Caught in the Storm: 1 (Redo)
First story people revised, feel free to respond on any suggestions or requests. Names and places are coincidental as they are not intent on reflecting any real-world basis.
Looking over this I realized that the first time was hardly worth anyone's time so, I decided to rewrite.
I intentionally change viewpoints and separate certain sections with date, time, and location to give it that more mysterious feel, hopefully being successful at it. Hope you enjoy.
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It was snowing that night. It was just another job on the go. Hell, I was even going to retire after this. Maybe take my friends up on that offer to go to that all-expense paid ocean cruise before they start saying I should just kick the bucket, even though I'm just barely 50 and... well never mind. Name's Officer Tivalae by the way and since I don't know you, I won't tell you my first name because I'm old fashioned like that. Been in the police force since I was 30, after 10 years in the Forces due to my constant heroism and sometimes vigilantism, but I don't think they've found anything to throw me in without the key just yet. I never liked the whole idea of being a hero. It's just a title I was stuck with after saving my team. They practically ran into heavy artillery fire. I was the only one with common sense and they give medals to people with it apparently.
I ended up in Raling just by chance actually. It's a small little town up in the Mountains. The Mountains are a new island recently discovered off the coast of California in 2260. It's surprising that we never discovered an island half the size of the Asia just sitting in the North Pacific Ocean, even with our satellites. We named the island by its geographical features since there was no real claim to it by any of the world nations, mainly because the politicians could never figure out what to do with a virgin island, without destroying it, apparently.
Scientists came to the island, naturally, to discover the phenomenon and so that's the birth of the town and head tribe called Raling. Tribes are small cities but being very familiar with the land, I mean because we have to be on the Mountains. People eventually started moving here to get away from it all five years after discovery and it was also refuge for others. By others, I refer to ones like myself, Anthro. Half the world was destroyed in the War of Millennia far worse than WWIII. WWIII had a somewhat enhanced nuke but The Millennia was a whole lot worse. Basically they discovered a new bomb and half the world went with it in 2040. Anthros, the politically correct term, started being born as the last bomb fired, in The Millennia, mutated human genetics with animals so that one in forty humans began giving birth to animal crossbreeds (dirty fur being slang). Pure Thros(clean furs) are the humans who directly shifted from all human to animal genetics with keeping their intelligence and sanity. The transformation, for most was harmless, as for the others... well...
Anyways, getting back to the foundation of Raling, it started out as a very small town but eventually became the Head Tribe as it is today. Most of the people are Anthros, some human, and some Pure Thros, mainly because they basically own the town with their wealth for volunteering themselves in previous government experiments, which I'm surprised they lived through. So we have mostly scientists, with a few entrepreneurs, and small Forces to protect the people from whatever indigenous were here, finding none. There hasn't been an accident since the summer of '70. No one spoke about what happened that day. Basically, there were no witnesses, and no evidence ever kept for the outside world. Even the residents kept quiet about it to this day.
Current Day July 24, 2320 5:40:56PM Raling Police Department
"They all said it just happened out of nowhere. It's true that these mountains can be treacherous, but any fool could survive here if they chose to. The reports say that an avalanche happened about a week prior to the report of the victim being found. The body was literally found torn to shreds and the crime scene spans out to a five mile radius. Currently, there is no evidence of any sort to determine murder weapons, method of foul play, nor the motives that the assailant, or assailants, had. Also, according to the reports, the body was found recently and shows evidence of decay months prior. As you all know, being on a public road, this crime should have been noticed a whole lot sooner. Unfortunately the investigators can't come up these mountains because of the upcoming storms. We are up here in the dark, due to that slide isolating us and there won't be any outside assistance. Any officers within the area should report to the crime scene immediately, and never let your guard down. Raling emergency services are on standby."
The radio sputtered the report with great difficulty, due to the years of being in service. People were rushing everywhere, answering emergency calls and you name it. Calls were coming in from all the separate tribes in the area and were more frantic than the one before it.
"Sounds like a bunch of cultists if you ask me Cheryll," stated Criu, a hot-headed newbie straight out of the academy. Criu Simni is a 5'10" snow leopard, sapphire eyes, with a very lean, but tone physique. He is arrogant, but intelligent, and mostly uses smarts above anything else. He glanced over the whole scene unfolding and scoffed while picking his teeth with his claw, "By the end of the day, everyone's goin' to look so stupid because this is nothin' more than a huge prank."
"Don't be too sure Simni; the evidence folder gave some pretty nasty details into the latest body from images sent by witnesses. It's hard to even determine a species, let alone an identity. This is the worst case since..." Cheryll started. Criu just continued on, completely ignoring the Hume.
Cheryll Robinson is slender, has long braided hair, gray eyes, and wore small librarian glasses that Criu could literally laugh at all day. She looked more like an old librarian than the 30 year old woman she actually was. He could never guess her height but estimated around 4'11" and never really knew her personality. Secretly though, he wanted her to stop talking because no one was to bring up that day, by decree of the Mayor of Raling the week after it happened, under penalty of imprisonment for life.
"Oh I'm pretty sure I know exactly what this is. I mean this going way beyond some of the stuff my grad school buddies and I would do, but it's a prank. I'm 97% sure."
Damn cat, she thought, literally gritting her teeth and almost crumbling the folder. They're all the same.
"Heh, typical we're stuck in this snow globe, huh Tivalae," Criu sneered. He looked to the Doberman staring out the thick glass paned doors of the station. He couldn't help but notice how toned the fur was for his age and secretly wanted to be held by those firm muscles. He quickly held that thought before he started to flush under his own fur, like he did on day one of orientation.
July 10, 2320 8:50:32AM Raling Police Department
Tivalae had walked into the class and had a little to say to the newbies and to break them in. Mostly for basically being a fur and could relate to the IRPFs, or Incoming Recruits Predominantly Furs. Glancing over the whole class he noticed, out of all of them, that one was different. He walked up to the cat and asked his name. The cat was completely taken aback, here he was amazed that a war hero is with them and he picked him out of everyone else. There were a lot of sharp looks as to how he became the all-of-a-sudden favorite of a war hero.
"Snimi Uric, no, Ricu Smini, umm..." he stammered. His fur began to redden and got worse the more he messed up his name. A few of the other recruits were snickering and whispering to each other.
"Relax son, what is your name," Tivalae questioned in a deep, yet soothing, voice. He stood tall in stature, about 6'8" he would guess, and noticed the gray eyes and a long faded scar that no one could notice unless they were close enough. One ear had been clipped and he had an aura about him. Safe is what he described.
After being tortured to find his loss for words, he finally said, "Criu Simni... S-sir."
"See, now that wasn't so hard was it," Tivalae gestured. He leaned over and whispered in his ear, "You have got to relax and settle your nerves, Hun. There is no need to be afraid here." He kissed his ear, then his lips, and stepped back to stare into the cat's eyes. They were wide with shock and his face fur was entirely red.
Criu met his eyes just for a moment and completely melted, almost fainting.
That will not happen again, he thought. Just relax.
"One snowflake falls," Tivalae began.
Criu all of a sudden snapped back from his flashback.
"Tivalae, are you okay?" he asked.
"One snowflake falls, one after another," Tivalae added.
"Tivalae," Criu asked, even more concerned.
Tivalae shook his head, "Oh it's nothing Criu, just the ranting of an old war hero." He turned around, careful not to trip over his feet, as he had been doing lately. "I'm going to be fine. I'll be in the break room if anyone needs me. Cheryll don't forget to finalize your findings," he said lightheartedly. He then walked off into the break room, but not before giving Criu a small wink.
"Why don't you go check on your boyfriend, Redsnow," questioned Cheryll as soon as he was out of sight, arms crossed and set in a bad mood from the earlier interruption.
"What? I have no idea what you're talking about."
Cheryll rolled her eyes and brought out a pocket mirror from her purse. "Well the mirror says you're lying, Simni." She forced him to look at the reflection and was extremely shocked. He had the same red face as orientation day. Damn it! Even with trying to hold back, he thought furiously.
"You better go. I need to finish looking this stuff over. Don't forget you and your boyfriend's patrol starts soon," she stated.
Criu rolled his eyes and walked towards the break room, hoping to find out what was wrong. He could have sworn Cheryll had said something, but threw it over his shoulder.
"Damn furs," she chuckled and walked off with her already finished report.