The World of It All: Chapter One
This is the first part to a very long series I hope to be bringing into SoFurry. I hope you all enjoy it.. and sorry, no adult content as of right this moment. <3
Weird is © to me.
Sam is © to me.
Chapter One, The Start of It all.
It All, those two words can mean many things. They can mean everything someone was talking about, or everything in general. But in this story they represent a whole new place. A world of infinite possibilities and unimaginable things and beings. It is in that world, a Dream world created by one man, that our adventure unfolds.
* * *
Weird wakes with a startle, the sound of dogs barking in the distance causing him to stir in such an abrupt manner. The trees sway and start to rustle as a breeze pours into the clearing, that he was slowly sitting up in, and carries with it the sickening stench of decay That meant what had chased him last time was coming again, but unfortunately for them, he knew what to do.
The anthro raccoon pushes himself up onto his feet and glances around. Last time he had come here, the last several times, he had been chased to the east and ended up either getting caught.. which wasn't ever fun or stuck in a tree with those beasts under him. Those thoughts cause a shiver of disgust to trail his spine, making the fur on his back and tail stand on end.
He wouldn't get caught today, oh no, he was going to make sure of that. With that final thought he turns to the West and starts to run, passing through the treeline with ease. Weird couldn't help but be surprised at himself each time he came here. While he was awake in the other world, he seemed so frail and.. bland. But here he was something else, something strange and fantastic. A Raccoon that reminded him of many fond things.
After several minutes of running he starts to slow his pace. The scent from the north, that had made him run like this, had stopped reaching him. Even the sounds of the pursuers had died off almost completely. Well that's good? the raccoon asks himself, catching his breath by leaning against a tree. That was one downside Weird had hoped to shed here, he was still terribly out of shape.
"Dammit all, I wish I could have just woken up in a house or something, maybe even somewhere remotely near civilization!" His voice is raspy from running, but the smooth tone of it causes him to jump. He had to get used to that.. his new voice and all. He sounded so much cooler here, like, a real man would. Weird shakes his head and pushes off the tree, starting back on his mental path in a steady, comfortable pace.
The forest around Weird begins to change. Something like snow can be seen on the branches of the evergreens around him, some plants were even dying from the cold. That's strange... very. he thinks while turning his head in several directions. it wasn't dark.. so the temperature should be well above freezing, even if this was winter. but then, that didn't make sense either. Only minutes ago had the heat of the day been like any normal mid summer evening.
The raccoon stops all together and leans down, grabbing up some of the 'snow' passing it back and forth in his hands. It was cold.. felt like snow, and yes, even tasted like snow. But how? The handful of ice falls back to the ground with a soft thud as he remains thoughtful, ignoring the fact that he was being stared at from above. He had no idea that he was being watched. None at all.
Sam sat above the stranger in the snow covered pine, watching him with reluctance. It had been a very long time since anyone had traveled this far out into the woods, alone anyway. It was just the perfect opportunity for her. Not only had Sam caught a nice healthy buck not far from here, but her nose had led her to a very strange dressed raccoon. Maybe he was lost, and if he was, then that was great. He'd be easy to manipulate if so.
Suddenly, weird was on the ground, his face pressed into the snow and his chest squashed beneath a heavy object. It hurt, whatever it was, and it made him wish he had never stopped. But all those thoughts vanish once he hears her voice.
"Listen you.. don't move or else. It's not wise for someone to be running around out here by themselves, and it looks mighty suspicious when they are." Sam presses her right hand down into the middle of his shoulders, making sure that when she moved her legs he wouldn't be able to get up. Once she is better positioned, she lets him up. She remains in the ready position though, never letting anything he does get past her gaze.
Weird couldn't catch his breath easily, even after she got off of him. So it took him a minute or so to finally get up off the ground. His medium sized frame lifts itself off the ground for a second time in one day in this world, slowly getting back onto solid footing. At first.. it was a quick glance, but the the Raccoon found himself staring rudely at what he had to admit, was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. She was.. she was a being just like him, except she looked more like am otter!
"What are you gawking at fool! Stop staring at me like that.. haven't you ever seen an otter before, and why are you dressed so stupidly anyway?" She retorts to the staring, waving a hand in front of him to make him stop.
Weird pulls his gaze away and shakes his head. "I have seen an otter before, but none like you!" That was the truth. He had seen otters in the real world. Nothing like what was standing in front of him now. It was enough to make him forget the fact she had just landed on top of him.
"Whatever, listen, you have two choices. One, you can shut up, stop staring and follow me or you can be lost in these woods for a very long and time.. freezing to death. Your choice." She gives him the line she had practiced in the tree, hopefully he took the bait easily. The raccoon seemed like he was one to fall for tricks easily anyway.
"Lost? Who said anything about being lost. I was being chased by dogs back there, not normal dogs either. Big nasty things with no skin.. and brown stuff pouring out of there mouths.." He describes the things that he had a very traumatizing experience with before. But she didn't seem to believe him.
"Telling lies like that! Typical I suppose.. not wanting to admit you're lost. Just come on and follow me, I want to get my catch and then get home before dark." Sam knew she had him in her net. He'd follow her even if she walked off. So that's exactly what she did. Her small, 5' 5" tall 120 pound form turns and starts to trot off to the south, her hips and tail swaying as she goes.
Weird doesn't even respond, he just shrugs and puts his hands into his jean pockets, following her as she leads the way. He starts to take note of what she was wearing. The otters attire consisted of a shirt, made of leather perhaps, and a pair of shorts mad from a similar material. Both articles of clothing are a dark brown color, matching her fur easily.
After they both work to get her catch, a buck, ready to be taken back to wherever she was taking him, they head off again. Nearly an hour passes, of the two of them dragging the deer behind them, leaving a fresh trail in the snow. His nose picked up the smell of blood easily, it made him sick to say the least. But they finally reach a small house, nicely built too. It looked sturdy, even if it was made of wood. Behind it there were several more houses, some smaller than others, some larger. It was then he had been led to a small village.
"Wow.. I wouldn't have known this was out here. It's, cozy looking, for sure." he mumbles the last part to himself, but she picks it out and glares back at him.
"I didn't have to bring you here, I could have left you behind. In fact, I had planned on clubbing you or something and taking everything you had." Sam just chuckles and lets the legs of the buck fall to the ground, making Weirds hands lurch down as he too drops his end. "But you helped me carry him back, I had no idea he was that big."
* * *
By the time the deer was prepared for keeping he had met quite a few of the villagers. Two more families of otters, one with three children, two girls and one boy, and the other with two boys. They seemed nice enough to him, and the reminded him of just how different this place was. Why hadn't he woken up yet? Did he have to wait until he was asleep?
"You okay there Weird?" Sam asks, leaning up from wrapping a piece of meet. Her hazel eyes watching him in a curious manner. She seemed so much more friendly now.
"I..yeah, I'm alright. Just thinking to myself. It's been a long day. Do.. do you believe what I told you earlier while they other guys cleaned the deer?" He had told her everything even the part about being asleep and dreaming at this very moment.
"Weird, how can I believe you when not ten days ago I was sitting here getting ready to live my life like I have been for years now. If you are just dreaming, then how could I have been alive then?" The question had merit, and it only caused more and more questions to come to him.
"Just think about it Weird. Once you go to sleep tonight and wake up here, in this village, that should be proof enough that you are most definitely not dreaming." With that last comment Sam finishes her chore and tosses the last of the wrapped meat into a pile ready to be salted and smoked, "Just come on, let's head back to my place and get something to eat. I know I'm hungry, and you have to be!"
The raccoon does as she suggests and follows her back t the wooden house he'd first seen. The inside wasn't much different than the outside. It had three rooms, a bedroom, lavatory, and a dining room/kitchen. But it was cozy enough for two or three people to live in, if they all shared a bed or a room at least.
"The place is cozy Sam.. thanks for letting me stay. The others didn't have room you know." He watches her move into the kitchen, following behind after a moment or two.
"Don't worry about it, strange as it sounds, I like you Weird. You might be crazy, and strange to boot, but you're a good guy." she turns her head back and smiles happily, her tail swaying a bit more in response to her emotions. He could tell that at least from his time around her today.
"If you say so." He says in a subdued voice. He sounded depressed really. "What if I wake up and it was a dream. You wouldn't be real.. and that alone would make this whole thing absurd!" It was true, if he woke up and he wasn't in this world anymore.. then where would Sam and the others go. Would they be here when and if he came back?
"Stop worrying about it Weird, I mean it." The last part was a command. A stern push behind her words and a glaring look told him all he needed to know. She was just as concerned as he was. After all, it wasn't everyday that a stranger, claiming to be the dreamer of your whole world, just walks into your village.
All that fills the time now was the soft clanking of dishes and silverware being used to prepare a stew and the smell that drove him off the walls. It was overpowering and his nose made it so much worse. He could smell each spice individually, each and everyone one. The raccoons stomach growls and a chuckle from Sam makes him blush hard.
"It's done.. don't worry." She turns, holding a bowl full of the wonderful meal. He scarfs it down, savoring each bite for only a moment. The heat from it doesn't even phase his determination to eat it all.
"Mah.. that was soooo good Sam. Man... I wish my mother, no, I, could cook like that!" He snickers and rubs his now slightly protruding belly She had eaten some herself but not as much as he had. Not by far as much as he had.
"Thanks Weird, nothing like a good complement to top off the cooking." She wiggles a little from her blush and from how happy she got from his words. She hadn't had someone here with her to do that since her mother passed a year ago. "Now that you're fed, we need to get some rest. It's later now than I have ever stayed up before. So even if you don't go to sleep, I am." The otter wipes off her hands and covers the pot of stew with a metal lid. Mumbling to herself that she'd clean the mess up later. She was too tired right now. She turns and stares at Weird for a moment before continuing. "If you want to join me you can. I won't make you sleep on the floor."
* * *
Weird wakes with a startle, the sound of dogs barking in the distance causing him to stir in such an abrupt manner. The sounds of city life pour into his room as he groans sadly into the pillows. It had been a dream... the best and worst one of his life.