Fatherly Distractions
by tannim
April 04, 2010

	The pedals turned.  The squirrel panted.  The time crawled by.  Time really did slow down when you were working out, Muriel decided.  She'd been pedaling the damned exercise machine for nearly three years... or so it seemed.  Really it was only seven minutes.  It was so damn BORING to pump the thing and not go anywhere.

	The wall didn't get any more interesting for all the staring she did.  Her mother had hung a mirror there, but that only made time go by slower so she avoided looking at it.  She understood the need to strengthen her legs endurance, but fifteen minutes was torture on that thing.  Not because it was hard, but because it was so mind numbing.

	Muriel looked around, desperate for anything to take her young mind off the workout.  She knew there wouldn't be anything.  There weren't any windows in view in the basement.  There wasn't much of ANYTHING in the basement other than the exercise gear.  Talking with her parents about moving the gear upstairs hadn't helped as the bike had to be bolted to the floor to keep her from falling backwards off balance.

	Without hands the squirrel couldn't grip anything to hold on.  Instead she used her own tail to to balance back while the bars bolted to the floor prevented the bike from rocking or tilting.  The young squirrel had to do a lot of exercise to get her legs strong enough and flexible enough to allow her to manipulate objects with them.

	She was eager enough, most of the time, but the bike was among her least favorite stamina builders.  Muriel took a deep breath, then another, then dared to look at the clock.  Surely another hour... minute had passed.  Her ears sagged and sweat beaded at the ends of her long cheek ruffs but she kept on pumping her legs.

	She was glad she wasn't wearing anything as it was hot enough after eight minutes of biking with no breeze.  The sweat soaked into her fur or dropped to the floor, or both if it hit right.  Clothing had had to go as she got older. When she was really little she didn't mind being hot, but at eight, she minded a lot.  Being hot was something to think about at least... until she thought about it.

	"It's so BORING!" She muttered and sped up with hard thrusts of her legs on the pedals.

	Footsteps down the steps made her straighten up.  Her parents should still be at work, or she thought before her father's head peaked around the door.  She jumped despite expecting somebody to come in.  Usually it was her mother that got home first.  Her legs never stopped pedaling though and ANYTHING was welcome to break up the monotony.

	"Hey, dad!" She called out as he entered, a little breathless.

	"I got off early today and thought I'd see how you were doing on your own."  The squirrel didn't seem at all bothered that she was naked.

	He'd seen her plenty of times, and she'd seen him, and her mother too.  They weren't too concerned, even if he DID look a bit creepy with his beard and mustache like facial fur.  The fur under his nose wasn't nearly as long as his daughter's, but it was there.  His chin and cheek fur also were longer than the average, giving him a scraggly look.  He didn't wear glasses, didn't need them, but when he wore sunglasses he had to suffer through teases about how much he looked like the criminals on TV.  

	Despite his overly masculine face and tall height, he was not heavily built.  He was thin and had been a bit sick at times during his youth.  His arms and shoulders somewhat narrow rather than broad like many males his height.  There was plenty of fur on his chest in an impressive tuft that his mate liked to play with while they kissed.  Muriel liked to nuzzle into it too as it was soft and tickled.  His tail was long, fitting his height well, and was actually quite normal looking except for the tail ring he wore two feet from the tip.

	Both his arms and legs were slightly longer than other squirrel's Muriel had seen but, like his tail, they were proportional.  His big feet were a bit scraggly as he didn't take especially great care of his claws there, but she was lead to believe that was a guy thing.  His claws on his fingers were much shorter though, as he had to type a lot at his job.  She thought he was handsome enough, though could use a shave.

	Muriel kept pedaling while came in.  She giggled as he pretended to be stalking her like a cat instead of simply walking in.  It took him quite a while to get anywhere and she appreciated it.  His bare feet let him walk quietly, though the pants he wore creaked a bit when his legs bent too far for the tight fabric.  He paused and hid behind his tail suddenly, his daughter trying not to laugh, then jumped at her.

	They both knew she was too old for that type of game, but it did distract her and that was enough.  He stood next to her stroked her long cheek ruffs.  She tugged playfully at them one direction then the other and let them go.

	"How much longer do you have to go?" He asked and held his tail over her eyes.

	"Hehe, I don't know.  I think it was ten seconds." She suggested hopefully.

	"Hmmm... you may be right.  I think that's enough.  I can't tickle you if you are still pedaling!" His fingers dug into her sides and she squealed loudly despite the panting.

	Her legs pedaled harder she squirmed left and right trying to dislodge the tickling fingers.  They trailed up to tickle under her armpits and around her back just above her butt.  She flicked her tail at him firmly, with some force.

	Her father let her pummel him with her tail while he kept up until she yelled out. "I meant I have a few minutes yet!"

	His fingers stopped and he looked surprised. "But you said you only have a few seconds..."

	Muriel's fur was redder as she recovered from the tickling and she was panting heavily as she tried to say something.  Her response died on her lips though when she looked at the clock.  She really DID have only a few seconds left.  She pedaled on and then jumped off and pressed her cheek to her dad's lower chest.  Her tail wrapped around him in her version of a hug.

	"Thanks, Dad." She looked up at him while he hugged back.

	"I know it's boring." He tweaked her nose.  "But at least it's not homework."

	"I guess..." She let go and he nearly made it to the stairs before she hit him from behind, screaming.  "HEY! IT IS TOO HOMEWORK!"