It was true. My eyes returned to the video as the image once again zoomed in on the mask covered Mare. Pa was standing now with the canine squirming at his feet, muzzle flush with the old horse’s pudgy groin. A thicket of pubic fur engulfed Mare’s nose. Even with the mask, it must have reeked of sweat and musk. Mare gagged, choking and struggling as the old horse held the leash taut with a paw firmly on the back of the dog’s head. No matter the size of his muscles, Mare couldn’t escape. He slapped the horse’s hip, as if he could suddenly tap out of this match, but that only got both father and son to laugh. 
Pa’s hips swayed with the dog’s head, but Mare’s attempts at escape proved futile. Soon, his shoulders took on a rhythmic rise and fall, throat adjusting to accomodate the horse’s dick.
“Mmmm,” Pa snorted, easing his hold on Mare’s head. The leash went slack as well, but the gimp remained in place, nose buried in horse groin. “See, boy? That’s mine now.”
That was true too, apparently. The camera remained focused on Mare’s muzzle as the old horse pulled back, inch after slobbery inch of splotchy shaft withdrew. An amazing amount really. And to make things worse, I still never caught sight of the old horses cock tip before Pa thrust back to the hilt. Mare must have had a good three or four inches wedged in his throat. For the next minute or two, Pa fucked Mare’s muzzle hard. The canine didn’t struggle, letting the vile horse take his maw.
Unlike the straight porn I normally gravitate towards, this blowjob was sloppy. Messy strands of drool ran from the edges of the leather mask, churned by the piston of the equine’s shaft. There was no attempt to hide the eager slurping sounds from Mare’s tongue as he tried to suck as much of the monster pounding his throat as possible. Finally, with a few thrusts hard enough for an audible slap of flesh, Pa withdrew until the bulbous head popped free. Drool ran freely from Mare’s bowed muzzle, splashing down onto his still throbbing cock. 
Even Mare’s knot was swollen. Definitive proof of his enjoyment on some level. 
“Fuck.” An unfamiliar, breathless voice said. That was the first time I heard Mare speak.
Once again, the camera pulled back to show Pa taking a seat, spread thighs leaving his cock on full display. Mare’s head lifted after a moment, still heaving with every panted breath. The old horse took another drag from his stogie, a deep inhale, before thick smoke bellowed into the panting canine’s face. 
“Now,” Pa continued. “Its time to turn this filly into a mare. They can lick a dick all day long, but they’re not a proper mare until they’re fucked.”
Mare’s gasp was audible, his form tense, “Whoa guys. I only came to blow-YARP!”
The yelp was more surprise than pain. Pa’s speed was unexpected as he stood and punched Mare right in the eye hard enough to snap the canine’s head back. The second yelp was from the pain though, as another punch immediately followed the first. I winced, Mare was going to feel that in the morning. 
“Wow,” Boy gasped from off screen, shocked by the sudden outburst, but never turned the camera away. I could hear his heavy breathing from off screen, growing more excited by the show.
“You came to obey!” Pa snarled as he tightened the leash again, “Understood?” The old horse’s paw was ready to strike again. 
The outburst surprised me too, my paw no longer stroking as I watched the screen with rapt interest. This really didn’t seem staged. Those punches connected, there was no sound effect. They hurt. I expected that to be the breaking point for the strong male canine, the spot at which he retaliates or backs out. Does something. My jaw dropped when he only whimpered and nodded his head quickly. 
“Yes!” Mare whined, head bowed and docile, “Sorry. I’m sorry!”
Pa relaxed, his voice turning good natured again, or at least as good natured as a robotic filter could be, “That’s what I thought.” He took a seat. “But… You gotta make it up to me.” After another leisurely drag from his cigar, Pa gripped the base of his cock and wiggled it like a tantalizing new toy. Smoke blew into view as the horse exhaled, a thick plume of which collided with the dog’s mask before rising out of screen once more, “Crawl over here and ask to be my mare.”
There was hesitation in the kneeling canine. His focus was on the waving horse shaft a couple feet away, but some type of inner turmoil stopped him. Perhaps this was a step too far for the dominated gimp. A line he didn’t want to cross. Having already made his blowjob intentions quite clear, it seemed like he may have been getting a bit of a backbone. Gay or not, I know for a fact, I wouldn’t want to feel that club under my tail. 
My heart raced as I watched Mare’s willful battle, a final piece of his dignity he wanted desperately to hold on to. I won’t lie. My cock absolutely throbbed in that moment, paw absentmindedly stroking along its length. I was almost certain Mare would finally deny the chubby horse. There was no way the canine would give in to such a demand after the way he was just treated. 
I’ve been wrong before. 
“Now!” 
The command was almost a growl, impressive for a horse. It even made me gasp. Mare jumped to attention, surprised by the command, but he truly was broken by the old horse. Bowing his head, the canine shuffled forward. 
Obeying. 
Pa rest back in his seat, legs spread more so his hairy balls dangled off the edge. Releasing his length, the impressive girth hung under its own weight, plump tip pointed directly at the dog. More smoke awaited the canine as he came to a stop between the horse’s feet, exhaled from the old equine before setting the cigar back in the ashtray. 
Oh my god. I leaned in, cock forgotten as this intriguing interaction unfolded. He was going to do it. Willingly degrade himself and ask to be the lazy horse’s female. His mare. 
His bitch. 
Regardless if this was straight or gay, professional or amateur, at some point I was more invested in the story. Hah… Go figure, right? When was the last time a porn’s story did that for you? 
Something was mumbled, but it was an inaudible metallic buzz after the voice filter processed it. 
“What was that?” Pa asked. “Couldn’t hear ya, bitch.”
Again, Mare’s response was mumbled and inaudible, but he repeated himself. When his head bowed shamefully, Pa gave the canine’s ear a firm flick.
“No,” Pa’s voice was commanding. “You look at me when you ask me a question. Now… Louder.”
Mare sighed, a visible rise and fall of his shoulders. It was shaky, an attempt to steady his nerves. Boy knew when to move the camera, coming closer to get better audio. Despite not being able to see his complexion, I could hear the indignity behind his voice.  Even with the voice modification.
Mare’s head lifted, “I want to be your mare.”
I jumped when Pa suddenly slapped Mare hard enough to snap his head to the side. The canine whined as the old horse snarled down at him, “You don’t have to tell me that, you piece of shit. You made that abundantly clear at the bar. That’s not how you ask. Now… Ask!”
This time, there was no hesitation in the defeated canine, his attention returning to the horse. The desperation behind his voice sent a new thrill through me. The power the equine held… I shivered.
“May I be your mare!?” Mare cried. “Please!” He was never commanded to beg, but here he was, whimpering like what he was a begging dog. “Please, may I be your mare?” 
My jaw dropped and my paw returned to my leaking shaft when Mare leaned in and began to nuzzle and lap at the throbbing horse dick. Both father and son laughed at the degraded, broken canine as Pa’s maleness was repeatedly lapped at. Mare still mumbled between licks, still pleading with the old horse. 
“Please,” he whined, licked, then nuzzled. “Please may I be your mare?”
Still snickering, Pa’s paw came down to angle Mare’s gaze upwards and away from the twitching length of flesh, “Mmmm… You can.” I imagined Mare’s tail would have wagged if it weren’t restrained. “To be a proper mare, I’m going to breed you. Understood?”
Mare nodded.
“That means no condom. Undertsood?”
Mare tensed at that, uncertain maybe by the thought of unprotected sex with the ill-groomed horse. His head bowed again, or at least tried to. His captor’s paw squeezed the canine’s jaw hard and held his muzzle in place.
“Understood?” Pa’s voice was more stern when he had to repeat himself. 
Mare whined, “Yes.”
“Good,” Pa eased his grip and traced the zipper of Mare’s mask until they poked at the nose. Two of the thick digits pushed into the mask and made the canine’s muzzle split before they pushed into Mare’s mouth, “Suck.”
For the next few seconds, Mare worked his muzzle up and down the fingers, the sounds as sloppy as they were when he did the same to the equine’s cock. When Pa pulled his fingers away, they were slick and dripping with spit. The horse’s other paw patted his fat thigh.
“Up up,” Pa commanded. 
Free of the fingers, Mare’s head once again bowed shamefully. This time, his hesitation wasn’t as pronounced or long lasting. The big canine didn’t want to get hit again. A quick learner. Kneeling with his arms restrained behind him made standing awkward, but Mare successfully moved to shaky legs. 
The video continued to favor anonymity over good angles. Mare’s head went out of shot as he stood in front of the sitting old horse. This was the first time I got a good comparison of their cocks, the thick equine shaft easily dwarfing the large wolf’s smaller length. Health be damned, there was a reason behind the slobby stallion’s confidence and the muscular wolf’s lack thereof. Judging by Mare’s behavior, he knew who deserved the respect. 
The canine’s ass was on full display as he stood facing the sitting horse. Pa squeezed one of Mare’s muscular mounds of that—I’ll say it--impressive ass, spreading it and giving the camera a shot of the dog’s crinkled pink asshole. The horse’s other paw, the one with the slick fingers, traced along the cleft of Mare’s rump before it found its target. Surprisingly delicate, the equine’s pudgy finger traced the tense hole that left a snail trail of the dog’s own drool over the intimate flesh. Far less delicate, Pa unexpectedly drove his index finger to the hilt. 
Mare yelped, back arched and body tense, “Fuck! Agghhh… Mmm!”
Something stifled the canine’s cry, turning it to a muffled moan. By the way Mare’s broad muscular back was leaning forward, I was certain Pa had his thick tongue down the canine’s throat. The muted moan turned to a low, guttural groan when the horse’s finger began to move in and out, taking a few repetitions before a second one was unceremoniously driven into the bitch’s tailcunt. Both males groaned their approval, the equine appreciative of the dog’s muscular glutes and the canine grateful for the horse’s assault on his prostate. It only took two full thrusts of the horse’s fingers before Mare rocked back to meet the molestation, fucking himself on digits spreading his tight tail ring. 
I heard Mare panting, which meant the kiss broke, “Oh… God…”
“Damn, this filly is fresh. What a twat,” Pa snickered, pushing his fingers to the hilt. The wiggled judging by how his forearm flexed and the dog whine, “See that boy?”
“Yeah Pa,” Boy panted from off screen. “Bitch wants it bad.”
Both fingers popped out of Mare, leaving his hole gaping briefly before the quivering muscles forced it closed again. Pa spit a wet glob of saliva down on his twitching cock before stroking it slowly, spreading both the slaver and already leaking pre into a glistening layer that coated the splotchy length. 
When Mare moved forward, Pa took a grip of the gimp’s hips, “No.” They turned the canine around to face the camera so it could see the way the dog’s cock throbbed with excitement, more knot swelling out at the base. “Show my boy how your clit is throbbing, mare.”
“Shit, Pa!” Boy exclaimed, “Bitch wants it real bad.”
Pa closed his thighs and guided Mare backwards toward his lap. Once the canine’s legs straddled him, the horse spread his fat thighs again, wide enough to make the dog squat over his lubed shaft. Adjusting himself, Pa rest back so his swollen cock head nestled behind Mare’s balls. 
“Alright boy,” the old horse said. “Get in here to see exactly how a mare is broken.”
The video moved in, angled lower as Boy knelt a few feet away. For amateur stuff, he knew how to get some great angles. The image zoomed in on his father and the bitch hovering over him. From this perspective, the video took in the lewd image of the bulbous equine tip as it kissed Mare’s puckered asshole. There was no way that was going to fit. 
A sentiment shared by Boy, “There’s no way that’s going to fit.”
“Mmm…” Pa chuckled, fat belly bouncing behind his poised cock, “Your old man gets that a lot.” The fat horse’s hips slowly swayed, nestling the heart shaped glans further against the winking tailring, the unprotected urethra leaving it slimy and slick. “You know what though, boy?”
“What’s that Pa?”
“It’s never true. It always fits.” 
Pa nickered before his wide thighs flexed, showing what little muscle they contained. Mare’s defenses put up a good fight, but ultimately yielded to the horse. The canine’s body went completely rigid as his asshole spread to its limit, the ring of soft muscle angry red as it snapped in place like a rubber band just behind the equine’s rotund glan. 
Surprisingly, the dog’s hole didn’t tear under the pressure. Unsurprisingly, Mare let out a painful wail as the horse penetrated. Every muscle in the canine’s body went rigid, thigh muscles bulging under the tight rubber of his pants. Before he could adjust to the girth, another inch slipped into him and made him cry out again. 
“Fuck!” This time, Mare’s voice wasn’t meek or pathetic. It was more male and masculine in its show of pain. Something changed in the dog, as if realizing there was no way he could take such a thick cock had made him break character. “No!” He squirmed and tried to pull away, “There’s no way!”
That inch pulled back, the vaguest signs of the horse’s corona peaking from the lewdly spread asshole as the dog attempted to escape. Pa’s firm grip on his hips prevented Mare from pulling free. The canine wailed anew as that inch re-embedded itself, followed by another inch. Pa moaned in satisfaction, taking his pleasure from the buff canine’s tight, warm hole. The continued complaints from Mare did little to disuade the fat horse. If anything, they only reinvigorated the equine shaft wedging itself within him. 
Now, Mare actually growled, “I said… No! Stop it… Stop! Pull out!”
The complaints and snarls only made the two horses laugh more, mocking the buff male being dominated. All it took was another agonizing inch of equine flesh to turn the dog’s snarls into whimpers. The camera caught every flex and throb of the horse’s pole. It was obvious hot equine pre was being fed into Mare’s invaded bowels. With no condom to catch the slimy goo, it further lubricated the canine’s passage, allowing more cock to slip into him. When the medial ring pressed to the dog’s quivering entrance, Mare’s whines turned to those guttural moans again. The angry red asshole pulsated around over half of the equines thickness.  
“Fuck,” Pa groaned. He swayed his hips, the motion only moving his cock within the canine, much to the dog’s unadulterated pleasure. Mare’s tense muscles relaxed noticeably, the pain trailing off with his struggles and whines. “This filly is already winking around my dick. Feel that, bitch?”
Mare moaned, but couldn’t say anything else. 
“That’s my ring. Thickest part of my cock.” Pa’s paws no longer held the dog in place, using them to rub and massage the canine’s muscular thighs. “It’s my mare maker. There’s no going back after that.” The horse’s voice was commanding again, “Take it. Mare.”
Once again, enthralled by the buff dog’s complete loss of dignity to these dirty horses, my leaky maleness was forgotten as I watched. Mare had been abused, forced to say humiliating things while his complaints were ignored and laughed at. Now he is given the choice to give in. Part of me hoped he’d save face, pull away and get out of there, it wouldn’t be a victory but at least he could claim he didn’t want it but I knew that wouldn’t happen. 
And it didn’t. 
Mare hardly hesitated before he obeyed Pa’s command and pressed back. Both males moaned as the canine willfully made himself the fat horse’s mare. Shockingly, the dog-now-mare didn’t stop until his taught ass pressed flush with the old horse’s hairy groin. The canine moaned, then fell back against the equine’s bulging gut, every muscle relaxed, submitting to his new role. 
“God damn,” Boy pulled back from the close up angle to show how Mare’s ass settled into Pa’s lap, both males grinding together. 
“See, boy?” Pa gloated. “They never mean no.” 
The old horse pet along Mare’s thighs, but continued to do nothing to hold the dog in place. He stayed there on his own accord, muscles visibly flexing as he rocked against the equine’s motions. Heavy pants came from both males as the canine’s body adjusted to the changes the horse forced upon him. Having something that large wedged into you would make irreversible changes, both physically and mentally. Neither moved besides the slow sway of their joined groins.
“Now what are you, stud?” Pa teased as his paw groped the throbbing canine cock and rubbed back to where his cock spread the bitch. The way he did this moved the dog’s sheath aside to keep their union on display to the camera. 
Mare’s voice once again took on that meek tone, trembling and full of shame. It was quiet, but easy to understand, “A mare.”
“Again,” Pa ordered.
This time, Mare was a little louder, “A mare.”
“Mmmm,” Pa cooed as he withdrew a couple inches from the strained asshole, “Again.” 
Mare barked her answer as the horse unexpectedly slammed his cock to the hilt, “A mare!”
“Good.” The groping paw squeezed the dog’s swollen knot which made the canine tremble, much to the horse’s delight. He began to fuck, slow and shallow, until Mare was left no more than a rag doll in the chubby horse’s lap. Each thrust rocked the defeated canine, his moans unending. “And who’s mare are you?”
“Yours,” Mare’s voice was breathless, but he spoke with no hesitation. “Fuck. I’m your mare.”
“Broke another one,” Pa spoke as he continued to work his mare-maker within the compliant canine. The old horse spread the dog’s thighs wider with his knees and traced the small exposed space where between the canine’s groin and where it disappeared into the chap-like pants. “That leaves one step, boy.”
Boy panted from off screen, “What’s that, Pa?”
“Gotta make sure everyone knows who this meat belongs to,” the amusement in the old horse’s words weren’t lost on me. “Time to brand what is ours.”
“What?” Mare moaned, lust shrouded brain slow to process the words until his thighs were held firm. Until he was held firm. He struggled anew and tried to pull away from the horse. 
Pa grunted as he held firm, having more leverage than the bound canine, “This ones… Yours boy.” The fat horse roughly thrust until the canine once again turned complacent in his lap, nothing more than moans. 
I wondered what the horse meant by ‘branding’, but I didn’t have to guess for long before the smoldering cigar reappeared on screen, retrieved by Boy from the ashtray. I was shocked! They wouldn’t do this, would they? Slowly, the dangerous red cherry moved toward the struggling canine followed by a dark trail of smoke. The wiggling did nothing but pleasure the fat horse with all the trembling muscles working his hilted cock. 
“No,” Mare whimpered again. “Please. I don’t want this.” 
No heed was paid to the dog’s pleas as Pa snickered, “Don’t matter what you want, mare. You want what I want.”
Mare responded with a nasally whimper again, but his struggles died off as if Pa’s statement somehow made sense to him in a way that I clearly could not empathize with. Or perhaps the canine was so far gone he really did want what the old horse wanted. Some inexplicable need to please the good for nothing oaf. Whatever it was, Mare didn’t fight as Boy moved in. The canine remained completely complacent as the cigar’s cinder pressed against the visible, delicate flesh of his inner thigh, as snug as his ass against the old horse’s lap. The sizzle was instant, singeing fur and charing flesh as the stogie was twisted and held firm. 
“Gah!” Mare went tense and tried to pull away, which amounted to the canine squirming in the fat horse’s lap as Pa held tight.
“Fuck,” Pa nickered. “Bitch gonna squeeze my cock off.”
Boy pulled the cigar away, leaving a circular patch of blackened flesh as he laughed at their psychotic behavior. He clapped a paw hard against the burnt spot and made the dog howl in pain. As the howl carried, Boy added to its intensity by pressing the cherry back to the same scorched spot. 
Being a lupine, I understood the howl and could read the pain behind it. I clenched my jaws and turned the volume down slightly, the howl grew to such heights. This time, the cigar left a larger circle. Deep crimson flesh outlined its dark curve, already showing signs of the inevitable scar it would leave behind. No one could heal from something like that. Their mark was forever on this dog’s flesh, a sign of their ownership and his submission. 
It really was a branding.
My paw was back to madly stroking my cock.
“Wha…” Mare’s voice was full of disbelief as his body really was changed permanently by this scum. Even in such a small way. “What have you done?” 
Boy went in again, but Pa stopped him. 
“Shhh,” Pa cooed to the marked canine, disrespectful and taunting as a paw gently caressed the area around the burn site. “Just a reminder of who owns you.” The horses fingers closed around the thigh, pressing right against the brand. Pa groaned as Mare hissed and tensed again, obviously squeezing the horse’s dick in the process. 
When the wide hips began to buck harder, Mare went slack again, overwhelmed. The masochist was actually getting off to the mixture of pain, pleasure and humiliation. His cock bounced to the old horse’s movement as he was once again lewdly fucked for the camera.
“Oh god,” Mare moaned, then soon pressed back to meet the horse’s thrusts.
Pa kept most of his shaft inside the defeated canine, “Every time you come back for more… Every time I leave a load in you… I’m going to add to your brand, mare.” 
“Uhn,” Mare replied, nothing more than a drooling toy at this point.
“And you will be back,” Pa guaranteed. “Again and again.”
Unceremoniously, Pa roughly withdrew. I swear I heard a pop as the oversized crown left the canine’s gapping asshole. A gooey strand of translucent fluid dripped from the tip as the equine shaft flopped forward under his massive weight. 
“Your turn, boy,” Pa announced as he pushed the canine off screen. The camera followed as Mare’s front collided roughly with a folding table nearby. By the looks of it, it was being used as a makeshift dining room table. Plates and trash cluttered the surface. Behind it was a kitchenette, similar to the one in Ethen’s trailer. The fact this was being filmed in some run down trailer somewhere made the whole thing that much more real in some way. What kind of porn, amateur or otherwise, would use such a location? 
The camera was exchanged between father and son, aimed at the floor momentarily. A new horse entered the scene, smaller, but definitely equine. A similar cock bobbed in front of him, blunt tip as thick as a fist. Like father, like son. This horse was definitely younger. Similar dark grey fur covered him, but it wasn’t sprinkled with salt like the old man. Just like Pa, Boy had a thick, husky frame. A heavy gut, well on its way to being like Pa’s hung from the bottom of his tattered black t-shirt with some punk band logo on it. Also like daddy, Boy’s length dwarfed Mare’s by more than a few inches. Once again, the video remained angled just right to keep the young stallion’s head out of frame.
Boy showed absolutely no qualms about taking his father’s sloppy seconds. Then again, he showed no shame whatsoever at filming and watching his dad fuck and subjugate the canine now prone before him. Before Mare could get his balance and stand, Boy took a firm grip of the dog’s scruff and pressed his muzzle back into the trash and clutter on the table. 
Driven by youthful excitement, Boy didn’t waste any time mounting Mare. He snorted and spat upon the dog’s upturned ass, then repeated the process and drooled another mouthful into his paw before stroking his length haphazardly along his maleness. Unlike the straight on shot from before, the video now showed the mating pair from the side, Boy’s cock poised and ready before it disappeared from view under Mare’s tail. 
Both went motionless as Boy’s inexperience showed, forcing every single inch of his cock into the dog’s body, “Shit, this bitch is wet.”
Boy didn’t waste any time, no teasing or foreplay like his father. Pa laughed from offscreen as his son eagerly began to fuck their new mare. Each thrust withdrew Boy’s cock until the tip nearly pulled free before he hilted with enough force for an audible clap of his lap against the dog’s ass. The flimsy table groaned under their weight as it rocked as well. There was a lack of control from the young stallion, an erratic frenzy behind each thrust that was as awkward as it was rough. While this may not be his first time, he definitely wasn’t as experienced as his old man. 
Not that it really mattered. Mare moaned into the garbage on the table as the colt’s heavy gut settled on the canine’s lower back. My paw was a flash on my cock, bouncing repeatedly off my swelling knot, unable to take my eyes from the screen. I didn’t think there could be any way to humiliate the dog further, yet here he was serving this inexperienced colt. And loving it by the sounds he made. 
Fuck, what power.
“Fuck,” I managed to squeak. 
My orgasm was unexpected, but powerful. I actually barked out before I bit my tongue and clenched my jaws. Every part of me went motionless as my balls pulled tight and dick surged before I painted my chest and stomach with sticky seed. It left me panting in the afterglow, a mixture of relief at unloading my pent up balls and guilt from cumming to hardcore gay porn. As I recovered, I went to turn off the video, but hesitated for some reason. It was almost over. May as well see it through, right? 
At some point during my climax, Pa set the camera on a tripod to maintain the video as he moved into view as well. His broad back was to the camera, hairy ass displayed under an arched horse tail as he fed Mare his dirty cock. It wasn’t lost upon me that it had just been hilted in his ass. The dog, now as dirty and vile as these two fat horses, didn’t seem to care. There was hunger behind each bob of his head, eagerly gobbling the stallion’s pecker. 
Taking a heavier grip on the dog’s scruff, Boy held their bitch in place as he split the mare with the older horse. Apparently, he liked the pressure Mare’s ring gave the base of his shaft, preferring to keep himself mostly hilted and giving the dog a very deep dicking. The erratic sway and brutal bucks of his hips was a good indication that the young colt was ready to unload. Mare read the signs as well, his bobbing muzzle stopping as he realized what was about to come. I could see his head shake, but the thick stallion cock made it impossible to complain.
“Oh fuck,” Boy moaned, speech slurred with lust. “Good dog. Good boy.”
What?
Good dog. Good boy. The chant continued as Boy’s motions grew more irregular, focusing more on getting as deep as possible. The colt’s hips danced from side to side as the words went from moaned to grunted. My jaw dropped. 
Good dog. Good boy. It couldn’t be. Those words were so familiar. I’ve heard them a thousand times, spewed from the mouth of that stupid jackass. That fat stupid jackass.  
Good dog. Good boy. The younger stallion’s chant was interrupted as his back arched. Both paws pulled Mare back to meet his final thrust. Icicles replaced my backbone as Boy held firm. When Boy announced his climax with a bellowing bray, my ears pinned to my head.
“Haw!”
A donkey. 
My eyes narrowed as I watched my bully seed the dog bent over the table. A mixture of anger, disgust and stupidity overwhelmed me as I stared in shock at the sight on screen. Dakota held motionless for a moment before his hips became a blur the camera’s focus couldn’t even keep up with, repeatedly driving a cock I had only moments before found impressive into the moaning canine under him.
How could I not realize what I was seeing? I felt stupid for not realizing I was watching my bully. Disgusted with myself for getting aroused. And… And…
My ears burned as I looked at the mess on my chest and belly, the semen already soaking into my fur. It was an undeniable truth that I had gotten off to seeing Dakota fuck. I was beyond shutting off the video now, like staring at a car wreck. 
There’s no way that’s him, I reassured myself. 
It was little comfort as the donkey faced the camera and strutted over to it. Sure, Dakota was fat like the colt on screen. And he seemed to prefer black t-shirts. And he’s a slob. And he lives in a trailer. And his father is a slob. And… And…
The urge to cry was strong. Much like the dog on screen, I found myself ashamed and disgusted. Even unintentionally, that damn donkey could humiliate and degrade me. 
Boy, or Dakota as my brain began to refer to him, took the camera. He turned it upon the canine’s upturned ass in time for the first dollop of pearly white cum to seep from Mare’s gaping tailcunt. Unintentional or not, the angle was just right to show Pa’s messy cock driving into the canine’s muzzle as the strand of cum ran down Mare’s taint to drip off his balls. 
Pa announced his climax like his son, with a donkey’s bray, as he pressed in and made Mare gag on his length. From the corners of the mask, the old horse’s cum dripped from the zippers as the dog failed to swallow the salty load. 
The click of my door knob nearly made me bark in surprise. I snapped my laptop shut and pulled my blanket over me, cringing as I felt it press my wet fur against my chest. My bedroom light came on moments later. 
“Still up trooper?” 
“Dad!” I barked. “What the hell!? Knock!”
Dad stood in the door. I saw his nose twitch before a sloppy grin spread on his muzzle. I blushed. 
“Hah,” my old man’s voice sounded slurred, obviously from another successful visit to the bar with his buddies. Someone should really tell him to keep his distance from the one that smokes. “Sorry trooper. I forget myself sometimes. No privacy…”
I groaned and covered my eyes nodding as I talked with him, “No privacy in the military. Blah blah.”
Dad laughed and nodded, then winked at me, “Better let you… Get some rest.”
I still blushed but hoped I hid it well under the paws I used to block the light, “Night Dad.”
“Night trooper.” Dad switched the light out and closed the door behind him. 
Fuck!
I never thought my heart would calm down, my head full of conflicting thoughts still. I pulled the blankets off of me and cleaned up the best I could. Doing so only reminded me of the video I just watched, as if I weren’t still dwelling on it. 
That couldn’t be Dakota. It was just a coincidence, right? Like… Lots of coincidences. And that was all. There were lots of fat, dirty donkeys living in trailer parks. Ones that said things like ‘good dog’ and ‘good boy’. There had to be. Fat donkeys. In trailer parks. With fat fathers. 
Wait a minute. 
A grin slowly spread over my muzzle, forgetting about the trauma of the last few minutes completely. Dakota was in a hardcore, incestuous, BDSM, gay porn with his father. They went out of their way to hide their identities too. 
Ooooh...
I couldn’t shake my grin as I crawled back into bed, my head full of wonderfully wicked thoughts about my bully and how I was going to blackmail the shit out of him. The excitement of such juicy revenge made me shake. All I needed was definitive proof.
I was never going to let him live this down.