Dangerous Lunatic: Meld -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From early on, Melina loved gluing things together. She would get into the glue and stick things everywhere, making massive piles of things all glued together. White glue, super glue, rubber cement, she loved it all. In grade school she caused many problems with her love of glue, including several times of making school books glued to the teacher's desk. While some might block out memories that didn't make sense, Melina's strongest memory was of when she was only five. She was playing with a standard kid's toy, building blocks. She was getting upset with one bock that was broken, where it should have been a snug fit, it was loose. She was a perfectionist at her building, and needed that block to stay. She became fed up with the block and pulled it off, pressing another block against the underside and squeezing. Simple kid's logic, if it needs a tighter grip. squeeze it tighter. What happened was the two blocks fused together into one, the top block impaled on the lower one about halfway through. It had not bulged out at all where the two pieced met, it was seamless, and even the colors were mixed. Where the top block was black and the bottom one was white, the area between them was grey. With being a perfectionist, the kitten threw a tantrum and smashed her construction, the ruined block being thrown in her fit of anger. Her parents of course came to her and comforted her until the anger burnt off, at which point she returned to her happy bubbly self. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina was now 15 years old, her lanky body just blossoming into puberty. She had experimented with her ability a few times over the years, but it never felt useful to her. Now she was in high school and for the first time she was introduced to metalshop. Cutting, welding, shaping, it all appealed to her creative side. She started off with basic projects, racks, cabinets, stands, and quickly excelled to larger projects. She found her gift particularly useful in repairing improper welds, just carefully squeezing them together until they looked proper. She never needed to heat anything when she fused them, they just combined together. In science class she found out that having two objects occupy the same space like that impossible to achieve, but scientists had theories that it would be possible if they could unlock the secrets of phasing. History class told her of ancient civilizations, and an article in the textbook gave an interesting read on how swords were forged. Being a curious and constructive child, Melina of course wanted to test this. But as soon as the teacher got wind of this, he stopped her. Making weapons in school was punishable with suspension. Melina started to come in after school and use the metal shop, testing her ability on various metals. She found that if she ran her fingers along a piece of metal as she ran it through a roller press, she could make two pieces fuse together. She started with two pieces of steel about the size of a steak knife and sandwiched them together through the press. The ending single plate felt twice as hard as the starting piece, and she tested it against another piece she hadn't fused. It was indeed twice as heavy and twice as hard to bend. Melina discarded her piece of steel, putting it into a box labelled scraps and then washed up before heading home, proud of herself. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- About a week later, Melina was in her metalshop class, this time the class was learning about chainmail and how it was made. Melina was watching intimately, but some other students had opted to work on other projects instead. A loud screech followed by a sharp BANG filled the classroom, followed by screaming. The attention of everyone in the class turned to the chop saw loaded with a diamond-edged grinder blade, used for cutting small pieces of steel faster and more precise than a hacksaw. Everyone stared with wide eyes at how the blade had literally exploded, the fox who was using it screaming at the top of his lungs, shrapnel from the blade sticking from his body in three separate places, his belly, his shoulder, and his right eye. "Call an ambulance!" Melina yelled as she rushed to the boy's side, trying to stop him from pulling the blade pieces out. The boy writhed on the floor as Melina tried to calm him, but the wounds kept seeping blood all over the floor, the puddle growing. The teacher brought over a box of heavy duty paper towels, which they used to catch the blood like First Aid had taught them. It seemed like forever before the ambulance arrived, and blood was everywhere. The EMTs bandaged the boy up and rushed him to the hospital. The whole class was in shock over what they had seen. The teacher let everyone leave class early and go home. Melina stayed behind to clean the blood off of herself. "I don't understand it, that was a brand new blade three days ago... It should not have broken like that." The metalshop teacher told the principal of the school. "What was he trying to cut?" the principal looked at the table the saw was set up on. "Just a piece of scrap metal..." The teacher picked up a small piece of metal, "The hell? it's heavier than it looks!" Melina went pale as she realized that that simple piece of scrap she had fused and tossed into the bin was the cause of this. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina did her best not to let on about her feelings of guilt, and whenever anyone asked what was wrong, she just told them she was just shook up from what happened. The next day an announcement came over the P.A. system that said that the boy was stable and would recover, and that the cause of the accident was a piece of military grade steel that made it into the scraps bin. Melina's grades fell for the term that this happened, and her parents didn't take that well. They knew that she was a smart girl and that she was capable of better grades. Her parents decided to hire a tutor to help her out, a nice college student who was suggested through the school. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Hello there, Melina. I'm Jennifer." The 20 year old leopardess smiled to the young cheetah as they were introduced. "Your parents hired me to help you out with your studies?" Melina looked over the leopardess, she was BEAUTIFUL! Her body was healthy, and with just a few hints of extra padding that added to her curves. Melina smiled as she nodded to the leopardess, "Hello to you as well." The leopardess crouched down and looked the cheetah in the eyes, "Look at you, you're already becoming quite the looker. Got a boyfriend yet?" "N..no. not yet." Melina blushed as she looked back into the other feline's eyes, "Most boys don't like me..." "Awww, that sucks. Don't worry, soon you will have boys flocking after you." The snow leopard stood up again and smiled, "Well, let's get started in your tutoring." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The tutoring went well, the two got along almost like sisters. Once the grades picked up, the tutor sessions started to become more casual, talking about personal things as much as schoolwork. About a month into the tutoring sessions, Melina went into estrus. This was her third time, so it was nothing new to her. And with the tutor being a female, the parents saw no reason to stop the tutoring in this time. And of course, the last time Melina went into heat, she had to stay home from school and missed a lot of work, so the tutoring would be extra helpful here. Melina welcomed the leopardess with a hug and then they both went up to her bedroom. "God I hate being in heat..." "Really? Some girls love it..." The leopardess blushed a little as she sat there at the desk with the cheetah. "Love it? It feels like I wanna claw myself inside out..." Melina flopped on her bed and gave a loud sigh. Jennifer peeked out into the hall and then closed the door most of the way, "I brought you something that might help." Melina sat up and watched as the leopardess pulled a small item from her purse. Both girl giggled as the dildo was passed from the older to the younger feline. "This has been in service since I was younger than you... its only fair that it gets passed on to such a sweetie." Melina could only blush as she held the toy in her hand, her fingers running over it softly. It was shaped like a male feline, and about 5 inches in length. "Thanks!" The rest of the tutoring went well for the day, and Melina snuck the toy into the bathroom when she had a soak in the tub before bed. Suffice to say, she slept well. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "The target has been tagged. Requesting orders." "Maintain cover story, extraction window is not open yet." "Orders received. Anything I can do to assist in preparations?" "Negative. Just stick to your job." "Acknowledged." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina continued her studies with the tutor until her heat passed, and once back in school, her grades returned to being As and Bs. The rest of the school year passed without incident. Shortly before summer vacation, Melina's parents received a letter of invitation to a summer camp for their daughter. They talked about the camp with their daughter, but it wasn't until she heard that the camp had classes in medieval metal forging. That got Melina's attention, and she agreed to the month long camp, away from her parents. Melina was signed up for the camp and once the date arrived, she packed up her things and gave her parents a tight hug before boarding the bus. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The bus ride to the camp was uneventful, but the scenery was nice. The bus left the city and drove across a bridge that spanned a large river, then continued through the woods until it came to the summer camp location. It was an average camp site, log cabins around a central fire pit, an archery range, a wood shop, and of course the blacksmith forge that Melina came here for. The bus pulled into the parking lot where only a few other cars were parked, and the kids stepped off the bus one by one. A head count was taken to ensure the numbers matched up, and then all the new campers were gathered around the fire pit. "Greetings campers! Welcome to Camp Forge." The old wolf stood in front of the fire, walking around it slowly. His fur was already starting to turn from its natural black to grey at the tips, and a scar on his cheek rounded out his wise old wolf look. He wore a camp uniform with a sash that showed all sorts of star-shaped badges with various pictures. "Everyone here calls me Greytooth. " Melina watched the wolf as he talked about various camp rules, basic common sense things mostly, but a few were very specific. Quite a few giggled and some awwwwed when the old wolf brought up the no sex rule. Melina was one who giggled. The old wolf went on to explain where the outhouse was and other basic directions before he started to divide the campers into five groups. Everyone in the camp was already in the same age range, so having younger ones around wasn't a big deal, and the wolf made it clear that he would not group by gender, as that was an archaic way of segregating people. Melina was put into group two along with nine others, three girls and six boys. Their group number of course corresponded to their cabin number. After everyone was assigned to a group and each group was gathered in front of their cabin, it was announced that they had one hour to get settled and then they were to all meet in mess hall for dinner. Melina followed her group into their cabin. It had six bunk beds, three on each side, and twelve lockers lined the far wall. Each locker had a brand new pad lock with its key sticking out of it and each key had a number and a small clip for attaching to clothes. There was a large open space in the middle of the cabin where a mat was laid out, similar to a yoga mat. With ten people and twelve beds, two people were lucky and got a bunk bed to themselves. Melina wasn't lucky enough to get that, but did get the top bunk. Her bunk mate was a male skunk who seemed more intent on his gameboy than socializing, but that was just fine with her. She did get his name from him though, John. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The high pitched ringing of a triangle rang out from the mess hall, signalling that dinner was ready. The campers all formed a single file line in front of the food that had been prepared. Classic camp food, boiled wieners, corn on the cob, tuna sandwiches, and mashed potatoes. A little something for everyone. Melina had yet to introduce herself to anyone at the camp yet aside from the skunk she was paired with for her bunk bed, so she just plunked down at the closest table. She was never a very social person, cheetahs tend to be loners, so she simply ate her meal there alone. Without warning, a rat plunked down beside her at the table and smiled, "Hi there, spots!" Melina blinked as she looked up at the smiling face of the rodent sitting beside her, "Hi." She didn't know what else to say. "You looked like you could use some company." The rat had beady brown eyes, but his smile and posture showed he was a generally outgoing and relaxed person. "I'm Marcus." "Melina." The cheetah smiled to the rat before she stuffed another mouthful of food into her mouth. "A beautiful name for a beautiful predator." The grin that the rat gave her was a tad unnerving, but she dismissed it. They both continued their meal, exchanging only a few glances. Once they had both had their fill, they stood up and smiled to each other. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Melina. I'm in cabin three." The rat bowed a little as he smiled, his eyes never leaving those of the cheetah. "And you as well." Melina returned the smile to the rat as he bowed. "I'm in cabin two." "Well, if you feel like hunting little old me, you know where ill be." The rat gave a wink before he turned away, taking his tray to the designated spot for cleaning. Melina puzzled over that comment at the end there, surely he didn't mean he wanted her to chase him like a feral would chase dinner. She brushed off those thoughts and took her tray to the bin, placing it in with the rest of them. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- After dinner, there was a gathering at the camp fire with marshmallows and some camp songs, but neither really interested Melina, so she slipped off to use the bathroom. Again camp life at its best. It was an outhouse, or rather two outhouses, one for boys, one for girls. The small wooden shack had air fresheners around it and everything, but they did little to cover the smell. At least there was toilet paper and small fountain to wash up with. Melina did her business as fast as she could and then let out a surprised mewl as she stepped out of the outhouse and found Marcus there waiting for her. "Hello again, spots!" The rat smiled as he extended his hand towards her, "I saw you slip off from the fire and thought I might talk to you in private." Melina looked down at the offered hand, a little confused by it and the rat's posture. She reluctantly extended her hand to his, "You want to talk to me? about what?" Once more the rat confused her with his actions. He gripped her hand and leaned in, running his tongue over her fingertips. "Mmmmm, very nice. You missed a spot." The rat cleaned off those fingers with his tongue, almost worshipping them. Melina ewwwwwed as she pulled her hand back from the rat, "The hell are you doing?" "Testing what it takes to make you smack me." The rat leaned forwards and turned his head, presenting his cheek for the cheetah. Melina thought about hitting him, but decided against it, as it was what he was wanting. "What's with you?" "I am who I am, and I won't change for anyone." The rat grinned as he picked up the small flask he had set beside the tree, He sauntered over to the boy's side of the outhouse, "Any who, I'm REALLY just here to fill my canteen, gotta have something to drink tonight." "Drink?" Melina watched the rat as he closed the door, but she didn't hear it lock. She stood there for a moment, her thoughts coming from her mouth, "But there's no running water there.." Melina turned and walked away from the outhouses, her mind still boggling over how the rat was gonna fill the canteen when the fountain was outside. It wasn't until halfway back to the fire pit that it clicked and gave another long ewwwwwwwwwwww. The camp songs were still going on when she returned, but Melina didn't feel like joining in, so she just went back to her cabin. Three others had the same idea, including her bunk-mate. She climbed up into her bed and stretched out, relaxing herself as she thought about the rat again, wondering if he was serious about filling the canteen like that. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- A trumpet outside rang out in the early morning, waking everyone up and giving them a heads up that breakfast was in an hour. Melina got out of bed and stretched in a very feline manner. She rolled out of bed and down the down the ladder in a moment and was at her locker before she even realized it. Melina was in the clothes she chose to sleep in, a pair of jogging pants and a loose shirt, and choose a pair of jeans and another shirt similar to the one she was wearing already. She took the change of clothes with her over to the back of the cabin where a closet had been set up as a place for any campers in the cabin to use for privacy while changing. Once changed, the cheetah stepped out into the crisp morning air and yawned, plodding sleepily towards the mess hall again for breakfast. The hall was still empty, many of the campers still being roused from their beds, but there was a small group sitting at one of the far tables. Melina looked over to the group and saw the rat with them. She gave a shrug and walked over to the table to see what was going on. The group was watching as an ocelot performed card tricks, guessing what cards were randomly chosen from the deck by each person. Melina smiled to everyone, "Mind if I join you until breakfast is ready?" The entire group smiled and shuffled to make room for one more. The ocelot held the deck of cards out and grinned, "I bet I can guess what card you choose from the deck..." Melina chuckled softly at the challenge and took the deck in her hand and shuffled it several times while the group watched her, making sure they were properly randomized. She then placed the deck down on the table and cut it into two piles, then cut again for four piles "I'm sure you could read the cards you can see the backs of..." Melina grinned, looking to the ocelot. She knew the trick to catching fakes when it comes to card games like this. "But can you tell me what the card second from the bottom is on each pile?" "Easy Peasy." The ocelot grinned wide and stretched his arms over his head, closing them for a moment before he pointed at the piles one by one. "Two of diamonds, eight of spades, jack of spades, and the last one is a five of clubs." Each pile was turned over one at a time and the bottom card removed. His guesses matched perfectly. The entire group was silent in awe at the display of prediction, but Melina was upset. She was sure that was going to reveal the ocelot to be just another trickster. "Fine. Marcus, ya got a penny?" The cheetah grinned as she decided to test her ability and see if she can impress the group with it. "I got a whole pocket full of change." The rat fished out a penny and held it out for the girl. "Why?" Melina grinned and snatched the coin from its owner, holding it up between two fingers before she brought the coin down on the end of the table. Everyone watched curiously as she held her hand there against the table, "Heads or tails." The group let out a collective laugh at the simple 50-50 chance. Not much of a trick here. Marcus piped up first, "Tails up, my favourite position." More laughter came from the group at the lewd comment from the rat, typical teenagers. "Seriously, heads or tails." Melina's tone showed she wasn't joking about this. Marcus raised an eyebrow curiously at the seriousness of the cheetah, "Ok, Tails." "Wrong." Melina grinned as she held her hand over the coin still, "And its not heads either." "Ahhhh, the old slight of hand. There is no coin." The ocelot grinned as he looked to the cheetah, "Am I right?" Melina shook her head and lifted her hand. The coin was indeed there on the table, but not how anyone expected. Buried half way into the wood of the table, against the grain, was the penny. The entire group jumped back, astounded at the trick. Even the ocelot was wide-eyed as he looked at the penny embedded into the table. They all took turns trying to remove the coin, but nobody could, so they left it there, glancing at it occasionally as if it would disappear if they forgot about it. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Breakfast was pretty basic, options of oatmeal or cold cereal as a side with bacon, eggs, and toast as the main course. There was also the option of salad for those who were vegetarian, or peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Drinks included juice (apple, orange or grape) or milk, and a tray of granola bars was available for anyone wanting to take a snack with them. Melina chose bacon and eggs with a side of regular cereal, so she could have extra milk this morning. She sat with the group as they talked, but it seemed to be about geeky stuff that she wasn't into, so she didn't listen very intently. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- After the campers were all fed, they were assembled at the campfire in their assigned groups. The camp counsellors had set up tables with sign up sheets that would allow each camper to choose what they learned here at camp. There was everything from wilderness survival to cooking to blacksmithing. Melina wanted the blacksmithing more than anything else, so she signed up for that first. Much to her surprise, Marcus signed up for it as well! Melina looked around for the rat and saw him heading off to the outhouses. With a smirk, she decided to follow him this time. She watched as the rat pulled out his flask and gulped down the last of its contents before slipping into the bathroom. Melina walked over to the outhouse and chuckled softly, hearing the ahhhhhhh come from the boy's side. It was still the morning, so there was little privacy, and if she stuck around too long, it might look weird. Thankfully, she didn't need to. Marcus stepped out of the outhouse as he slipped his flask into his vest, the rat giving a squeak as he saw the cheetah standing there. "So whatcha got stashed in there? beer? scotch? vodka?" Melina crossed her arms across her chest as she looked at the rat, grinning toothily. "Nothing you would like, spots... all I have is my private reserve..." Marcus looked very nervous, not his usual sly and cool, as if he was caught in the act of something. "Your bullshitting me. Gimme that flask." Melina almost growled the last part, reaching her hand out. "Are you sure? your not gonna like it.." Marcus grinned as he pulled the flask out and put it in her hand. Not one to turn down a challenge, Melina opened the flask and took a swig... And promptly spewed it all over the side of the outhouse, retching hard and trying not to vomit. Marcus took his flask back before it spilled and laughed hard, nearly doubling over as he watched the cheetah "What the FUCK?!?" Melina coughed and spat, trying to get the taste out of her mouth, "That's fucking URINE!" Marcus grinned toothily, "As I said. Private reserve. And I did warn you." "You can't be serious." Melina stared at the rat, "You drink your own piss?" "Wanna bet? I'll chug back every drop from my flask here... IF" The rat paused and grinned wide to the cheetah, "You refill it for me after." Melina was both disgusted with the act and morbidly curious about it. "O..ok." Her voice trembled a little. Without a word, Marcus put his lips to the rim and started to drink, guzzling it down and tilting his head back to show off his throat as he swallowed. It took several gulps, but he finished and lifted the canteen up to show the last few drops falling into his mouth. "Mmmmm. Care to pay up?" Eyes wide and mouth agape, Melina stared at the rat who just chugged back enough piss to fill his bladder again. She regained her composure slowly and took the flask, muttering to herself as she turned for the girl's outhouse, "Fine... gimme a minute..." Inside the outhouse, Melina looked at the flask and wondered how the hell she was gonna fill it without making a mess. Finally she pulled her jeans and then panties down and squatted over the hole, holding the flask in her hand as she started to relieve herself. Never having done this before, she got at most half the contents of her bladder into the flask, the rest went down the hole and mixed in the cesspool below. Melina screwed the cap on and wiped herself up before pulling her pants up again. She went to wash her hand and then grinned, leaving it soaked with her piss as she stepped out. "I've never tasted anyone else's piss before..." Marcus said as he watched her return, eyes locked on the flask she had just filled. "Here." She said as she held her piss soaked hand out, "And seeing as you like the taste so much, how about cleaning my hand up too." Marcus needed little encouragement to lean over and start licking her hand the same way he did last time, his tongue lavishing attention over every digit and sucking the urine from the fur. "Mmmmm, the smell... the taste.... I think I'm in love..." Still unsure what to think of this turn of events, Melina let the rat clean her hand up for a few minutes before she pulled it away, "Its time to head back to camp, we gotta get to our classes." With both of them having signed up for blacksmithing as their first choice, they walked together to the blacksmith forge, but there was an awkward silence between then, both unsure what to say at the moment. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Welcome to Smithing." The forge master was a burly old bear, his voice booming over the machinery around him. "Call me Frank." "Today I will be demonstrating most of the tools used in blacksmithing." The bear looked at the small gathering of kids in the room, "But before we start, everyone must wear protective gear. Leather apron, gloves, and goggles are all a requirement. Failure to comply with these regulations will result in being kicked out of this class." Equipment was assigned to each camper and checked out to make sure it was up to code still before each camper was assigned a locker to keep their stuff in. The first half of the day went by in a blur, the old bear showing how old metal chunks are melted down and then poured into moulds for ingots. Next he showed how to take iron and turn it into steel by adding charcoal while it was molten. Shortly before the lunch notification rang out, the bear showed how to forge the steel into rods using the sticky black sand used in forging. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Lunch was soup, salad and sandwiches. There was four types of soup, six types of sandwich, and two types of salad. This place sure did a good job with their meals! Melina chose the chicken noodle soup and tuna sandwiches. She sat down at the same seat as breakfast, where the coin was still sticking from the wood, a grin on her face as she glanced over her handiwork. Marcus plunked down beside her and grinned. His tray had something completely unexpected, he had broccoli and cheddar soup! "Ewwww... broccoli." Was the reaction from the feline, making a face as she looked away from the rats meal. "Hey, you ever tried it? It's pretty damn good." Marcus crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at the cheetah, "You mostly taste the cheese, and it's got some spice to it too." Melina scowled at the rat... The last time she tried something of his, it turned out to be his piss. "Hey, remember, I warned you not to drink it, you drank anyway. I didn't lie." The rat said defensively to the unasked question, "Why would I lie to you about something like this?" "True..." Melina admitted as she looked back to the rat's soup, "Maybe just a taste." The rat smiled and pushed his bowl closer to the cheetah and let her take a spoonful, watching her reactions. She sniffed it first, smelled strongly of cheddar, no surprise there. She steeled herself against the worst and then stuck the spoon into her mouth. And let out a surprised Mmmmmm! "Wow, that is pretty good." The cheetah licked her lips, cleaning the last of the taste off, "Could use some chicken though." Both of them laughed together as the ocelot plunked down across from them. "What's so funny?" "It was a spur of the moment thing. Sorry man" Marcus smiled to the ocelot, "So how was archery?" The ocelot chuckled softly, "We were mostly shown different types of bows and crossbows, and of course the ammunition." "Oh? We got to see the forges in action..." The cheetah smiles as she munched on one of her sandwiches. "Oh, what was your name again? you never introduced yourself..." "I prefer the name Ace... But my real name is Alex." The ocelot smiled as he held his hand out and a card appeared in it, "My card." It was of course the ace of spades. Melina giggled softly as she snatched the card from his fingers, "I'm Melina." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- When lunch finished, all the campers went back to their classes until dinner time. They were shown what happens when metal is quenched in water instead of left to cool. The old bear gave a good scientific explanation of how quenching makes the metal crystallize internally and hardens it, but can also make it brittle. Melina and her class were given a small piece of metal and shown how to heat it and then use a hammer and anvil to shape it into horseshoes. Most of the class didn't get it right and their horseshoes needed to be reheated and some guidance for getting them into the right U shape. Melina was one of the first to finish her horseshoe, so helped Marcus with his, as he was having problems with getting it into the right shape. She helped the rat with his grip on the hammer and positioning of the bar on the anvil to get the right shape. Eventually they got it into the proper shape, and they were both free to work on other projects while they waited. Melina already knew she wanted to make herself a proper dagger. Nothing too big, just a good blade that she can take home. She choose two pieces of metal, one steel, one iron, and started to work them, flattening them and then folding them over onto themselves. Back in history class she read an article about how swords were made like this, folding metal over and over again to create strength. It took her most of the rest of the class to get it folded three times. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Dinner was much the same as the first night, wieners, corn, sandwiches, salad, ect. Melina had a thin coating of metal dust on her from her work, but it didn't bother her. She ate her meal and listened to the group talk. When the conversation turned to mechas, she listened a little more intently, but didn't have much to give for input. After dinner there was another camp fire gathering. This time Melina didn't even bother. She made a beeline for the camp shower room. Being a lanky creature, Melina was always self conscious about her body, she was developing into a young woman already, but like all girls, she wished for larger breasts that would make boys fall over her. The large shower room was set up with stalls for each shower station where you could see the head and feet of the person inside, but nothing more. There were three people using the showers already, two boys and a girl, and all three looked rather shy about their bodies. At the other end of the room, a small hyena girl washed over her body while peeking over the stall wall in case anyone was coming. The two boys were in stalls side by side, one was a fennec, and the other was a canine, though she couldn't place the breed. Melina smiled to the hyena as she approached, but was put off a little by the cold glare she got in return. Melina set her towel on the rack outside a stall near the middle and stepped in. After locking the stall door, she stepped out of her jeans and shirt, leaving herself standing there in her panties and bra for a moment. She looked around and found the hyena still watching her, which made her a little self conscious. Stripping off the remainder of her clothes and setting them aside where they wouldn't get wet, Marina turned on the water and gave a cute mewl as it started off ice cold before warming up slowly. A pair of giggles made her turn and stick her tongue out at the two boys. Melina scrubbed the grime from her fur, her shampoo making lots of suds as she lathered herself up all over, including her breasts and crotch. She could feel someone watching her as she worked her hair, her eyes clenched as not to get any shampoo in them. Rinsing the suds from her face and hair, she turned to look around. The two boys had left already, but the hyena was still there, staring at her. "Do you mind not staring?" Melina looked over at the hyena, "Its making me uncomfortable." The hyena gave a chortle, but did turn away. Melina shuddered a little and finished rinsing herself off. She turned the water off and started to dry her fur with the towel, getting the majority of the water before she wrung the towel out and then wrapped it around her body. When she left for the shower, she came prepared with a change of clothes, jogging pants and a loose T-shirt. She made sure the fur of her chest and crotch were dry before she pulled the shirt and pants on. As she gathered her things, she noticed the hyena looking at her again, still just standing there in the water. Melina sighed a little and looked over to the hyena, "Its all yours now... No need to hide yourself and defend against anyone seeing your body." The hyena gave only a small nod in reply. Melina took her stuff with her and went back to her cabin, where she crawled into bed. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Savannah reporting. Scans are complete. The camp contains eight impures." "Good work, Savannah. Do we have a report on what abilities they have?" "Three are registering as dormant. The remaining are a class 14 healer, a class 2 predictor, a class 10 ranger, a class 11 phaser, and a class 4 psychic." "Thank you, Savannah. Is there anything more to report?" "I miss you daddy. I want to come home." "Soon enough, sweet heart. Soon enough." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina slept like a log, even through several others in the cabin were kept awake by the snoring of her bunk mate. When she yawned and stretched in the morning, She felt well rested and refreshed. She bounced out of bed and changed into fresh clothes before heading outside. Marcus was already up as well, just coming back from the outhouses. "Morning spots." "Jeeze man, why don't you just move in over there at the outhouse?" Melina chuckled softly as she joined in beside the rat as they approached the mess hall, "Ya spend most of your time there anyway." "Nah, it only tastes good fresh." The rat grinned as his hand brushed against the side of the cheetah as they walked, "And I would much rather have someone enjoy it with me." Melina blushed a little at that and giggled softly, "dirty rat." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- They both entered the mess hall and looked around. Ace was sitting at the usual table, playing a game of solitaire, and the only other person in the room was the hyena that Melina had seen in the shower. Her cold gaze still clung to her face as she nibbled at a bowl of cereal. The pair joined the ocelot at the table and smiled, "Morning Ace." They both said at the same time, surprising even themselves. "Morning." Ace replied as he turned over another card, giving a bit of a sigh, "God this game is boring." "Then why play it?" The rat looked at the cards that were face up on the table. The ocelot was winning it seemed to him. "What else am I supposed to do while I wait for you two to wake up?" The ocelot grinned as he moved an entire stack from one row to the one beside it. "True." Marcus sat down beside the ocelot and peered over at the solitaire game. "Ya winning?" "Nah... I'm screwed. The fourth row has all the cards I need to win, but I can't get to them." Ace shrugged his shoulders as he flipped another card in the deck, "The jack of spades is on the bottom, then the jack of clubs, then the nine of hearts. And as you can see, that pile has the ten of hearts face up." "What's that mean?" Melina asked as she picked up the row to confirm his predictions. They were dead on. "If I was going to win, I would have to get rid of the ten. I can't move it because it can only move onto a black jack, and I can't shuffle around until I could move it to the ace pile because the nine is still hidden." The ocelot explained to his friends as he flipped another card from the deck. "Huh." Was the only response from the cheetah. She put the cards back and then stretched, giving a yawn. "Anyone know what's up with the hyena over there? she gives me the creeps..." Both males shrugged in response. Marcus glanced over at the hyena, "Yeah, she is rather creepy..." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Things settled into a routine for all the campers as they enjoyed their camp life. As they progressed in skill with each class, the campers were given more tasks and duties until the end of the week when they were graded on their performance. The blacksmith class had formed a whole suit of medieval armour out of mixed chainmail and plate mail. The hunters successfully brought home a kill for the campers to enjoy. (and gave a ritualistic thanks to the animal for its sacrifice) The gatherers harvested fruits and veggies of all sorts. The cooks prepared the game and the fruits and vegetables into a feast for the entire camp. The seventh day at the camp was a celebration of everyone having learned everything they could in their classes. Sign up sheets were put out again and every camper was allowed to choose another class for the next week. The one limit was that you couldn't take the same class you had already taken. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina relaxed in her bed, proud of herself. She had forged herself a great dagger in her spare time, as well as worked on the majority of the helm for the suit of armour. Her dagger sat in her locker in a leather case that the teacher gave her. She mulled over what class to take next. Lunch was still a few hours away, so she was kind of bored. She didn't want to sing with some of the campers... no, she wanted to relax. In fact, she wanted more than that. She hated to admit it to herself, but she was starting to fall for Marcus. She was even so far gone that she was wishing she had packed her little love rod (as she liked to call it) in her stuff. Melina looked around her cabin, too many people around for her to even think about some self loving. So instead, she fished through her locker and pulled out her bathing suit. It was a nice warm, sunny day, and she felt like lounging in something light. She slipped into the changing area and pulled the bathing suit on before putting her clothes back on over it. She then checked in with the cabin leader and made sure that he knew that she was going to the river to relax for a bit. On her way, she passed by the fire pit. Ace was at the picnic table by the fire, playing with his cards again. "Heya spots." Ace called as she walked by, seeing the towel across her shoulder, "The showers are the other way." "Don't you start calling me that now too!" Melina scowled at the ocelot as she stood there in front of him, "I happen to be heading to the river to sunbathe for a bit." "Sounds boring." Ace flipped another card from the deck and laid it down on the table. "If you're not back by lunch, ill eat your share." Melina laughed and gave Ace a playful shoulder smack, "Ill be back, don't worry. Take care, Ace." "Later... spots." The ocelot grinned wide as he said the nickname, then gave an oooof as he was smacked again. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The river was lined with forest and large rocks. It didn't flow that fast here, but other places there were distinct rapids. This is probably why she didn't see canoeing or anything on the list of courses. Melina laid her towel out on a rock and started to peel off her clothes, revealing her one-piece bathing suit with coloration similar to her own makings! She always got a thrill out of wearing this bathing suit because it made her look like she was naked without actually being naked. She made herself comfortable on the towel and relaxed in the sun, soaking up the heat as she gave a soft purr to herself. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina dozed off on the rock, and her dream was definitely memorable. She sat beside the throne of a large dragon. She looked at him with awe and wonder as he sat there, one hand moving to caress her spine in that way she adored so much. They were both completely naked, but neither seemed to object. In fact, Melina was the first to make a move, sliding in between the thighs of the dragon as she looked up at him. "Master, I'm bored..." The words from her mouth echoed in the cavern as her hands stroked over the thigh of the dragon. "Then let us enjoy some entertainment." The dragon's voice echoed through more than the cavern, it echoed in the mind and body of the feline kneeling in front of him. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. In response two small male rabbits entered stepped from the shadows pulling a snow leopard who was bound and chained. The snow leopard wore a leather hood over her face, but the scars and brands all over her body told a long story. Melina turned around to watch the show without leaving her position between her master's legs. She watched as the snow leopard was spread out on a slanted rack, her arms and legs pulled out to show off her body naked body. The show started with one rabbit mounting the larger predator, giving a fast pace that all rabbits have in common when they mate. He didn't last long of course, and the moans of the snow leopard filled the cavern as she was raped. The rabbits then changed positions, the first one resting as the second one mounted her. Once both rabbits had cum twice, the real show began. The muzzle of the mask was unzipped enough to allow the snow leopard to mumble. The two rabbits retreated from the rack for a moment before coming back, both of them brandishing a whip. The crack of the whips against flesh were eclipsed only by the moans from the snow leopard, and between each crack came the mumbled word "MORE" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina awoke from her dream with a yelp, the power of her vision still strong in her mind, yet fading like all dreams do. She looked down at the crotch of her bathing suit and blushed hard, her crotch was soaked and ached for attention. The cheetah shivered for a moment as she sat up, looking around as she blushed hard. She was so incredibly horny, but didn't want to get caught breaking the no sex rule. Thankfully, nobody was around to see her. She blushed as she wrapped her towel around her as she sat on the rock and started to masturbate with her fingers. She closed her eyes and focused on the memory of the dragon. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Marcus had found out about the sunbathing trip the cheetah was taking from Ace. After a stop at the outhouse, the rat sauntered his way to the river, planning on surprising her. He came to the river up stream of where the cheetah had chosen to sunbathe, and after a little exploring, the rat spotted the feline with a towel wrapped around her. She looked like she was meditating. Not wanting to disturb her, he didn't call out, instead walked quietly towards her. When he got closer, the moan that came from the cheetah made him stop dead in his tracks. She was not meditating... she was masturbating! A sly grin crept over the face of the rat as he resumed his journey towards the cheetah, being as quiet as he can as he approached and then stroked over her ears as he said, "Awwww, ya started without me?" Melina screamed loudly, which turned into a feral snarl as she twisted and lashed out with her claws instinctively. She felt her paw impact and her claws dig into something soft and yielding. The next thing she knew, she was on her feet in a fighting stance and looking down at the rat as he clutched his face. "Marcus?" The cheetah said as she came to her senses, crouching in and pulling the rat into her arms, "Oh shit..." The blood streaming from his fingers told it all as he turned to face the cheetah, one hand covering his left eye. The only words from the rat were "Holy fuck..." "Fuck... we gotta get you to a doctor fast..." Melina said as she tried to pull Marcus to his feet. "yo... your eye is hanging out." Marcus pulled his hand away from his face and grinned wide, "Really? Cool!" Melina stepped back in horror as she looked at what she did to the one she cared about so deeply. three thick slashes in the side of his face, with one crossing directly into the eye socket, where the eye now dangled. Marcus however, was unphased by this. He pushed the eye back into his socket and closed his eyes, a grin on his face as he unabashedly showed off his ability for the cheetah. Before her eyes, she watched as the cuts healed, the flesh knitting together and regenerating. Even the fur grew back and left no trace. His eye was bloodshot for a few minutes, but it too returned to its natural state. She stood there with her eyes wide, unbelieving of what she just witnessed. "Relax, spots. I'm fine. See?" The rat smiled and opened his eye, tilting his head so he could show off that nothing was left, not even scars. "I've been able to do this since I was young... found out when I was five." "Bu....But...." Melina was still in shock over what she had scene, and how her brain clicked into understanding about the comments the rat had made to her. Almost of her own will, her eyes glanced down at the rat's crotch... The rat was on his knees, but the mess in his pants was plainly evident, as well as the tent from his erection. "You enjoyed that, didn't you?" the cheetah said quietly as she looked up into his eyes, gauging his response. "Fuck yeah!" came the response from the rat as he grinned wide, "It was great!" Melina giggled softly and gave the rat another smack, not as hard. "You're fucking crazy. You know that?" Marcus grinned and nodded, "Crazy about you, my sexy predator." Both of them laughed hard, and neither is sure who initiated it, but they shared a tight hug, tight enough to make the rat squeak. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- After rinsing the blood from her claws and his fur, Melina got dressed again and gathered her things. They both started back towards the camp. "So, I showed you mine, you show me yours." The rat grinned side at his innuendo comment. Melina stopped dead in her tracks, as the comment... At first she thought he meant her body, but she never saw his... When he saw the confusion on her face, Marcus chuckled softly, "The coin trick. Show me how you did it." "I... don't know how I do it.. I just can..." She blushed a little as she looked around for anyone watching and then picked up two sticks from the ground, "Science class calls it phasing, but they say it's impossible." She demonstrated her ability in front of the rat, pressing the two stick together and making them meld together into a single branch shaped like a Y. Marcus looked over the fused sticks, tugging and twisting them. He then tried to pull them apart and found he couldn't. "Wow. That's so cool!" With telling someone her secret ability and not having them freak out, Melina felt even more in love with the dirty rat. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The rest of the day was uneventful, they signed up for hunting class together and then shared their lunches. They talked more after lunch, discussing each others past and where they were from. The week of hunting classes went with minimal fuss. Both Marcus and Melina were surprised to see a deer in the hunting group, but didn't question him. Day one was spent learning the basics of traps and how to set them up. They learned knots and pit traps and other assorted ways to passively hunt. The next two days had everyone practicing with bows and arrows until everyone could reliably hit the target, even if it was only on the outer edge. The deer once more surprised everyone, this time with his ability to get a perfect shot nearly every time, and not once missing the target. The fourth and fifth days were wilderness hikes that showed the campers how to track potential prey through observations of the trail each creature leaves. When the sixth day came around, the class participated in an observation of a proper hunt, but without an actual kill at the end. The lead hunter showed how to use the skills they had been taught to track an animal and bring it down, and then showed them how to perform a ritual of blessing and thanks to the animal for its sacrifice to feed them. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- On the final day of hunting, Everyone was divided into three groups. Each was given a small digital watch with a timer, a single bow, three arrows, and a piece of rope. Melina and Marcus were in the first group to go out at the crack of dawn, along with three others. Melina packed the dagger she had forged as well, in case it was needed, and Marcus took the rope. A wolf was chosen to use the bow, and everyone else was put to the task of tracking. When they set out for the hunt, the pack of five campers started their timer. They had four hours to find a prey animal and bring it back. If they encountered any predators, they were to try to leave them be, but defend themselves if attacked. If a predator species was slain, they were to bring it back instead. The hunt started off slow, the pack stalking through the trees and looking for tracks or signs of a suitable prey. Melina felt a little uncomfortable hunting with the others, but that was partly due to her instincts for being a lone hunter. She glanced over to Marcus every so often watching him sniffing around and looking for the scent of urine from their prey. After two hours, the group was getting antsy about not finding anything. Melina was trying her best to keep the group focused on their task and not stray too far away from each other. But then a rustle made them all freeze in their steps. With their predator natures in control, they each honed in on the source and found feral deer with a fawn. The wolf with the bow took aim, but Melina reached over and put her hand on the arrow, "No. She is a mother and if we take her, the child will die too." The wolf growled at the cheetah and yanked the bow away from her, "Fuck you. This is the only prey we've seen, I don't want to fail this test." Melina growled at the wolf and drew her blade, "Put the bow down. There will be other prey." Seeing the dagger, the wolf relented and lowered the bow. The doe and her fawn were sent on their way by a rock tossed in their direction. The group of hunters continued on their task, stalking through the forest until Marcus pointed out some hoof prints that looked fresh. They followed the trail until they came to a patch of mossy rocks and found an adolescent male grazing on the moss alone. The wolf wasted no time with firing an arrow into the buck and scored a hit. Sadly though, it was not a kill shot, it merely severed the spinal cord just below the ribcage. The buck bleated painfully as he tried to escape, his hind limbs twitching uselessly as he scrabbled to get to his feet. All five of the group stood there watching the wounded animal flail. The wolf cursed to himself at his poor aim and tried to notch another arrow and finish the job, but his trembling arms couldn't even pull the arrow back. Marcus was the first to act, stepping forwards and looking to Melina. His eyes told her everything and without a word she handed him her dagger. The woods were deathly silent save for the breathing of the buck as Marcus approached the wounded creature. The rat looked into the huge black eyes of the buck and took a breath, starting to recite the ritual of thanks that the hunting leader had taught them. His voice wavered and trembled at times, and by the time he was overtop of the buck his eyes were streaming tears down his cheeks. The buck had watched the rat as he approached and at first his struggles increased, but by the time the rat was standing over the fallen creature, its struggles had ceased. The buck laid its head back and exposed its neck to the predator in an instinctual act of acceptance. Marcus slit the throat of the buck, the sharp dagger slicing through wind pipe and jugular veins with ease. All five of them spend several long minutes in silence over the act they had performed. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Using the rope and sticks, the fashioned a carrying rack for the buck and distributed the weight over everyone, except Marcus because he was the smallest. The walk back to the camp was a quiet one, each reflecting on the act they had performed together. Marcus trailed behind the other four, looking at the blood that soaked his hands every now and then. Melina was on the left rear side of the rack that held the buck, with the wolf to her right. She couldn't help glancing back at Marcus now and then. She had reclaimed her knife and wiped it off with some leaves, but the stench of blood and death still clung to it. But now she worried about his emotional state. He had taken the buck's life in the most intimate way possible. Yes, it was a mercy killing at that point, and the buck had accepted its fate and exposed its neck for the killing blow. But a death of any sort changes you. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- They arrived back at camp and were greeted with cheers and congratulations. The second group was sent out while the first and third were shown how to carve up the body for meat. The hunting leader deftly carved up the body into manageable pieces that could be prepared into meals over the next few days. Melina and Marcus both excused themselves to get cleaned up of the blood that caked their bodies, and after a brief stop to retrieve changes of clothes and towels, they made for the showers. Neither of them said a word, merely exchanged glances and understood what the other needed, a coldness seeping into them as they stepped into the shower room. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The hot water formed rivers through Melina's fur as she stood there in her clothes, rinsing the blood from fur and cloth alike as she stared at random points in the room. Her mind was running on autopilot, not wanting to think about anything. Marcus was much in the same boat, and his clothes were even more bloody than hers. Not wanting to be away from his friend, he had taken the shower directly beside her. He was the first to start stripping down and hanging up his clothes, peeling the soaked cloth from his body and draping it over the side of the stall. Melina followed suit in her stripping down and stood in the water completely naked for several long moments before her gaze turned to meet that of her friend. Marcus looked into the eyes of the cheetah and broke into tears again, leaning forwards against the side of the stall. The stall was too tall for them to embrace properly, but they were able to press their heads together cheek to cheek. Melina soon joined in the crying as they shared their closeness, comforting each other in the shower room. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Once they had both recovered enough, they dried off and left the showers, walking back to the fire pit for relaxing. The second group had just arrived and brought three feral rabbits. The buck had been a part of this group, and it appeared that he was the one to have caught the rabbits. Neither rat nor cheetah looked at the buck who seemed to revel in his glory, the blood still staining his hands. Instead, they sat close in front of the fire pit. It was almost lunch time and the fire was just a pile of cold ashes, but they sat there and enjoyed their closeness. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Lunch came around and the pair walked together into the mess hall, joining the line for their meal. The both chose the broccoli and cheddar soup and some tuna sandwiches, but declined on everything else that was offered. They joined Ace quietly, sitting beside each other and looking at their meager meal. "Are you two ok?" Ace asked as he looked with concern at his friends who were quiet and subdued. Melina looked over at the Ocelot and forced a smile, "I will be, but thank you." The only response the rat gave was a nod as he took a spoonful of his soup. He let it sit in his mouth for a few long moments before swallowing it with a sigh. Melina leaned over and kissed the rat on the cheek, whispering in his ear, "Cheer up, hun. After lunch I'll fill your canteen for ya." Marcus turned to her and blushed hard enough that even Ace could see it through his dark fur. He replied quietly, "Thank you." They both ate their meal slowly, taking almost the whole lunch hour to finish their meager portions. Once they finished, They both walked to the outhouse and the cheetah filled up the canteen as she promised, and then gave him a tender hug as she returned the now full canteen. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The last group did not successfully catch any prey, but they were still congratulated for their effort. The gathering parties returned with a veritable feast of edible roots, veggies, and fruit that all grew wild around these parts. Dinner consisted of ribs from the buck, rabbit soup, and several various dishes made from what the gatherers collected. Melina and Marcus had more of an appetite now, but still felt bad about having to kill the buck. With each bite they both gave a mental thank you to their food. Ace gorged himself on the soup and ribs, and had a slice of wild berry pie for desert. After dinner there were more songs around the camp fire, and the rat spend most of his time snuggled against the cheetah's side, occasionally taking a drink from his canteen. The both turned in early and had a good long sleep. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina looked up at her master again, the large silver dragon relaxing on his throne. She watched his gaze turn to her and then shivered as he spoke. "My little kitten. You have been so good to me. You deserve a treat." Melina watched as the dragon gestured to the hall and a rat slipped into view. She knew this rat and was so achingly pleased to see him. They embraced and kisses right there in front of the dragon. Their embrace turned passionate, and before long, Melina had the rat pinned on the floor in a 69 position, her crotch grinding against the face of the rat. What came next seemed only natural, The cheetah started to empty her bladder on the face of the rat. She listened to his gurgles as she relieved herself, the cheetah revelling in the act. She let out a cute mewl as the rat started to empty his bladder back, coating her chest in his strong piss. Then the dragon stepped up and hosed them both down. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Melina woke up squirming. It was the middle of the night and she had to pee BADLY. She carefully slipped out of the bunk bed and out of the cabin. There were a few people on night watch, but a camper getting up to pee wasn't anything new. The path to the outhouse has some small lamps lining the path to distinguish it better. She followed the path at a reasonably brisk pace and almost gave a snarl as she found the door locked. A small red vixen stepped out of the outhouse and looked the cheetah in the eyes, "A storm is coming. The dark ones will come and the screaming of innocents will consume the yellow coffin." Melina shivered as she looked into the vacant stare of the vixen. She moved her hand to the shoulder of the vixen, "What did you say?" At the touch, The vixen blinked and shook, "Huh? where am I? was I sleep walking again?" Melina chuckled softly and smiled to the smaller vixen, "Looks like you came here to pee... just like I did." The vixen looked around and smiled, "Ahhh, thank you. I should get back to sleep." Melina watched as the vixen twisted away from her and practically ran off towards the cabins. The words said by the vixen echoed in her mind over and over as she stepped into the outhouse and did her business. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The next morning started off nice. Melina had chosen sculpting as her last course, and the first day was an introduction to the types of clay used in sculpting. They talked about adobe, terracotta, and other various types of clay, describing what each is best used for. Marcus had chosen another class to be a part of for the last portion of the camp, But Melina still got to see him at lunch. They talked closely and exchanged flirts as they enjoyed each others company. After lunch, the class was given a small portion of grey clay and told to sculpt whatever they felt like. Melina, inspired by her dream, sculpted a small dragon out of the clay. It was no larger than her palm, and it was pretty messy, but she still enjoyed sculpting it. The next morning she tried again, but this time with wax. She used hot blades and wires to melt the wax. The blades attached to a pen-like heating iron that allowed a lot of dexterity to be used in the manipulation of the wax. By lunch she had turned a block of wax into the rough shape of a dragon sitting with his tail coiled around him. Impressed with her work, the instructor helped Melina with her design, providing better tools for her to sculpt with and encouraging her seemingly natural talent. She was shown how to weld two pieces of wax together solidly and helped Melina with the design of the wings for the dragon so they would sit on its back. Melina spent a seemingly obsessive amount of time getting the details on the figurine perfect. She even made sure the claws were sculpted properly. She didn't sculpt any scales onto the form, instead opting for the smooth, sleek form of a dragon. By the fourth day of the sculpting class, the little wax figure was finished. Melina cherished the little work of art and was incredibly careful with it. Then the instructor came to her and offered to pay for it of she wanted to use the wax dragon for casting with silver. Melina was awed at the offer, it would match her dream perfectly, a little silver dragon for her to cherish. Se agreed to have her work of art become a metal casting and now learned about creating a plaster mould around the wax figurine. Melina watched curiously as the plaster was poured and then vacuumed out as it was vibrated, creating a bubble-free casting of the wax model. After sitting over night, the plaster mould was heated to melt the wax and prepare the mould for casting. The mould was then loaded into a centrifugal caster. Molten silver was poured into the central part of the arm while it spun inside the metal enclosure, protecting everyone nearby from splashing metal. Once the mould was filled completely, it was removed with metal tongs and dropped into a bucked of water to cool. Melina meanwhile left for lunch, eager work on her figurine once it cooled. When she came back, the plaster had dissolved from around the figurine and left it sitting alone in the bucket. She fished it out and examined her piece of art. It was a very dull finish all over and still needed to be cleaned up, but it had no missing parts that didn't cast properly. The next two days saw Melina filing and sanding the little figurine to get rid of problem areas that had formed in the casting process, as well as smoothing out the curves and creating highlights. After she was satisfied with the sanding job, she used the buffing wheel in the blacksmiths area to give every inch of her figurine a shine, especially the wings. Melina almost cried when the figurine got away from her when she was buffing it though. The head and claws dug in and before she knew it, the figurine had been knocked out of her hands and slammed to the ground with enough force to bend the tip of the wing down. She finished polishing her little dragon and cleaned it up with a toothbrush, scrubbing every inch of it with incredible attention to detail. At the suggestion of the instructor, Melina drilled out the eyes carefully and glued in red glass gems that had been sitting around. This final detail was put in on the very last day of the course, and the third to last day of the camp overall. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The last two days of the camp were spent having fun and saying goodbye to all new friends everyone had met at camp. Much to Melina's surprise though, the last day it started to rain really bad. It was a torrential storm out there, and there was even the occasional crack of thunder. The last day was spend indoors, and Melina spent it almost entirely with Marcus. She even began to enjoy sneaking off to fill his canteen for him. Melina did see the vixen she had run into in the middle of the night at breakfast, and it looked like the girl hadn't had a single hours sleep. She was right about the storm, and that made Melina uneasy. The cheetah talked with Ace and Marcus and exchanged IM accounts, making sure they can still talk once they left the camp. Melina was pleased to hear that Marcus lived close to her. The other side of town, but still within easy reach. Ace lived in a small suburb just outside the city, making it much harder for her to visit him. After breakfast was finished, Melina surprised everyone when she pulled her rat over to her and kissed him on the lips. The way she held him tight as she kissed him told everyone that she had laid claim on him, and once they parted lips, the cheetah grinned, "Your my dirty little rat." Marcus blushed hard and couldn't think of anything to say, his mouth hanging open as he looked into the eyes of the cheetah that had taken him like that. After a few long moments the rat regained his composure and grinned wide, "Not until you get me a collar that reads so." It was the cheetahs turn to blush this time. She knew she should expect crude and lewd comments from the mouth of the rat, but that one came across almost as a plead. She could see the seriousness in his eyes at the mention of a collar. "I suppose I could do that.. I always wanted a pet rat..." The whole table laughed as the pair embraced again. The hall had begun to thin out now as the campers wandered off to enjoy the last of their free time with their friends. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The rat and the cheetah slipped out of the mess hall holding hands and discussed what they wanted to do next. "Well, I am kinda thirsty..." The rat grinned as he looked over at the cheetah. "We could go fill my canteen?" Melina smirked, expecting a comment like that once they were alone. "I swear, you're addicted to my piss." Marcus blushed and nodded, "I think so too..." They both laughed and slipped off to the outhouse. Only this time, Melina had a wicked idea. Instead of taking the canteen, the cheetah pushed the rat into the outhouse with her and locked the door. She grinned as she looked him over, pushing him down on the toilet seat while she undid her jeans. She gave a good show of pulling them down and stepping out of them, leaving her dressed in only her panties. Marcus, being a male, couldn't hide the tent in his pants as he watched the cheetah pull her pants down, especially when she practically shoved her rear in his face when she bend over to step out of the pants. Melina gave the rat a special treat by letting him drink directly from the source, the cheetah trying not to make too much noise as the rat turned the tables and gave her a good licking all over. The rat seemed not to care as his face and neck became soaked in the scent of arousal and urine from the cheetah. He revelled in being marked as property of the cheetah. He did everything he could to make her happy using only his lips and tongue, and even went so far as to give her a good rimming! The pair spent a good ten minutes in the bathroom before they got dressed again and left, both of them blushing hard as they stepped out to find an older ferret waiting to use the bathroom. The ferret grinned, but said nothing as the two left, the rats cheeks still matted from his activities. The pair gave a quick wipe at the fountain, cleaning themselves up as much as possible before they went back to camp. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- After lunch, their last meal together, everyone packed up their things and gathered at the parking lot. Three large yellow school busses were waiting for the campers to board to be taken home. Ace, Melina, and Marcus all ended up on the same bus, and thus they sat together. Out of the corner of her eye, Melina spied the buck that had excelled at the hunt so well, and towards the back of the bus was the young vixen, her fur still frazzled and her whole body shaking. The hyena girl with the cold stare was towards the front of the bus as well, that icy gaze making the cheetah shiver. Melina shrugged off the ominous feeling she was getting and snuggled in between her two friends, one arm around Marcus possessively as they talked. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Savannah reporting. All eight impures are in position for extraction. Awaiting your command" "Thank you, Savannah. Delay them a little so everyone else leaves, and then initiate program Zeta." "Yes daddy. Will you be there when I wake up?" "Of course sweetheart." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The busses started up one after another, but shortly after starting up, the bus with the cheetah and rat on it sputtered and stalled. The driver tried to get it started again and cursed at it. One of the other drivers came over to assist, but was turned away. After a few minutes of trying, the driver signalled to the other busses that they could go. Bus problems weren't that uncommon, so the other buses left. About ten minutes after the other busses left, the bus finally roared to life. The bus sputtered a few times, but remained running, so the driver pulled out of the lot and down the muddy road. The storm was still in full force as the bus drove down the road. Rain blanketed the road and bus alike. Melina was the first to yawn, her eyes having trouble staying open as she talked. She looked around the bus and saw others yawning as well. Her thinking became harder as she leaned against her rat and kissed him before drifting off into sleep. None of the passengers or driver heard the scraping of metal on metal, nor did they feel the jolt as the railing gave out and the bus toppled over into the river. Within moments though, the bus was overturned in the water and the occupants still passed out as the water licked at the side of the bus. It had landed just barely in the water, but the river was rising. It took only a few moments for the extraction team to carry the nine chosen cubs away from the vehicle, and were just out of sight when the effects of the mass sleep suggestion wore off and everyone woke up. Everyone made it out of the bus once they woke up, but a head count showed ten missing. A brief search found a young boy down river, having hit the rapids and been killed. His body had gotten stuck on a branch. The reporters attributed the loss to a drunk driver and shoddy breaks on the old bus. Families were notified of the tragedy and given compensation for their losses. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Epilogue: "Daddy!" called the little hyena as she ran to her father, jumping into the arms of the older hyena and hugging him tightly. "Savannah, Darling, you did wonderful." The adult hyena scooped his daughter into his arms, hugging her in return. "What's gonna happen to them daddy?" The little hyena laid her head on her fathers shoulder as they walked from the parking lot where the nondescript white vans were parked, unloading the eight other special cubs that had been abducted. "We will try and convince them to help us" The older hyena smiled as he looked into the dark eyes of his daughter, still loving her despite having been with the institute since before she was born, and very nearly losing his life when they found out she was abnormal. "Just like you helped keep everyone safe today." "But what of they don't want to help us daddy?" The hyena looked up at her father curiously as they stepped through the security checkpoint. She was used to the adults with the guns being around, so when they stiffened to be ready if something happened, he didn't flinch. "Then we need to put them down for the safety of others." The hyena looked into his daughters eyes. Despite the decades he had worked for the company, he still disliked the idea of killing these kids, but saw it as a requirement. "People like these are dangerous if they aren't taught how to be good like you." "I hope the kitty decides to help us..." The little hyena girl said as they walked down the halls of the building to the elevator at the end. They both got in and rode to the top floor. "Why is that, sweetie?" The adult hyena said as he put Savannah down inside in the elevator. "She was nice to me..." The little hyena said quietly as she stepped out of the elevator and into the penthouse suite they called home. ********************************************