FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter One

Dear Those in Charge,

_ I am officially writing you to submit my application for the annual competition known as "The Race". Ever since I first watched it when it came out nine years ago, I've been wanting to be a part of it. For the upcoming 10_th race, I am hoping you are willing to consider making me one of the twelve competitors.

_ As for why I should be in the race, I'll tell you. I'm a fox, so I'm very fast on my feet. I'm also intelligent so I should be able to handle the forests or small villages or whatever the competition would be able to throw at me. Most people would say something about the cash prize at the end, but my main reason for applying is that no one from my state has ever been in the competition yet. I have a fierce determination and I just know that I can win._

_ In the requirements, you stated that I must be at least 16 years old (to which I just turned 17), I have to be willing to succumb to a week of training (and I accept that as I go to the gym every single day), and I must have approval from a parent or guardian. Now, the problem is, my mother and father are... no longer with me. But, my grandmother, Georgette, lives with me and my sister and she happily said yes (I'll make sure she comes into contact with you later on)._

_ Actually, my sister is one of the biggest reasons I want to be on The Race. She looks up to me as a role model. I told her that one day, I'm going to be on the show and that I'll win for her and the family. We're going through some rough times. Georgette recently retired and has been struggling with some money issues. Recently, our landlord has been threatening to evict us from our apartment if we don't get our money issue back on track. Our electricity has been flickering for a few days and it might go out any second. We can even barely afford our water at the moment._

I don't want to win The Race because of the money. I want to win for my family. To help get us a better life, because let's face it, it's hanging by a thread at the moment.

Thank you for taking your time to read my application and/or taking me in consideration for putting me on The Race. If I end up getting on the show, I won't let you down. I promise to give it my all and make it the best 10th season of any reality show in all of the country of Furorem.

_ Sincerely,_

_ Orion J. Parker_

Orion sent his application in almost two weeks ago and he hasn't heard from them. Other than the "thank you for sending an application" letter that everyone gets.

Since then, his apartment hasn't gotten any better. There's no longer any electricity. The water's starting to slow down and is on the brink of closing off for good. The place was quiet and cold like it normally was. The only warmth is when the sun comes up from the horizon.

And yet, through all of that, Orion liked it when Georgette would still wake up and enjoy the look of this crappy place. He always knew that she liked this apartment, despite its numerous amount of flaws. He's lived here his whole life. Georgette too.

But today, it was a normal day for Orion. Wake up, eat his breakfast, and help take care of his family. It wasn't hard. He only has his grandmother and his little sister, Jenny. The 5-year-old could probably put a smile even on the most depressed furs. She was only one when her parents passed away. It wasn't via car crash or bullet. Some furs in the city suspected it was suicide but it wasn't. Orion knew better than that.

It was by two perfect crossbow shots to their hearts. Orion will never forget what happened and neither will Georgette. To this day, the killer still hasn't been tracked down.

Other than that, Orion had a happy life. Just like most of the other lives in the city, it was change when The Race first appeared on television almost ten years ago. The second the first episode appeared, Orion was hooked on the show.

Twelve teenagers from all over the country gather up in one spot in the northeast and race continuously until one person reaches the finish line. That person gets the cash prize. However, getting there was never easy. There's small villages, waterfalls, and weather that offer as obstacles for all who get into the competition.

The course itself is divided into ten sections, each one larger than the last. If someone were to be the last to enter a section of the course, they'd immediately be disqualified and be sent home empty-pawed. Orion dreamed of winning The Race. He dreamed and dreamed about it for a long time.

"Now, son, the odds of you getting in that race are very small," Georgette once said to him. "But that doesn't mean I ain't going to support you all the way." Orion liked the way she talked. Sort of like an old nanny from a comedy film.

Today, though, Orion wasn't so sure. It's been awhile since he emailed the application and was at the point of giving up his dreams. "What's wrong, brother?" Jenny asks. She sits cross-legged next to him at the kitchen table. Orion just sighs and stirs what's left of his cereal with his spoon.

"Nothing," he says.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Jenny gave him puppy eyes. Orion liked the way her blue eyes made her look adorable. As for him, he thought he looked hideous with his emerald eyes. Georgette comes from her room and joins her family at the kitchen table. Her purple nightgown almost makes her look thinner.

"Hey, children, what's for breakfast?" she asks.

"Anything, I guess," Orion says. "I didn't have time to make a meal."

"That's fine. Toast is good enough for me." As Georgette gets her toast in the toaster, she looks over at her grandson. "What's got you so glum?"

"I'm fine." Although Orion wasn't. "It's just... not my best of days, I guess." He runs a paw through the fur on his head. It's orange like the rest of him. But his ears stand out, being a darkish brown. His paws and feet were a weird shade of white, the kind that made him think of stars. Which, coincidentally, is what he's named after.

"Let me guess, nobody emailed you back about The Race?" Georgette asks. She gets out a mug to prepare her morning coffee. Orion can't really stand the scent of it.

"No," he replies. "I guess maybe I was never meant to be on the show."

"Awww, cheer up, sonny, I'm sure things will get better. Besides, this is the 10th season, maybe they'll do things differently." Orion appreciated his grandmother's words, but it didn't really lift him out of his funk.

Orion finally dumps his cereal in the sink and rinses it in the drain. Going back to his room, he slides the door shut and locks it. His room isn't the best of the best. It's pretty small. A bed talking up half the space with the computer desk taking up most of what's left. His clothes lie all over the floor. He goes to his computer and slumps down in the chair. He wishes the power was still on so he could check his email. He would use his phone, but the only way he can charge it is by going somewhere else and he wasn't in the mood for that now.

A knock on the door takes him away from his thoughts. "Brother? Can I come in?" Orion unlocks the door and slides it open. There, his sister's bright eyes and little teddy bear she carries with her look at him.

"Sure, kiddo," Orion says. Jenny skips in and dive onto his bed. He slides the door shut.

"I'm sorry you might not be on The Race," she says. Orion smiles anyways.

"It's ok. I like the show, don't get me wrong, but maybe a small town boy from Spark City wasn't meant to be on the show in the first place." Spark City was the smallest city in all of the country. It's population only stands at about four or five hundred. Typically, The Race consists of people from bigger cities like DynoMite or Puppy Town or the most populated city and capitol of Furorem, Anthroville.

Compared to them, Spark city is just a weak pebble.

"What's going to happen to us?" Jenny asks. At first, Orion doesn't know what she means, but he gets it. If they get evicted.

"To be honest, sis, I don't know." Orion's words don't bring back that Jenny-smile he knew for five years. "I think we might have to go back to Grandpa Bennie's old barnyard."

"Oh no." Jenny buries her face in her tiny paws. Grandpa Bennie divorced Georgette after she tried to make him realize that she wasn't cut out for the rural life. So, she took her daughter and moved to Spark City where she'd meet Orion's dad and have two kids. They probably never suspected they'd end up in this position: on the verge of heading back to Bennie's.

"Relax, Jen, Georgette said she was going to try looking for another job. One that pays more," Orion reassures his sister. "If I do get on The Race, I'm going to try my best to get to the end."

"What if you didn't get on?" Jenny asks. Orion doesn't reply. He knew what would happen if he didn't make it onto the show; the harsh life of a farmer for the Parkers. And he was aware of his odds. 50,000 applicants apply for The Race each year and only a dozen get picked. That's way less than one percent.

"Look, we're going to get through this slump, ok?" Orion says, comforting his sister. Jenny hugs her brother tight, driving an Ooomf out of him. But he liked the way his sister clung to him.

Three knocks on the apartment door indicate the mailman's here. Orion slides open his bedroom door. "I've got it grandma!" he shouts, hearing the shower water running. A few letters slip through the slot and drop onto the floor. Picking them up, the top one fills Orion with dread.

The rent bill.

He tears it open. As he looks to see how much it costs, he's not sure if Georgette can pay it. Electricity is already gone. Now, it doesn't look like the water is able to stay much longer too. With this stuff, Orion figures it might only be weeks before imminent eviction.

He tosses that aside and sees a few postcards from his friends and one from an aunt who lives in the Midwest. One envelope in particular stands out to Orion. It's addressed to him.

He tears it open with his thumb and inside it a folded piece of paper marked with the symbol of the country on it. A gold ring with a wolf's head in the middle. He flips open the letter and skims through it. As he does, he collapses onto a chair and widen his eyes out of shock. He can't believe what he's reading until he reads who sent the letter.

Matthew P. Wolf. The Selector. The one who chooses those who will be on the race.

And Orion's been chosen.

Chapter Two

He wasn't happy with his job. He was basically sending people to an inevitable fate. A fate in which he didn't approve of. He always asks himself why. Why would he be doing such a thing? What didn't help was the letter he read from Spark City. Orion J. Parker stood out to Matthew. There was something about him that made the wolf curious to see how he was. How he would do in The Race.

Boots stomping on the white, linoleum floor, he heads down the hall to his boss's office. The one who created and produces The Race. Taking a deep breath and putting on a professional smile, Matthew opens the door to see his boss, a Doberman by the name of Ace.

"What do you want?" Ace's voice growls. His chair wasn't even turned to face his visitor.

"Hello, sir, I wanted to talk to you about that application from Spark City." Matthew sits down. The Doberman's ears flickered at the name of the town.

"Spark City?" He turns around. He's got a milkbone between his teeth, but the way his sunglasses glare at the wolf made Matthew want to hide under a desk. "Why would I deface my Race with a name for nowhere-ville?"

Matthew clears his throat and speaks. "Well, you see, I think it would be a good idea, considering that we haven't had a racer from that city yet. Plus, this kid seems very determined to win the competition. That will definitely grab the public's attention." He tries to make it seem that he wasn't scared of Ace. But the truth is, he feared him.

Ace appears to take his worker's words into consideration. "Look, Matthew, I like you, I do. You're a great pal of mine. However, I don't think that putting in a nobody in The Race will help by any means."

"Please, sir. I want to meet this kid." Matthew knew that pleading with Ace would get him nowhere, but he had to try. He wanted to see the underdogs for once. "What makes you afraid of sticking in someone from the outskirts of the country?"

"Because, smart mouth, don't you watch movies or read books? The underdogs are always the most curious. What if he finds out what happens during The Race? People will be all over my neck with questions I can't afford to answer!" Ace seems to stand his ground.

"Well, I told you this competition didn't have to be this way," Matthew points out. "I said we could just-"

"I heard what you said!" Ace pounds his fist on the table. "But doing this is the only way word doesn't get out about what's on the course of The Race. If we don't do things my way, this show could get cancelled." Matthew crosses his arms. He's not going to let his boss stomp all over him. That is, until Ace lets out a long sigh.

"You're not going to leave me alone until I say yes, aren't you?" Ace asks. The wolf shakes his head no. The Doberman grumbles and clenches his fists. "Fine! Put the twerp on The Race for all I care!"

"Thanks, sir!" Matthew exclaims as he bolts out the door to go write the congratulatory letter.

"I hope I didn't make a mistake," Ace mutters.

Chapter Three

To Orion J. Parker,

I have read and reviewed your application for The Race. To be honest, it was one of the most surprising ones that I've ever read in my whole career. I think that you've got potential for this game. In addition to this, I'm sorry to hear about the financial problems your family seems to be having. Hope they get better as time goes on. Attached is a train ticket you should take to get to Anthroville where you'll train for The Race with me and a few other associates. See you tomorrow.

_ Sincerely, Matthew P. Wolf, the Selector_

"Well, I'll be damned," Georgette says after Orion reads the letter to them. "Kiddo, this is definitely going to help us out if you win."

"If? You mean when I win." Orion smiles and wags his tail. Though confidence was evident in his voice, he wasn't 100% sure he'd win the money. But, he was going to try and nothing was going to stop him.

"What time do you leave, brother?" Jenny asks. Orion looks at the train ticket.

"Tomorrow morning," he says. He runs into his room and drags out his suitcase from under his bed. Going into his closet, he thinks about past seasons of The Race. Every year, someone gets hypothermic or dehydrated. So, he throws in several shirts and a few pairs of pants. Then again, they might take this stuff and not let him use any of it. But going into this empty handed wasn't a good idea.

He looks down and sees an old canteen that was given to him when he was still in Boy Scouts. The symbol just barely faded onto the side. "I might need this." After all, there's usually a river in the course of the competition.

Then there's the issue with finding food. Orion was never the best hunter or gatherer. But, being a former Scout, he did still have a handbook that gave him tips on how to search for vegetation or how to tell if a plant is poisonous. He also digs out his compass. Despite it being scratched up, it still works as normal. Plus, they sometimes give out maps so no one gets lost.

Even with all this, he still has room in his baggage. If only he could take Jenny with him. His sister and grandmother are going to be on his mind a lot during the competition.

Then he drags out a small, three-inch pocketknife that he has for some reason. He couldn't remember where it came from. All he knew is that he had it for a long time. Thinking that there could be some uses, like cutting bark or using it for rope or something, he tucks that in the corner of his suitcase.

A knock on his door perks his ears up. "Come in!" And in comes the pitter-patter of Jenny's tiny footpaws.

"Hey, brother." Her voice sounds a bit squeakier than Orion remembers. "Um... are you really leaving?" Her eyes pleaded, as if she didn't want him to leave. He knew that she didn't want him to. They were close.

"Unfortunately, yes," Orion says in a calm manner. "But don't worry. I'm going to win for you and grandma." His sister threw her arms around him and squeezed tight.

"I want you to take something with you. Stay right there and don't peek!" Jenny giggles as she walks out of the room. Orion smiles and sits down on his bed. Whatever it is, it's probably an arts and crafts thing, he thinks. After all Jenny made everyone that sort of thing. Especially for Georgette when she turned 70 last year.

But Orion was way off. Jenny came back into his rooms with just her stuffed teddy bear in her paws. "Jennifer, I can't take your bear," he says when she tries to give it to him.

"I want you to," she says in a kid-serious tone. She puts her teddy into his paw. "To remember me as you're gone." Orion was hit heavy with emotion. His sister loves that bear just as much as she loves her brother; it was obvious. For Orion to take that from her was like him taking a piece of her soul away. But, Jenny puts on her eyes again and he sighs. He's not going to win this battle.

"You really want me to?" He asks. She nods. "Gee, kid, I don't know what to say. You're already growing up and you aren't even in first grade." He sets the bear on top of his clothes and hugs her tight. He's going to miss her tiny arms with incredible hugging strength. Orion knew that with dreams comes emotions. He just wasn't ready for the second part.

"You kids alright?" Orion didn't hear Georgette enter his room. But there she stands, in his doorway.

"We're fine, grandma," Orion says. "Just packing up some stuff."

"I see." She tilts her head when she looks at Jenny's bear in his case. She shakes her head. "I tell ya, you kids are changing by the day around here it's hard for me to keep up." She sits down in Orion's computer desk.

He sighs again. "I'm sure going to miss you, grandma."

"I'll miss you too, bucko. And here..." Georgette reaches up into her breast pocket and pulls something out of it. With a slightly shaking paw, she drops it on top of the bear. Orion picks it up and gets a closer look at it. A chain necklace with a gold eagle hanging off of it. Its eyes made of some sort of pink gem.

"This was my mother's," Orion whispers when he recognizes it. He's seen it in old photos of her and recalls her wearing it once before she died.

"That is was," Georgette confirms. "Hell, she could barely remember whenever she had it on around her neck. I thought you might as well take it, seeing as how it technically belongs to you too." Orion grasps the eagle between his thumb and index finger. Its wingspan must be about three or four inches. He takes the chain apart, wraps it around his neck and reattaches it. The eagle hangs slightly above his chest.

Georgette puts a paw on her grandson's shoulder. "She'd be proud of ya right now, sonny. I'd perk up that smile if I was up." And Orion did.

"Thanks, grandma," he says with that smile. "How should we celebrate? Seeing that this will be the last day we're united until I get back." He didn't want to say until he lost the competition.

"Well, how about the three of us go out to get something to eat?"

"Oh, boy!" Jenny cheered. Orion liked how easily she can smile.

***

Coming home, the three of them were pretty stuffed for the first time in a while. Orion rests on the kitchen chair, on the verge of a food coma. "Well, I'm guessing this is the last time I take you two to Denny's for a while?" Georgette asks. The kids nodded in agreement.

"Well, it's going to be a long time before I get home, so it was nice," Orion says. He knew that it was going to be hard to find food during the competition. Plus, it's great that he's spending time with his family. Seeing as how he might not see them again for a month.

He ends up sleeping for a little while before he wakes up to the sound of the sink turning on. Jenny stands there, scrubbing her paws. As she dries them off, she locks eyes with her brother. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah. What happened to your paws?"

"I got stuff on it. No big deal." Jenny dries her paws off and goes back to her room. Orion, seeing as there was nothing left to do at the moment, walks into his room and slides the door shut.

He takes off his mother's eagle pendant and observes it again. He can once again hear the words of being told his parents are dead. The emotion flows through him head to toe. He sets the pendant on his desk and flops onto his bed, covering himself with his velvet red blanket.

As he sits there, waiting to go back to sleep, Orion wonders what this version of The Race will be like. It's the 10th season, there has to be something special about it, he thinks. Something that will make it stand out above the other seasons. There aren't usually too many twists that are set into the game. Once there were duos for the 5th season, but they split up halfway through the game. During season 7, someone was evacuated due to a medical emergency. It was either dehydration or a major puncture through an artery. Orion couldn't remember.

Orion dreamt what it would be like once he got there. He knew he was going to need an ally of some sort to make it. Who knows, maybe they'll become friends once the competition is over. Orion wasn't very good at making friends, hence why he doesn't really have any, but that doesn't mean he isn't willing to try.

The next day, he wakes up early and gets in the shower. He didn't want to be dirty once he gets on the train. After all, once he does, he's not going to see his family for a while. As the hot water tries to break his thoughts, he cannot help himself. Orion was very excited. His nerves jump about under his skin and his heart pounds so loud that he can almost hear it in his ears.

After that's taken care of, he goes out into the kitchen to get himself some breakfast, which is just a plain old ham and cheese sandwich. Jenny joins him in there soon. She takes a seat next to him and beams up at him with those bright eyes of hers. "Hey there, Jen," Orion greets. "How're you this morning?"

"A little tired. But nothing's going to keep me from saying goodbye to you at least."

"Thanks." The two smile at each other. Orion then leans down and whispers in her ear. "Take care of grandma for me, ok?"

"I promise, brother." She hugs him tight. Georgette leaves her room, yawning.

"Isn't it too early for you kids to be running around?" she asks.

Orion holds up the train ticket. "I have to leave in almost an hour."

"Oh! I should get ready!" Georgette goes back to her room and slides the door shut. Orion finishes his breakfast and heads back into his room. He grabs his suitcase and makes sure everything is there. Including the pendant that grandma gave her and Jenny's bear. He wonders if his parents would be proud he's making a huge leap for his family. They probably would.

Once Georgette gets her and Jenny dressed, they head out of their apartment and down the stairs onto the street. The train station is only a few streets away. Spark City looks like every dystopian city in the country; grey skyline, but the streets are bustling with people. Some buildings are worn out. Thinning because of old war that once took place here. Orion's been interested in history for a while, but never really asked why this all happened.

Or how.

The train station was basically a gold roof suspended by white pillars and a few furs in uniforms check your train ticket. At that point, they'd direct you to the spot where to get on the train.

Orion couldn't wait. He's so excited, but he keeps things under control as he hands his ticket to a cheetah. "Huh, are you going on The Race, son?" the cheetah asks.

He nods. "That I am," the fox says, feeling proud of himself.

However, the cheetah leans down and whispers in his ear. "Be careful, though. My cousin from Furry Town signed up for that show. He came in 7th and I haven't heard from him since." Orion looks up at the older fur in the eye, confused. Then, he returns to his normal voice and points to where he needs to wait.

"Bye grandma!" Orion waves to his family.

"Make us proud, kiddo!" Georgette calls back. Orion quickly runs to where he was told to, but he can't help but think of what that ticket checker said.

I haven't heard from him since.

Chapter Four

Nothing would give the tiger more pleasure than to go into The Race and live up to Uncle Vesper's name. The problem is that he hasn't heard from him since he finished the 4th season in 3rd place. He assumed that maybe he got a job in Anthroville and didn't bother to answer whenever someone called.

The tiger wanted to do this because he wanted to make his parents proud. As an average student at his high school, he only stands out when it comes to the popular crowd. People knew his name, nevertheless, but they didn't really acknowledge him much. Maybe it's because of my secret, the tiger frequently thinks. Then again, he hasn't told a single person in his entire life.

He knew that the odds of finding love in The Race was nearly impossible because every other person is competition. However, he really wanted to hook up with someone there. After all, he doesn't really have much luck around his school.

His partner preference is a fox; made obvious from the fox drawings he has mounted on the wall in his room and his dreams of kissing a fox during that perfect moment in a meadow. Shouldn't be hard. After all, he was a very nice guy with good intentions. Plus, as far as he knew, there hasn't been someone like him in The Race before. Maybe he's the first. Then again, 104 other contestants have been in the competition; someone had to be like the tiger.

As he packs his stuff in his room, he thinks about how things will be like. Should I tell people right away, he asks himself? The pros of that is that he won't be lying and it'll be off his chest. Plus, if he does end up finding love on the show, he won't have to explain it to people.

Although, throughout history, it's obvious that people like him are frequently looked down upon. Frowned upon by society. At least, a major portion of it.

I won't tell anyone, he finally decides. Then he adds, unless I meet the perfect fox. One who'll accept me for who I am and may be like me himself. He knew that he was going to need an ally if he was going to win this. Who knows, maybe if things work out, the two will end up together for a long time.

The thought warmed the tiger in a way that no one else would ever know about. He broke into a smile. He hugs himself, hoping that soon, someone will be in those big, yet gentle arms. He zips up his suitcase as his mother calls out from the other room.

"Ian?! Are you done packing?!"

"Yeah, mom!" he calls back. The train should be arriving any minute now. He grabs his full suitcase and leaves his room for possibly the last time.

Chapter Five

The country of Furorem started up almost a hundred years ago. After a huge world war destroyed most of the Earth, people all over the globe decided to come together to help rebuild society. The Treaty is what it was called. Furorem was one of those results of it. Though most of the land remains affected (burnt forests and devastated cities), almost 25% of the world's population lives in that great nation.

Soon, technology became advanced after scientists came together. It started out slow, going mostly into larger cities of the world such as Anthroville. Smaller cities, such as Spark City, remained untouched from it. Except for the train, which Orion sits, waiting patiently for it to stop in the big city in a few hours.

The distance between Spark City and Anthroville was about 3000 miles. However, because the train is up to date, it can go very fast (up to 300 mph). The problem, at first, was that the inside of cars would shake up. That's why, for years, some people worked on newer, mobile, Gyro-technology so no matter what happens, it would stay level. Orion could still slightly feel it sway every now and then, but other than that, it was actually awesome for him to be one something like this. Making a huge journey into something he's been dreaming of his entire life.

The words of the cheetah he talked to shortly before coming on the train still nip on the back of his mind.Never heard from him since. That could mean a lot of things, he thinks. Maybe he didn't want to talk to him again. Maybe he wasn't able to make contact after The Race was over. It would make sense; the winners diving into their fifteen minutes of fame before the next season's casting call begins.

Plus, once people win The Race, they tend to move into larger cities such as Anthroville or its neighbor, Sly Town. As for Orion, he had no idea what his future held for him. He was excited, but nervous at the same time. He keeps his bag hugged to his stomach as he watches the country go by. As the only one in the car, he stays silent.

He wonders if there are others coming on the train or if they go into separate cars. He thinks back to other seasons of The Race. The host, John Sinclair, a black coyote with weird fur patterns in a shade of white, usually starts out by introducing the racers first. Get to know them a little and then drop them into the course for their imminent fate.

Sinclair usually does a great job hosting The Race. What makes him good is how well he connects with the viewers and audience. For example, he doesn't really stay on the stage much as he narrates the competition. He tends to walk around the live studio audience and ask around some questions such as "Who do you think will win this?" or "What so you think of this player?" or "How do you think he/she is doing?". Because of that, people just love him.

Every year in The Race, there's 12 contestants: six boys and six girls (to make it fair). Usually, one person in the bunch is known as the bad guy nobody likes. As far as Orion remembers, there's only been one bad guy who ended up winning the whole show and that was season 2. Jeffrey Henderson won that year. He was very disliked by the public because of his bad attitude and how his booby traps he set up in the woods were semi-fatal. The rules regarding that is you cannot harm another player to the point where blood is drawn. Violence is not tolerated in The Race. Should a contestant do that, they're given an automatic 24-hour penalty at the next check-in point. If they're bumped into last, they're out.

There's only ever been two rules during The Race: don't fight with another racer and don't stop racing. The competition is continuous. It doesn't stop until the Final Two is declared. At that point, they're taken back to the training facility and are interviewed until the Board of Selectmen decide the winner. The only reason Henderson won is because who he was up against decided to withdraw from the game, automatically making him the winner. The Board then posted a statement after the public reacted badly from that. They said that had the other person not dropped out, Henderson would not have won that year.

Orion knew that Matthew was on the Board along with a few other people. The wolf stated in his letter that he liked Orion's application so, the fox viewed that as a good sign, should he make it to the Final Two.

However, he wasn't the strongest fox in the country and had no idea how he was going to make it to the end. Or even if.

As his eyes look around the train car, he spots something glint in the corner. He keeps his eyes focused there and he makes out a lens. A camera lens. Someone was watching him.

He shook his head. Of course someone's watching, he thinks. In case someone tries to rob the train or whatever. He leans back in his seat and closes his eyes, trying to get some rest before it stops completely in Anthroville.

After a few hours, Orion notices the train slowing down. There's no way he's there already. It would take ten hours for him to get there and it was still daylight. He could feel everything slowing down and stopping. He gets up to look out the window of the doors. A city comes into view. Not a big one, but definitely noticeable.

The train stops slowly and once it does, the door slide open and Orion hugs his bags tight, thinking that others might come into this car. He looks at the surrounding cars and sees people hustle in and out of the train. At first, Orion thinks that no one else is coming. He slowly exhales and is relieved when someone comes into his car a second before the doors close.

Orion looks up. A big tiger looking a little older than him takes a seat near the door, almost across from Orion. The curious/nervous fox looks and sees this tiger has a suitcase like he does. Perhaps another contestant on The Race? Should I ask, Orion thinks?

He wants to, but he keeps his muzzle shut out of fear that maybe he's not one of the nicer contestants. After all, the tiger has a slight annoyed look on his face. Although, as the train leaves the city it just stopped at, the bigger feline does let a relaxed look cross his muzzle. He was dressed in a white shirt that really looked great with his orange and black fur. His legs covered in plain jeans. He props his head on his paw and leans his elbow on his knee. For a second, Orion thinks that this tiger was about to weep a little tear.

He doesn't want that to happen. So, he clears his throat and speaks. "Um... hi." His voice sounded a little foreign, even to him. The tiger looks up and they meet eyes.

"Hey," he says. His voice a little mysterious. He looks back down without another word.

Orion tries again at conversation. "Umm... you going to Anthroville, too?"

The mysterious tiger looks back up at him. "Yeah." Again, low and dark. From the one-word responses, he doesn't sound like he wants to be bothered right now. So, Orion just leans back in his seat as the train moves on again.

Several hours later, Orion wakes up from a well-needed nap. The train still runs smoothly, the country passing by with each mile. The beautiful forests zip across as they keep moving. Soon, they're passing through a mountain range that was once called the Appalachians. Orion can feel the train tilt a little, but the gyro technology keeps them some-what level.

The fox looks around the car, the place got a bit darker with each hour as the sun was setting. He notices a pair of blue eyes glaring at him when he looks straight ahead. It's the tiger, observing him and seeming to take in every detail he can about Orion. From the way the fox looks, though, he might only assume that he's just some old city-dweller that got on the train to run away from home. At least, that's how Orion thinks he looked.

What surprised Orion was that the tiger was still on the train at all. He recalls that the feline said he was going to Anthroville too. That's when he decides to ask, "Are you going to be on The Race?"

The tiger seems surprised that Orion broke the silence that went on forever. His whiskers twitch a little and then answers the fox. "Yes. I am."

He lifts his head a little and looks squarely at his train companion. "Really?" Orion took a minute to sit up, getting all the yawns out and stretching his stiff limbs. All while muttering, "I'm going to be on The Race too."

The tiger widens his eyes and sits up as well, mirroring the fox. Orion isn't sure how to react. He just met one of his opponents. Usually this doesn't happen until all twelve get to the city to start their training. However, there are some occasions where they meet beforehand. He recalls season seven where there was a pair of brothers who competed together. Neither of them won.

Feeling as if it would seem appropriate, Orion held out a paw to his opponent. "I'm Orion," he says.

The tiger's big paw makes the fox's disappear but he shakes it in a friendly gesture. "Ian," he says in that dark voice. When the two touch paws, something warm sparked inside Orion. Maybe it was just the sudden warmth in the ever-so cold train car. He never had this feeling before and couldn't put his paw onto what it could be.

Unexpectedly, Ian continued to talk. "So, Orion as in the constellation?"

"Yeah." The fox Orion blushes a little and explains how he got his name. "I was told by my grandma that my parents named me Orion because they thought that no matter what, I'd shine like a star my whole life and it seemed cool to them."

Ian smiles. "Awesome. I wish _my_parents named me something cool like that. But, nope. I'm just Ian. Ian McAlister."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Ian. I look forward to competing with you."

"Right back at you."

The rest of the trip went back to silence. A few hours later, it's dark out yet the train is slowing down enough to the point that Orion knows that this next stop has to be Anthroville. He gets his baggage and Ian gets his. When the car slows down enough, they stand up and head to the door.

Out the window, Orion can see this huge building come into view. About 10 stories high, grey outside with white luminescence coming from the windows. A large electric fence surrounds it with a wolf and coyote patrolling the outside. On their side of the fence, a wolf with silver fur, a grey hoodie and white linen pants stands there with a big smile across his muzzle.

The train comes to a full stop and the door slides open. Ian and Orion step off and in front of the wolf who greets them. Looking around, Orion doesn't see any other train doors open. Plus, there aren't many building around them. Desolate. The main section of the city seeming almost another mile east once the witty fox sees the cluster of buildings in the distance.

Before he can ask any questions, though, the wolf comes up to them. "Hello, I'm Matthew P. Wolf, the Selector. Welcome to the Training Facility."

Let the future begin, Orion thinks.