The Bat & the Cat
Chapter 10: Sleep Together
December 20, 2013
Chimera Prep Cafeteria Courtyard
“All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places
Worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere
Going nowhere
And their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression
No expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow
No tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you
‘Cause I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it’s a very very
Mad world
Mad world
Mad world
Mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen
Sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me
No one knew me
Hello, teacher, tell me what’s my lesson?
Look right through me
Look right through me
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you
‘Cause I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it’s a very very
Mad world
Mad world
Mad world
Mad world
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you
‘Cause I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it’s a very very
Mad world
Mad world
Enlarging your world
Mad world.”
“Very good,” Roderick said as he removed his acoustic guitar. “It’s incredible to think you’ve only been practicing for seven months.”
“Thanks,” Megan replied with a soft smile. “I really enjoy playing. Besides, it’s not like I have much else to do with my spare time, anyway.”
“What about that woman you’ve been seeing? What’s her name? Maggie?” Leo asked, sparing a glance up from his Computer Programming textbook.
“Maykere,” the bat answered, correcting her new friend. “I mean, she and I hang out now and then, but I have my job and the band, and she’s busy running her own business. It’s not like we live together or anything like that, so I still have a lot of time to myself.”
“What’s the status with her, anyway?” the lemur boy questioned as he packed his instrument away in its case. “Are you two getting serious or what?”
“No,” Megan answered with a slight shake of her head. “My mind’s still too fucked up right now. I’m still trying to get over Ross, and figure out who Kristin claims to have gotten pregnant by me. Maykere knows that. For now, we’re just friends with benefits. That’s all.”
“Why won’t Kristin tell you?” Leo asked.
“She’s offered, but the price is too high,” the teen herm replied. “She wants me back, and that’s the last thing I want. She doesn’t love me, no matter what she thinks. I’m just an object to her, a toy.”
“Excuse me?” a soft, sweet voice called out to her left. Turning their heads, the trio saw a younger, green-furred tabby staring back at them with a gentle smile on her face. “Ohayoo-gozaimasu, Llyulf-sempai,” she said cheerfully. “I am sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if you would like to be my date to the Winter Formal dance?”
“Hi,” the male wolf said, returning the girl’s greeting. “Midori, right?”
“Hai,” the younger feline answered with a broad smile and a slight bow.
“Sure thing,” Leo responded, accepting the invitation. “What’s your number? I’ll add you to my contacts and give you a call later so we can work out the details.”
Megan and Roderick watched on patiently as the pair exchanged contact information. Despite having just met the canine boy a few months earlier, Leo - short for Llyulf Kalayo - was quickly becoming one of the bat’s closest friends. He had just transferred into Chimera Prep from North Florida, despite being a senior. Since he didn’t know anyone, he opted to isolate himself out in the courtyard during lunch to study. Once she and Roderick had taken to the courtyard for her bass lessons, he slowly moved closer and closer to where they played, enjoying the music while he read, until they eventually invited him to sit with them.
As Midori walked away with a playful bounce in her step, Megan regarded the wolf boy with a smirk. “You know, she’s one of the most notoriously promiscuous girls in this school, right?”
Leo gave a dismissive shrug. “So? I was going to go to the dance anyway, just to watch you and your band perform. Besides, just because I’m escorting her doesn’t mean I have to sleep with her.” Glancing at his watch, he gave a sigh. “Lunch is about over. I’m so not ready for Miss Fargo’s class.”
“You’ll be fine. You’re one of the biggest computer geeks I know,” Roderick reassured him. “No offense. But it is kind of messed up that she scheduled a quiz on the last day before Winter Break”
“It’s not that,” the wolf said as he packed his textbook away. “I know the material, but that woman is so random and unpredictable; I have no idea what to expect on this quiz. I spent all week reviewing the last three chapters, but she’s just as likely to change her mind about giving the test altogether.”
“Ethan has her for digital art,” Megan said as she stood up and slung her guitar case over her shoulder. “He says the only thing you can do is expect the unexpected with her.”
“Yeah, well, wish me luck,” he said as the bell sounded.
“Relax,” the bat added, draping an arm over his shoulder. “The more you let her get inside your head, the worse off you’ll be.”
“See you guys after school?” Roderick asked as they stepped inside.
“I’ll be free for a little bit,” Leo said.
“Not me,” Megan answered. “I’m supposed to meet up with Jack and Vivy to practice. But we’ll get together sometime over the break.”
“Sounds good,” the two males replied in unison as they all parted ways: Megan heading for Miss Waters’s Philosophy class, Roderick going to Chemistry, and Llyulf marching bravely towards whatever fate awaited him in Liliana Fargo’s Computer Programming class.
~~~~~
As she grabbed what she would need for the Winter Break from her locker, Megan heard a voice several feet to her left quietly but harshly reciting some rap lyrics. Curious, she cast her eyes to the side and saw one of Ross’s volleyball teammates - Riley, if she wasn’t mistaken - bobbing her head and following along to whatever song was playing through her earbuds. The Aardwolf girl finished gathering her belongings, slammed the metal door shut, and proceeded to walk down the hall towards the stairs.
An idea struck the bat just then, and she hastily collected the rest of her necessities and followed the girl. It was slightly difficult to keep sight of her with so many other students eager to go home, ready to begin their two-week vacation, but once they had managed to make it outside into the cold December air, Megan was easily able to spot Riley heading towards her bus stop. Slipping her other arm through the strap of her backpack, she hurried down to where the Aardwolf waited, still nodding and singing along to whatever track was playing. As she drew nearer, Megan was better able to make out the words:
“...My passion was ironic
And my dreams were uncommon
Guess I gone crazy, first deal changed me
Robbed blind basically raped me
Rose through the bullshit like a matador
Just made me madder and adamant to go at ‘em
And even the score
So, I went harder
Studied the Carters till a deal was offered
Slept cold on the floor recording
At 4 in the morning and now I’m passing the bar
Like a lawyer
Immigrant, art ignorant
Ya ill intent was insurance for my benefit
Hate to be inconsiderate, but the industry took my innocence
Too late, now I’m in this bitch!
You don’t know the half
This shit get real
Valley girls giving
Blow jobs for Louboutins
What you call that?
Head over heels?
No money, no family. 16 in the middle of -
Bitch, what you staring at?” Riley snapped angrily, whipping her head around to stare directly at Megan. “What the fuck you want, following me around like this?” The sudden outburst caught Megan completely off-guard, and it took her a moment to compose herself enough to reply. This delayed response only further irritated the Aardwolf, who growled, “Don’t make me hafta beat your dumb ass.”
“S-sorry,” the bat herm managed to spit out, finally settling down from the shock, “I just heard you rapping and I wanted to hear more. You’re pretty good.”
“Yeah, I know,” Riley shrugged, though her posture seemed more relaxed now. “What’s it to you? You looking to quit that rock shit and try something more hardcore or something?”
“No,” Megan shook her head, “but I had an idea I wanted to run past you.”
“I don’t have time for this shit,” the Aardwolf said as she began putting the earbuds back in place.
“It’s a chance to perform in public and make some money,” the teen bat countered, which made Riley pause.
“How much you talking about?” she asked.
“I’ll give you fifty right now to come with me and meet my band,” Megan explained. “I’ll tell you what I have in mind on the way, and if you’re still interested we can iron out the details.”
“Fine. Where we going?”
“Know where Valleyview is?”
“Shit, that rich-ass neighborhood? Yeah, my bus goes by it.”
Megan gave a sigh of relief; since Riley couldn’t fly she’d thought they would have to walk to Vivy’s house, which would make her significantly late to practice and piss the giraffe girl off considerably. Hopefully, Riley’s bus would come by shortly and they wouldn’t be too late, but this option gave her the best chance to explain what she was thinking. “All right, we’ll take the bus, and when we’re done I’ll ask Jack if he can give you a ride home.” As if on cue, the number 29 bus rounded the corner a minute later and the duo climbed aboard.
~~~~~
Ross couldn’t believe what she was seeing; Riley, one of her volleyball teammates, was chatting up her ex-girlfriend! She’d heard rumors that Megan had moved on after their breakup, but she expected better from Riley. As public as their breakup had been, there was no way she didn’t know that Megan was her ex. Yet there they were, boarding a bus together, and Megan hated vehicular travel!
The Tundra Lioness clenched her jaw muscles and her teeth ground together harshly. She was furious with herself, as well as the two of them. She honestly believed that she and Megan had something special, something worth fighting for. Yes, she had been the one to break up with the bat, and it had been out of surprise and anger over discovering that Megan had a child. Even after calming down a bit, she didn’t try to reach out and apologize, no matter how badly she wanted to; she would just be a distraction, and the break-up should have served as motivation to find the kid and establish some sort of parental bond. Instead, two of the few people at the school that she actually trusted were hooking up behind her back.
Furious, she reached into her jeans pocket as she stormed her way over to her Civic, pulling out her phone as she went. As she slammed the door shut behind her, she found the contact she was looking for in her address book and pressed the “call” button with her thumb. After the fourth ring, the call went to voicemail. “Hey, Jeremy,” she spoke as sweetly as she could manage, considering how angry she felt, “I’m on Winter Break now, and I was hoping you’d be in town. I’d like to hang out with you some more, maybe see where things go? Give me a call back. Bye!”
~~~~~
Inside the garage of the Genevieve household
Vivy was in the process of tuning her drums for the fifth or sixth time when Jack finally showed up to practice. She shot him an irritated glare as he stepped inside, followed closely by a hyena girl, their arms and paws full of equipment. “It’s about fucking time one of you showed up.”
“Megan’s not here yet?” Jack asked as he set down a keyboard on her dad’s workbench.
Shaking her head, Vivy answered, “Not yet.”
The reptilian teen’s brow furrowed. “Weird. She’s usually here before me, and I had to swing by and pick up Makena.” He turned to look at the hyena girl behind him. “M, this is Vivy, our drummer. Viv, Makena.”
“Hey,” the giraffe girl said as she gave one of her drumsticks a showy twirl.
“Is this a bad time?” Makena asked. “If you need to find Megan, I can come back later.”
“I’ll try to call her,” Jack replied as he fished out his cell.
Just as he was about to hit the ‘Call’ button, they heard Megan’s voice call out from the end of the driveway. “Sorry I’m late! The bus isn’t as fast as flying.”
“Bus?” Vivy asked as she turned to address the bat. “Did something -” She stopped herself when she saw the Aardwolf that accompanied her friend. “Oh. So who’s this?”
“Guys, this is Riley. She goes to school with me.”
“Hey.” “Hey.” Jack and Vivy said in unison.
“Sup.”
“Anyway,” Megan continued, “I brought her here because I thought we could work in a few more surprises for the dance. I overheard her rapping after school and she’s pretty damned good.”
“So what, you wanna try a Linkin Park Hybrid Theory kinda thing?” the giraffe girl asked skeptically.
“Yes and no,” the teen bat explained. “I just want to mix in a few songs that no one would ever expect to hear us play, and have her come out and perform with us. Two, maybe three songs at most.”
“I suppose she’s gonna want a cut of our check?” Vivy asked.
“Don’t worry about that. If we do this, I’m paying her out of my share,” Megan reassured her.
Riley look at the bat with a dubious expression. “Why would you do that for me?”
The herm looked at Riley with a soft, warm expression and answered simply, “I’m just paying it forward. If it wasn’t for the Omen Breakers, we wouldn’t have this shot, or the money. We’re going to get exposure either way, but I figure sharing the spotlight with you and giving you a chance to show what you can do can’t hurt.”
“Speaking of, why don’t you show us your skills while Makena sets up her gear?” Jack asked as he gestured over to where the other hyena girl was plugging in her equipment. “She should be a few more minutes yet.”
Riley walked over to Mr. Genevieve’s workbench and set down her backpack, digging out her mp3 player and a pair of portable speakers. Once she had everything connected, she scrolled through her list of songs, finally settling for M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes “, then pressed ‘Play.’ The Aardwolf bobbed and swayed along with the opening notes then started to sing along to the lyrics:
“I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make ‘em all day
I get one down in a second if you wait.
I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make ‘em all day
I get one down in a second if you wait.
Megan took a moment to glance at her bandmates and gauge their reactions to Riley’s performance. So far, the teen Aardwolf had managed to keep pace with the song, speaking each syllable clearly and in time. While neither Jack nor Vivy were fans of the genre, they both seemed impressed with what they were witnessing.
Sometimes I think sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I’m clocking that game
Everyone’s a winner, we’re making our fame
Bona fide hustler making my name.
Sometimes I think sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I’m clocking that game
Everyone’s a winner, we’re making our fame
Bona fide hustler making my name.
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
For her part, Riley was really selling the attitude; everything from the way she bounced as she sang to the way she made a gun using the fingers of her left paw to the defiant expression on her muzzle made her performance even more believable. She’d even rub her fingers together in a way that was indicative of getting paid whenever the cash register sound played.
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit ‘em
Lethal poison for the system
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit ‘em
Lethal poison for the system
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my Burner prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going hell just pumping that gas
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my Burner prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going hell just pumping that gas
While Riley was performing, Megan was trying to compile a list in her mind of all of the female rappers she could think of, which was rather few. The list of songs they would be able to work on together was even shorter, but she was certain that her bandmates and Riley would be able to think of some more, if Jack and Vivy were on board with this idea.
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
M.I.A.
Third world democracy
Yeah, I got more records than the K.G.B.
So, uh, no funny business
Some some some I some I murder
Some I some I let go
Some some some I some I murder
Some I some I let go
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money”
“Fuck me,” Vivy said when the song ended. “You’ve got skills.”
“I know that song,” Jack added. “I could understand you better than the chick that sings it. I’m fine mixing in a few songs for you to collab on. Viv?”
“Why the fuck not?” the giraffe shrugged. “We’re already going way off the reservation with the rest of our set list. What’s a few more songs gonna hurt?”
~~~~~
December 21, 2013
Kittery Point, Maine (Roughly a 15 minute drive from Marblecliff)
Megan gawked as the gates to the property swung open and Maykere drove through. She could only describe the house that greeted them on the other side as a mansion. The massive Colonial-style home was easily over 12,000 square feet and sat on a sprawling spread of well-maintained land.
“Wow,” was all the bat could say as she recovered from the shock, before finally adding, “You’re sure your friend doesn’t mind us being here?”
“Of course I’m sure,” the mare chuckled. “Whenever Mistress Ciara heads out of town I watch over the place and take care of the horses.”
“Mistress?” Megan asked as she quirked an eyebrow.
Chuckling, her lover replied, “Not like that. It’s just a title of respect for how much work she does for the welfare of feral equines. Everyone calls her that.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Were you just jealous for a second?” Maykere teased.
“Maybe just a little,” Megan grinned. “It’s your fault for bringing out my dominant side.” She reached over and traced a fingertip softly around the equine woman’s ear, eliciting a slight shiver of arousal.
“Mmm,” Maykere said with a big smile, “you say it like it’s a bad thing, but reward me like it’s good. Which is it?”
“Maybe a little of both,” the bat replied as the mare drove her Ford Edge into the garage. “Kind of like how certain punishments can also be rewards.”
As she cut off the ignition, Maykere coyly said, “Well, how about you decide which one I deserve while I cook dinner?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Megan answered as she grabbed the small bag containing the mare’s Christmas gift. She followed Maykere through a side door and stepped inside the mansion. If she was awestruck by the outside of the home, the interior rendered her completely speechless. Polished granite floors, massive aquariums filled with exotic fish, indoor swimming pool, greenhouse, movie theatre, bowling alley, spiral staircases, Jacuzzi tubs, canopy beds, two kitchens, expensive-looking artwork on almost every wall, and more bedrooms and bathrooms than she could count.
“Go ahead and look around,” Maykere called out to her as she opened up a refrigerator and began pulling out various ingredients.
“I would, but I’m afraid I’d get lost,” she answered.
“Why don’t you relax in the greenhouse then, and I’ll join you once I get dinner in the oven? Do you remember how to get there?”
“Yeah, I think so. Back down that hall and to the left, right?”
“You got it,” Maykere answered. “I’ll see you in just a few.”
The greenhouse was like something ripped from the pages of a fairytale. Despite the cold and snow outside, the greenhouse was warm, almost tropically so, and bursting with various types of plants and flowers, many of which the bat herm didn’t recognize, and the few that she did she knew were out of season. Spaced all throughout the room were decorations depicting scenes and quotes from various stories and poems. One tree in particular caught her eye and she approached it.
Nearly sixty or so bright red flowers unlike any she had ever seen before adorned its branches. The leaves and bark weren’t particularly remarkable, but the blossoms were breathtaking. Looking more closely, she noticed that the leaves and bark on the flowery branches didn’t match the rest of the tree. Rising up onto the tips of her toes, she gently took one of the flowers and brought it to her nose.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Maykere asked from behind her.
“Remarkable,” Megan answered. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It’s a kokai tree,” the mare explained as she held out a glass of red wine in her left paw while holding one for herself in her right. “Very rare. Extremely rare outside of Hawaii. Actually, it’s kind of a sad story; there are no actual kokai trees left. They’re all extinct. But when the last one burned, many of its branches were salvageable and grafted onto other trees. This one was a gift to me from Mistress Ciara.”
“This is your garden?” the bat asked as she took the offered liquid. “It’s stunning.”
“Thanks,” her lover said before taking a sip of the crimson liquid. “Gardening is one of my passions, but living in an apartment kind of makes that impossible. Ciara lets me use her greenhouse as a way of thanking me for helping out around here.”
“She sounds incredible,” Megan responded. “How did you meet her?”
“Through mutual acquaintances in the equine rescue community,” the mare explained. “When I was young, my parents rescued a young stallion from a farm. He was malnourished and covered in sores from abuse and neglect, but we didn’t have the room for him, and it was going to cost a lot of money to get him back to health - more than what my folks would be able to afford. Word got around and Ciara reached out to us and took over his rehabilitation. We were allowed to come and visit him, which we did, and she gradually became part of the family. When my parents passed away, she took me in.”
“I’d like to meet her some time,” the teen bat said with a soft smile.
“I’d like that, too,” Maykere replied as she rested her head on Megan’s shoulder and intertwined their fingers. “She’s so sweet, kind, and understanding. She doesn’t judge, she just listens and offers advice when it’s asked for, and she’s very insightful. I think she’d be good for you.”
“I still can’t believe you used to live here,” Megan sighed. “Why’d you move out?”
With a shrug, the mare stated flatly, “I turned eighteen. I was legally able to take care of myself, and I didn’t want to take advantage of Ciara’s hospitality any more than necessary. Why would I stay when she’d already done so much for me?”
“That makes sense, I suppose.”
“Yeah,” Maykere nodded before changing the subject. “So things are still going good between you and your mom, I take it, since you and she have holiday plans. What are you two going to do?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but she was rather insistent that I be home with her,” the young herm explained. “That’s already more than any other Christmas I can remember.”
“Is she still sober?” the mare asked.
“I think so,” Megan smiled. “She’s nothing at all like she was before. She wants to hear about my days, she’s learning how to cook, and I haven’t seen any alcohol in the house in months.”
“So, have you forgiven her?”
“Yes,” the bat nodded. “I understand why she turned to the bottle. She lost control, like so many others do. She wasn’t herself. It’s my dad’s fault, more than anything.”
“If you ever had the chance to see him face-to-face, would you?” Maykere asked. “I mean, I’m sure you have like a million questions you’d like to ask.”
“No,” Megan answered quietly. “I know everything I need to know from Mom. He got freaked out about me being a herm and he ran. He’s a bigot and a coward, and I don’t ever want to see him. If he’s struggling every night with his conscience, he deserves it.”
“Point taken,” her lover answered. “Hey, wait here a sec. I’ll be right back, I promise.” As she stood up, Maykere planted a tender kiss on Megan’s forehead and strolled out of the room.
With a soft sight, the teen bat took a sip of her wine and closed her eyes, allowing a slight smile to form on her lips. She hadn’t felt this good in a long time, not since before… No, she wasn’t going to spoil her mood by thinking about love lost, not when Maykere was trying so hard to make this evening special for her. She tilted her head back and took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh earthy scent of the indoor paradise, letting the calmness envelop her.
The sounds of the mare’s hooves click-clacking on the hallway tiles echoed through the house, reaching Megan’s sensitive ears with very little trouble. As she opened her purple eyes, she noticed something hanging above her and grinned.
“Here we go,” Maykere said as she entered the room holding a box in her left paw. “Dinner will be ready in about 20 more minutes. In the meantime, here, this is for you. Merry Christmas.”
“Hold on,” Megan said as she grabbed the bag she’d brought. She reached inside and pulled out a small package wrapped in black craft paper and decorated all over with writing in white paint. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”
As they swapped gifts, Megan got a closer look at the wrapping paper on her gift. “It’s sheet music,” she said softly.
“It’s O Fortuna, from ‘Carmina Burana.’ It’s my favorite,” Maykere explained as she turned her gift over and over in her paws, reading everything there. “This wrapping paper - did you do all this yourself?”
“I got the idea off Pinterest,” the teen replied. “I hope you like it.”
“It’s lovely. You did a great job. Go ahead, you open yours first.”
“Okay,” Megan said with an excited nod. Her slender fingers gently took hold of the ends of the twine bow used to secure the paper in place and carefully pulled.
Maykere gave a soft chuckle and said, “It’s okay. I made sure to use a heavier paper stock than normal gift wrap, and the tape peels off easily so you don’t have to worry about damaging the music.”
The bat grinned, touched by the level of thoughtfulness that went into even the smallest details of something as trivial as the packaging. Sure enough, once she had the bow removed she was able to easily slip a claw beneath the tape and separate it from the paper. She continue to loosen and fold back the edges to reveal a small box. Removing the lid, she saw her gift: a pair of concert tickets and backstage passes.
“Foster the People,” Megan said as she lifted them from the box to read them. “May 9th at the House of Blues in Boston.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took a look at your music library while you weren’t looking,” the mare explained with a sheepish grin. “I checked tour dates and found a few bands that would be in the area in the coming months.”
“But these aren’t even on sale yet,” the teen herm exclaimed. “How did you…?”
“I called up an old friend,” Maykere answered. “He’s been a regular client for years and works for LiveNation.”
“They must have cost a fortune,” Megan observed.
“Don’t worry about that. I’m just going to do a corset piercing for his wife, no charge, so they only cost me time and supplies.”
“Thank you,” the teen herm said before leaning forward to give her lover a soft kiss. “Okay, your turn now.”
Maykere took a moment to examine the words scrawled on the black paper. “These paws have held the moment… Let it fall and seen it pass…Closed my fingers down on nothing… And still have held my heart… Learn to never grasp tomorrow… So that now can come again… These sound like lyrics, but I’m not familiar with the songs,” she mused before guessing, “Did you write them?”
With a slight blush, Megan shyly admitted, “Yes. I know they aren’t that great, but I’m working on some original material. It would be nice to eventually sing our own songs instead of performing covers all the time.”
“I think they’re beautiful,” the equine woman reassured. “I’d like to hear them once you’re done, if that’s okay.”
“Maybe.”
Maykere managed to carefully remove the tape with only minimal damage to the black craft paper, leaving the white lettering mostly intact and legible. Inside was a book, The Collected Poems of Adrienne Rich.
“I noticed that you like poetry, but I didn’t see anything by her on your bookshelf,” Megan explained. “I think you’ll like her work; I bookmarked one poem in particular that really speaks to me.”
“Didn’t she pass away recently?” the mare asked as she turned to the page marked with a little purple post-it flag.
“Last year.”
Clearing her throat, Maykere started reading:
“In those years, people will say, we lost track
of the meaning of we, of you
we found ourselves
reduced to I
and the whole thing became
silly, ironic, terrible:
we were trying to live a personal life
and yes, that was the only life
we could bear witness to
But the great dark birds of history screamed and plunged
into our personal weather
They were headed somewhere else but their beaks and pinions drove
along the shore, through the rags of fog
where we stood, saying I”
“After I read it, I found myself questioning who I am and where I fit in society,” Megan spoke aloud to herself just as much as to her companion. “What does it mean to be a hermaphrodite? A singer? A daughter? Me? What parts do my various roles play in the many societal aspects of my daily life? Marblecliff? My band? My family? You and me?”
“And did you learn anything?” Maykere asked.
With a slight nod, the bat answered, “It means everything and nothing at all. I can’t change who I am any more than I can force change upon those who would judge me. Fuck them. Pretending to be something I’m not will only cause me and the ones I care about greater unhappiness than living with the narrow-minded views and opinions of those that would hate me for just being me. All we can do is be the best we that we can be and hope for the best.”
“That’s remarkably insightful,” Maykere observed. “Thank you for the book. I can’t wait to read more.” She cupped Megan’s cheeks in her palms and pulled their faces close together, planting another soft kiss on the bat’s lips. Suddenly, she let out a surprised squeal as Megan grabbed the mare by the hips and twisted her around so that she was laying down with the teen bat hovering over her with a mischievous grin. “What are you…?”
With a slight cock of her head, her lover answered, “Look above us.”
Tilting her neck to the side, the mare peered around her lover’s face to see a ribbon-bound bundle of red berries and deep green leaves. “You know,” Maykere chuckled, “that’s not actually mistletoe. Real mistletoe is parasitic and would’nmpphh -”
Her explanation was cut short as Megan silenced her with another kiss, deeper and more sensual than the last. She let out an excited groan of sexual arousal as the bat’s long tongue forced its way past her lips and into her muzzle, searching out her own. A pair of manicured claws trailed their way down her stomach over top of her sweater before slipping beneath the waistband of her pants and underwear, causing her to gasp and her pulse to quicken.
Breaking the kiss, the bat gently nibbled on Maykere’s ear before whispering, “Don’t spoil the moment with botanical talk.” The equine woman shivered at the sensation of Megan’s breath tickling the hairs lining her inner ear, then bucked her hips at the sensation of one of the bat’s slender fingers tracing its way up along her damp slit and across her aching clit.
“D-don’t tease,” she panted as her lover drew lazy circles with her fingertip, smearing her juices over the golden hoop adorning the top of her nethers.
“You’re right,” Megan cooed softly, “dinner should be ready any minute now.” She punctuated that last word with a thrust of her middle finger, penetrating the needy mare’s depths and eliciting a moan borne of both satisfaction and frustration. She gave her lover a couple of slow, deep thrusts before withdrawing her digit, causing Maykere to whimper.
The bat herm giggled as she slid her damp fingers past Maykere’s panting lips, making her taste her own nectar. “Don’t blame me for this; I was sweet and submissive until you came along.” She pulled her saliva-slicked fingers out of the mare’s muzzle and gave her a fierce, urgent kiss, tasting the woman’s juices on her tongue, then pulled back and sat up straight. “We’ll finish this later. Let’s go eat.”
~~~~~
The bedroom of Jeremy Summers
“Ooooooh…” Ross moaned, her claws digging into the bedsheets for support. Her strong calves flexed, digging her heels in below her lover’s shoulder blades in an urgent attempt to assist his efforts to bring her pleasure. Jeremy continued treating her nether regions with his fingers and mouth, two digits slowly stroking in and out of her pussy while his tongue tasted her folds and flicked across her fleshy pearl.
Their impromptu date had gone well enough, she supposed. The entire time they were out, though, she couldn’t help fuming over Riley going behind her back. Megan was her ex, and while she didn’t consider them to be friends, there was a certain sense of honor, a code that prohibited teammates from pursuing relationships with each other’s past loves without permission. At least, she thought there was, but team sports were still new territory for her. Still, Jeremy hadn’t noticed her mental distraction in the slightest; or, perhaps he did but didn’t let it stop him from inviting her back to his place. Up to his bed. From slipping her panties off and burying his muzzle between her thighs…
“Mmmmmh!” Ross whined plaintively as Jeremy found that spot deep in her core, sending a single erotic shudder shooting throughout her being. He took notice of her reaction and dutifully searched until he rediscovered that sensitive place, causing Ross to cry out all over again. While he clearly knew his way around the female anatomy, he lacked Megan’s knowledge of all of the subtle tricks and nuances to heighten her pleasure. “Oh God, nnuh-!” the Tundra Lioness cried out as a small orgasm finally washed over her. Jeremy eased his index and middle fingers out of her cunny and was rewarded with a slight trickle of her sweet ambrosia.
Ross remained quiet as she came down from her climax, her nose picking up on the scent of her own sex hanging heavily in the air. She and Jeremy looked at each other, lust glimmering in his eyes and her desire slick on his lips. She silently stared at him, tracing his form down from his masculine face to his bare, muscular chest and downward to his erect cock, held in place by the band of his boxers and pants. Suddenly, it struck her how different male equipment looked on a man’s torso instead of on the girlish hips she once adored on Megan…
She was supposed to be having sex with Jeremy to help her get over her ex-lover, not to be reminded of her!
A hollow pang in the pit of her stomach made Ross push away those thoughts, and back to the matter at hand. “I’m not on any kind of birth control. Do you have a condom?” the white Lioness asked with a frustrated growl of sexual need.
Without a word, Jeremy stood up and opened the nightstand, pulling out a small, square foil wrapper. He let his pants and boxers fall as he slipped the rubber down over his rod of flesh. As she undid her top, Ross took in the sight of his manhood, before discarding the garment and tossing it aside. He wasn’t quite as thick or long as Megan, but then again, bat penises were proportionately larger than those of squirrels.
What was wrong with her?
As her bra followed the rest of her clothing, Jeremy joined her on the bed and pressed his muzzle against hers, feeling up her now exposed bosom. He pulled her slightly, causing them to fall down on the bed with her on top of him, his protected member sliding up her thigh and nestling up close to her aching pussy. Ross ended the kiss and sat up slowly, lifting herself slightly before grabbing Jeremy’s cock for the first time.
A slight tinge of worry bothered Ross as she lined up his dick with her entrance. It had been a while since she’d been with Megan, and besides the fact that this might hurt a little, the fucked-up fact that she was using Jeremy for revenge against her ex bothered her again.
“It’s alright, Ross. Go as slow as you need until you feel comfortable,” he reassured her. She nodded. While his advice was misguided, it still helped her as she lowered herself down his shaft. The head slipped in without a problem, if without much pleasure. Ross then speared herself down onto his lap, gasping out at how full she suddenly felt. She closed her eyes, adjusting to her self-inflicted intrusion. Jeremy took hold of her paws, sitting patiently and enjoying the feeling of the tense squeezing of her cunt.
Once her tight channel was accustomed to having him inside, Ross began to rock her hips back and forth, grinding herself on Jeremy before raising up almost to the head of his cock again. She repeated this motion several times, coating the latex sheath with her fluids, then started to bounce, making the wet sounds of sex as she picked up speed. Jeremy moaned in pleasure and watched as Ross’s unrestrained tits bounced with the rest of her athletic body, her face stuck in a half moan as she focused on frigging herself on him. He released one of her paws and grabbed a pawful of her boob, squeezing it and working the nipple with his palm. Ross placed her now-free paw behind her to better balance herself as she rocked her cunny with desperation.
They both panted as the intensity of their fucking gradually increased, and once Ross had found her rhythm Jeremy added to the sensations by lifting his hips to meet hers. Their gasps and moans slowly grew louder as they became more intimate. She could feel she was getting close, but worried that she might not make it before Jeremy would. She let go of his other paw and leaned forward, placing both of her palms on either side of his shoulders so she could work herself even faster. Her position placed her over the Gray Squirrel’s face, and he looked deep into her blue eyes, keeping as calm as he could as she furiously rode his cock. His paws traveled to her hips and he began to assist her by screwing her with renewed vigor.
Her moans became low and heavy as she neared her limit and Jeremy’s manhood began to stroke her insides at just the right angle, relentless as he focused on taking it home. Ross’s face curled into a snarl as he occasionally hit her g-spot, until finally she slammed herself onto his pelvis, sighing in relief as she made a mess of his lower half where they were joined. Small aftershocks continued to course through her as Jeremy pummeled upwards into her before finally locking his hips flush against her sex, the synthetic barrier of the condom keeping his seed from filling the teen feline’s womb.
“Wow,” the gray squirrel exclaimed with a satisfied grin as he lay naked on his back, panting and covered in sweat and feminine cum. As he slipped the spent condom from his softening dick, he added, “That was definitely worth the wait!”
“Yeah,” Ross managed to huff as she attempted to recover her breath, equally nude. She didn’t pull away as he took her paw into his, their fingers intertwining, and managed to force a smile as her eyes met his... While Jeremy could get her to where she needed to go, it was like they would just park once they arrived. With Megan, once she got there she kept going until they crashed, leaving Ross weak and limp like one of those test dummies. He was an adequate lover, but the lack of an emotional connection made the experience less than satisfying.
“Hey,” she said, “sorry if this is weird timing, but would you like to be my date to the Winter Formal?” She regretted the question as soon as it left her lips. The only reason she was seeing Jeremy was because she was jealous of Megan and Riley’s relationship - a situation which she had helped to create - and wanted to make her ex feel the same. No, that wasn’t right; she still loved Megan and the last thing she ever wanted was to cause her any further pain. Maybe Jeremy would decline -
“Sure, I think I can get away for a weekend,” he answered. “When is it?”
“January 17th.”
“Oh, that’ll be easy,” Jeremy said. “The semester will just be starting and the workload shouldn’t be too bad yet.”
Fuck.
“Great,” she replied. “I’ll be wearing light blue, so if you can find something to match…?”
“I’m sure I have something,” he answered, “but if I don’t, I’m sure Claire would love to help me shop.” He leaned over and gave her a tender kiss before adding, “So, sex, a school dance… Does this mean we’re a thing now?”
Forcing another smile, Ross returned the kiss and responded, “I think so.”
What the fuck was she thinking?
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