FSE

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The school bell chimed for the last time that day, and a young Italian wolf named Leo got up from his desk and fell in line with the other students as they exited the classroom. Leo was only five feet tall; quite small for a boy twelve years of age. His fur was a fine stone gray colour, whilst his muzzle, paws and chest fur were ice white. The tips of his ears and bushy tail had black streaks to them.

"Remember, Class!" called the teacher, "Stay safe and have a happy Christmas and New Year!" Leo smiled to himself; he was glad that the Christmas holidays were finally here.

"Hey there, Leo!" said a voice. Leo turned to see his friend, a chameleon.

"Hi there, Gary!" said Leo, "Looking forward to the holidays?"

"I sure am!" said Gary, "My family's going to Switzerland to spend Christmas and New Years on the slopes."

"That sounds like a swell time;" said Leo, "Plus, all the Christmas trees you could ever want!"

"And all for free too!" said Gary, "What are you doing for Christmas?"

"Probably staying at home with Mum;" said Leo, "Or maybe visiting family; she hasn't told me otherwise."

"Well I hope you enjoy your Christmas anyway;" said Gary, "By the way, I've got something for you." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small game cartridge.

"Krazy Karters Super Sport?" asked Leo, "Nice! Thanks, Mate."

"My pleasure, Mate." said Gary, "I guess I'll see you in the New Year, huh?"

"I guess so!" said Leo, "Bye! And thanks a million!"

"See you 'round, Leo!" said Gary as he scarpered off to board his bus. Leo placed the game cartridge in his pocket before getting in line for his school bus. Once he had boarded and sat down in his seat, he looked out the window and sighed. The sidewalks were coated with deep drifts of snow, which had been lopped to the side of road when the plow lorries had been through the streets earlier that day. But it wasn't the snow that had Leo downhearted; in fact he found it rather pretty. No, Leo was thinking of a more important matter; family. All of his friends would be going home to spend the holidays with their mums and dads, and their brothers and sisters, and perhaps some other relatives; and to be honest, he would feel a little left out at the thought. He didn't have a large family; in truth, he didn't really have any blood family left at all. In another two minutes, the bus's engine started, and followed the other buses out of the school yard; en route to the various homes where they would deposit their passengers for the remainder of the year.

*****

It only took ten minutes for the bus to reach Leo's house.

"Thanks, Robin!" Leo said to the driver.

"Ye're welcome, Lad!" said the driver with a smile, "Happy Christmas!" Once the bus started off down the street, Leo looked around his hometown; the small suburban town of Watersmane. Not knowing what else he could do, Leo started the walk home; which was only two minutes from the bus stop. Upon reaching his house, he knocked on the door.

"It's open!" called a voice from inside. Leo opened the door, and was surprised to see a pair of suitcases in the front hall.

"Mum!" he called, "I'm home!" No sooner had the words left his mouth, he was greeted by a beautiful African lioness, named Angel. Angel was very tall and in her early thirties. Her fur was a rich golden honey yellow, whilst her muzzle and paws where cream coloured. Distinctively, her arms where quite muscular and just like Leo (even though they weren't biologically related), she had hazel eyes and short spikey head fur.

"Hi there, Sweetheart!" she exclaimed as she came up to him and gave him a large hug, "How was school today?"

"Pretty good;" said Leo, "I'm just glad we have the next two weeks off from school to enjoy the holidays."

"That's wonderful, Hun;" said Angel, "By the way... I have a surprise for you...!"

"Would it have anything to do with the suitcases?" asked Leo.

"It does!" said Angel, who was nearly bursting from excitement, "We'll be going on holiday for Christmas!"

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Leo, "Where are we going? Normandy? Rome? Madrid?"

"Unfortunately, no;" said Angel, "We'll be taking a bit of a longer trip than that."

"Where are we going then?" asked Leo, thoroughly curious.

"We're going somewhere where we can spend Christmas on the beach;" said Angel, "One of the most exciting cities in the world... Firewall City, USA!"

"OH MY GOD!!!" Leo shouted, "I've never been to America before!" He rushed up to Angel and gave her a big hug. "Thank you!" he said, "You're the best mum ever!"

"Aw... You're welcome;" said Angel, "But we best get on our way to Heathrow; our plane leaves at fifteen hundred thirty hours. I've already packed some things in your backpack for the trip, but you might as well check it out to make sure you have everything you need. Just be quick, okay?"

"Sure thing" said Leo as he darted to his room. Sure enough, he found his backpack waiting on his bed. He quickly opened it and looked inside. "Comics... books... toothbrush... 3DS... I-Pod... Headphones..." he mused, "I think I've got everything I could need; except..." He ran to his dresser and picked up a pair of sunglasses that Angel had bought him a few weeks prior. "I should have figured she'd be taking me somewhere sunny when she bought me these." he said to himself. At that moment, a loud honk startled him.

"Leo!" called Angel, "Our cab's here!"

"Coming, Mum!" said Leo. He threw the sunglasses into his backpack, zipped it up, and slung it over his shoulders before heading back to join Angel in the front hall.

"Ready to go, then?" asked Angel.

"You bet!" said Leo. They grabbed their luggage and headed out to the cab; after which they were on their way.

*****

After the cab ride, Leo and Angel arrived at Heathrow Airport. They checked their bags in, verified their passports, went through security, and made their way to the gates. Angel made a quick stop at the cash machine to exchange their British pounds for American dollars, so they wouldn't have to worry about the exchange rates while on holiday. With some time to kill before wheels up, they each bought some gum and sat down at the window to enjoy it.

"This is my first time traveling out of Europe;" said Leo, "It's really amazing."

"I've never traveled to the States myself," said Angel, "But from what I've heard, Firewall City is one of the safest places in the world."

"You wouldn't know from the name;" said Leo, "Would you?"

"I suppose not;" said Angel, "But I've heard worse. In fact, there's a small town down in Florida called Landmine Flats!"

"Why would anyone want to live in a place with landmines in the name?" asked Leo.

"I suppose it's because they take pride in their home;" said Angel, "The same way you and I take pride in Watermane."

"We sure do..." said Leo, "I guess we should visit someplace before we pass judgement on it."

"Agreed;" said Angel. After a minute, Leo said,

"You know... this is the first time I'm gonna be spending Christmas... without her."

"I know..." said Angel, putting her arm around Leo, "I understand how you feel; and I want you to know that I'm always here for you."

"Thanks;" said Leo, "I'm really glad that we met each other and all, but there are times I wish my old mum wasn't such a... a... an awful person."

"That's perfectly normal;" said Angel, "I could hardly believe it myself when you told me about what she did to you."

"As much as I try to forget it," said Leo, "It's a memory that I'll carry forever." He lifted his left sleeve, revealing a permanent scar where his shoulder met his arm. Angel looked at it, before saying,

"You know what that scar tells me?"

"What?" he asked.

"It tells me that you are a survivor;" said Angel, "That scar proves to the world that you were strong enough to endure terrible treatment until you were able to escape and find your own way. That's something that no one can ever take away."

"Thanks, Mum..." said Leo, feeling tears come to his eyes.

"First call for boarding...!" a voice said over the P.A. system, "All passengers report to gate A45 for boarding on flight 4217; Destination: Firewall City, California, USA! Now boarding!"`

"That's us!" said Angel, "Are you ready for an adventure in the Staes?"

"I sure am!" said Leo. The two of them grabbed their carry-on bags and got in line. In another few minutes, they were on the plane and in their seats. After the attendants had gone through the safety procedures, the plane was moved out onto the tarmac, and started taxiing to the runway. When the engines revved up for takeoff, Leo couldn't help but feel a little tense. Luckily, Angel was there to hold his hand and soothe his worries. Soon, the plane had powered into the sky and was heading west by southwest; heading for the United States of America.

*****

At first, Leo was very excited to be flying in a big jet plane over the Atlantic Ocean; but as he was soon to discover, being confined to a single seat for over twelve hours was downright dull. By the time they were flying over Newfoundland, Leo was able to nod off and go to sleep. When he awoke, they were flying over the western United States. When Leo looked out his window, he was astonished at the desert spread out below him; he had read about deserts in books, but had never seen one from the sky. Soon, the deserts turned into mountains; it was, in Leo's own word, brilliant. After another half hour of flying, the passengers were instructed to take their seats and fasten their seatbelts for landing. The big jet touched down on American tarmac and taxied in to the gate. Leo and Angel fetched their bags and exited the plane into the airport.

"This is it, Leo!" said Angel, "We are officially in America!"

"Wow..." said Leo, "This is so exciting! Where are we staying?"

"I managed to book us a room in the Grand Star hotel;" said Angel, "It's got a five star restaurant, and is only a ten minute walk from the seaside!"

"That sounds great!" said Leo, "We should go and get our bags now."

"Great idea;" said Angel, "Don't want to be stuck in a foreign city with just what we're wearing, do we?" Angel and Leo made their way to the baggage claim where they picked up their luggage. After that, they made their way to the arrivals platform, and hailed a cab.

"Afternoon!" said the rat who was driving, "Where are you folks headed today?"

"We're going to the Grand Star Hotel;" said Angel, "Can you please take us there?"

"'Course I can!" said the rat, "Hey, you folks from Harvard or something?"

"England;" said Angel, "More specifically, Watermane."

"Sounds good to me!" said the rat, "Just throw yer bags in the back and I'll getcha there!" Angel complied and placed the luggage in the boot of the cab before she and Leo got into the back seat.

"Pardon me, Sir;" said Leo, "Is Firewall City really the safest city in America?"

"That's what they say;" said the rat, "And I think they're right. We've been ranked among the safest places on earth for nearly twenty years now. But that's not all we're famous for. We've got a heck of a railroad here in Firewall."

"Really?" asked Leo.

"You betcha!" said the rat, "The Northern Pacific Railroad. She runs from San Diego near the Mexican border up to Seattle, Washington; and then eastward to Chicago, Illinois. Not only that, she's got the only steam engine doing mainline service in the US; the mighty Corsair. If you're lucky, you might see her go by from your hotel room."

"Sounds amazing;" said Angel, "I hope we do see it." The ride went on for a short while, and then they ended up getting stuck in traffic.

"Hey, Mum..." said Leo, "I just realized, he doesn't sound like us..."

"That's because he speaks with a different accent;" Angel explained "Americans may speak English, but they have a lot of different words for things. Hopefully we can learn as we go along."

"There she is!" announced the rat. Leo looked out the window, expecting to see a hotel, but was only met with a smaller and much more official looking building.

"What is it?" he asked.

"That's the reason we're the safest city in America;" said the rat, "Headquarters of the Firewall City Police Department! Home to the most honorable, incorruptible, and indefatigable law enforcement officers in the world." Leo found that he couldn't say anything as he looked up at the building. Across the front of the building, engraved in bronze, were the words, 'Honor, Dedication, Virtue.'

"Wow..." he breathed, "I'd sure like to meet some of the people who work there."

"Who knows...?" said the rat, "Maybe you'll get the chance; you might see one of them on the beat while you're here." Leo nodded, knowing that the chances of that were pretty slim. In just another few minutes, the cab arrived at the Grand Star Hotel. "Here you are, Folks!" said the rat, "That'll be thirty one dollars and fifty nine cents. You folks enjoy your stay in the U. S. of A, okay?"

"We will!" Angel promised as she paid the rat. Once they had gotten their luggage out of the boot, they started up the stairs to the hotel. Outside, they were met with a statue of a beaver wearing a coronel's uniform and striking a defiant pose. Leo read the plaque,

"Coronel Eric Duncan; founder of Firewall City; Born: 1852, Died: 1904."

"Interesting..." said Angel, "Perhaps we can learn more about him while we're here."

"Sure;" said Leo, "He might be an interesting person to write a school paper on." The two entered the lobby, which was very beautiful, and made their way to the front desk.

"Angel Savannah;" said Angel, "Checking in for our stay until December twenty-sixth."

"Excellent;" said the toucan at the desk, "Let's see some ID, please." Angel presented her driver's license, and the toucan punched some numbers into the computer before saying, "Okey-dokey! You're all checked in!" He gave Angel two cards, and said, "These are your room keys; your room will be on the fifth floor, number five-fourteen. Breakfast is at eight-o-clock; feel free to order room service if you wish. Would you like a hand with those bags?"

"Just a luggage cart will do;" said Angel.

"Excellent;" said the toucan, "The luggage carts can be found just around the corner. We hope you enjoy your stay at the Grand Star Hotel."

"Thank you;" said Angel as she took the room keys, "Well, Leo, shall we get settled in?"

"Oh yes!" said Leo, "I'm can't wait to see what the room is like!"

*****

When Leo and Angel got up to their room, they were amazed at the décor from the moment they opened the door. The walls where a shiny cream colour and the fuzzy carpet was a light lilac. The furniture in the living room section looked untouched; almost as if it had just been brought brand new from a shop.

"Can I check this place out, Mum?" Leo asked, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Go ahead, Honey;" the lioness replied, cheerfully "I'll sort out our bags while you do." That was all Leo needed to hear; he rushed off to explore the suite. The wolf cub made several discoveries as he toured the room, from the neighboring king-sized bedrooms to the gigantic seventy inch HD TV. The bathroom was massive; almost as big as his mother's bedroom back at home. It contained a large shower block decorated with emerald tiles, and a hot tub that looked as though it could fit five furs in it. After exciting the bathroom, Leo discovered a door which led him outside onto a large stone balcony, where he found an astonishing view of Firewall City. To the south, there were lots of tall buildings clustered together. Many of these buildings consisted of sky scrapers; presumably other hotels and apartments. To the east, Leo could see large brown mountains rising up from the earth; he was almost transfixed at their majesty. To the north, Leo could just make out a group of large houses (or more likely mansions) up on a high plateau. Leo instantly took a liking to this new-found location as he enjoyed the warm breeze on his fur. It also felt incredible to view the bypassing citizens and vehicles down below. Suddenly, there was a deep whistle from the north. It was only then that Leo looked slightly down and noticed that there was a railway cutting through the landscape and into the city.

"See anything you like?" asked a voice. Leo jumped, and realized that Angel had come out without him noticing her.

"Everything so far!" said Leo, "And I think I hear a train!" He and Angel concentrated on where the sound was coming from. Soon enough, Leo caught sight of a plume of smoke rising from the distance. It was a train alright; and at the front was the most beautiful steam locomotive Leo had ever seen. Even from a distance, he could see that she was a streamlined engine with a pretty yellow paint job. Behind her, her sleek coaches moved flawlessly with the locomotive as she pulled them towards the city.

"That must be the mighty Corsair our driver was talking about;" said Angel, "From what I've heard, she's the fastest steam driven machine in the world."

"Oh my... really?" Leo asked, hardly being able to believe his ears.

"Yes really;" said Angel, "I actually found an article on her in the brochures on the coffee table. In nineteen-seventy-seven, she broke the record for steam driven machines by setting a new record of one hundred and thirty miles per hour"

"Wow..." said Leo Just then, there was a rumble from his stomach. "Oh my... Sounds like I'm hungry."

"I'm pretty hungry as well;" said Angel, "Now how about we order some dinner, eh?"

"Sure!" said Leo. He took one last look out at the city before he followed Angel inside.

*****

In the dining room area, the pair settled themselves down at a walnut dining table and Angel handed Leo a menu.

"Order anything you want, Darling;" she said, "After all, we are on holiday." There was indeed a lot to choose from, and for a time, Leo couldn't make up his mind. In the end they both settled for a large margarita pizza with side orders of garlic bread and salad. As for drinks, Leo chose orange juice and Angel chose some sparkling water for herself. Angel found ordering the food was very easy as all it required was a phone call down to the kitchen. There was a half an hour wait for the food to arrive, since it was being freshly made, but Leo and Angel didn't really mind; the wait would wet their appetite. In good order, the food was brought up to them by a plump panda woman on a sliver dinning trolley.

"Here you are;" she said, cheerfully, "One large margarita pizza and your sides." The panda skillfully placed the pizza in the center of the table, set the bread and salad off to the side, and set the drinks of choice at either end of the table. "I do hope you folks enjoy your meal." she said.

"We sure will;" said Angel, "Thank you for your service." She politely handed the panda a five dollar note.

"Why thank you." the panda beamed before exiting the suite.

"Chow down, Leo;" said Angel, "That pizza looks delicious; and you ought to get your strength up." Leo did not wait to be asked twice as he instantly cut himself a large slice of pizza covered with melted cheese and olives before taking a bite.

"mmmh mmmh!" the wolf exclaimed "By far, this is one of the nicest pizzas I've ever had in my life."

"I'm glad you like it;" said Angel, "If their pizzas are that nice then I can't wait to try the restaurant's other dishes; Namely Indian and fish and chips." As the two tucked into their meal, they shared a brief conversation on how their lives at school and work had been. "So, Leo," asked Angel, "How are you finding school? And have you decided on what subjects you want to choose for yours GCSE?"

"I'm glad you asked;" said Leo after taking a swig of orange juice, "I'm finding school manageable and interesting. As for GCSEs I'm thinking of choosing Art and History as I enjoy them the most." Leo took another bite of his pizza slice, and after swallowing, he asked, "How is your job at nursery going?"

"Manageable;" the feline replied, casually taking a sip from her glass, "An assistant caretaker is a job I can handle just fine." Once the two furs had finished their meal, Angel placed the empty plates and cutlery onto the severing trolley. "Now that we've eaten;" said Angel, "How about we watch some TV, eh?"

"You just read my mind, Mum." the young wolf replied with a grin. The pair headed into the living room section, and settled down on a comfy brown leather sofa. "What do you want to watch, Mother?" Leo asked, "Maybe you can catch Strictly Come Dancing?"

"Thanks for the offer, Sweetie," said Angel, "But I'll watch it on the I-player later. Let's see if there's a good a film on." Leo picked up the remote and began to flick through channels.

"Feed me! Feed me, Seymour. Feed me all night long!!!" a giant Venus fly trap sang from the TV.

"Alright!" Leo exclaimed, "I love this movie!"

"So do I;" said Angel, "As a cub, I saw it quite a few times with my family." So she and Leo settled in to watch the movie. When the film was over, Leo felt quite sleepy; likely due to the laborious plane journey and the large meal. Despite that it wasn't quite 10 yet, Leo felt like he'd drop off at any moment. Angel instantly noticed his tiredness. "I think we'd best rest up, Leo;" said Angel as she gave him a friendly nudge, "We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Angel said as she gave him a friendly nudge.

"Your right there, Mum" Leo replied, stifling a yawn as he got off from the sofa, "I'm dog tired. Uh... no pun intended." Angel gave a small laugh before saying,

"Now Leo, the bedroom you'll be sleeping in is the one that has your bags in it. I've already laid your PJs out on the bed."

"Thanks, Mum" said Leo as he made his way to the bathroom. Once there, he rinsed his mouth out with mouth wash (since he felt too tired to brush his teeth) and washed his hands and face. After relieving himself on the toilet, he made his way into his bedroom. Inside, Leo discarded his school uniform and slipped on his pajama bottoms before clambering into bed. The wolf cub let out a small gasp of pleasure as he absorbed the bed's softness and warmth.

"You ready for bed, Love?" he heard Angel call from the living room, "Would you like me to tuck you in?"

"Come on in!" Leo called back before he let out a yawn. Angel entered the room before approaching his bedside and pulling the covers over him like a loving mother would.

"Thank you for this;" said Leo, "And for booking this holiday. So far, I've had a great time."

"I'm glad you've been enjoying yourself, Hun;" Angel said with a smile. "Just remember that we have a whole week ahead of us. Sleep well, my love." With that Angel leaned forward and kissed Leo on his forehead, which made the young wolf feel warm and fuzzy inside. Just before Angel left the room, she flicked off the light, filling the room with an empty, calming darkness. Leo buried himself underneath the cover's warmness before he fell asleep. I am sorry to say that his slumber would not be so peaceful...

*****

" Get up!" growled an icy voice. " Get up now, you little runt!!" Leo's eyes flung open and widened with terror as the hideous face of a raven coloured she-wolf glared back at him. Her eyes were blazing red and her fur was matted; the red robe she wore was stained with black crusted blood.

"I'm s-sorry, M-mother..." Leo stuttered, "I..."

" Don't 'sorry mother' me!" the she-wolf barked as she roughly grabbed Leo by the scuff of his neck before dragging him out of bed and onto the hard wooden floor, " You were meant to be up ten minutes ago and I find you lounging about! You really are trying my patience!!" the canine snarled as she towered over the terrified wolf cub.

"Please...! I-I'll do anything you say...!" Leo pleaded as he found himself shaking uncontrollably with fear. This seemed to pacify the demonic she-wolf; if only for a millisecond.

" Alright then..." she said, " The garden needs weeding; so you'd better do a good job! If you don't, then you'll be spending a night in the basement! Is that clear?"

"Yes, Mother..." the young wolf replied, fearfully.

" Good... now get out of my sight!" she ordered pointing her paw in the direction of the door. As Leo scrambled to his feet and exited the room, he heard the she-wolf call after him, " You're a disappointment, just like your father was! I never wanted you to begin with and I doubt anyone else would!" Her harsh words hit Leo hard almost as if he's been slugged in the stomach. Tears blurred his vision and he continued to shake uncontrollably. He couldn't be sure, but he knew the she-wolf was bearing a sadistic, toothy grin as she watched him suffer.

"I don't want to be here..." Leo said as he gulped back a sob, "I don't want to be here." Suddenly, he tripped and fell towards the floor. "GAAH!!!" Leo cried as he awoke with a start, finding himself back in the bed of the hotel room he had fallen asleep in. After taking a moment to take in his surroundings, he fell back on the pillow. "Oh..." he moaned, "What a nightmare..." This hadn't been the first time he'd dreamed about his past life; living with his abusive biological mother. Whilst slightly shaken, Leo was somewhat relived; since he'd had previous nightmares where she'd done and said far worse things to him. He was only glad that her sadistic boyfriend hadn't been a part of it as well. Leo took a few deep breaths, trying to compose himself, when the door opened and Angel peered in.

"Leo... Are you feeling alright?" she asked in a concerned tone of voice, "I heard you talking to yourself and... well, you sounded quite upset."

"I'm fine, Mum..." said Leo, trying to maintain a confident tone of voice, "Just... had a nightmare about her." Angel slowly approached the cub before wrapping him into a warm embrace.

"Oh, Sweetheart..." she said, gently stroking his head fur, "I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Well..." said Leo, "I kinda figured it would be like this for a while. I mean... I've only recently broke free of the torture that she put me through every day." He gave a small sniff before saying, "But... the important thing is that she's gone now, right...?"

"That's right; she's out of your life now;" Angel said, reassuringly, "Besides; she wasn't right in the head to begin with. Most importantly, Leo, you have your whole life ahead of you, while she'll be spending the rest of hers behind a solid steel door." The lioness sat there on the bed for a few minutes before asking, "Do you think you'll be okay now?"

"Probably..." said Leo, "But... boy is it hot in here." he had only just realized how hot the room was; he had probably been too tired to realize it before."

"Well this is California;" said Angel, "I knew I should have turned on the air conditioning." After thinking for a moment, she looked down at the young wolf and asked, "Leo... would you like me to sleep next to you? Just for tonight?"

"Well... would you be okay with that?" Leo asked, "I mean... I might be too old for this and I wouldn't want to be a liability for you." Angel knew exactly what he meant.

"Its fine, Sweetie;" the lioness said, sympathetically, "Besides, you're not too old for this. There were times when I slept with my parents when I was fourteen."

"Alright then;" said Leo. Angel got into bed and held Leo close to her; resting his head against her shoulder and wrapping her arms around his back. With the comfort that only a loving mother could provide, Leo's distress began to fade.

"I love you, Mum." Leo whispered.

"I love you too, Sweetie." Angel replied, kissing him on the forehead, "Now try and get some rest." That was all Leo needed to hear; and it didn't take him very long to fall back asleep. Angel stayed awake until she was sure that Leo was soundly asleep.

"He's such a wonderful child..." she thought to herself as she listened to the gentle sound of the young wolf's breathing, "He deserves so much better than that horrid old wolf ever said. Well... He'll never have to be alone again. I'm so proud of him." With this in her mind, she was soon asleep too.

To Be Continued...