Fur Fighters II

            ~Kindred Cries~

 

PROLOGUE

                “Event Horizon”

 

“The Village” – 0600 hrs

 

                The wind blows.  Deciduous leaves sway freely.   An overcasting shadow floods over the grassy surface.  Over a small bridge where it arches a stream goes in passing as silent as the morning darkness.  The only sounds are that of the Undermill where it releases a body of water from its massive wheel and the soothing churn of the sea tussling against the rocky climf below the village.  The sun peeks from the horizon as its earliest few rays traverse across the billowing sea, onto the wooden rooftops of the Fur Fighters’ homes, and beyond.  Suddenly, the wind chill ceases.  The trees begin to gradually desist – causing barely audible cracks and pops from their branches.  New silhouettes gradually encompass the surrounding area almost stealthily.  Then, a low hum at first begins to resonate from a distance.  What is it?  More and more strange forms come from the sea to walk onto the beach; some even begin climbing up the rocky cliff; and others, more note worthy than the others, are wading through thickets, tramping over foliage without a care in the world.

 

                Juliette’s and Chang’s homes were the first to be welcomed by the sunlight.  In Juliette’s, the sun’s rays were coming in through her second floor glass windows, stretching over her and husband as they lay there in bitter comfort, embracing each other in their slumber.  The rays inevitably peered over their old bassinet where their kittens had used years before, but now it was found a derelict after the first few years of their maturity.  A circular, narrow mirror sat at a far corner of the bedroom by an oversized chest.  Adjacent from it, it neighbored a dresser where a casual floor mat sat in front of it. 

                Downstairs, extra cots had been unfolded for the nearly grown-up children.  Each member slept on his or her respective cushions, lost in a deep dream.  One of them, however, seemed to be the oldest of the bunch, Jean-Claude.  The young adult male lied on his side, clutching his pillow tautly with one arm while the other found its place along his thigh.  His face seemed contorted in such a manner that read a nightmare he was enduring most of the night.  Beads of sweat had already begun to trickle down his face, and his soft breaths turned into violent pants, and then his eyes opened in sheer fright.

                “Gahh!” he sat up instantly, holding his chest.  “La horreur,” he whispered to himself before climbing out of bed and heading upstairs to check on his parents.

                Upstairs, he leaned against his parents’ threshold, peering over them.  At first, he fought back a content smile.  He softly crept into the room and made his way over to the balcony beside his parents’ bed.  Once standing outside on the top floor, he placed his paws on the ledge and gazed across the sea to see the jagged reflection of the sun.  The cliff several meters in front of his home obscured the rest of his view of the bottom surface; all he could hear was the water churning, pounding against the rocky wall a mile below.

                He curled his tail a little, and then looked over his right shoulder to see his mother’s face.  She was still asleep, smiling slightly like she always did in the past.  He reminisced the times – twelve years ago – when she had saved him from a group of bears whom held him hostage.  These bears had placed him so high out of his mother’s reach, atop a machine, that she had to figure out how to climb the monstrous rig.  This was back in the war with his mother’s, along with the rest of her friends, archenemy General Viggo.  In spite of him being a kit then, he remembered everything that happened to him.  These old memories were something he could not relinquish; it was what made him uneasy during the nights since then.

                He turned his attention from his mother to his neighbors, the Chang family.  When he gazed over to see their wooden domicile the thought of his best friend Chung possibly being awake too crossed his mind.  He tried to get a good glimpse inside his friend’s home, staring beyond the windows.  To his dismay, no one appeared to be awake just yet.  He and Chung were one of many Fur Fighter progeny that had been abducted by General Viggo’s supposedly unconquerable forces.  Together, they shared this one incident in common, and from it they became good friends sharing their stories of captivity.  Sometimes they would even joke about those painful cumbersome times.

                Jean-Claude soughed.  There was something still gnawing at the back of his mind.  Somehow, he knew that trouble brewed regardless of the long period of equanimity and prestige the Fur Fighters has been having.  He knew that one day that his parents would have to do battle again, but he never thought that unforeseeable day would be closer than what he assumed.

               

                Sleeplessness was not only reserved for Jean-Claude but also in Lweek’s case.  Lweek, the oldest dragon child in the Gwynth dynasty, was restless too.  Lweek stood at one end of his youngest brother’s room, staring deeply into an old baby picture that had been taken several years ago of him and his numerous brothers.  His emerald eyes seemed to search for the answers to the questions that puzzled him.  He stood only a foot shorter than what his brother was twelve years ago.  They did not share identical body structure, for his wing-like ears were the only element that matched his brother’s, and his wings were a bit longer and protrusive, shaped almost like wings of a bat.  Another contrast to his brother was in their vocals.  Tweek’s voice had a squeak to it while his possessed a deep and serious tone.

                Unexpectedly, Tweek awoke to the sound of his older brother’s sigh.  The red dragon was an adult now, tall and long, half the size of his behemoth mother.  He startled his brother by swishing his wings in a long and deep stretch.  When he opened his maw a series of white keen teeth appeared.  Even at this age, Tweek would always show a bit of the baby dragon in him by saying his name.  It could also be seen in his eyes and sometimes child-like moves.

                “So you’re up, Lweek?  Is something the matter?” Tweek enquired, not standing from his bed just yet.

                “No, little brother.  I was just … contemplating,” he replied in a less enthused tone.  “Did you sleep well, dear brother?  You seem like you have with your deep snores.”  Lweek turned his head and grinned.

                Tweek smiled sheepishly.  “I see.  Oh well, I can’t always help that.  Wake me up when I am snoring.  I don’t want my throat to be sore because of it.”

                “I’ll keep that in mind,” Lweek said, walking over and extending his claw to help his brother up.  “Come now.  Let’s not wake the others upstairs.  I feel like talking to someone, and you’ll have to do, baby brother.”

                “Gee, thanks.  Tweek!”

                Together, the two brothers took a dip outside their room where lava ran round their lower circle beneath their mother’s dwelling.  They had to swim in the molten lava to reach the stairway that would lead them to their mother and the rest of their brothers, and eventually to the very top floor of their spiral house with glass windows as a sunroof and a large balcony. 

                They silently made their way to the balcony, only to bask in the sights and sounds of the Undermill.

                “Hey, Tweek?  Does Esmerelda and Bungalow keep you awake too during one of their nightly disputes?”

                Tweek nodded slowly.

                “Yeah, they are just people who fight.”—he shrugged—“I can only wonder how Donny and his siblings get any sleep all of these years.”

                “Haha.  Me too!”

 

                Next door to Gwynth’s abode was that of Bungalow and Esmerelda’s lovely home.  It has been common knowledge to all Fur Fighters that Bungalow’s wife was the domineering spouse.  They would argue viciously at times, though Bungalow was not the type of kangaroo who would ever lay his paw on his beautiful wife … even when she threw two concurrent frying pans at his skull every other day.

                Their youngest and most vivacious son Donny would sometimes be forced to sleep outside on the lower deck that served as a resting place.  It also allowed him to speak to his neighbor’s second and youngest daughter, Surbilla.  Surbilla was Rico’s proud and strong-minded daughter who had taken the hobby of exploring the ocean, or even sometimes swim beneath the Village out of boredom.  Two out of three times was when Donny would watch her attentively.  He had a little thing for her regardless if she was already Chung’s girlfriend.  Knowing this, it only spurred a hidden rivalry between the two males -- not only this, not having Surbilla as his own was all the motivation he ever needed to get even.  After all, this was Donny’s “the girl next door” scenario.

                Last night was no different than most nights were he and his older brothers and sisters had to sleep on the desk to block out their parents’ altercations.  He lied on his back with his other two brothers and two sisters resting nearby.  Sometimes they all even rested against one another to stay tepid.  However, Donny kept to himself this time, with his right arm hanging from the edge of the deck.  He was too close to it that if he would roll over he would find himself in the village’s small but powerful river.

                For the moment, he stared ahead -- asleep – at Rico’s home.

 

                Rico’s home had definitely gone under technical modifications over the past several years.  With his children growing up so fast with each passing year, one summer he had decided to build a second room to the back of his house.  The extra room seemed really close to his old buddy’s home – Roofus.  Nevertheless, the room served its purpose well, and it gave him privacy and more time to be alone with his wife to share intimate moments.  Rico was always suave, and part of that style lied in teasing and flirting with his wife, even if they were becoming old penguins pretending to be young lovers of the past.

                Past their large and linear bedroom in the igloo shaped house the extra room seemed to make the rest of the house seem ancient.  The room for the children was more modern, and full of teen-age belongings.  Albeit a little disorderly, the two siblings tried to live in peace with one another, having been ruled over by the oldest child, female, who at times seemed to be selfish with the room for privacy purposes.  This once child but now adult was none other than Surbilla, a young female penguin who had fallen in love with Chang’s young son, Chung.

                Surbilla and Chung’s relationship was still very young; it has only begun to last for a little over a year.  The two spent a lot of time together, indulging in their natural surroundings.  While Chung spoke English somewhat fluently with a hint of his Asian dialect, citing various poetries of love and slight technical wisdom, Surbilla seemed infatuated by all of his charms.  For hours, they lied on her bed together, talking about the past, family, and other things of doing together to express their affection for each other.  Meanwhile, all of this only incensed another watchful eye next door.

                Surbilla had not awakened yet.  She lied in bed, covered by a blanket.  Her older brother stayed at his end of the bed, having placed a pillow between them for obvious reasons.  The glow of the sun had already come into the room, making her eyelids flutter.  She was not willing to rise, and neither was her brother who let out a low moan.

                “Mmm,” came from her brother, “I love you.”  He said in his dream, sliding an arm past the barrier (the pillow) that divided him from his sister, and then pulled her close into a loving embrace. 

                This woke Surbilla almost immediately.  She turned her head and looked over to him, sighing a little in response.  She did not bother to remove his arm because it was all in innocence, and she loved him mutually.  Instead she came closer to him, planted a kiss on the side of his beak, and then lay her head on his right shoulder, trying to welcome back sleep.  Soft voices from her parents’ bedroom kept her awake, though.  It was obvious they were awake and did not hesitate to tease each other as usual when giggles and soft laughter came through the wall. 

 

                Next door was that of Roofus’s home.   Roofus remained the leader of the Fur Fighters, having so much wisdom and experience in combat from an old war with bears.  He served as the overseer of the others, always being protective to his friends and neighbors.  His bedroom, however, was on the second floor – just one floor.  The first floor consisted of his bar and recreation room where he and his wife Winnie would invite their friends over to play pool and have free drinks.  Only a ladder stairway led to the second floor to his bedroom and balcony.  And just across from his bedroom was another small room where his three angels slept.

                In there, the oldest daughter Turquoise ran things militaristically.  She used her female intuition to decorate the room to make it more appealing while her sisters had no say in their terms.  The three of them shared one big bed with the youngest girl tucked soundly in the middle.  There were at times where subtle things created problems such as someone using another’s mascara, eating someone’s secret stash of snacks, and other petty things.  The three girls only shared one window in which sunlight only lit the room most of the day but prior to sunset, their room would be the first to receive dimness because of the angle of the extra room.  

                Turquoise lay near the edge of the bed with a pillow covering her head from her sisters’ snoring.  It was bad enough she had to live in close quarter with them, but the noise they made was unbearable.  Sleep had been displaced, and she already had dark bags under her eyes.  Still, she was sleeping finally.  But when the youngest sister would accidental jab her in the side with an elbow, she would growl or bark back.  That or send an elbow in return.  It was rough.  Of course, the whole Roofus family was presumed to be for their Scottish heritage.

               

                Chung finally awoke from his matt on the floor.  The young firefox (panda) rubbed his eyes before looking over the room, seeing if any of his brothers and sisters had risen before him.  None were accounted for being up, so he decided to be the first. 

                He slowly climbed the stairs to go up into his parents’ bedroom to have a peek.  They too were still lost in sleep.  His Asian father Chang lied on his stomach, facing the only window in the room while his mother Mai had her arms around him from behind, her bright red, bushy, orange striped tail hugged her husband’s.  It seemed most of the Fur Fighters tended to do this, especially a lot after their last struggle with Viggo.  This was only to be assumed that they could never be totally ready for something bad to happen and, should they become separated again, at least their times together over the years meant a lot, especially the little considerate things in marriage life.

                Chung smiled in content at this before going back downstairs.  He walked outside, stretching and yawning.  When he looked up he saw his best friend already standing on his own balcony, lost in deep thought as usual.  He began to wave.

                “Yo, J-C?  Good morning!” Chung greeted, slowly walking over to the foot of Juliette and Claude’s home.  “Did you sleep well, my friend?”

                Jean-Claude motioned his head to look down at the firefox, smiling warmly.

                “Bonjour, mon ami!  Comment ca va?” he spoke in French, as he was accustomed to because of his mother and father.

                Chung only browed in response.  The others reacted the same way.  No one could completely decipher the French tongue Jean-Claude sported, unless it was his parents and siblings.  At least his mother spoke French and English, and his father mostly English with a hint of French dialect.  But Jean-Claude was adamant about being French all the way unless he was forced to speak English regularly.

                The firefox stretched his arms out to show his confusion.  “I take it that means ‘How are you’.  In that case, I’m decent, J-C.  I really wish you would just speak English more often.”

                “Pourquoi?  J’aime mon francais!” the feline smiled, folding his arms and curling his tail.

                “Um, whatever you say.  Come on down and we’ll get something to eat, okay?” Chung suggested, beckoning for the French feline to come downstairs.

                Jean-Claude nodded, and turned to go back into his parents’ bedroom.  When he turned his head to see if they were awake yet, his eyes locked with his mother’s, who had been listening to him since the outside conversation began.  He paused, turned, and walked over. 

                Juliette did not get up.  She simply waited for her son to bend down and give her a good-morning kiss.  As always, they would give French kisses as their custom. 

                Jean-Claude pressed his lips to his mother’s cheek as she did his too, and kissed.  He then went to her other cheek and planted one there as well.  “Bonjour, Maman.”

                 His mother smiled happily and placed a paw on his cheek to pull his face close.

                “Salut, mon fil.  Est-que tu va sommeil avant minuit bien?”

                “Non.”  He frowned, sighing softly.

                “And why is that my son?”

                Just then, Claude elevated his paw up and waved for his son to go away.  “Some people are trying to slureep.  Jean-Claude?  Go do something fun out-side.”

                Juliette bristled, elbowing her husband in the back to be quiet.

                “Go back to sleep, Claude.  No one is talking to you, sweet cat.”

                “Oh no, you woke her.  Now I won’t be able to go back to sleep, Jean-Claude.  Why do you do the-s-e things to me?  I’m your father.  I need much rest before heading to Quackkenheim today.  I have a new film to ex-hib-it and a speech to give,” he explained, turning onto his other side and facing his wife and son.  He slid a paw on his wife’s stomach, and then kissed her on the lips as a greeting.

                Juliette purred in response much to her son’s dislike.  He really did not like observing sweet things like this, for he had no one of his own to share his feelings with.  In a way, he envied his father for being so happy.

                “Okay, I will leave and do something with Chung, Father.  I will see you later, okay?”

                “Tres bien!  Bien!  Au revoir, a bientot,” Claude said, continuing to wave for his son to leave the room.

                Once Jean-Claude was out of sight, Claude turned to Juliette and a naughty smile etched across his face.  “So, so… do you want to do a lit-tle some-thing before breakfast?”  He kissed her again, but this time more romantically.

                Juliette feigned to be surprised.  “Oh?  Do you want to do something?  Because I know what you’re going to do for me today.  You’re going to continue working on our sculpture project.”

                Claude groaned.  “That hid-e-ous thing?  But can’t I have a little excitement around here?  We ha-ve all of these children, but can have no more?”

                Juliette giggled and blushed, getting closer and wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him into a passionate kiss. 

                “Non.  Get ready for work, monsieur.  I will cook breakfast.”

                Juliette began to get out of bed when he pulled her back down by her tail.  Claude climbed atop her, pinning her beneath him.  He restrained her wrists with his paws.

                “But monsieur?  How can we fool around with les enfants in the house?” she asked; afterward, a deep blush appearing and hot flash wafting over her petite body.

                “No need to worry about them.  They know not to bother us in the mor-ning.” 

                Claude reassured her with a deep kiss, releasing her wrists and beginning to caress her body.  The two continued to play around for a little while as the sun came and stayed high in the sky.

 

                Donny awoke to the sound of footholds gathering at his feet.  Just as he turned his head, the figure kneeled and placed a paw on his head, petting him sweetly.  It was his mother, Esmerelda.  He sat up, giving her a hug as the first sign of greeting.  His other brothers and sisters were still in sound asleep.

                “Mornin’, motha.  Did you sleep well?” Donny asked.

                “Yeah, sort of, mate.  If it weren’t for your father and me arguing as we do, then we’d both have the energy to get more things done around ‘ere.  Anyway, I’m going to begin cooking breakfast, you best sure to wake your brothers before coming up, okay?” 

                His mother gave him a kiss on the head before turning to leave and go back upstairs to the bedroom.  Donny rubbed the side of his sore face from having it sit on the deck for a prolonged period.  He stole a glimpse over at where Surbilla stayed.  There was no movement just yet, but then from Roofus’s balcony came Winnie.  The mother canine stepped outside and stretched tautly.  When she saw that Donny was watching, she waved to him and smiled.

                He returned a wave, “Mornin’, Mrs. Winnie.”

                “Good morning to you too, Donny.  Be sure to tell your mother I said hi, and that the bar will be available shortly.”

                “Will do, ma’am.”

                Winnie then retired into the house.  Another sound caught his attention as another Fur Fighter emerged to greet the day with a light chuckle.  It was Rico.  He was yawning – scratching his bottom.  The penguin had definitely aged, for the green hair he once had now turned gray.  He still had that belly of his, though he would deny it whenever someone asked or brought it up.  To him, he would always be a popular penguin no matter what.

                Rico walked over to his rack of surf boards and began doing what he did twelve years ago – waxing one of them to pristine condition.

                “Hey, Mr. Rico.  Sleep well, mate?”

                The penguin looked up, slightly taken aback by the new change.  “Oh, hey.  Yeah, yeah.  This old player sleeps well at night.  Then again, you youngsters wouldn’t know much about that.  Haha,” he laughed.

                Donny simply shook his head.

                “You’ll have to show me how you do that trick with your revolvers sometime, Rico.  That thing you do with a twirl is sweet, mate.”

                Rico raised his flipper.  “Yeah, yeah.  Whatever you say, chief.  Meet me before nighttime, by the Undermill.  I’ll show you then.  Oh, and be sure to tell Bungalow to make a pit stop by the bar; he owes me.”

                Donny chuckled, “I will, mate.  Don’t you worry about that.”

                Rico went back to polishing his surf board, humming a little tune.

 

                Chang rose out of bed in fright when someone pinched his cheek.  It was Mai.  She smiled down at him, stroking his furry head.  She sat on the edge of the bed.  When Chang realized who the culprit was, he tickled her side and then made one of his wild cries. 

                “Wooah!”

                Mai giggled.  “You sleepy head, Chang.  C’mon, everyone is up now.  Breakfast will be ready any minute.  Meanwhile, clean up here before coming down, all right?”  She messed up the fur on his head, rose, and began to walk away slowly, showing her beautiful tail off to him.

                “Oy.  Chang not feel so good this morning.  Must be all that hard work yesterday.”

                By the time he got downstairs, his children were already at each other’s throats arguing over who would get the first bowl of their mother’s excellent stew.  He looked to make sure everyone was accounted for, but then realized that his son Chung was missing from the scene.  He turned to face Mai.

                “Mai?  Where is our Chung?  Did he leave the house without leaving a note again?  That boy is forgetful at times – and unreliable.”

                Mai turned around from the pit of fire full of charcoal where she had a pot of stew shimmering a foot above it.  “He must get that from you.  I don’t know where he has gone, but by the looks of it he is probably outside, around the village with Juliette and Claude’s boy.”

                “Who?  Jean-Claude?”

                “Yes.”

                Chang shook his head and then gestured as he began to go on a rant.

                “That boy of ours has little to none respect for the things I try to teach him.  One of these days, he’ll regret not having the same extensive knowledge as I do with the Teleporters.  Not only that, but he is still an amateur at martial arts.  He needs to be at home training, not playing around.  We never know when Viggo will strike again.”

                “Good point.  Now deal with him when he gets back for breakfast.”  Mai smirked, turning back to cooking her stew.

                The teenagers continued to argue around their father.  At this, Chang quickly got impatient, and raved at them.  “Silly children!  Stop fight-ing!  I can’t even hear myself think.  Go outside and play.  Do something – anything but be around here making all of this noise.”

 

                Lweek and Tweek leapt from the ledge of their balcony and began to glide slowly to the surface where they greeted Jean-Claude and Chung.

                “Hi, guys.  It’s a nice morning, no?” Chung asked.

                “Yes, it certainly is.  So what’s on today’s agenda?” asked Lweek.

                “More training at the Undermill?  I heard Sergeant Sternhauser has new weapons for us to test out.  Wouldn’t that be fun?  Of course, I won’t be joining you.  I have passed that test a long time ago.”

                “Oui,” Jean-Claude concurred with Tweek.

                Suddenly, the group was joined by Donny.  The kangaroo hopped over, glancing over at the Undermill for a moment.  “G’day, mates.  What’s happening?”

                “Hey, Donny.”

                “Hi.”

                “Yo.”

                “Salut.”

 

                Donny scratched the back of his head.  The others remained in silence as if waiting for the big news.  At first, the marsupial prepared for an announcement, but nothing came out when he looked in Chung’s direction.  By the time he uttered some words, another called out to one of them in particular.  It was Surbilla.

                “Chung!  C’mon down.”

                The others looked at Chung.  The little firefox blushed as he uneasily made his way through the guys and shrugged.  “Sorry, guys.  Looks like I’ve got my hands full today.  But I’ll be at the Undermill for training.  Count on it.”

                He ran over to Surbilla who in turned latched onto his arm and dragged him off into her room.  Seconds later, she kicked out her brother.  At this, the group laughed, all except Donny.  He was beginning to feel sour toward Chung already.

                “Hey mates, now I remember what I wanted to say.  Go tell your parents that they’re invited for free drinks at Roofus’s bar.  Also, gather your breakfast and rendezvous at The Hideout.”

                The others gave nods, and then went on their separate ways back to their homes to spread the news.

 

                After breakfast, the parents met at the bar while a select group of their teenagers went out of sight to congregate at The Hideout, a place where Lweek discovered a small cave behind the waterfall near the Undermill.  Altogether, they had built a ladder to reach the small cavern, and from then on constructed it to their liking, making it an ideal location to meet and exchange the latest news and events.  In a way, the getaway became a tavern.  Because the place was so concealed out of the sight from their parents, the only thing they got a glimpse of was a limited view of half the village was through the waterfall itself.  Though, on the outside of the rushing waterfall, it was difficult to see the darkness of the cave.

                In the hideout, they kept the members list strict and exclusive, excluding annoying family members.  When it came down to it, only Jean-Claude, Donny, Chung, Surbilla, Turquoise, and Lweek were allowed to come up.  They all simply shunned the rest of their brothers and sisters who too had their own little “escape” elsewhere to whose knowledge they did not know – yet.

                Inside near the center of the cave where the bright glow of the waterfall, they sat in a circle, and ate their breakfast and drank from the clean water in a small pool at their center.  The mountain spring water was actually gathered through a simplistic structure that was built to drain water vessels into the pool from above them.  With Chung being the amateur technical genius of the group, he had been elected to install the aqua duct personally.

                Conversation was kept short today.  Most of them minded their own business, eating what their parents had cooked for them.  Much of what was exchanged was that of the war with Viggo and the many things they all had experienced.

                “Do you know what I remember most about being captured?” asked Donny.

                “What is that?” the rest asked.

                “I hated the part of being left in a damn dirty dank cage.”

                The others broke out in laughter.  Lweek finally raised his claw to add his tale of captivity.

                “Here’s mine…  I actually got to pilot one of Cape Canardo’s billion-dollar airplanes!  How’s that for captivity?”

                Everyone blinked.

                “Super!” Jean-Claude chimed. 

                “I was trapped in an office for hours until my dad came and got me out,” added Turquoise. 

“And I was found in a large computer system by my father,” said Chung.

                “I was found on the other side of a complex in Beaver Dam.  Father had to swim a mile to get to me,” Surbilla gave her two cents worth.

                “How about you, Jean-Claude?”

                The feline rubbed his ears.  “Erm, drilling machine in God Machine Valley.”

               

                They all turned their attention toward the waterfall from where their parents’ loud laughter could be heard all the way from the bar.  They all looked at each other, and then laughed too.  All the while, the mill continued to gather water to turn its turbines and provide power not only for the training facility but also for all of the Fur Fighters’ homes.

               

                It was later in the day when they all finally decided to head for the Undermill, where they found Sergeant Sternhauser practicing his punches and kicks on a sand bag.  The large, circumpolar and gregarious deer with palmate antlers shredded a bag with one powerful blow with his fist.  Unaware of his little audience, his austere style surprised the gang.  They all heard of the caribou’s reputation for being tough, but not that powerful.  They came to their senses when he spotted them behind him when he slid on his reading lens.

                He stood to attention, folding his arms behind his back, and began tapping his cane on the wooden floor behind him to serve as an alert to the new recruits.  “You meddling furballs, I should teach you all a lesson.  Actually, I will.  Now get over here so I can show you how to be real Fur Fighters just like your parents.  Now!” 

                He took his cane and hit the floor board with it, shaking the room beneath them a little.  Immediately, they came to attention and ran over to him, lining up in their designated places just the same as where their parents stood at one point.

                Sternhauser looked over his new recruits, studying them well before giving them character flaw reports.

                “You,”—he pointed at Donny—“too tall.”

                He moved down to another and looked him in the eyes.

                “You,”—he tapped Chung’s chest with his cane—“too short.”

                He went on to another, another, another, and then stopped at the end to the last person in formation.

                “You,”—he prodded Turquoise with his cane—“too fat.”

                “You,”—he gave a look at Surbilla—“too weak.”

                “You,”—he gave an equally insulting look at Lweek—“too scrawny.”

                “And you, pretty boy”—he got in Jean-Claude’s face—“too French.”

 

                The sergeant then remained by Jean-Claude. He then pointed to a can of Pet Yums, a byproduct of yesteryear that still had the reputation of providing a good amount of energy for all.

                “This is you getting hurt…” he said, kicking Jean-Claude once in the stomach, and watching the feline double over, “and this is you eating Pet Yum to recover.  Go over to the can boy before I take more out of you than I need do.”

                Jean-Claude climbed to his feet with a grunt and walked over in a slight limp to the can of food.  The others cringed at this, but quickly wiped away their facial expressions when the sergeant picked another random person.

                “You, Fur Fighter baby, can I borrow your head for a moment?”

                “Huh?” asked Donny.

                The sergeant gave a head butt, knocking the kangaroo down.  “Go get some Pet Yum like your friend over there.  Hurry along now so we can get to the finer points of this training.”

                The caribou came up to Chung next.  “Do you think you’re special because your dad works with the Teleporters?  Huh?”

                Chung shrugged.  “I wouldn’t know, Seargeant—“  The firefox was bashed on the head with the cane.

                “Go get food too.  Bye, bye.”

                Next up was Lweek.

                “You, young dragon, have funny-looking wings.  Why?”

                Lweek was about to explain when one of his long ears was yanked.  The dragon yipped.

                “Eat up, too.  Hurry.”

                “Surbilla?  Stand here, please.”

                The penguin came up and stood next to her drill instructor.  Before she knew what happened her beak was sore, and her eyes began to well.

                “Go join the others, rockhopper penguin.”

                The sergeant finally came up to Roofus’s daughter.  “I heard you are strong-minded.  Is that correct?”

                Turquoise tried to size up to her drill sergeant.

                “Yes, sir!”

                He got in her face, breathing down her forehead.

                “Well you’re not when you’re around me.  Only one person in this whole place is strong-minded, and that’s me.  Now do you believe I should treat you better than the others just because you’re the daughter of Roofus?  Hmm?”

                “Um… no?”

                “Good call,” he replied, lifting his cane and then slapping her rump a few times.  “Daddy never beat you enough.  You only think that you’re tough.  Now go join the others, you weakling.”

                Everyone was accounted for and stood in the next room of the training facility, eating their can of Pet Yums, recovering lost energy from the sergeant’s attacks.

                When the sergeant stepped into the next room, he tapped his cane twice on the floor and then they all got into formation anew.  “Now because you are here, this exercise is necessary in case something unfortunate happens to your parents, the Fur Fighters.  Now does anyone know what it means to be a Fur Fighter?”

                Lweek raised his claw. “To protect the innocent and uphold the law?”

                The caribou smirked.  “No, you idiot.  Stop watching so much television.”

                Jean-Claude gave his answer a try. 

                “Mon, professeur?  La quest—“

                Sternhauser growled. 

                “Stop talking French!  Speak Eng-glay or go home and cry to your mother.  I’m sure she’d like that.”

                Jean-Claude lowered his ears and took offense.

                “Right here, Sergeant!” came Surbilla.

                “Yes?”

                “To save the world from the likes of General Viggo?”

                For a moment, the sergeant smiled but then it quickly turned into frown.

                “Nice try.  But I see you’re a little slower than the others.”

                Donny giggled.

                “What’s so funny, you tall freak?”

                “Who?  Me?”

                “No, the ugly marsupial next to you.”

                “…”

                “Sergeant, there is no one right answer.”

                Sternhauser looked surprised by this when he turned to face Turquoise.  “Outstanding, young woman.  You’re right.  Each of us has a different goal, and in life it is to discover what that goal is.”

                Everyone nodded.

                “Now follow me to the next room.  It is time to go over the basics.”

 

                In the next room, there were Teleporters and golden tokens.  The room was largely square, spatial enough for each person to have significant amount of room to perform other activities.  In front, the sergeant stood next to a Teleporter, a green incandescent globe that pulsated and showed a triangular bar that was meant for grasping on the other side.  Currently, no one was in the Teleportation Room (a.k.a. Chang’s workshop).

                “This is the Teleporter.  I’m sure your parents have explained it, but I will go over it one last time.  The Teleporter allows instant transmission from one part of the world to the next.  Because this requires a lot of power, the energy source lies in these golden tokens you see here on the floor.  Twelve years ago, your parents needed to collect one hundred of these things around the world where the Teleporters had leaked.  However, because of updated software and technology, two of you may enter one place at a time.  Thus, twice the amount of golden tokens is needed to power it.  If you are on a mission and fail to collect two hundred tokens, you may not be coming back for a while.  So always collect those tokens!”

                “Furthermore, this device can also be a life saver depending on your situation.  For instance, while one (or both) of you are hurt and, need some time to heal, return to a nearby Teleporter and switch persons.  While in the Teleportation Room, you will be treated with Pet Yums and be able to restock on ammunition when needed.  Also, when you come across an obstacle that you know you cannot pass, find a Teleporter to call a friend to aid you in your quest.  Remember, you will need at least twenty-five of these tokens each before you can begin switching persons respectively.  Two hundred tokens are needed to get you home.”

                “Yes, sir!” everyone said, saluting.

                “Now give it a go.  Now two of you step into the Teleporter.  Once two of you are at the Teleportation Room, wait for someone to step toward your icon, and then you will exchange places.”

                The first person to enter the Teleporter was Chung, seeing how he had never been to the Teleportation Room, which also was his dad’s workshop.  When the firefox stepped into the green globe, a vivid flash blinded everyone for a moment, and then Chung’s face could be seen in it holding onto two bars of the triangular grips.

                Inside the Teleportation Room, Chung stood atop a round platform.  He could not move from it unless he wanted to lose his place at his designated stand.  Instead he scanned the room and noticed large computer terminals, blinking lights, heard blimps on radar on one console, and then all the things Sternhauser said would be available by a row of lockers.  Unexpectedly, Surbilla came through and appeared beside him on her stand.       

                “Welcome to the Teleportation Room,” he joked.

                Surbilla grinned.

                Back at the training facility, the others paid close attention to the Teleporters, noticing how Surbilla’s and Chung’s bus followed them wherever they went in the room.  Once satisfied, the sergeant ordered two more to enter the Teleporter.  Donny and Turquoise were next.  When they stepped inside, Surbilla and Chung instantaneously returned back where they stood before.  In place of their bus were Donny’s and Turquoise’s.  Finally, Lweek and Jean-Claude gave it a try.  Afterward, they returned themselves by pressing a button on the triangular grips that they were supposed to hold on to for others to come through and exchange places.

                “Now that you guys had your fun, it’s time to figure out what each of you is good at.  Just because your parents are Fur Fighters doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have the same traits.  For all we know, you could have bigger flaws than them, as well great new talents.  Now let’s go exploit them.  Step into the next room.”

                The next room led to a corridor, showing a passage in front of the group and one to the right.  It was clearly obviously that the path to the right led onward to the shooting range.

                “I want all of you jump across to the shooting range.  Go!”

                At that instant, the six leapt for the right path, making it over a deep gap that showed a floor below.  They all landed on different spots on moving gears which all moved at different speeds.  They continued on to the next gear, one that moved much faster.  At first, Lweek had trouble keeping steady enough to jump to the third gear.  Instinctively, he leapt in first position and began to glide.  His feet touched the third gear that provoked even more balance, for it swiveled in both directions seeing how it was made to control two different cogs as one.

                Next to leap across and make it was Donny.  It was clear his high jumping ability benefited him the most, and thus he landed next to Lweek.  For Jean-Claude it was different story.  Instead of joining the others in risky leaping from one platform to the next, he took the liberty of leaping off course and attaching himself to a wooden spire with his keen claws.  He easily moved past the first two, assuming control of the fourth gear.

                Seeing this, Surbilla and Turquoise growled in envy.  They were forced to continue a linear approach which was simply to leap and take chances before failing to keep balance.  Chung, on the other hand, attempted to make a far jump to a wooden post beside the third gear; but to no avail, his jump cut short and he fell to the bottom of the gears, hitting the wooden floor hard.  This took some of his health, and he began to move slower because of his injury.  To his greatest surprise, though, was he spied a ladder all the way at the end of the gear obstacle.  A wicked grin formed as he ran across, past the others easily, and began climbing.  What he had not realized was that he had squeezed and gone past the compact gears at the bottom of the room.  He, too, was a contortionist like his father.

                Finally, everyone made his or her own way to the end of the gear challenge.  At the front post of the shooting range, they turned around to see how Sternhauser would make it across.  To their amazement, the caribou leapt with magnificent flair from one gear to the next, and then back flipping into a stance in front of them after barely touching the last gear.  To him, it was easy as dancing.

                “Now let’s see how you handle firearms.  Walk around and gather ammunition for the pistol and shotgun,” he ordered.

                The gang began collecting various clips and shotgun shells lying strewn in the room.  By the time they got back to the front of Sternhauser, he simply pressed a button on the floor with his staff, and then sand bags began lowering from the ceiling where square holes could be seen.  Another compartment revealed itself from a side wall, showing a display case of new pistols and shotguns.  The group quickly got what weapon they thought they would be best with, and then got back in formation.

                “Each of you choose a target and fire to your best ability until the sand bag is completely destroyed.  You have one minute to destroy all of the bags or fail.  Go.”

                Instantly, each member released rounds after rounds into the sand bags, some being destroyed while others proved to be more durable. 

                Jean-Claude’s accuracy became his best newly acquired skill, albeit his precision was below average.  When he found this out for himself, instead of firing constant successions, he became adept with releasing consecutive rounds which proved to be more accurate.  Countless times he hit the red bull’s-eye painted on the center of the bags.  Other times, he split the ropes that held the bags in their place.

                Donny was doing quite the opposite.  His accuracy was average – but he could hit one target repeatedly.  Chung relied on a shotgun to shred his targets.  Surbilla, too, wielded a shotgun, though she switched the rate of fire to that of single-straight bursts.  In this fashion, she was firing like a pistol but with greater force.  Her sole bead of shell would be explosive to a sand bag.  Turquoise replied on the pistol, but had changed her technique of firing.  Instead of conventional methods, she held her firearm different –from the side – and fired a burst of three bullets at a time.  This maximized the damage ratio on the sand bags.  And for Lweek, whose family members tended to have the aptitude for firearms, wielded both the shotgun and pistol, forming a deadly succession of rapid fire with moderate accuracy and precision.

                By the time a minute was over, Sternhauser browed when he saw that all sand bags has been obliterated.  Not only that, they had tore up the walls.  The walls showed bullet decals of all sorts that told different stories about whose accuracy and precision were off key.  Either that or they all were shooting like feral animals.

                “Good job, Fur Fighter babies.  You have completed your weapons training.  Now it’s time to finish up.  Let’s see if you all can put your special abilities to good use.”

                Sergeant Sternhauser led the group to a new part of the Undermill.  Unlike the classical rendition where one member had to go through the course and use Teleporters, this time all members could achieve their goals by going through the course together.  They would have to determine what to do in the strangest situations, look for clues on who can go where, do what, and use something.  This new obstacle course would be harder than anything their parents ever went through.

                The gang gathered around the sergeant.

                “Okay, this is it, little babies.  Go through this new course and make it out – alive – in one hour.  The first person to step past that yellow line will automatically begin the stopwatch at the end of the course.  All members must be present at the end to finish in record time.  If one of you falls behind, everyone fails.  This course is designed for teamwork, so do not be afraid to ask for help or to separate.  I will see you at the other end of the training facility.  Good luck!” Sergeant Sternhauser said, turning sharply on one heel and then leaving them behind.

                They all looked at each other, trying to figure out what to do exactly.

                “Okay, we need someone who has leadership skills to get us through this.  Who wants to vote for Lweek?” asked Chung.

                Only two paws went up.

                “How about you, Chung?” Surbilla offered.

                “Um, no.  Chung does better at not worrying about the safety of everyone else,” he said with sarcasm.

                “Turquoise then?”

                Only three paws went up.

                “Jean-Claude?”

                Four went up this time.

                “Okay, it’s settled.  Jean-Claude, lead the way.”

                The feline, known to be under the feisty guidance of his French mother and Fur Fighter warrior, nodded in agreement, and then stepped first toward a yellow line.  Usually, their parents chose the left section of the course, but because that was off limits, they all were left with the newly built right section which seemed daunting because darkness was all they could see.

                Jean-Claude clenched his pistol tightly in his paw.  “Here goes nothing….”

                He leaped off the platform they stood on and disappeared into the darkness.  At first, there was silence, and then the sound of crashes.  At this, Donny’s eyes bulged.

                “Forget this, mates.  This is suicide,” he said, attempting to turn around and leave.

                Lweek pulled him back to the group.  “We need you, Donny.  Stay here.”

                The kangaroo growled.                 

                “This is crazy!”

                “Stop your belly aching!  Let’s just get this over with,” Turquoise suggested.  Her tail flitted nervously as she stepped up next to take a leap into the darkness.

                “Be careful or you’ll end up like cat puddle, like Jean-Claude,” Chung said.

                Before the canine could risk a jump, Jean-Claude’s voice came from the bottom.  His voice came in low. 

                “Come on down.  There is a floor mat down here.  From the look of things, we are going to need everyone to pull together just as Sternhauser said we would.”

                “Okay, everyone, let’s all jump together.  All right?  ALL RIGHT?” Surbilla cringed at the darkness.

                “What am I afraid for?  I got wings!” Lweek said, taking a dive into the darkness.

                Everyone knew he was going to glide down safely.

                “Traitor!” cried Donny.

                Without warning, Surbilla pushed Turquoise in on purpose.  “Opps!”

                And right behind her, Chung pushed the penguin off.  “Ahhh!”

                Both girls screamed on their drop down.  The only two left now were Chung and Donny.

                “Okay, it’s just you and me now, Chung.”

                “Yeah, so what—” he received a punch in the face, “What’s the big idea!”

                “Did you sleep with Surbilla!?” Donny’s face became tight.

                “Wha-what!?  That’s none of you business!”

                “Grr!”

                The two got into a tussle and fell off the ledge.  The drop actually lasted for a several seconds, and then lights from the bottom of the course lit their next path.  They slammed into the mat just as Jean-Claude said there would be.  To the sides of the mat were some empty boxes and containers that Jean-Claude had knocked over on his way down.

                With his paw on his hip, an annoyed Jean-Claude pointed at them.  “What took so long?  We’re wasting time talking among ourselves.  We must keep moving!  Let’s go.”

                Donny and Chung pushed each other away before getting off the mat.  It was evident that there would be trouble among the group.  Seeing this confrontation for the first time, Surbilla began to ponder Donny and his strange behavior.  Turquoise simply rolled her eyes at the boys, and began to follow her leader. 

                Flood lights led them through an underground passageway where a grated fence obstructed their path.  There did not seem to be any way around it because the tunnel was lined with concentrate.  There were no ventilation ducts.  No keyhole for the gate itself.  And definitely not enough space to get a person through the bottom or top of the gate.  However, their only clue was only a switch on the other side of the gate, found in a fuse box encased in the concrete wall with a red lever beside it.

                They all stared at each other.

                “Okay, I think it is wise to tell each other what his or her parents could do to get through this.  You go first, Jean-Claude,” suggested Lweek.

                “Well my mother’s special talent was climbing.  So that is what I can do to too.”

                Donny was next.

                “Bungalow could jump really high, so I can too.”

                “My mother Juanita always said I was a good swimmer,” added Surbilla.

                “My father was a contortionist.  So am I,” said Chung.

                “My mother can glide and breathe fire,” Lweek admitted.

                Everyone turned to Turquoise who has not answered. 

                “What about you, Turquoise?”

                The canine was reluctant to answer.  She knew what her father could do, but she was too different from him, and not as nearly as strong as he was.  She was supposed to be the epitome when compared to her father.  More important, she did not know exactly what she could do.

                “I don’t know what I’m good at.  Roofus could burrow through soft ground, but I’m not strong as he is and I do not like to get dirty doing what he does.”

                Everyone was taken aback by this.  She was seen as the rebel now.  Jean-Claude came up to her and placed his paw on her shoulder to reassure her. 

                “Merci.  For now, we may not need your talent right now.  But when the time comes, I’m sure you’ll pull through.”

                “Thanks, J-C.” 

                Lweek studied the large rectangular gate, and then noticed a flaw in its design.  “Chung?  I believe as the contortionist, you may be able to squeeze through the bars.  The bars are roughly half the size of Jean-Claude’s head.”

                “Oh, gee, be like my mother and say I have a big head….”

                “Sorry, but it’s true.  Anyway, come on, Chung.  You can do this for us.  At least try.”

                “Okay, here I go…”

               

                Chung approached the bars, slid one shoulder through, and then tried getting the rest of his body through.  He inevitably got stuck in the process.  Seeing this, Lweek came up behind him and gave him a good nudge.  With that added coercion, the small firefox slipped through without hurting himself.  This made everyone happy.

                Chung went up to the fuse box and opened it.  Pressing a button, he turned on the gate’s power and then pulled the red lever down.  Slowly and nosily, the gate began to open, allowing the rest of the gang to pass.

                “Good job, Chung.  Now let’s make up for lost time,” Jean-Claude said, beginning to jog down the rest of the tunnel.

               

                They came upon the end of the tunnel which ended toward a large pool of water.  Around the pool were shafts.  Beyond the water lied double doors that seemed to lead into another obstacle course similar to the one in the Undermill.  However, in the water lied plugs.  On each side of the pool were square ducts.  When Jean-Claude walked over to a wall to lean on and contemplate on this, he soon realized the surface was climbable because his claws snagged into it.  The pool itself was filled with boxes, and the gap across it was not that great that one could not jump over.  This obstacle, however, seemed simple enough, for it had a lot of ways of getting past it.

                “Looks simple enough,” Donny said.       

                The kangaroo approached the pool, and before he could jump across it, he smashed head first into an invisible barrier.  He landed on his head – his tail sticking straight up.  Everyone gasped.  The barrier was some type of crystal clear fibrous glass, and it seemed to stretch along the length of the pool, blocking all accesses previously thought.  Someone would have to find a way to get inside the pool, and then from there figure out what to do next so that the next person could get through.

                Lweek helped Donny to his feet.  He was obviously mortified by his inadvertence, and hitting the barrier was a golden moment.  Everyone grinned.

                “Are you okay, Donny?”

                “Yeah, I totally didn’t expect that shield to be there.”

                Jean-Claude took charge again, analyzing the situation.  The only thing that was available for them to access the pool was the shaft next to them.  But who could he send in to get to the pool?  The perfect participant came in mind…

                “Surbilla, you are the only one who can swim in deep depths.  If you take the shaft, you can enter the pool beyond this barrier in front of us, drain the water in the pool, and then we all can take the shaft to get into the pool to climb those boxes.  Not only that, I can possibly find the switch to deactivate the shield so that Lweek can get past the barrier.  Meanwhile, we can all meet up somehow at the other end of the pool.  Agreed?”

                “Chung has no problem with that.”

                “And neither does Lweek.”

                “I guess that goes for me too,” agreed Turquoise.

                “S’ere, mate.”

               

                Surbilla wobbled her way over to the nearby shaft just to the immediate right of the team.  Once there, Jean-Claude gave her the okay, and then she placed her flippers on to the shaft’s frame, sliding it upward and then stepping inside.  She left the shift exposed for the others to follow shortly after while she wandered into the darkness, only to be led by the aluminum walls where her flippers touched and guided her way.  She eventually saw light after turning a sharp corner, and then there was the water that told her where the pool was.

                When she got to end of the shaft she slid the frame open, popping her head out and waving at her comrades.  They all returned their own gestures of welcoming her back.

                “Okay, Surbilla girl.  You made it through.  So let’s get those plugs at the bottom of the pool,” she reassured herself before jumping into the water with a small splash.

                The others walked closer the barrier, seeing her go to work.

                Surbilla swam slowly to get past the numerous crafts of various sizes as she made her way to the bottom of the pool where it visibly became darker, and more ominous than what she had seen above it.  She made it through to the first plug of four, and unplugged it with ease.  Suddenly, the pool began to drain a quarter of its contents, exposing the topmost crate.  Seeing this success, the others whooped.

                “Alright, now we are getting somewhere, mates!” exclaimed Donny, watching Surbilla in fascination because of her talent.

                A minute later, they all saw the pool emptying halfway once the second plug has been removed.   More medium size crates appeared. 

Surbilla continued to the third plug.  She had to slip between two small boxes to get to it, and with success she managed to pull the plug.  Water drained once anew as only the last quarter of it remained.  Surbilla was getting to the point where she could stand up at the bottom, though she still remained afloat; the bottom floor was only two feet away. 

When she began to swim toward where she expected the last and fourth plug to be, to her surprise it was not where she presumed it to be.  This began to make her worry.  She quickly resurfaced, beginning to climb atop the smallest boxes to at least see the others’ faces again.

“What’s the matter?  You can’t find the last plug?” Lweek enquired. 

Surbilla placed her beak against the plastic barrier.  “Yes, it is not where I thought it would be.  I even searched all four corners of the pool, but the plug is simply out of sight.”

“Take a closer look at the bottom and tell me what else there is that you see.  Perhaps one of us has to come in and help solve this one?” Jean-Claude recommended.

With that, Surbilla motioned her head around the pool area where she stood on a crate.  Beyond two tightly packed boxes was a small orifice.  It looked destructible.  With that notion in mind, she aimed her shotgun at the darker color wall, and fired.  That one burst of shell made an even bigger hole in the wall.  She assumed that any Fur Fighter could get through and inside; but when she went over to inspect it, the hole was only large enough for one person – her entrusted confidant, Chung.

She reappeared on the small box as before holding up her shotgun in one flipper.

“Chung, I need you down here.  You are the only person who can squeeze through this new hole I made,” she said.

I bet he can, thought Donny.  More jealousy begun to show on his face as Chung entered the shaft.

“Chung is coming.”

The firefox rushed into the shaft and entered the pool, landing on a crate next to his beloved.  She watched as he took off quickly to the hole she made.  And with a bit of a struggle at first, the firefox squeezed through, and disappeared slowly into another dark area.

 

Chung entered another dark area that was only lit with a few florescent lamps.  The room seemed to have led him in area much shaped like a dome.  In the middle of the room a large heap of sand could be seen.  The sand filled the floor of the room strangely.  On all four corners of the room were little rectangular depressions with metal shutters.  One of them seemed to be open just enough for his size.

He quickly ran across the dome, looking for another passageway for him to find a shortcut to the open shutter several feet above him.  With luck, he discovered a small square shutter at the end of the sandy dome.  He took aim and fired twice until the shutter exploded.  He made haste to enter, taking another escape which seemed to take him upward like a ramp.  He came to another blockade, and destroyed it.  When he stepped out, he found that he was where he needed to be. 

He squeezed under the gaping shutter.  Inside there was small room brightly lit by more lamps hanging from the ceiling.  Upon a wall he noticed a red switch. 

“Hmm,”—he scratched his forehead—“what does this switch do?”  He pressed it.

A sound resonated behind him, and there a wall slid open.  When he exited the room he found himself back where they all wanted to be – on the opposite side of the pool. 

“Whoa, that was easy.  Now where is that last plug?” he said to himself, looking down into the pool where Surbilla stared back up.  The gang was wondering what he was doing.

He searched over the pool area again, between crates upon crates.  This was when he noticed something peculiar on the floor, between two boxes that even Surbilla would not have guessed something could be hidden there for its obvious simplicity.  He pointed to it, telling Surbilla he had found the last plug.  He figured a part of this puzzle required an objective mind, or a new perspective.

“Surbila, the last plug is right there.  You couldn’t see it from where you swam.”

Ecstatic to have found the last plug at last, Surbilla unplugged it, and drained the last quarter of the pool’s water until the floor was completely bare.  When she did this, the plastic barrier slid downward three feet.  It was still too high for any of them to attempt to jump over it or to scale it.  Suddenly, a revelation struck Jean-Claude.

“My turn,” he said, “I will solve the next riddle.”

Unsheathing his claws once again, the adult cat began climbing the wall to his right.  When he got to the top of it, he began moving sideways with the claws on his foot to keep him up.  He made it over the barrier, past the pool, and continued toward the vent he had seen earlier that was out of the others’ league.

From where Chung stood in the same location, he watched as his leader got under a vent and then smashed it open with a fist.  In he crept into the ventilation system.

A few minutes passed, and then the rest of the barrier began lowering down to the floor for the rest of the group.  Immediately, Donny leapt across the pool with the greatest of ease.  He smiled when he did not “collide” into anything else.  Lweek simply took flight, grabbed onto Turquoise, and led her across the pool so she would not have to climb the boxes.  Surbilla began to climb the boxes from smallest to largest, and eventually got over the pool to join the others.  When they all met anew, Jean-Claude reappeared from the vent he had destroyed.

He leapt down and landed gracefully in front of the group.

“Bien, group.  Now we made it this far, and we do not know what is lurking in the next chamber.  I suggest you all ready yourselves with your weapons.”

“Sounds wise,” Lweek said.

               

All six furs approached the double glass door they had seen long before.  When they got close enough, the motion senor caught on to their movements, and opened the door with a hiss.  It was electronic, obviously.  Chung took this into mind and wondered what other challenges laid ahead them.

The next room was a mysterious and eerie one.  A long hallway without any decorations, color or obvious hints of an obstacle beseeched them to journey deeper.  More lights led them onward. 

“So what is this place all about?  There is nothing here,” mentioned Lweek, just before he had accidentally stepped on something on the floor, triggering some kind of mechanism.

The others quickly turned their heads to him and glared. 

“You just had to jinx us, huh mate?” Donny said with great bitter.

Quite frightening, large numbers of mechanical equipment churned and came to life.  In certain areas of the walls did rise, exposing some kind of high tech arsenal.  Out in place came large gun turrets with a turning dial.  Slowly but sporadically the four main turrets turned, preparing to fire.  Behind the group, the back wall revealed many orifices.

“Oh god!  What is that?” said Jean-Claude, as a small bomb ricocheted off a wall and rolled to his feet.

When it exploded, he and Lweek took damage.  That was just all the motivation for them to take off down the long hall.

“Time to run!” suggested Chung.  “Everyone, reach the end of the hall quickly.”

Chung was the first to flee for his life.  Immediately, the turrets loomed over him, and began to fire wildly.  At first, the turrets’ accuracy was off a bit, but soon found their mark, and Chung began to take damage.  He began firing his shotgun at one, disabling its motion tracking sub system.  And when the others saw that, they too knew what they had to do to get across without taking a lot of damage.

“Aim for the turrets!” cried Turquoise, who then began following Chung.

The others left their spots just in time as hundreds of bombs littered the room behind them.  The bombs made it extremely difficult to concentrate their aiming ability to hit the turrets with every explosion that rocked the floor.

“Damn, machines!” Lweek growled.  The young dragon fired wildly in two different directions, disturbing the motion trackers found at the base of the turrets.  This saved everyone a lot of trouble in the long run as they made it halfway down the hall.

The bombs rolling behind them seemed to only get closer the more they bounced off walls and rolled toward them with scary hisses from their ignited wicks.  Suddenly up ahead, more secret compartments were revealed, and this time regular machine gun fire exploded with a flash on each side of the group.  Every time they set foot onto a certain part of the floor, it triggered the guns.  These weapons damaged the team more than anything else, and soon they began to get exhausted.

                Chung was the first to get past everything, taking refuge beyond a door at the end of the hall.  The others barely managed to make it inside without losing their heads while Lweek made up the rear, taking out the rest of the turrets before turning around and entering the next room before the door closed on him.

                They all collapsed on the floor, panting hard.  They took a lot of damage, noticing how each other shown cuts that drained fluff.  Jean-Claude had been hit in his shoulder; Donny took one in the side; Surbilla had a bullet go through her left forearm; and Turquoise, Lweek, and Chung had their own wounds to sport.

                “I didn’t think we would make it,” came from Chung.

                “Yeah, yeah.”  Turquoise held the side of head in pain.

                “Look, there is some Pet Yum over there.  Let’s take a break and eat to recover,” Lweek discovered, flapping his wings and feeling a pang from his right one.

                Everyone nodded, and then forced themselves to rise and walk over to a counter where ten cans of Pet Yum sat.  Each of them took one, the badly injured took two, and they all formed a circle as they had been used to doing in their hideout.  They opened their cans, grabbed a handful of the moist food, and began eating to their heart’s content.  Some of them were smiling in content of making it this far, while others bore uninspired countenances.

               

                After they had recovered fully, the gang moved to the next room.  This time, however, they were taken aback when they saw Lweek’s youngest brother, Tweek, standing at the entrance of the next training obstacle.  The tall dragon had his wings wrapped around him, only his head and ears and long scaly tail were exposed; his tail lied on the floor slightly curled.  Lweek’s eyes lit up when he saw his baby brother.

                “Tweek!  What are you doing down here?”

                The red dragon turned to face the group, smiling a bit.

                “Sergeant Sternhauser said I would find you six down here in this underground region.   Where we stand, we are definitely below Cape Canardo, so expect to feel slight tremors from their propulsion systems (or rocket shuttles).  Plus, I am here to train you all even further.  But first, each of you must enter the next room one at a time, using your abilities to overcome an obstacle.  Some are obvious while others require a bit more thought.  Once everyone is at the end, I have one last surprise for you.  Until then, you better get started.”

                “I’ll go first then, baby brother.”

                Lweek stepped up to his brother who put a claw on his shoulder, and gently pushed him in the direction of the next obstacle. 

The obstacle led several feet toward the exit – a door emblazoned with red and white letters saying so.  Much of the obstacle had walls to climb, water to swim in, across or under; there were a few tight winding spots; there were many platforms, in air or on the floor to leap across;  and from the highest ledge, one would glide to the other side.

Lweek studied the obstacles ahead, and then made the assumption his route was that of the ladder that would lead him to the highest platform on the course.  And so, he climbed up, bobbing his body side to side.  He reached the top after a minute, and then turned around to gaze down at his friends.  Everyone appeared so small – ant-like.  He became nauseous at first, but the voice of his brother comforted him greatly.

“You know what your talent is, Lweek.  Go ahead and get started,” Tweek ordered, turning his attention to Donny next.  “Donny, step up to the platform.  When you are ready, begin your journey across the obstacle without falling into any of the pits.”

“Alright, mate.  Now I can do that.  As my father used to say: “Brawns over brain, now that I can do.’  Of course, mine is the opposite,” the kangaroo laughed.

When Donny got to the ledge he watched as Lweek began his glide across the entire obstacle.  When the young dragon made his way to the exit, only then did Donny mustered his strength and began leaping across the starting point.  He landed seamlessly on each platform, and went to the next without interruption.

The next person to go was Chung.  Tweek gave him a nod, and pointed down at the pits.

“For you, Chung, your obstacle is windy, long, and tight.  Going through these three elements will give you new insight.”

“Chung knows what to do.  See you at the other side, guys.”

With that said, Chung began his descent on a ladder by the starting point.  Once he was down there, the image of Donny leaping across the obstacle faded.  His talent was now up for the taking.  The firefox ran through many loops, winds, and tight spaces much like that found in a labyrinth.  After Tweek decided that Chung was far along in the course, he pointed to Surbilla.

“You’re next, Surbilla.  Only through water you must wade to reach the shade where sunlight cannot touch you.”

The rockhopper penguin nodded, stepping up to the starting point.  For her course, she began on the far left side, where a pool of water showed her new access points to other areas where water could be seen clearly.  She leapt into the pool with a big splash, taking off beneath the surface with remarkable speed.  Compared to the others, she was considered running under the water than on land.

There was no exact telling how far Surbilla was along her course, but Tweek waited until he saw Donny reach the end on his last jump.  This was Jean-Claude’s cue to go next.

“Jean-Claude, you must use those claws not the laws that your mother has applied to you.  Ascent and conquer.  Now go.”

By then, Chung had emerged at the end, climbing up a similar ladder like before.  So far, three friends passed the course so far.  It was only a matter of time before Surbilla would figure out which way to go to reach the finish.

“Oui, je comprends, mon ami.”

Jean-Claude stepped up to the starting point.  He bent his hind legs, preparing to jump, and focused on latching onto a wooden [vertical] plank attached to the far right wall.  When he felt ready, he leapt high as he possibly could, and managed to drive his keen claws into the board.  From there, he easily made his wall across the course, clawing across faster than his mother ever did.

All that there was left was Turquoise, who opted not to burrow like her father.  She stood uneasy by Tweek, hoping she would not have to get her claws dirty, let alone her hair.  She was very adamant about this, and everyone knew this.  Nevertheless, Tweek cared not what she did, and so he pointed to the exit of the course.

“Turquoise, you must discover your own talents.  You may not like to dig, but you may be forced to do so in the battlefield.  Unless you have something else better to do, I suggest you get started.  Dig, dig, and did some more.  I’m sure the treasure you will find on the other side is worth salvaging.”

“But Tweek, I cannot dig like my father.  I am not strong enough,” she refuted, stomping her foot against the floor.

Tweek only shook his head.  “Self-doubt will be your downfall, Turquoise.  Your friends have reached the end,”—he said just as Surbilla joined the others at the exit—“and so must you.”

Suddenly, a weak tremor reached the course, making everyone turn their gaze upward at falling rocks.  Strangely enough, it lasted for more than its allotted time.  But when it concluded, Tweek sighed.

“What must you have to get across?  I am not allowed to fly you across.”

“I don’t know.  I can’t follow the same paths as the others.  I can’t jump very high.  I can’t climb.  I can’t swim under water.  I can’t squeeze through tight spaces with this body.  And I definitely can’t fly or glide.  What else is there to do?”

An idea came over Tweek, though a cruel one.  What he was about to do would prove the loyalty and care Turquoise had for her friends.

“Very well, you leave me with no choice,” Tweek said.

The large dragon inhaled deeply, drawing his head back, pushing his chest outward, and then harnessing a fiery breath.  Smoke had begun to billow from his nostrils.  Turquoise stepped back a little, afraid of what Tweek was going to do.  She got her answer curtly when the red dragon released a javelin of fire toward the exit.  The others there saw it coming and dived for cover; they were not expecting Tweek to turn chaotic on them.

The javelin of fire struck the exit sign, and dispersed a fire all around the gang.  All exits were obstructed by the walls of flame, and slowly the fire was beginning to seize them together.  It was a real sign of danger, and one they could not avoid.  At this, Turquoise came up to Tweek and shook him somewhat violently.

Tweek latched onto her wrists and removed her paws from him.  “Time is running out for them.  Go now or you will have to deal with me.”  Tweek was beginning to sound like her drill instructor now.

She decided on what to do.  Once she made a choice out of desperation, she later stopped herself by the edge of the starting point.  She realized she did not know what to do exactly.  She did not even see points where she could burrow and surface to the others.  It seemed like her friends’ fates were sealed unless Tweek would stop the infernal hell he created.

                “You are letting down your friends and family.  The others will surely perish if you do not act now.  Think of your options.  And quickly,” Tweek reminded her, his tone as serious as ever.

                The reality of this was too much to bear.  The stress became too great.  She looked across the obstacle, at her friends, and began to concentrate on figuring a way to reach them to put out the flames.  The others were shouting her name, begging for her to do something – anything to come to their rescue.  Altruism was not Turquoise’s best nature, and the sooner she realized that she harder she felt intense emotional pain.  Suddenly, the floor beneath her began to rock ominously.

                “What is this?” Tweek asked, confused by the surreal tremors that felt like anything else but rocket shuttles launching into space.  They felt too close and real like a shuttle had been launched in the same area.

                Turquoise closed her eyes tightly and held her head.  She was hunched a bit, focusing on all the pain she endured.  She was so focused on her emotions that she did not feel the ground shake beneath her nor did she see that the obstacles in the course were beginning collapse in front of her.  There was no atonement for her.  Where was all of this unnatural instability originating?

                She began to hear various voices; these voices belonged to her friends.  And when she reopened her eyes to see what was happening to her friends, she realized they were not moving their lips but only staring around in fright.  This was terrifying to her because she continued to hear their voices and even Tweek’s when he did not even speak.

                What is going on!

                Is it a rocket shuttle?

                Why hasn’t Turquoise come to save us?

                Without prior warning, she began to tilt as if to collapse on the floor.  A sudden affliction came over her.  Her eyelids became heavier by the seconds.  Before she lost sight of what happened and darkness took over her, she saw Tweek stretch his wings and take to the air after the others.  All became silent then…

 

                Turquoise later awoke in Tweek’s arms, having been carried away from the obstacle course and past the ashy exit.  She saw what became blurry images of others following closely.  Soon these images became clearer, and she noticed it were the rest of the gang.  She was welcomed by a room light where the ceiling had changed from the dank, dark training facility’s rocky roof to a wooden structure.  She then realized she was back in the Undermill.

                The training was over.  Sergeant Sternhauser welcomed the others back.  However, he remained distant and silent on Turquoise’s behalf.  The others surrounded their drill instructor, sharing small chatter about their experiences in the new training course under ground.

                “Man, that was terrific, mates.  I feel ready for war.”

                “Don’t get too cocky, Donny, we still have a lot to learn.  We don’t have the slightest inkling of what we may be up against, should Viggo ever return.”  Chung warned.

                “Indeed, you are right, young Firefox,”—Sternhauser said—“Your parents went through hell and back – fending off all kinds of baddies.  Hopefully, you all will not have to endure what they did.  General Viggo had an endless legion behind him.  And yet, the Fur Fighters you all have come to call your parents defeated him again.  If anyone is tougher than them, be sure to let me know.  Haha.”

                Jean-Claude purred, “Sure!”

                “Ripper!” came from Donny.

                Sternhauser gave a nod, “You are all honorary Fur Fighters.  I dub thee Fur Fighters II.  Congratulations, you Fur Fighter babies.  Now get out of my training facility before I change my mind and put you through more rigorous training.”

                The others left down a hall toward the exit while Tweek placed Turquoise on her feet again. 

                “Hey, guys!  Wait for me at the entrance, okay?” she said.

                “Yeah, yeah.  We’ll wait for you,” replied Chung.

                Tweek patted her shoulder before walking off to follow the gang.  Turquoise had unanswered questions, and the only person who could help her or whom she felt could answer them was the one person giving her the cold shoulder.  She ran up to Sternhauser just as he was about to enter the course. 

                “Sergeant?”  She grabbed his shoulder.

                The caribou slowly turned his head and eyed her.  “What is it?  Do you want more training?”

                “No, but something is bothering me.  I think you can answer something for me.”

                “I can?  What is it, little girl?” 

                The canine sighed, shaking her head in frustration. 

                “Were you watching us the whole time in the underground site?”

                “Maybe.  Maybe not.”

                “What happened back there when I couldn’t get across to the others?”

                The sergeant rolled his eyes.  “You were there.  You tell me.  Now if you excuse me, I have to reboot the system and recalibrate the machines down there.”  He began walking off.

                Turquoise sighed, growling as she turned on her heel and began walking away.

                “You should’ve stayed with burrowing” was all she heard from the sergeant.

 

                At the entrance to the Undermill, the others waited patiently for their sixth member to rejoin them.  When she finally came, they got up from the floor and walked over to her.

                “So what took you so long?  Did you ask the caribou to hold your hand, too?” Surbilla said.  The rockhopper was obviously incensed that one of her friends did not come to her rescue when she needed her the most.

                Turquoise groaned to herself.  “I do not blame you all for being upset with me.  I didn’t pull through with the last bit of the course.  I left you all hanging by the thread.  I’m sorry.  Maybe I’m not a Fur Fighter after all.”

                “Come to think of it, Chung doesn’t remember you doing much of anything,” he joked.

                Donny hopped over to place a paw on her shoulder.

                “Aw, don’t fret you beaut.  We forgive you, mate.  There is no need to hold grudges here.”

                “Yah, Chung agrees.”

                “Oui, moi aussi!”

                “Thanks guys,” Turquoise said, smiling lightly.

                Lweek checked his watch.  “Okay, let’s go home now.  It’s getting late.”

 

                When they reached the entrance where the sunlight came in, they took in the beautiful features of their village.  But, with a closer look, they could see black in the air.  It was smoke, as if something was burning.  Suddenly, a humongous entity flew overhead, darkening the sky where they stood.  They could not tell what it was, only that it was turning around and coming for them.

                “Whoa!  Watch out!” Tweek cried.  He managed to push his older brother and two others down away from the entrance.

                The beast outside released a sphere made of fire at them.  When it crashed into the front of the Undermill, it dispersed into fiery ash and soot.  The thick motes of it got onto Donny and Chung, igniting their fur on fire in an instant.  They quickly dived on the floor and rolled to put out the flames.  Where they stood a scorch mark was all that was left, extending to the entrance and grass just before the Undermill.

                “What in the hell is that!” cried Turquoise.

                The giant creature shrieked so loud that they hard the windows of their homes shatter and the floor beneath them shook.  The vibrations alone made their teeth shake.  Their village was under siege, but by whom?

                Pinned down in the Undermill, the six remained where they were, away from the front entrance.  The overcastting shadow of the flying monstrosity finally left after a while, releasing attacks on their homes, and then the sunlight came back into the mill.  They all pondered what happened to their parents and siblings during the attack.  The biggest question was if they were all okay.  They assumed a huge battle took place, and they arrived at the end of it.  Still, they expected to hear shouting and gun firing from their parents, but all they heard were left other were the sounds of the waterfall nearby and the crackling of fire and wood.

                “Should we go out now?  I think it’s gone,” asked Jean-Claude.  The feline got up and readied his pistol.

                Jean-Claude led the rest of the group out into the open, and what they saw next put them in a total state of shock and bewilderment.

                The homes of Rico, Roofus, Bungalow and Gwynth were in flames and rubble.  Outside on the grass laid an unconscious and badly beaten Gwynth.  Lweek and Tweek caught sight of this and ran over to her.

                “Mother!” they both cried in unison.

                The others followed behind them.  They all surrounded the mighty mother dragon, trying to see if she was still alive.  Gwynth had been singed by flames previously, for the marks showed it.  It was true that she had gone against the beast that terrorized the village earlier – and she had fought most bravely to receive such punishment.

                Tweek and Lweek nuzzled their mother’s cheek, trying to get a reaction out of her.  From what they could tell, she was still breathing but barely.  Tweek began to stifle, even this terrible sight reminded him of his days of being in battle and having seen his mother like this in a similar fashion.  Back then, of course, he had defeated her.  But this was much worse.

                “Mother?  Mother?  Please get up.” said Lweek.

                Gwynth’s eyes did not flutter.  She did not move an inch. 

                “Everyone, go check on your family.  Make sure to take into consideration what must have happened all this time.  Go now!” ordered Jean-Claude, as he took off in the direction of his home, being followed by Chung.

                Donny, Surbilla and Turquoise went their separate ways while Tweek remained with his mother, and Lweek went to see what was left of their home, trying to see if their brothers had escaped to safety.

 

                Turquoise reached her parents’ home first.  She rushed through the bar’s entrance.  She looked around, noticing the place had been ransacked by the intruders.  Her mind and heart raced as she thought of terrible things.  She walked around the pool table, coming to the bottom steps of the stairway that led her up to her bedroom and parent’s room. 

                At first, she was hesitant to go up, but she went up in spite of what she thought.  She checked her parent’s bedroom only to find it empty.  She got the same answer when she checked her room for her sisters.  Everyone was missing.  She raced back downstairs and outside to look for them.

                The scenario was quite similar for Surbilla.  She could not find her parents at all, and not only that her brother too was presumed missing (or abducted).  Both her room and her parents’ bedroom had been searched – everything was amiss.  Outside, she found that someone had taken the time to literally break all of her father’s surf boards in halves.  This definitely infuriated her to no end.

 

                Next door, in Donny’s home, he too found out his parents were gone.  His siblings – missing.  His parents’ bed had been turned over as if it were a table.  A small fire was quickly spreading from the stove where his mother had cooked breakfast earlier.  Down on the deck, the stairway leading to it was broken, found at the bottom of the village’s river.  No one was down there.

 

                Things were no different for Chung when he returned home to see his parents’ home on fire.  It was so burned to a crisp that he could not enter because of the heat.  Pessimistic and hopelessness thoughts ran through his mind.  He felt helpless.  How could he have known that this was going to happen?  Why today?  He only hoped that his family had made it out before the invader’s had set the house ablaze.

                Chung turned his head over to see that Jean-Claude was equally petrified when he too could not locate his parents or siblings.  He stood on the balcony, holding his head in his paws.  This was the first time his friend ever saw him weeping.  It seemed like an old nightmare was happening all over again, and all of it somehow made them believe that Viggo was behind all of this.

                Jean-Claude turned around to see that his parents’ bedroom was a mess.  The sculpture his father had been working on for numerous years to perfection, in honor of his wife, was completely smashed to bits.  Even his mother’s favorite mirror was broken into shards.  He could only ponder the chronological events, but by the look of things it all did not connect.

                Jean-Claude met Chung outside his home.  All Chung could do was shake his head and sigh.  He felt rueful for not listening to his parents, especially his father, like he should have.

                Chung threw his paws up in anger.  “There’s no telling what happened to my family.  I can’t even go in the house to see if they had been burned alive, tortured or worse.  All Chung knows is that he wants revenge for it all.”

                “Moi aussi,” said Jean-Claude.  “Moi aussi.”

 

                Tweek continued in a futile attempt to make his mother rise.  He propped her head up on to his arm, and with the other began gently stroking her forehead.  She still did not wake up.  She had been beaten so badly that it would take a lot to bring her back around and well again.

                Meanwhile, the others came back to meet up with Tweek and Lweek.  Everyone had an equally depressed face, and each of their attitudes was not too different from the next person.

                “I take it no one could find their parents or brothers and sisters, right?” asked Chung.

                They all nodded.

                Jean-Claude gnawed on his lower lip in thought.  He figured it was way too easy for them to safely presume everyone had been either taken or slaughtered.  He knew his mother too well.  She was not a warrior who could easily be defeated, not unless the odds against her were tremendous.  Especially with the rest of the Fur Fighters beside her, there was no way for her to lose unless … that beast.

                The feline turned his attention to the sky.  He saw something he had not seen before after coming out of the Undermill.  The black smoke.  Indeed, it came from their homes but also from another place that was away from the village – toward a passageway to the City of Fear.  Suddenly, not only did the aroma of burning wood get his utmost attention but that too of an acrid stench.

                “Does anyone else smell that?  It’s not the wood….” He paused, afraid to give others preposterous ideas.  “Chung and Donny, follow me.  The rest of you, remain with Gwynth and keep your guard up.”

               

                Jean-Claude led the way to the City of Fear with his gun drawn where the jungles of Anatat Tatanata has been for thousands of years.  They all knew of the mysticism there and native arthropods.  This trip there, however, was not about worrying about stupid bears and other strange creatures, but to find the source of that black fog in which ember fell like snow.

                They finally came upon a treacherous trail where they had to walk across a giant log to reach the sandy beach of Anatat.  Once across, they followed a narrow corridor of trees and thickets until they came upon the black smoke. 

At the center of the beach was a massive stake that seemed to be part of the native’s there with its arcane symbols and letters engraved into it.  A morbid wooden head of a god made the top of the stake.   At the center of the stake, around the fire where it burned profusely, were dark silhouettes of what looked to be animals.  Each figured was charred beyond recognition, and as the trio inched closer the smell got much worse than before.

                “Oh my god,” Jean-Claude affrighted the other two.

                “Lord, what happened here?” Chung said.

                Donny simply turned his head away.  “This is sick, mates.  I can’t look.”

                Jean-Claude walked up for a better inspection.  When he got close enough the flames, feeling the intense heat rush against him, he found something partially covered in the sand.  He kneeled down to acquire it.  Dusting the sand away, the object became a familiar bracelet that was worn by someone he knew….

                Instantly, he dropped it and stepped away from the flames.  His eyes bulged.  He could not utter any words as the horrible truth came to him.  Chung saw this and came up to him, trying to shake his friend out of his shock.

                “J-C?  What is it?” Chung asked, staring into the fire too.

                When Jean-Claude turned away and looked at his best friend that was when he realized a greater horror behind them.  He cannot believe the three of them did not see what was behind them the whole time.  He forcedly turned the firefox around to see what he saw, and then Donny motioned his head seconds later.

                Six crosses stood side by side, only two feet apart from one another.  On each, their parents had been beaten, rendered unconscious, and left for dead while crucified to their respective crosses.  There was only one particular parent that caught Jean-Claude’s interest.  He treaded toward the third cross, and kneeled to rest his hand against it.  Among the other parents, all female but one, he slowly reached up to clutch the foot that belonged to his father, who remained stagnant as if dead.

                Donny and Chung had begun to feel a similar pain, a pain so hurtful that instantly brought tears to their eyes and a soreness in their chests.  They went up to their mothers – Esmerelda and Mai. 

Fluff covered all parents from head to toe.  Their clothes were tattered and split.  However, each of them seemed to breathe as if asleep. 

“How can this be?  Our parents could not be defeated before.  What kind of person could ever topple the Fur Fighters?” asked Jean-Claude.  He was thinking aloud, not caring who heard him.  “What monster could force mothers to watch their children burn?”

“Papa?  Where is Maman?  Where is Maman!”  He began to shake his father angrily.

Seeing this, Chung and Donny pulled him away from his relative.             

“Calm down, mate.  Your pa is all you have left.  Don’t lose him too, mate.”

                Jean-Claude fought the two for a moment, parrying them off of him.  He began to yell at them while gesturing toward the burning stake.  “What kind of person would burn our brothers and sisters?  Is this not an emotional time?  I rather grieve now, because later I will be the most dangerous feline on this planet!  Oh, I hate this!  All of this!  And I despise [him] for not protecting and saving my mother.”

                “That’s not fair, Jean-Claude.  Our mothers fought and tried to keep them.  They’re even lucky to be alive right now, and here you are accusing!”  Chung snarled.

                Chung was right.  He was being reckless in passing judgment.  There was no reason to hate his father for not saving his mother from the assault.  There was a story to be told, and he had not heard it yet.  At this, he sighed hard and long.  He ran his claws through his hair, growing mentally exhausted and indecisive on how to take charge of things.  He also knew that the others were depending on him for his leadership, and going belligerent did not help them or the situation at all.

                “For now, we must put these flames out, go back for the others, and then cut our parents down from these crosses.  We must act now.  Hurry!” he ordered, running back down the beach.

                Back at the stake he began gathering large amounts of sand into his paws and then tossing them on to the flames.

 

                The two trips to the City of Fear and back home took nearly two hours.  It had proven to be a difficult task in moving their parents back to the village because of their injuries.  There was no telling what could go wrong had they ever accidentally dropped one of them or for what dire consequences there would be for ever moving them in the first place.  Right now, it was hard to tell what was going to happen or who they were going to lose next.

                Most of the gang took their parents to the Undermill where it was safe from the outside world.  They had lost more than half of the village and all but one of their homes – Jean-Claude’s.  There the feline decided to put his father in bed and treat his wounds there.  Meanwhile, the others gave water and whatever rations they could scrounge from storage.

                The good news was their parents were all right.  They had enough food to last them for a week or two, and an infinite supply of water to drink.  They would use the Undermill for shelter from the weather.  In a way, the mill became a hospital – it had food, friends, and care.

                Chung held his mother in his arms, singing an old song she had sang to him when he was little.  Donny sat next to his mother who he had covered up with a blanket he saved from his home.  Surbilla and Turquoise stayed close to one another because they were neighbors.  Their mothers would be all right under their care, and would be only a matter of time before they recuperated.  As for Gwynth, being so large, Tweek and Lweek decided to fix their home by cleaning it out, removing the debris, and putting out the fires.  Once they had finished that grueling task, they put their mother were she usually slept.  From then on, they remained by her side, always, going to sleep beneath her massive wings.

                Occasionally, Sergeant Sternhauser would come in and check up on all the families.  Lately, General Bristol, the walrus apparition, has been absent ever since the last war the Fur Fighters won.  For some reason, Sternhauser knew his ghostly general would return soon with much other worldly advice as he did before.

                While everyone was near one another, Jean-Claude and his father were back at home.  Upstairs, Jean-Claude sat on the edge of his parents’ bed, constantly watching over his father, waiting for the old cat to become conscious again.  When he finally did, his long tail gave him away when it curled painfully at the foot of the bed. 

                Long before, Jean-Claude had removed his father’s black sweater to allow him to cool down from being under the sun for so long.  He kept a damp rag on his father’s forehead.

                “Claude?  Can you hear me?” whispered Jean-Claude.

                A low groan escaped from his father’s lips.  He waited for his father to open his eyes, but he did not.  The young adult guessed it was too painful to do so. 

                “Claude?  Tell me … what happened.”  He whispered into his father’s ear, and then lowered his head to his father’s lips.

                “Oh … it’s … you.  My Jean.  Where were you?”

                “I was with the others.  You see, there is a place we all go stay to eat and talk.  It’s behind the waterfall.  We all call it the ‘hideout’, Papa.  After eating, we went to see Sergeant Sternhauser for training.  Papa, we passed the test.  We are now the Fur Fighters.”

                “I … see.  Congratulations.”

                “Please, tell me, what happened to Mama?” Jean-Claude said, stroking back his father’s ears.

                “Many flyers.  So … much … guns going off.”

                “Stay with me, Papa.”

                “After breakfast, we all had drinks.  How could we be so careless?  We were surrounded.  We tried to find child-ren, but they shot everyone so brutally.  Your … Mama … tried to save your freres and soeurs.  But your Mama was taken from me.”

                “What happened to the others?”

                “Rico, Bungalow, Roofus, and Chang fought brave-ly.  But … they were no match for these  new people.”

                “New people?”

                “Don’t … know who they are.  I have never seen them before, Jean.”

                Jean-Claude blinked.

                “Jean?  Where are les enfants?”

                Jean-Claude remained silent.  He did not want to add any more stress than what his father already had.  Instead, he patted the old cat on the chest reassuringly.

                “Shuu.  Tell me one more thing, Papa.  Was it Viggo who came?”

                Claude turned his head away. 

                “Papa?  Was it that bad cat who came and hurt us all?”

                Claude slowly turned his head to his son, though his eyes remained close.  He reached up to touch his son’s face.  Jean-Claude helped him by pressing his face into his father’s paw, closing his paw over his.

                “Non.  Non, Viggo.”

                “Okay, Papa.  You get some rest,”—he patted his dad’s chest once more and then pulled the blankets up over him—“I will bring Mama back, and the other Fur Fighters.  I promise you this, Papa.”

                With that said, Jean-Claude began to leave the room.  Before he left his father to be alone to sleep, he looked over his shoulder one last time, and then headed downstairs.

                Claude slowly turned his head where the bedroom exit would be.  “Get them for me, mon Jean-Claude.”

                Downstairs, he went to a far wall and gently pushed a painting to the side.  A wall slid upward, unveiling a secret room full of weaponry, many of which his mother used before.  He knew about this room because he once spied on his mother entering it after Viggo’s defeat. 

Inside, on a mannequin, his mother’s body holster was there for the taking. He clipped it onto his chest, sliding in two pistols into it.  Near the side of the small room was a counter full of ammunition.  He picked up a small duffel bag and began filling it with clips for his pistols.  And, just when he thought he had enough, he saw something of particular interest.

                His eyes fixed on a new weapon mounted on the wall.  It was an assault rifle with a tactical scope.  He had never seen it before, but something told him it was his mother’s latest addition to the bevy of weapons.  He finished tying his duffel bag, and then went for the rifle on the wall.  In his arms, it was actually light.  He pulled on the trigger gently to see an infrared beam come on. 

After testing it out and checking for ammunition, he simply slung it over his shoulder, picked up his duffel bag, and left the room.  He adjusted the picture frame back to what it was originally, and then the wall slid downward to conceal the room once again.

 

                “I wonder who could be behind this assault.  We have always known it to be General Viggo.  But why isn’t there any evidence pointing in his direction?” spoke the blue seabird.  Surbilla put this motion on the floor for the others to attack objectively, but even they were puzzled as to who could have orchestrated this massacre.

                “’Tis true, mate.  We have no idea who was behind this attack.”

                The new group of warriors stood together in a circle, leaving a spot for their absent leader.  They continued to bicker, pick, and reevaluate what they all had seen before and after they left the mill.

                “How could an attack this big as this go on without us knowing while we were in training?” Turquoise said.           

                “Chung says that is a good question; Chung has a good answer:  We all were underground, under Cape Canardo.”—he gestured—“How could we have known from way down there?  All we could feel were the aftershocks of rocket shuttles.”

                “Tweek!  But there was something else going on down there.  I can’t explain it, but it happened before Turquoise passed out.”

                “Yeah!  Why did you swoon?” Lweek interrogated, eying Turquoise suspiciously.

                The canine gave him a sour look.  She folded her arms, and flitted her tail angrily.

                “Listen dragon, I don’t know what happened back there either.  I’m clueless as you are and the next fur.  Maybe that was a late earthquake?”

                “That was no late earthquake, mon amie.”

                Suddenly, Jean-Claude joined the circle, frightening everyone with his big idea of going to war by the impression he gave with weapons; he was armed to the teeth, and his eyes shown he was becoming a warmonger.  He wore his favorite shades.  Garbed in long, slender pants and matching black shirt, he looked serious enough to carry out with his decision whether or not the others were in agreement.

                “That was [you], Turquoise.  Your special talent.  And from the looks of it, you suffered for going overboard.”

                “How do you figure that, Jean-Claude?” asked Donny.

                “Just think about it.  The earthquake didn’t come out of nowhere.  Non, it was started and lasted longer than any rocket shuttle.  Besides, we were not supposed to feel a quake like that – not on this day.  Turquoise has … telekinetic powers.”

                Everyone looked surprised in Turquoise’s direction.  How could she be that gifted?  By the expressions she received, she looked around nervously. 

                “What?  Why are you guys looking at me?  I’m not a hazard!” she defended.

                “You are hiding something else too?” Surbilla guessed.

                “Huh?  What makes you think that?”

                “What else is going on with you, Turquoise?” Lweek pressured.

                “Um…”—Turquoise began, beginning to hear “voices” anew—“What did you say, Chung?”

                Chung startled.  “Wha-what?  Chung said nothing!  At least, I don’t think I did.”

                Sergeant Sternhauser walked over with his cane in his cloven hoof.  He stood beside Jean-Claude, beginning to point his cane at Turquoise.

                “Now I know why you remained behind before.  You wanted to see if it was true for yourself.  That you had gifts.  I knew from the moment you couldn’t burrow that there was more to you than meet the eye.  Let me guess, you have been hearing things as well?”

                “So you were watching us down there, huh?” quipped Turquoise.              

                “Yes.”

                Everyone turned to Turquoise while Sternhauser continued.

                “I watched because I knew all of you had your parents in you:  climbing, squeezing through surfaces, swimming, flying, gliding, fighting – all of it.  However, you kids can do something more.  I found that out with Turquoise.  If she is telekinetic, then that will greatly aid the whole group.  Furthermore, she is a telepath.  She can read minds.  We just saw that now with Chung.”

                “Really?  Then we’re not too safe thinking deeply around ‘er.”  Donny joked, hopping back a bit to make room.

                “It’s true,” Turquoise finally admitted, “I am both of those things.  I almost didn’t want to believe it myself.  Roofus said I was special.  I feel like these gifts are more of a burden than powers.”

                “They’re not.  Just put them to good use and use them responsibly,” Jean-Claude said, resting a paw on her shoulder.  “Now listen up, I don’t know about the rest of you, but those creeps burned my siblings to a crisp and left my father to die.  I’m going to search high and low for those involved in this sadistic scheme, and when I get my paws on them I will make fluff fly!”

                “Damn straight!” Chung agreed.

                “You have fire in you, Fur Fighter, and sometimes it can burn everyone.  Be careful of what you do out there, Jean-Claude.”  The sergeant nodded.  “Tweek?  You have been through this kind of thing before.  Help your friends in their journey.”

                “Tweek.”  The red dragon gave a thumbs-up.

                “Meanwhile, I will remain behind and take care of your parents.  If they ever awaken from their rest, I will gather information about what took place earlier.  And when General Bristol returns from whatever he has been, he will relay whatever I discover here so that you can piece the puzzle together for yourselves.  Until then, you all need to formulate a plan, assign a group leader, and then move out.”

                Everyone agreed.  They all stole one last glimpse at their parents who survived, and then turned to Jean-Claude.

                “Jean-Claude?  Will you continue to be our leader?  After all, you got us through the Undermill.  You still have my vote,” said Chung.

                “Mine, too!”

                “Same here, mate.”

                “Yeah.”

                Turquoise was hesitant at first to agree.  “You know, pussycat, I did not vote for you last time, but this time I’m with whatever you do.  So yeah, I vote for you now.”

                “Then it is settled.  Jean-Claude, you are the leader.  Be vigilant and mindful of your teammates.  They will need you more than you need yourself.  For now, I will gather more supplies from the mill for all of your parents.  By the time I return, you all should be gone.  Make haste.  The perpetrator is out there somewhere.  Good luck.”

                Sergeant Sternhauser broke away from the group and disappeared into another room.  The only remaining sounds from him were that of his cane tapping against the floor.

                “So what’s the big plan, Jean-Claude?  You seem readier than me,” asked Lweek.

                Jean-Claude thought for a moment.  His eyes strayed to a corner of the room, and then fell upon the injured parents.  He tightened his face in contemplation.  Then suddenly, an idea came to him.  With a curl of his tail, he slid a pistol out of its holster.  He popped out the chamber of the revolver, examining the six bullets, and then snapped it back in place.

                “You know, mon amis, my mother used this gun once.  She said, ‘It’s not the bullets that find their mark but the mark that finds the bullets.’”

                “And what is that supposed to mean, friend?” Donny was confused.

                Jean-Claude holstered his firearm.  “Beats the hell out of me.  But I figure it might mean this…  We go around and stir up trouble.  Therefore, trouble will come to us in the process, and then the real target will be unveiled.”

                Everyone laughed.

                “My first plan is to go investigate places our parents have been to before.  That will include New Quack City, Beaver Power, Cape Canardo, Dinotopolis, Anatat Tatanatat, and Viggo A-Go-Go.  Also, there are some places that our parents have not discovered.  I’m sure that we can find them if we double check the original Fur Fighter trail.”

                “Good plan,” said Lweek.

                “To cover more ground and, rather swiftly, two of us will go ahead to a new location.  Meanwhile, those who are left behind will remain in the Teleportation Room for further instructions.  Because I am going first in battle, I (and a partner) will keep you guys posted.  If we need any of your talents, or just need time to heal then we will summon you by stepping into a Teleporter.  Vous comprenez?”

                By now, everyone knew what yes was in French, so they answered as Jean-Claude would.

                “Oui,” everyone said.

                “Bien, bien.  So who would like to go with me to Viggo A-Go-Go?  If there is any clue there, I will find it.”

                “I will,” answered Tweek.  “I’ve been there.  I know the areas.”

                “Merci, Tweek.  Then it is settled.  If no one has any objections to this, then we will leave immediately.”

                Jean-Claude put his paw out in the middle of the group.  “Are we Fur Fighters or are we not?”

                “We are,” said Lweek.  He too placed his paw atop Jean-Claude’s.

                “To the very end…”  Turquoise followed suit.

                “We will prevail.  We must.”  Chung placed his paw atop Turquoise’s.

                “And if we don’t, then we’re all screwed,” joked Donny.

                “We can and will take down our enemies.”  Surbilla put her flipper down in the middle.

                “Then Fur Fighters II, for a name?” Chung mentioned.

                Jean-Claude shook his head.  “Non, I have something more true.  Kindred Cries:  We are family; and as family we mourn our losses.”

                “Kindred Cries?  Hm.  Makes perfect sense to me,” Lweek agreed.

                “All right, Kindred Cries is born!”

 

                They all broke out of formation.  Tweek and Jean-Claude walked out of the Undermill, leaving the others behind to get ready for a battle.  Outside, Jean-Claude gave his spare pistol, the standard firearm, to Tweek.  The red dragon clutched the gun between his teeth and then lifted his wings.  In a fluid motion, he flipped hard and became airborne.  He offered his claws to Jean-Claude who accepted, and together they were flying off in the direction of Viggo A-Go-Go.

                What new enemy and minions awaited them, they really did not know.  All they knew was that finding a piece of the puzzle was their first priority.  The second – find out who was responsible.  And third – put an end to all who were involved.  Until these things were accomplished, only then could the Fur Fighters rest once and for all.