The loud rush of the crowd’s cheering pulses in the back of my head as I wait for my turn on the stage. In front of me is my best friend Ashley, a lovely female skunk. Her chest heaving up and down as we watch with much less glee than the crowd as a fox, much like me, was led out onto the stage.
        If circumstances were slightly different I would probably be raising a family with Ashely, I muse while admiring her thick tail and perky ass. A loud boo forces my attention away from what ifs and back to the here and now. Up on the stage the fox is jumping with glee. His lotto wheel flashed green. Lucky fox, he gets to leave. The gathered spectators boo as the fox is led off the stage and it's Ashley’s turn.
        She looks back at me and I give her a reassuring smile to ease her mind. She mouths, I Love You before the heavy paws of the guards turn her around and leads her towards the stage. I get a brief glimpse of her pink petals as she climbs the short flight of stairs to face the wheel.
        The announcer begins to introduce Ashley to the audience, but I already know who the gorgeous skunk is. Instead I let my eyes wander over my girlfriend, memorizing every last detail just in case one of us gets free. Her cute black feet are first as I can’t help remembering all the times I buried my white snout between the soft furry toes, that somehow always smelled like sweet basil. Traveling up her long black legs I pause at the creamy-white inner thighs and blush.
        The very night we were selected for the Population Control Lotto, I got my first real glimpse between Ashley’s legs. Sure I’ve seen them many times before; while we wrestled, played, and even bathed together as kits but that was the first time I noticed how soft her fur was or how nice the smell wafting from her hidden flower was after a good tussle. Lingering a few moments longer to admire her glistening petals my sheath starts to get plump. Not now, I whisper to it as my gaze wanders up to Ashley’s pudgy belly as I hear the ominous clack clack of the wheel as it spun.
        A smile crosses my muzzle as I focus on that baby fat, that no matter how hard my skunk tried just couldn’t lose. It was of her most adorable features, perfectly pillow soft. Many times my tears soaked the comforting belly. Ashley would just wrap her arms around my head and hold me till my tears dried up and I fell asleep. My heart skips a beat as I wipe tears from my eyes. The sudden eruption of cheers means no second miracle today as I notice Ashley is quaking with fear.
        Be strong, I mentally project to her hoping our close connection could ease even a bit of her distress. Two large badgers wheel out a short wooden pole with a collar dangling from it. Behind the pole a large handle juts out as sweat drips down my paws. The closest thing I have to a sister and lover sits in front of the pole, bravely lifting her head. Every fiber in my body wants to leap on to the stage like some sort of fantasy hero but I know both our fates would be much worse if I tried. They allow her to look in my direction briefly as a badger slipped the collar around her neck. She gave me her best brave smile, the very same smile she would give bullies as she would rescue me from another pounding. The sadness hidden behind that smile and wet eyes makes my blood freeze. As if reading my mood she gives me a thumbs up and spreads her legs wide open for the spectators, showing off her virgin lotus.
Stunned all I must is to watch her chest, the soft b-cups of a budding woman rise and fall with her breathing. The terrible sound of the handle being turned and the gasp of Ashley’s breath make my small triangular ears flick and fold flat against my skull. The soft thuds of skunk paws kicking the hard wooden stage accompanies Ashley’s chest moving even more rapidly with turn of the handle.
Deep down I know it's over as the faint scent of skunk urine follows the stillness of Ashley’s chest. Still the handle is being turned till the loud snap of her neck is the final confirmation, Ashley is just meat and fur to feed and clothe a population growing out of control. Glancing upwards I’m greeted by the peaceful sight of Ashley’s head, bent at an odd angle. Her tongue hangs swollen out of her petite white-stripped muzzle as her bright green eyes dim.
Tearing my eyes from the scene is a great effort as Ashley left me one final gift. In her final moments she forced her fingers into the familiar shape of a flower, a secret sign between us that everything would be ok. I smile as the corpse of my love was taken backstaged to be processed. The orientation packet we had received assured us nothing would go to waste.
A deep breath calms my nerves as I walk out onto the stage before I can be escorted. My keen fox nose can still smell the warm presence of Ashley and it's a welcome comfort.I pose and put the small frame of my arctic fox body on display for the blood thirsty crowd. Ashley’s sacrifice had been just an appetizer and now I’m the main course. I’m happy to oblige, thankful I wasn’t the type to get off to my own death. In truth it terrifies me, still I bend over showing off my small round ass and tight pouch and sheath. The crowd eats it all up as the announcer, an otter nearly twice my height wrapped up my introduction turned to face me. “Jacob Mace, are you ready to face the wheel?” he asks me with the biggest fake smile I have ever seen.
“Yes,” I reply nodding. The ground under my paws feel like quicksand, pulling me to oblivion as I reach out touching the wheel. As my fingers brush the smooth plastic I freeze and whisper to the otter with urgency. He pats my shoulders and assures me the last wishes Ashley and I made would be honored. I breathe happy that our heads would be preserved together as I’m now ready to spin.
Clack Clack goes the wheel, as I stand shifting on my paws. Next to me the otter drapes a paw around my shoulder’s to comfort as he takes bets from the crowd watching. My thick bushy tail is tucked between my thighs as the wheel starts to slow. My heart nearly stops and ends my life prematurely as the stage lights up green for the briefest moment before turning one last time to red.
“Oh, so close,” the announcer shouts pretending to not know how rigged the game is as the crowd once again erupts. They get their show, I hope it's a good one I think as the wheel flashes again to determine my death. Tears stream down my face as the flashing lights stop on the picture of an axe beheading.
Resigning myself to my fate, I kneel as a wooden pedestal is placed in front of me. My neck is stretched perfectly for the axe as one of the badgers approaches me with a large wood axe. The tears staining my eyes make it hard to follow as the badger lifts the axe above his head. The next thing I see is the blurry form of the badger slipping and the loud curses of the otter as the crowd gasps.
My eyes roll upwards as blood and brain matter drip down my forehead where the axe blade split and lodged itself between my ears. Chuckling I startle the badgers and otter as I find it funny I now look like a unicorn with the handle of the axe sticking out over my head like a horn. As my vision starts to cloud over the last remaining thought I have is, Fuck this splitting headache.