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The Requiem of Smell: Part 1 - Lust's Aroma by Slingblade 47
by Slingblade_47 who I, among many many other users who have submitted, have kept waiting for too long. (More submissions shall be posted today. Thanks y'all for waitin'! - Sini)
The author's original submission which includes a link to the following chapter can be found: here!
Critique has been requested, so critique as you'd please. =)
Dedicated to the memory of my dear pet cat Thomas (16/12/96 – 16/08/13). Your meaning to me will never wane, and you will always be my little flower in death as you were in life.
Disclaimer: This short story is based on a fantasy and is entirely fictional. Any names and places used that may match with any used in real life are entirely coincidental, and are not intended to be a depiction of any kind.
The Requiem of Smell
Written by Slingblade_47.
20/11/13
Part 1 – Lust’s Aroma
Sunday, June 14th, 2009, 22:43. Unprovoked Attack performs at Weron’s Nightime club for the first time in several months, although what they don’t know is that somewhere in the audience, someone is watching them for reasons more than admiration.
Quiet nights were not a hallmark of life spent in the vast metropolis of Weron in North Triston, although neither was the archetype of a city plunged into an abyss it could not climb out of. Night was a very different world from day, and there were far fewer inhabitants of the night than there were during daylight hours. The city was bathed in a much different sort of beauty, compounded this warm summer night by the waves of bright green and purple light in the distant horizon. The rare sight of the Northern Lights meant that for some, love was in the air, while for others, there was another reason to venture into the night. Tourists, visitors and rooted citizens alike gazed out of their windows to watch the bright lights, although in the city’s core, another kind of beauty and another kind of enjoyment was being meted out to the many revellers who had turned up that night.
Rather than the Trance and Hard Dance acts the Nightime club was well known for, it was home that night to a Death Metal concert of proportions paralleled only by the largest shows the club held. That night, the club’s dancefloor was packed with revellers of all shapes and sizes, and the event was in full swing with the second of the six bands to perform that night. The fast paced, crushingly heavy yet beautifully harmonic music wove itself through the sounds emanating from the adoring audience, and although it could be heard on the street outside, objection wasn’t to be found anywhere close. The song finished with the sound of the vocalist raising his growl to a high pitched scream between a rapid series of blast beats and interweaving sequences of guitar and bass riffs. The audience cheered in delight as the band addressed them, a signal that the last of the band's six songs would begin very soon.
Moments later, Ruth Lythall emerged from the women’s toilets near the fire exits, a fresh coating of her favourite perfume radiating from her body as she ran a brush through her hair. She was a skunk in her late 20s whose dark red fur was difficult to mistake, while a long white stripe wove its way down her back to the end of her tail, finishing with a double stripe on the bridge of her nose. A head of black hair that exceeded her shoulders accompanied a pair of gold eyes that were often on the lookout, serving to blend with her black skirt and her grey minitop which she rarely went without. Shoes did not add the finishing touch, but a bright red wristband she treasured provided just that, illuminating her left wrist amidst the club’s many flashing lights. Lightly sniffing the air as she headed down the corridor to the dancefloor, she sighed to herself, wondering if there was anyone who would catch her eye that night. There was nothing she loved the idea of more than pursuing her potential catch – a trait she shared with her feline husband Raymond, who was in Estonia on a business trip.
Soon enough, her heart began to race, for in the shadows of the poorly lit corridor was a creature leaning against one of the support beams, his fur a lighter shade of red than hers was. It looked like he hadn’t noticed her, but when he pushed himself back to his feet and began to head back to the dancefloor, she found that though his tail was shaped differently to hers, there was no mistaking the white stripe that coursed down it and his bare back – her search for a fellow skunk had come to an end tonight, and instantly she found herself drawn to him almost as strongly as a magnet to steel plating. A wide smile crossed her face, and at that moment, she noticed the guitar he clutched in his right hand paw while he replaced a string with the left. She’d watched the band perform, and she could barely believe her eyes when she saw what he was – he was the creature who would complete her night. She waited until he’d gone back to the dancefloor before she sprayed on another layer of perfume, contemplating her predication and desire for him aloud.
“Beware, my sweet skunk hunk,” she smirked, “Ruth is on your tail, ready to take you into her arms.”
*
Ronald returned to the stage with his newly repaired guitar in hand paw, a wide smile sweeping across his face when his emergence from the doorway leading to the toilets raised a cheer from their adoring and voracious audience. They would be satisfied tonight if he had any control over things, and satisfy was what he set out to do. He was a fox of about 5ft 3” in height, coated in red fur interspersed with white. His hand and foot paws were coated in white, as was his chest, chin and the end of his tail, with his chest bearing a large flame shape that covered almost its entire width and height. Green eyes flicked to various members of the audience as he adjusted his guitar in his walk, while his head of white hair shone various colours in the many coloured lights dotted around the stage and dancefloor. Providing the finishing touches were a gold watch on his left wrist and a pair of blue jeans, though he wore no shoes or shirt that evening. Although dismayed that the string had broken so soon into the band’s sequence, he was filled with a renewed confidence, and the band’s vocalist and rhythm guitarist Vic, a yellow and white Yoshi, closed his brief speech about the making of their most recent album, before he and the bassist Freya, a black human, met him with wide smiles. The drummer Andrea, a pale catgirl sporting blonde hair and white fur, watched him with no expression.
“Hey, you’re back!” cried Freya.
“No big deal.” said Ronald. “But that’s the last time I get strings on the cheap.”
“I did say you should have got them from the manufacturer.” said Vic with a cheeky smirk. “But at least you’re here now.”
“Yeah,” he replied as he tuned his guitar, “and I'm ready for another song when you are.” Vic smirked suddenly, looking like he was holding back laughter, and he noticed that Freya and Andrea were looking at him as though he was wearing something that had gone out of style many years ago.
“What?” he snapped in a hoarse voice. It hadn't looked like any of their audience members had caught on, or if they had, spoken anything of it.
“Oh, it's nothing.” replied Freya. Ronald did not look convinced, but did not want to make another scene. Beside him, Vic turned to the waiting crowd.
“Thank you very much for your patience, my friends.” he said. “And thank you also for having been a wonderful audience tonight. You rule!” The audience cheered ecstatically in response. “Don't forget to stick around for Troll later on tonight, because they're gonna be playing a couple of the songs from their upcoming album. We're big fans of them too, but it’s a shame we can’t stick around for them. Sadly, this will be our last song for tonight, but we hate to go out without a bang. This next song is about being trapped in a mind that isn't your own, and any attempts to escape it proving utterly hopeless. This one is Displacement and Disinterment.” Immediately, Andrea struck one of her snare drums four times in rapid succession as the signal to begin, without waiting for a glance from Vic. His and Ron’s opening riffs and Freya’s accompanying bass lines wove in with his powerful high pitched scream, smoothly flowing into the opening lyric as his pitch lowered. Andrea’s rapidly paced pounding of her snare and cymbals added to the speed and rhythm of the song, allowing it to serve the purpose they desired as evident in the faces of the crowd. A smile crossed Ronald’s face as he played the song’s first short solo; Vic had not even begun the first full verse, and already the audience was entirely enthralled – a sure sign that the band was achieving the objective they had set out to. Amongst the flickering and flashing stage lights, he could see and sense the delight across the room, and a warmth coiled around him. They love us. he thought. This is great – I can never get tired of this!
His claws raced across the length of his guitar as he caught every right note, catching just the right harmony as he’d wanted. Finally, a brief breakdown that left only Andrea still playing followed, with Vic turning behind him to smile briefly at each member, before his hands returned to his guitar to accompany Ronald’s following sequence. Twinned with this were Vic and Freya’s deep growls, the song’s speed increased, with Andrea striking a cymbal with her left hand while furiously gravity blasting with her right, but Ronald found himself distracted. He was used to others watching him while he was performing, but he’d noticed that one particular set of eyes, shining gold amongst the club, hadn’t looked at anything else the whole concert except in the time their owner left for brief moments. Who this person was, he couldn’t be sure, though as Vic growled the rest of the verse and screamed the final line, the creature left again. Thinking nothing of it, he diverted his attention back to the song, smirking to himself in response to the loud whistle from near the front of the stage. He didn’t know it now, but he would discover the creature’s intention for himself once the song drew to a close.
*
There’s something so amazing about him. thought Ruth, watching the guitarist ceaselessly as he played. Whoever he is, I can’t take my eyes off him. He’s like a faceted diamond. Mmm...Ruth shall cuddle you soon, my sweetie. She held herself steady as she held back a swoon, but that didn’t stop her from attracting a glance from a goat standing just beside her. As the song progressed into the second verse, she found herself starting to envision the guitarist serenading her in a blaze of flickering colours and flames, and the thought of this was enough to set her heart pounding. The verse closed and a brief solo followed, and although the Yoshi played this section, Ruth watched his hand paws as they danced across his guitar, although the very quick drumming drowned out some of the notes. Oh, how she wanted him to play for her – how she adored his prowess on and off the instrument – how she wanted him to sing for her! But yet she’d barely heard his voice at all. It was only then that she drew the question to herself – she’d come to the concert for Troll and Deposition’s performances, but why had she not heard of Unprovoked Attack before tonight?
As the solo flowed into the next verse, Ruth thought she could see the guitarist staring towards her direction for a long moment, although whether he’d seen her was unclear. Amour blossomed within when her eyes settled on his chest, and though she couldn’t tell what colour his eyes were from where she stood, there was no mistaking the flame pattern in the fur on his bare chest. She almost couldn’t focus on the music – from the moment the third verse finished and the second solo began, her eyes remained transfixed on the guitarist, looking as though she was in a deep trance. It was his turn to play the intricate solo, and as he raced for every correct note and sequence, each note blending into a near perfect harmony, his hand paws danced like the patterns of a kaleidoscope. Whoever he is, she thought, he is hot. I can’t take this much longer – I’ve gotta have him! And to procure him, her timing had to be just right. Precious few bounds existed in the game of love, especially not when her desire was so overpowering. She would have him soon if everything went her way.
*
A long cheer and pockets of clapping emanated from around the night club when the song advanced into a brief breakdown that left only Freya playing a slow sequence that was mellow and calming in comparison to the remainder of the song. Just the final verse and the outro remained, and by now, exhaustion was evident on each member. Layers of sweat could be seen on Freya and Andrea’s foreheads, one of Vic’s fingers was bleeding, and one of Ronald’s claws had broken. While he had thoroughly enjoyed the concert, part of him secretly wished to get out of there and relax to his heart’s content.
“Come on!” cried Vic, his eyes on the moshpit in the centre of the dancefloor. “Do not disappoint me now!” And with that, he released a high scream and the final verse began, with Ronald furiously playing the quickly timed riffs and barely looking away from his guitar. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was someone watching him – watching with a goal other than to enjoy the concert and the band’s music. The song’s pace slowed right down as the verse ended, and the final sequence brought the song to a slick close. All around the room came an eruption of cheers and whistles, but Ronald was not as jubilant as he would normally be; that same pair of eyes was still focused on him.
“Thank you very much, everybody.” smiled Vic, taking a long gulp from a bottle of sports drink. “You’ve been a brilliant audience. We’ll see you next time, and don’t forget to check out the merchandise at the end of the concert.” The lights dimmed and the band left the stage, taking their equipment down as the members of Troll entered the stage. Ronald went back to the fire exit, this time stopping at the restrooms before it. However, when he came out, he was aghast at what he saw in the dim light – that same pair of eyes again, their expression adoring, their look unceasing. But this time, he could make out a dark silhouette. It looked like another fox – an all too adoring fan. Whoever he or she was, they had blocked his way. I’m not signing another autograph. he thought, not wanting to have to push past them. Out the fire exit with me.
But it wasn’t to be so simple. Just when he’d started to walk to the fire exit, he found himself tightly grabbed from behind. With a growl, he tried to barge his way out of the arms that held him, but it was no use – a thick and very bushy tail surrounded him and hemmed him in, and the arms became tighter around him, crushing him against his guitar.
“Hey, get off me!” he cried. The answer he got was not one he had thought to expect, and left him hardly daring to believe it.
“At last,” said the feminine voice, “I have found you, my sweet love.” Love? thought Ronald in disbelief. What? Who the hell is this?
“What?” he replied. This was swiftly followed up by a kiss to his cheek – a move that signified what his captor’s intentions were.
“Hush now, baby,” simpered the voice, “Ruth is here.”
“I’m not your – ” he began, but he was soon cut off. Not by Ruth’s words, but by a strong and pungent smell that rapidly began to sting his eyes and make him loudly cough. He immediately recognized what it was; this woman was not a vixen, but instead a skunk. Oh, I should have known![i] he thought, his heart plummeting. [i]I’ve had some crazy fans, but this is just a piss take. With a grunt, he struggled fiercely against her grip as she kissed his cheek again, and broke free of her hold, running for the fire exit as fast as he could without looking back.
“My God...that’s a smell I could have done without!” he gasped, brushing himself down as he ran from the club. But he wouldn’t be relieved of it for long. One look behind him revealed that Ruth was hot on his tail and she was quickly closing the distance between them no matter how fast he tried to run away. Shielding his nose with one paw did nothing to weaken the repugnant smell that emanated from her tail as she raced closer, arms outstretched for him. And before he knew it, she had him clutched in her grasp again tighter than before, this time with her tail covering his nose and mouth. He tried to speak, but his words were completely silenced by the thick fur.
“Hold me, my love.” simpered Ruth, stroking his head with one hand paw and clutching his shoulder with the other. “Love is surfacing between us like the buds of spring.” What’s this girl been drinking? thought Ronald as he tried to pull away. His eyes began to sting again, and he began to choke as the smell of her spray strengthened. Wait until my wife finds out about you. he thought, wanting so much to speak this aloud. Her grip on him tightened more, but he wouldn’t take this lying down. He delivered a quick bite to her tail, which was enough to make her lose her grip on him. Without stopping to look back, he raced away as fast as the weight of his guitar would let him, no focus in mind other than to get away.
“Ooh,” cooed Ruth behind him, completely unfazed by the bite, “you want a game of hide and seek, huh dreamy?”
“No!” he snapped, ducking into a dimly lit subway. “Get away from me, you fucking maniac!” But this only revealed his hiding place; just when he thought he’d outrun her, she appeared behind him again, though he managed to leap out of the way just in time to avoid her grabbing hold of him once more. Whatever the reason for this skunk’s love for him, he knew he had to escape her. What drove him was not the stigma of being caught with another woman or keeping the rest of his band waiting, but the thought of his treasured kitsune wife Jackie finding out about it and taking it in the wrong way. Somehow, he needed to elude her, and he had to do so at any cost.
*
Ruth noticed that her skunk seemed to be resisting her and running away from her – a sure sign that he wanted the thrill of the chase. How often they ran from her, how often they pulled out of her arms, how often it transpired that they harboured a secret desire for her! And this character was no exception – she saw the way he ran slower than he otherwise would, and not because of how much his guitar weighed. His objections, though clear, were only a mask of his true desire, and she was not finished yet. She would not be until she had collected him, captured him, and walked away with him arm in arm as boyfriend and girlfriend – something her husband would never want to miss a chance to engage in himself, for he too enjoyed the thrill of the chase. And call for her he did, in the subway that led to the nearby train station. She raced for him again, but he dived out of her way when she tried to grab hold of him, and he soon ran away. Nonetheless, she would not give up yet.
“It won’t be long before I find you, my sugar.” cooed Ruth, tiptoeing through the subway at a steady, leisurely pace, but drawing a curious glance from a goat just in front of her. Her love’s shadow was faintly visible under the lamp posts outside, and it appeared that he was looking around him for something. Ooh, so he still hasn’t hidden from me yet, hm? she thought with a smile. I have almost found you, so you’d better hide soon. And find him she did, about to sneak into an alleyway between two shops. When he saw her, he ran for it, and she soon gave chase, arms outstretched and tail waving behind her as she let off her spray, her heartbeat racing as she closed the gap. He tried to dodge her again, but this time she caught him in her grasp. Even though he struggled in her arms, even though he seemed to be trying to escape, there was a spark in the air tonight – a world of passion that was being made before her.
“I found you.” she simpered, kissing him several times on the cheek. “Maybe now, it’s my turn to hide from you?”
“Lady,” he cried, “can you tell me what the hell you are talking about?”
“I’m talking, my love, about the romance that blooms between us.” At that moment, her spray began to emanate from her tail again, her musk coiling around her like a serpent ready to squeeze his prey. The skunk opened his mouth to speak, but no voice came out, instead replaced loud coughing and choking. Whether he loved or hated her smell, how he dug his claws and his guitar into her arms as he tried to pull free signalled only one thing – lusting. She followed up by tightening her hold on him and delivering a few short pecks to each of his cheeks and one to his lips, which only resulted in him struggling more vigorously.
“I know what you’re thinking.” she sighed, rubbing her cheek against his. “Yes...I can be your...girlfriend.” But still, the skunk wasn’t ready to relent.
“No way! Let go of me!” he cried, and with a show of strength Ruth hadn’t thought to expect, he wrenched his way out of her arms and ran further down the alleyway, not stopping until he’d reached its foot. Ruth, however, would not accept defeat. Love made its ascension as she watched him run away, slowly hopping after him with another burst of spray.
“I sense he’ll soon understand commitment.” she smiled to herself, following his path through the pitch black alleyway as though she was watching footprints in sand.
*
By now, Ronald was visibly irritated by the fact that there seemed to be no escape from the lovestruck skunk, more so when he found hiding places to be in short supply; the alleyway led straight into a car park, and there was nowhere he could shield himself. Oh, give me a break, will ya? he thought, the strengthening scent of her spray telling him that she was approaching rapidly.
With no time to think, he raced out to the street, nearly running into another fox as he turned the corner into a dual carriageway. He was about to turn and run again when, upon passing a mirror shop, something caught his eye. He thought he could see...white fur where there should not have been white fur. But how could that be? He looked closer, inspecting every inch of his being, before he turned to the side. His eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw.
“What?” he cried. “What’s going on?” He showed his back to the mirror, and it revealed that what he’d seen was a long white stripe that coursed down his back and the entire length of his tail. Huh? How’d I get this? he thought, looking confused. But then he came to a quick realization as he ran his paw over the stripe. Dry paint? he thought. Wait...I hope you are not telling me this is why this lunatic skunk is after me! He inspected his tail again, but he would be given no more time to reflect on his discovery, for Ruth’s tail hovered beside him for a split second, before it quickly coiled around him and dragged him into her open arms. He found himself face to face with her, his guitar being the only thing stopping their chests from meeting.
“What the hell?” snapped Ronald. “How did you find me?” He looked up into her eyes, and a chill raced down his spine. She now watched him with the kind of passion he had only ever seen, desired or expected from one other creature – Jackie. No...is this skunk really hoping to bed me? he thought, his heart dropping.
“Nothing draws me to you like the sound of your voice, my sweet skunk hunk.” she crooned, one hand paw stroking his cheek. “It sounds like a fallen angel. I don’t know how I didn’t find you sooner.” That’s just what Jackie said on our first date. thought Ronald irritably.
“Get off!” he barked, before he struggled furiously and wrenched his way free from her hold, no matter how tightly she tried to keep hold of him. Without looking back, he raced away, even more desperate for someone or something to help him escape. By now, he was exhausted from the running, but again he could scent her spray; he knew he had to hide himself well in order to stand any chance of escaping her. And soon, she caught up with him again, although before she could grab him, his ears pricked up at the faint sound of music and chatter. Just down the street, he could see a brightly lit bar. And it looked to be very busy for a Sunday night. Yes – sanctuary! he thought elatedly, letting out a gasp. With no hesitation, he cut across the road, almost colliding with an oncoming car. As Ruth ran after him, he rushed into the bar, hoping to lose her in the crowd.
Much to his relief, there was barely room to move in the main bar area, while its small restaurant was full right up. It was the perfect deception, and the coloured lights combined with the colours of his fur meant that he could blend right in – and it didn’t look like any of the patrons or bar staff had recognized him. Sure enough, Ruth began to snake through the crowd in search of him, although looking in the opposite direction to where he was going. Just then, his mobile phone vibrated in his pocket. He ducked into the men’s toilets and answered.
“Hello?”
“Ron, it’s Freya.” said the caller. “Where are you?”
“Freya, am I glad to hear from you!” replied Ronald. “You’re never gonna believe what’s happening.”
“What?” inquired Freya. “Sounds like you’re in a bar.”
“Yeah, but let me explain.”
“We’ve got to go to our next venue soon, Ron.” said Freya sternly.
“I know.” he replied. He started to walk out of the toilets and back into the crowd. He couldn’t see any sign of Ruth, so he started to head back to the entrance. “I don’t know how, but I got this white stripe down my back. And after we got off the stage, some lovesick skunk started chasing me. She won’t leave me alone – she’s been chasing me all over the city, and I’ve only just managed to get away from her. She thinks I’m another skunk – she’s hugged me, kissed me, sprayed me, said she loved me, you name it.” In the background, he could hear Freya giggling, before she and another two voices in the background he recognized to be Vic and Andrea’s burst into laughter. “What are you laughing at?” he snapped.
“I’m sorry,” she giggled, “it just sounds so funny! It’s like something out of some old cartoon!”
“It’s not funny to me.” said Ronald.
“I saw that stripe down your back when you came out of the toilets.” quipped Freya. “You know there was wet paint on the support beams, don’t you?” The answer finally came to his silent and unspoken question. Oh, come on...that’s what it was? he thought in dismay.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” he demanded.
“We didn’t want to stall the crowd any more.” she admitted. “But we didn’t know this was gonna happen.”
“I didn’t either.” said Ronald as he stepped outside. “You still could have said something; maybe then, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Just tell her you’re a fox, and she’ll be off your tail.” advised Freya. “It worked for my friend when this happened to her.” It did? he thought, looking around him and again finding no sign of her. This might do it.
“Yeah, that may just work.” he said, turning down a small side street. “I don’t care if I make her cry. I just want her away from me. I’ll see you soon.”
“Good luck.” said Freya. “We can wait for you a little while longer, but I’d have to drive like a devil woman to make it. Later.” With that she hung up, and Ronald began to dial for a taxi. But before he’d finished, he noticed another pair of eyes staring from the darkness. But these eyes were blue instead of gold. And when he recognized them, his heart filled with dread.
“You,” he breathed, “what do you want?”
The author's original submission which includes a link to the following chapter can be found: here!
Critique has been requested, so critique as you'd please. =)
Dedicated to the memory of my dear pet cat Thomas (16/12/96 – 16/08/13). Your meaning to me will never wane, and you will always be my little flower in death as you were in life.
Disclaimer: This short story is based on a fantasy and is entirely fictional. Any names and places used that may match with any used in real life are entirely coincidental, and are not intended to be a depiction of any kind.
The Requiem of Smell
Written by Slingblade_47.
20/11/13
Part 1 – Lust’s Aroma
Sunday, June 14th, 2009, 22:43. Unprovoked Attack performs at Weron’s Nightime club for the first time in several months, although what they don’t know is that somewhere in the audience, someone is watching them for reasons more than admiration.
Quiet nights were not a hallmark of life spent in the vast metropolis of Weron in North Triston, although neither was the archetype of a city plunged into an abyss it could not climb out of. Night was a very different world from day, and there were far fewer inhabitants of the night than there were during daylight hours. The city was bathed in a much different sort of beauty, compounded this warm summer night by the waves of bright green and purple light in the distant horizon. The rare sight of the Northern Lights meant that for some, love was in the air, while for others, there was another reason to venture into the night. Tourists, visitors and rooted citizens alike gazed out of their windows to watch the bright lights, although in the city’s core, another kind of beauty and another kind of enjoyment was being meted out to the many revellers who had turned up that night.
Rather than the Trance and Hard Dance acts the Nightime club was well known for, it was home that night to a Death Metal concert of proportions paralleled only by the largest shows the club held. That night, the club’s dancefloor was packed with revellers of all shapes and sizes, and the event was in full swing with the second of the six bands to perform that night. The fast paced, crushingly heavy yet beautifully harmonic music wove itself through the sounds emanating from the adoring audience, and although it could be heard on the street outside, objection wasn’t to be found anywhere close. The song finished with the sound of the vocalist raising his growl to a high pitched scream between a rapid series of blast beats and interweaving sequences of guitar and bass riffs. The audience cheered in delight as the band addressed them, a signal that the last of the band's six songs would begin very soon.
Moments later, Ruth Lythall emerged from the women’s toilets near the fire exits, a fresh coating of her favourite perfume radiating from her body as she ran a brush through her hair. She was a skunk in her late 20s whose dark red fur was difficult to mistake, while a long white stripe wove its way down her back to the end of her tail, finishing with a double stripe on the bridge of her nose. A head of black hair that exceeded her shoulders accompanied a pair of gold eyes that were often on the lookout, serving to blend with her black skirt and her grey minitop which she rarely went without. Shoes did not add the finishing touch, but a bright red wristband she treasured provided just that, illuminating her left wrist amidst the club’s many flashing lights. Lightly sniffing the air as she headed down the corridor to the dancefloor, she sighed to herself, wondering if there was anyone who would catch her eye that night. There was nothing she loved the idea of more than pursuing her potential catch – a trait she shared with her feline husband Raymond, who was in Estonia on a business trip.
Soon enough, her heart began to race, for in the shadows of the poorly lit corridor was a creature leaning against one of the support beams, his fur a lighter shade of red than hers was. It looked like he hadn’t noticed her, but when he pushed himself back to his feet and began to head back to the dancefloor, she found that though his tail was shaped differently to hers, there was no mistaking the white stripe that coursed down it and his bare back – her search for a fellow skunk had come to an end tonight, and instantly she found herself drawn to him almost as strongly as a magnet to steel plating. A wide smile crossed her face, and at that moment, she noticed the guitar he clutched in his right hand paw while he replaced a string with the left. She’d watched the band perform, and she could barely believe her eyes when she saw what he was – he was the creature who would complete her night. She waited until he’d gone back to the dancefloor before she sprayed on another layer of perfume, contemplating her predication and desire for him aloud.
“Beware, my sweet skunk hunk,” she smirked, “Ruth is on your tail, ready to take you into her arms.”
*
Ronald returned to the stage with his newly repaired guitar in hand paw, a wide smile sweeping across his face when his emergence from the doorway leading to the toilets raised a cheer from their adoring and voracious audience. They would be satisfied tonight if he had any control over things, and satisfy was what he set out to do. He was a fox of about 5ft 3” in height, coated in red fur interspersed with white. His hand and foot paws were coated in white, as was his chest, chin and the end of his tail, with his chest bearing a large flame shape that covered almost its entire width and height. Green eyes flicked to various members of the audience as he adjusted his guitar in his walk, while his head of white hair shone various colours in the many coloured lights dotted around the stage and dancefloor. Providing the finishing touches were a gold watch on his left wrist and a pair of blue jeans, though he wore no shoes or shirt that evening. Although dismayed that the string had broken so soon into the band’s sequence, he was filled with a renewed confidence, and the band’s vocalist and rhythm guitarist Vic, a yellow and white Yoshi, closed his brief speech about the making of their most recent album, before he and the bassist Freya, a black human, met him with wide smiles. The drummer Andrea, a pale catgirl sporting blonde hair and white fur, watched him with no expression.
“Hey, you’re back!” cried Freya.
“No big deal.” said Ronald. “But that’s the last time I get strings on the cheap.”
“I did say you should have got them from the manufacturer.” said Vic with a cheeky smirk. “But at least you’re here now.”
“Yeah,” he replied as he tuned his guitar, “and I'm ready for another song when you are.” Vic smirked suddenly, looking like he was holding back laughter, and he noticed that Freya and Andrea were looking at him as though he was wearing something that had gone out of style many years ago.
“What?” he snapped in a hoarse voice. It hadn't looked like any of their audience members had caught on, or if they had, spoken anything of it.
“Oh, it's nothing.” replied Freya. Ronald did not look convinced, but did not want to make another scene. Beside him, Vic turned to the waiting crowd.
“Thank you very much for your patience, my friends.” he said. “And thank you also for having been a wonderful audience tonight. You rule!” The audience cheered ecstatically in response. “Don't forget to stick around for Troll later on tonight, because they're gonna be playing a couple of the songs from their upcoming album. We're big fans of them too, but it’s a shame we can’t stick around for them. Sadly, this will be our last song for tonight, but we hate to go out without a bang. This next song is about being trapped in a mind that isn't your own, and any attempts to escape it proving utterly hopeless. This one is Displacement and Disinterment.” Immediately, Andrea struck one of her snare drums four times in rapid succession as the signal to begin, without waiting for a glance from Vic. His and Ron’s opening riffs and Freya’s accompanying bass lines wove in with his powerful high pitched scream, smoothly flowing into the opening lyric as his pitch lowered. Andrea’s rapidly paced pounding of her snare and cymbals added to the speed and rhythm of the song, allowing it to serve the purpose they desired as evident in the faces of the crowd. A smile crossed Ronald’s face as he played the song’s first short solo; Vic had not even begun the first full verse, and already the audience was entirely enthralled – a sure sign that the band was achieving the objective they had set out to. Amongst the flickering and flashing stage lights, he could see and sense the delight across the room, and a warmth coiled around him. They love us. he thought. This is great – I can never get tired of this!
His claws raced across the length of his guitar as he caught every right note, catching just the right harmony as he’d wanted. Finally, a brief breakdown that left only Andrea still playing followed, with Vic turning behind him to smile briefly at each member, before his hands returned to his guitar to accompany Ronald’s following sequence. Twinned with this were Vic and Freya’s deep growls, the song’s speed increased, with Andrea striking a cymbal with her left hand while furiously gravity blasting with her right, but Ronald found himself distracted. He was used to others watching him while he was performing, but he’d noticed that one particular set of eyes, shining gold amongst the club, hadn’t looked at anything else the whole concert except in the time their owner left for brief moments. Who this person was, he couldn’t be sure, though as Vic growled the rest of the verse and screamed the final line, the creature left again. Thinking nothing of it, he diverted his attention back to the song, smirking to himself in response to the loud whistle from near the front of the stage. He didn’t know it now, but he would discover the creature’s intention for himself once the song drew to a close.
*
There’s something so amazing about him. thought Ruth, watching the guitarist ceaselessly as he played. Whoever he is, I can’t take my eyes off him. He’s like a faceted diamond. Mmm...Ruth shall cuddle you soon, my sweetie. She held herself steady as she held back a swoon, but that didn’t stop her from attracting a glance from a goat standing just beside her. As the song progressed into the second verse, she found herself starting to envision the guitarist serenading her in a blaze of flickering colours and flames, and the thought of this was enough to set her heart pounding. The verse closed and a brief solo followed, and although the Yoshi played this section, Ruth watched his hand paws as they danced across his guitar, although the very quick drumming drowned out some of the notes. Oh, how she wanted him to play for her – how she adored his prowess on and off the instrument – how she wanted him to sing for her! But yet she’d barely heard his voice at all. It was only then that she drew the question to herself – she’d come to the concert for Troll and Deposition’s performances, but why had she not heard of Unprovoked Attack before tonight?
As the solo flowed into the next verse, Ruth thought she could see the guitarist staring towards her direction for a long moment, although whether he’d seen her was unclear. Amour blossomed within when her eyes settled on his chest, and though she couldn’t tell what colour his eyes were from where she stood, there was no mistaking the flame pattern in the fur on his bare chest. She almost couldn’t focus on the music – from the moment the third verse finished and the second solo began, her eyes remained transfixed on the guitarist, looking as though she was in a deep trance. It was his turn to play the intricate solo, and as he raced for every correct note and sequence, each note blending into a near perfect harmony, his hand paws danced like the patterns of a kaleidoscope. Whoever he is, she thought, he is hot. I can’t take this much longer – I’ve gotta have him! And to procure him, her timing had to be just right. Precious few bounds existed in the game of love, especially not when her desire was so overpowering. She would have him soon if everything went her way.
*
A long cheer and pockets of clapping emanated from around the night club when the song advanced into a brief breakdown that left only Freya playing a slow sequence that was mellow and calming in comparison to the remainder of the song. Just the final verse and the outro remained, and by now, exhaustion was evident on each member. Layers of sweat could be seen on Freya and Andrea’s foreheads, one of Vic’s fingers was bleeding, and one of Ronald’s claws had broken. While he had thoroughly enjoyed the concert, part of him secretly wished to get out of there and relax to his heart’s content.
“Come on!” cried Vic, his eyes on the moshpit in the centre of the dancefloor. “Do not disappoint me now!” And with that, he released a high scream and the final verse began, with Ronald furiously playing the quickly timed riffs and barely looking away from his guitar. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was someone watching him – watching with a goal other than to enjoy the concert and the band’s music. The song’s pace slowed right down as the verse ended, and the final sequence brought the song to a slick close. All around the room came an eruption of cheers and whistles, but Ronald was not as jubilant as he would normally be; that same pair of eyes was still focused on him.
“Thank you very much, everybody.” smiled Vic, taking a long gulp from a bottle of sports drink. “You’ve been a brilliant audience. We’ll see you next time, and don’t forget to check out the merchandise at the end of the concert.” The lights dimmed and the band left the stage, taking their equipment down as the members of Troll entered the stage. Ronald went back to the fire exit, this time stopping at the restrooms before it. However, when he came out, he was aghast at what he saw in the dim light – that same pair of eyes again, their expression adoring, their look unceasing. But this time, he could make out a dark silhouette. It looked like another fox – an all too adoring fan. Whoever he or she was, they had blocked his way. I’m not signing another autograph. he thought, not wanting to have to push past them. Out the fire exit with me.
But it wasn’t to be so simple. Just when he’d started to walk to the fire exit, he found himself tightly grabbed from behind. With a growl, he tried to barge his way out of the arms that held him, but it was no use – a thick and very bushy tail surrounded him and hemmed him in, and the arms became tighter around him, crushing him against his guitar.
“Hey, get off me!” he cried. The answer he got was not one he had thought to expect, and left him hardly daring to believe it.
“At last,” said the feminine voice, “I have found you, my sweet love.” Love? thought Ronald in disbelief. What? Who the hell is this?
“What?” he replied. This was swiftly followed up by a kiss to his cheek – a move that signified what his captor’s intentions were.
“Hush now, baby,” simpered the voice, “Ruth is here.”
“I’m not your – ” he began, but he was soon cut off. Not by Ruth’s words, but by a strong and pungent smell that rapidly began to sting his eyes and make him loudly cough. He immediately recognized what it was; this woman was not a vixen, but instead a skunk. Oh, I should have known![i] he thought, his heart plummeting. [i]I’ve had some crazy fans, but this is just a piss take. With a grunt, he struggled fiercely against her grip as she kissed his cheek again, and broke free of her hold, running for the fire exit as fast as he could without looking back.
“My God...that’s a smell I could have done without!” he gasped, brushing himself down as he ran from the club. But he wouldn’t be relieved of it for long. One look behind him revealed that Ruth was hot on his tail and she was quickly closing the distance between them no matter how fast he tried to run away. Shielding his nose with one paw did nothing to weaken the repugnant smell that emanated from her tail as she raced closer, arms outstretched for him. And before he knew it, she had him clutched in her grasp again tighter than before, this time with her tail covering his nose and mouth. He tried to speak, but his words were completely silenced by the thick fur.
“Hold me, my love.” simpered Ruth, stroking his head with one hand paw and clutching his shoulder with the other. “Love is surfacing between us like the buds of spring.” What’s this girl been drinking? thought Ronald as he tried to pull away. His eyes began to sting again, and he began to choke as the smell of her spray strengthened. Wait until my wife finds out about you. he thought, wanting so much to speak this aloud. Her grip on him tightened more, but he wouldn’t take this lying down. He delivered a quick bite to her tail, which was enough to make her lose her grip on him. Without stopping to look back, he raced away as fast as the weight of his guitar would let him, no focus in mind other than to get away.
“Ooh,” cooed Ruth behind him, completely unfazed by the bite, “you want a game of hide and seek, huh dreamy?”
“No!” he snapped, ducking into a dimly lit subway. “Get away from me, you fucking maniac!” But this only revealed his hiding place; just when he thought he’d outrun her, she appeared behind him again, though he managed to leap out of the way just in time to avoid her grabbing hold of him once more. Whatever the reason for this skunk’s love for him, he knew he had to escape her. What drove him was not the stigma of being caught with another woman or keeping the rest of his band waiting, but the thought of his treasured kitsune wife Jackie finding out about it and taking it in the wrong way. Somehow, he needed to elude her, and he had to do so at any cost.
*
Ruth noticed that her skunk seemed to be resisting her and running away from her – a sure sign that he wanted the thrill of the chase. How often they ran from her, how often they pulled out of her arms, how often it transpired that they harboured a secret desire for her! And this character was no exception – she saw the way he ran slower than he otherwise would, and not because of how much his guitar weighed. His objections, though clear, were only a mask of his true desire, and she was not finished yet. She would not be until she had collected him, captured him, and walked away with him arm in arm as boyfriend and girlfriend – something her husband would never want to miss a chance to engage in himself, for he too enjoyed the thrill of the chase. And call for her he did, in the subway that led to the nearby train station. She raced for him again, but he dived out of her way when she tried to grab hold of him, and he soon ran away. Nonetheless, she would not give up yet.
“It won’t be long before I find you, my sugar.” cooed Ruth, tiptoeing through the subway at a steady, leisurely pace, but drawing a curious glance from a goat just in front of her. Her love’s shadow was faintly visible under the lamp posts outside, and it appeared that he was looking around him for something. Ooh, so he still hasn’t hidden from me yet, hm? she thought with a smile. I have almost found you, so you’d better hide soon. And find him she did, about to sneak into an alleyway between two shops. When he saw her, he ran for it, and she soon gave chase, arms outstretched and tail waving behind her as she let off her spray, her heartbeat racing as she closed the gap. He tried to dodge her again, but this time she caught him in her grasp. Even though he struggled in her arms, even though he seemed to be trying to escape, there was a spark in the air tonight – a world of passion that was being made before her.
“I found you.” she simpered, kissing him several times on the cheek. “Maybe now, it’s my turn to hide from you?”
“Lady,” he cried, “can you tell me what the hell you are talking about?”
“I’m talking, my love, about the romance that blooms between us.” At that moment, her spray began to emanate from her tail again, her musk coiling around her like a serpent ready to squeeze his prey. The skunk opened his mouth to speak, but no voice came out, instead replaced loud coughing and choking. Whether he loved or hated her smell, how he dug his claws and his guitar into her arms as he tried to pull free signalled only one thing – lusting. She followed up by tightening her hold on him and delivering a few short pecks to each of his cheeks and one to his lips, which only resulted in him struggling more vigorously.
“I know what you’re thinking.” she sighed, rubbing her cheek against his. “Yes...I can be your...girlfriend.” But still, the skunk wasn’t ready to relent.
“No way! Let go of me!” he cried, and with a show of strength Ruth hadn’t thought to expect, he wrenched his way out of her arms and ran further down the alleyway, not stopping until he’d reached its foot. Ruth, however, would not accept defeat. Love made its ascension as she watched him run away, slowly hopping after him with another burst of spray.
“I sense he’ll soon understand commitment.” she smiled to herself, following his path through the pitch black alleyway as though she was watching footprints in sand.
*
By now, Ronald was visibly irritated by the fact that there seemed to be no escape from the lovestruck skunk, more so when he found hiding places to be in short supply; the alleyway led straight into a car park, and there was nowhere he could shield himself. Oh, give me a break, will ya? he thought, the strengthening scent of her spray telling him that she was approaching rapidly.
With no time to think, he raced out to the street, nearly running into another fox as he turned the corner into a dual carriageway. He was about to turn and run again when, upon passing a mirror shop, something caught his eye. He thought he could see...white fur where there should not have been white fur. But how could that be? He looked closer, inspecting every inch of his being, before he turned to the side. His eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw.
“What?” he cried. “What’s going on?” He showed his back to the mirror, and it revealed that what he’d seen was a long white stripe that coursed down his back and the entire length of his tail. Huh? How’d I get this? he thought, looking confused. But then he came to a quick realization as he ran his paw over the stripe. Dry paint? he thought. Wait...I hope you are not telling me this is why this lunatic skunk is after me! He inspected his tail again, but he would be given no more time to reflect on his discovery, for Ruth’s tail hovered beside him for a split second, before it quickly coiled around him and dragged him into her open arms. He found himself face to face with her, his guitar being the only thing stopping their chests from meeting.
“What the hell?” snapped Ronald. “How did you find me?” He looked up into her eyes, and a chill raced down his spine. She now watched him with the kind of passion he had only ever seen, desired or expected from one other creature – Jackie. No...is this skunk really hoping to bed me? he thought, his heart dropping.
“Nothing draws me to you like the sound of your voice, my sweet skunk hunk.” she crooned, one hand paw stroking his cheek. “It sounds like a fallen angel. I don’t know how I didn’t find you sooner.” That’s just what Jackie said on our first date. thought Ronald irritably.
“Get off!” he barked, before he struggled furiously and wrenched his way free from her hold, no matter how tightly she tried to keep hold of him. Without looking back, he raced away, even more desperate for someone or something to help him escape. By now, he was exhausted from the running, but again he could scent her spray; he knew he had to hide himself well in order to stand any chance of escaping her. And soon, she caught up with him again, although before she could grab him, his ears pricked up at the faint sound of music and chatter. Just down the street, he could see a brightly lit bar. And it looked to be very busy for a Sunday night. Yes – sanctuary! he thought elatedly, letting out a gasp. With no hesitation, he cut across the road, almost colliding with an oncoming car. As Ruth ran after him, he rushed into the bar, hoping to lose her in the crowd.
Much to his relief, there was barely room to move in the main bar area, while its small restaurant was full right up. It was the perfect deception, and the coloured lights combined with the colours of his fur meant that he could blend right in – and it didn’t look like any of the patrons or bar staff had recognized him. Sure enough, Ruth began to snake through the crowd in search of him, although looking in the opposite direction to where he was going. Just then, his mobile phone vibrated in his pocket. He ducked into the men’s toilets and answered.
“Hello?”
“Ron, it’s Freya.” said the caller. “Where are you?”
“Freya, am I glad to hear from you!” replied Ronald. “You’re never gonna believe what’s happening.”
“What?” inquired Freya. “Sounds like you’re in a bar.”
“Yeah, but let me explain.”
“We’ve got to go to our next venue soon, Ron.” said Freya sternly.
“I know.” he replied. He started to walk out of the toilets and back into the crowd. He couldn’t see any sign of Ruth, so he started to head back to the entrance. “I don’t know how, but I got this white stripe down my back. And after we got off the stage, some lovesick skunk started chasing me. She won’t leave me alone – she’s been chasing me all over the city, and I’ve only just managed to get away from her. She thinks I’m another skunk – she’s hugged me, kissed me, sprayed me, said she loved me, you name it.” In the background, he could hear Freya giggling, before she and another two voices in the background he recognized to be Vic and Andrea’s burst into laughter. “What are you laughing at?” he snapped.
“I’m sorry,” she giggled, “it just sounds so funny! It’s like something out of some old cartoon!”
“It’s not funny to me.” said Ronald.
“I saw that stripe down your back when you came out of the toilets.” quipped Freya. “You know there was wet paint on the support beams, don’t you?” The answer finally came to his silent and unspoken question. Oh, come on...that’s what it was? he thought in dismay.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” he demanded.
“We didn’t want to stall the crowd any more.” she admitted. “But we didn’t know this was gonna happen.”
“I didn’t either.” said Ronald as he stepped outside. “You still could have said something; maybe then, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Just tell her you’re a fox, and she’ll be off your tail.” advised Freya. “It worked for my friend when this happened to her.” It did? he thought, looking around him and again finding no sign of her. This might do it.
“Yeah, that may just work.” he said, turning down a small side street. “I don’t care if I make her cry. I just want her away from me. I’ll see you soon.”
“Good luck.” said Freya. “We can wait for you a little while longer, but I’d have to drive like a devil woman to make it. Later.” With that she hung up, and Ronald began to dial for a taxi. But before he’d finished, he noticed another pair of eyes staring from the darkness. But these eyes were blue instead of gold. And when he recognized them, his heart filled with dread.
“You,” he breathed, “what do you want?”
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Skunk
Gender Any
Size 120 x 120px
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