title: The Pack aliases: [] tags: [FA] author: [ClawedDays] id: [52941683] date: 星期日, 七月 30日 2023, 6:42:20 晚上 modified: 星期日, 七月 30日 2023, 6:45:08 晚上

[TOC]

The Pack

Author: ClawedDays Source: The Pack - Part 1

Part 1

Ever since it first opened its doors, Chomp it had swiftly claimed the title of the city's most popular fast-food joint. Its meticulously designed 80s-themed decor and carefully curated playlist gave it a distinct and captivating character. However, what truly set the restaurant apart was its vast array of premium ingredients, carefully tailored to accommodate diverse dietary needs, making it a favorite among humans and anthros of all species.

The symphony of cutlery clashing against plates harmonized with the lively conversations of diners seated at tables scattered throughout the establishment. The tantalizing scent of burgers and crispy fries permeated the air.

Ollie and Polo had been regulars at Chomp it since their high school days. The human and the grey wolf were sitting at a table next to the window, basking in the warm rays of the early summer sun.

As always, Ollie held a plant-based burger in front of his mouth, but he hadn't been able to take a bite just yet. He was too engrossed in cringing at the sight of the wolf devouring his burger (totally not plant-based) with the typical voracity of wolves, staining the fur around his snout with sauce and grease while moaning in delight. For a human like Ollie, watching a carnivore eat always carried a touch of repulsion, but Polo took it to another level...

For a brief moment, the wolf diverted his gaze from his food and locked eyes with his friend, who sat across from him, not taking a single bite of his own meal. A mischievous smile spread across Polo's face.

“Aww, what’s the matter Ollie? That vegan shit not cutting it for you?” Polo teased with a raspy voice. He knew exactly what to say to trigger his friend.

“Uhh, no, that’s not it” Ollie responded, trying to appear nonchalant. “But seeing you eat is making me sick. You have mayo all over your muzzle, by the way.”

“Oh… shoot! I’m so sorry, dude!” Polo exclaimed, covering his mouth as if affected by his companion's comment. “Let me just…”

MUNCH~

Polo took an enormous bite of his patty and began to chew it with exaggerated gusto, mouth wide open, making sure that Ollie could witness and hear the spectacle unfolding inside. His white molars relentlessly rose and fell, ruthlessly pulverizing the burger. Meanwhile, his agile tongue worked to shuttle the food from side to side, thoroughly mixing it with the wolf's gooey saliva, forming thick strands of viscous drool. In the background, the uvula swayed from side to side, while the muscles in the throat expanded and contracted, reflecting the light from outside... It was like watching a repulsive organic meat grinder in action…

Once the bite had turned into an unrecognizable mush, Polo closed his jaws and swallowed with a strong gulp. His neck bulged as the burger made its way down to the awaiting gut.

"Was that better?" he chirped cheerfully, cleaning his snout with a single swipe of his tongue.

"Sure... Thank you for the nightmares," Ollie replied with a fake smile, finally bringing his own burger to his mouth. “And this vegan shit how you called it, it’s a cruelty-free masterpiece… Can’t say the same about your murder sandwich… That poor cow died for nothing…”

“Nothing?! Ending up in the tummy of such a good-looking wolf is not nothing” Polo retorted, rubbing his belly. “it’s a damn privilege! Don’t get it wrong, this cow is very lucky… And tasty too!”

Ollie rolled his eyes and continued eating as if nothing had happened. That self-confident attitude and inflated ego of Polo always bothered him... And the worst part was, he truly was a handsome devil.

“Admit it!” Polo continued teasing “You’re just mad because you have to stick to that sheep food of yours!”

Polo picked up a french fry from his plate and dipped it in ketchup. But right before he could take a bite, Ollie snatched it from his grasp with a swift motion and popped it into his own mouth.

"Sheep food and french fries!" Ollie teased, playfully winking at his friend.

Polo narrowed his eyes... He was up for a lot of jokes, but having his food taken away wasn't one of them.

"Stealing from a ferocious carnivore isn't very smart, you know?" he finally warned, adopting a somewhat threatening tone.

"Oh no! It's the big bad wolf!" Ollie cried in a high-pitched, trembling voice. "Pffft, what are you gonna do? Eat me?”

The boy waved his hand dismissively and prepared to take another bite of his patty, but suddenly, he found the wolf's snout mere inches from his face, Polo’s bright yellow eyes fixated on him. “Damn, how did he move so fast?” he thought. Ollie tried to speak, but his friend's unexpected reaction had caught him off guard. The situation only grew more unsettling as Polo closed his eyes and began sniffing him intently, like a bloodhound smelling a crime scene... Or in this case, a predator scenting its prey.

After finishing his antics, the wolf returned to his seat and scratched his chin, lost in thought. After a few moments, he shook his head. "Nah, you're safe. You probably taste like tofu and disappointment."

Ollie couldn’t help but burst into laughter after all that awkwardness. Polo joined in immediately.

“Fuck off!” the human laughed, flipping the bird to the wolf. Their hearty laughter drew the attention of other diners, but neither of them cared…

It was always the same story with them; their friendship had been built on constant banter right from the start. And yet, they always found a way to make each other laugh and diffuse any tension between them. That's probably why their bond had endured over the years, even though they were radically different from each other.

Gradually, the laughter subsided. Ollie wiped away his tears.

"No, but seriously, next time you have to try this," the human said, stuffing his mouth again.

"Okay, I'll tell you what—“

Awooooooooo

A sudden howl erupted from Polo's backpack, interrupting their conversation. The wolf reached into the front pocket and pulled out his phone.

"No way..." Ollie was astonished. "A howl?! Since when is your notification tone a howl? How are you so basic?”

"It's not basic, it's classic... Learn the difference," Polo responded while typing on his phone. "It's my pack's ringtone. I'm meeting up with them later.”

Ollie's expression immediately changed and the amusement vanished. It had been about a year since Polo had joined an exclusive pack of other canines, with whom he occasionally hung out.

“Ah, shit, I forgot... Your c a n i n e  p a c k," Ollie said, enunciating slowly, with a hint of sarcasm. "Seriously, you still hang out with those guys? No offense, but from the little you've told me about ‘em... They sound like jerks."

“What? No... They are very fun to be around…” Polo added, putting his phone back in his pocket.

“Oh yeah! I’m sure y’all have a blast running around smelling each other’s asses and howling at the moon…” The young man chuckled.

“First of all, that’s so speciesist. And we don’t do that, dickhead!”

“Okay, fair enough… So what do you do then?” Inquired Ollie, tired of the secrecy Polo kept around his elitist club.

"Just... the usual," Polo gestured slightly, searching for the right words. "We play games... we do fun stuff! Like... ugh, it's a predator thing! You wouldn't get it."

“Umm, humans are predators too, you know?”

Polo burst into a mocking laughter after hearing his friend's words, almost choking on his burger.

“Ha! Sure! Especially a scrawny grass eater like you” Polo stretched his lip back with a finger, displaying his row of gleaming, sharp teeth to Ollie. “Call me back when you grow a full set of these, okay buddy?”

“Well, well, look who’s being speciesist now!” frowned the human.

"Sorry not sorry?" Polo shrugged, not giving it much importance, and shoved the rest of his greasy burger into his mouth.

Ollie pressed his lips together, feeling annoyed, and continued eating in silence. He had never felt overly sympathetic towards Polo's pack, not because he had anything against them, but because he feared that if Polo spent too much time with them, he might end up being left behind and forgotten.

After all, it was natural for anthros to gravitate towards their own kind. A friendship like theirs wasn't easy to come by… At the end of the day, Ollie was simply afraid of losing a beloved friend.

Polo licked his fingers with relish and noticed Ollie's gloomy expression. He sighed wearily.

“Aaaalright, little lamb… Do you really want to know what I do when I hang out with my pack?" he finally said.

Ollie looked up from his plate with genuine curiosity and nodded slightly.

"Alright, come over here," Polo continued, lowering his voice. Ollie leaned in closer, eyeing him suspiciously. "Closer... I don't want a stranger to overhear.”

The wolf pressed his snout to the human's ear and placed his paw next to his mouth as if to share a secret. Ollie was all ears, fully attentive to Polo's words. Finally, the wolf parted his lips and…

Bwooooooooooorp

As soon as Polo burped, Ollie propelled himself backward, creating some distance between them.

"Oh bro, I can't believe you fell for that!" the wolf laughed, pointing a finger at him.

"Dude!! Not cool! Ack—" Ollie exclaimed, covering his nose to shield himself from his friend's breath. "Oh God, I can smell the beef!”

"Enjoy it, then!" Polo replied with a mischievous grin.

Still with a slightly disgusted look on his face, Ollie noticed a couple of raccoons nearby giving them disapproving glances. He quickly gestured an apologetic nod to them before turning back to Polo, who was still chuckling.

"Polo, behave, please... You're making a scene." Despite his embarrassment, Ollie couldn't help but suppress a laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Damn... That was a good one," Polo said proudly, patting his chest.

Ollie shook his head. A faint, amused smile forming on his lips. Polo's lack of manners had a comical touch that was hard to ignore.

“Fine! Keep your secrets, lobo… I don’t really care”

As Polo looked at his friend, his mocking grin slowly transformed into a compassionate expression. He knew Ollie well enough to understand what the boy was feeling.

"Hey, dude, jokes aside..." In an unusually tender gesture, the wolf placed his large, beige paw on Ollie's arm. "You're my best friend. You know that, right? The fact that I'm spending more time with the pack guys now doesn't change anything!”

Ollie gazed back at Polo, somewhat taken aback by the tenderness in his words. It wasn't every day that the wolf showed such a heartfelt attitude. It was something worth treasuring.

"I know that..." Ollie said.

The tenderness of the moment was interrupted by a beep from Ollie's watch. Instinctively, he looked at his wrist: one o’clock.

"Shit, gotta go! I've got that job interview," Ollie said, quickly getting up from his seat.

"That was today?”

"I told you before! How could you forget?" he added, putting on his backpack and wrapping up the remaining burger for the road. "You can have my fries, by the way.”

"Sweet!" Polo's face lit up, and he wasted no time grabbing a handful of fries and stuffing them into his mouth. "Thanks, buddy.”

"Anyway! Have fun with your pack. I'll tell you how it went later!”

"You got this, bro!" Polo said, swallowing his generous mouthful. "See you around, chump!”

"Later, loser!" Ollie sang back.

A quick fist bump, and Ollie hurriedly left the restaurant. Polo filled his cheeks again with the human's fries and let out a satisfied growl of approval.

Polo was trudging along under the intense afternoon sun through a suburban area. Despite the gentle breeze caressing his tousled fur, the wolf had been sweating for a while; he didn't handle the heat well. The houses lining the street looked pristine and wellmaintained, with freshly painted facades and thriving gardens. However, the house he was heading to had a much more worn-out appearance than the others, almost giving the impression that it was abandoned.

Polo crossed the front yard of the house, following a path of broken cement, and knocked on the door three times, making sure no nosy neighbor was watching.

With an eerie creak, the door swung open on its own. Hesitantly, Polo pushed the wooden door and entered the poorly lit foyer, closing the door behind him. The interior appeared even gloomier than the outside, with broken wooden boards and claw marks on the walls. Likewise, the floor creaked under Polo's old sneakers as he ventured further down the hallway. The place could easily pass for a low-budget horror movie set.

Gradually, emerging from the darkness behind him, a menacing figure took form. A pair of round, glowing green eyes pierced through the dim light. Two furred paws, armed with razor-sharp claws, soared into the air and with a surge of momentum, the creature lunged at Polo with its jaws gaping wide.

“RAWWWW—“

Quick as lightning, Polo turned around and his fingers clamped down on the attacker's snout, silencing its war cry before it could even echo. His hunter instincts were unmatched.

The sinister aggressor turned out to be a Golden Retriever much smaller than Polo, with a not-at-all menacing appearance. The dog was only wearing underwear, leaving its bright yellow fur completely exposed.

"If you plan on sneaking up on someone, Ronnie, you might want to take a shower first. I could smell you from the moment I walked in" Polo said calmly as he loosened his grip on the dog's muzzle.

"One of these days I'll catch you off guard, and then you'll know what it's like to face a real apex predator,” Ronnie replied, scratching his nose, trying to maintain a tough attitude that didn't quite fit his friendly appearance.

The two canines locked eyes intently, but soon, their expressions softened, and they hugged each other warmly, wagging their tails with delight.

“Glad to see you again, Polly!" Ronnie exclaimed, flashing a charming smile.

“Same, dude! am I the—"

The Golden Retriever made a gesture, hushing the wolf. With a raised eyebrow, he pointed out his own nakedness. "You know the rules, wolfie.”

Polo rolled his eyes, half-smiling, and began undressing as well.

He started by taking off his sneakers and socks. Actually, the wolf hated wearing shoes because they made his feet sweat way too much, and finding a pair that accommodated the width of his paws was always a struggle. After getting rid of his footwear, he splayed his toes on the cool floor, reveling in the feeling of freedom after walking for a long time. Finally, he removed his t-shirt and pants, leaving him in nothing but black boxers. Lately, he had acquired a somewhat more hefty appearance than he used to display, but that only made his already impressive physique and the mix of gray and cream hues of his messy fur stand out even more.

“You may proceed now," Ronnie chimed in with a theatrically solemn air once the wolf had stripped down.

"Am I the first to arrive?" Polo continued, draping his clothes on a hook against the wall.

“Pfft, no way!" chuckled the dog. “You're so late... everyone’s out in the backyard. Tusk brought a little surprise.”

“Ah, let me guess… Another batch of his homemade beer?" Polo said with a grin.

Ronnie nodded, his giggles barely contained. "But this time, it might actually taste good!” “Hey, speaking of surprises..." Polo's tone turned slightly mysterious. "Do we have it?”

A mischievous smirk appeared on Ronnie's face as he pointed his nose towards a door at the end of the hallway. "Wren caught a real cute one this time... I want to keep it!”

"Have you guys fixed it already?" Polo asked, keeping his gaze fixed on the door.

"Buick did! I hope he didn't go overboard... You know how carried away that coyote gets sometimes…”

“Ha!... Buick is all bark and no bite. If you don't mind, I'll work my magic," the wolf winked at the Golden Retriever and started walking towards the end of the hallway, cracking his knuckles and flexing his neck from side to side, as if preparing for a boxing match. "Won't take long. Tell the others to get ready, will you, Ronnie?”

Polo opened the door decisively and began descending a set of stairs on the other side, heading down to the basement of the house.

At first glance, it looked like an entirely ordinary basement, with a couple of fluorescent lights illuminating the space, stacks of boxes, and miscellaneous items scattered about. However, it housed something completely out of the ordinary.

Resting on a table was a peculiar machine, resembling a small cannon, tangled with a web of wires connected to a computer. It was the pack's best-kept secret: a shrinking ray - The Micro Maker, as they fondly called it. Tusk and Wren had stolen it from their university's laboratory, and ever since, it had become an essential tool for their gatherings.

Just a few feet ahead of the machine, right in the center of the room, sat a small open, transparent plastic box… And trapped inside the box, all curled up in a corner, there was the star of the show: a micro. If the machine’s settings were correct, it should measure about 2 and a half inches in height.

A wide grin spread across Polo's face as he spotted the tiny figure. His eyes gleamed with mischief.

Showtime.

"Well, well, well… It looks like we have a plague of little mice," Polo said with a voice much deeper and more dramatic than usual. "What should I do with you, huh?" Polo began to advance towards the micro with heavy and exaggeratedly slow steps, deliberately trying to intimidate the tiny being. The closer he got, the more he could make out its trembling form. Due to its lack of fur, it was evident that it was a human, completely stripped of all clothing…

"Wait a minute… You're not a mouse, you're a human... A tiny little puny human," Polo chuckled darkly.

As he spoke, Polo crouched over the box, placing his clawed paws on either side. "My favorite," he added with a sinister tone, his warm breath enveloping the little one. The terrified micro let out a small sob, not daring to look up at the wolf looming over him. In response, Polo growled, enjoying the feeling of power he got from feeling like a giant in comparison.

"Aww, don't cry, lil' snack," he said with false compassion. "It'll be over soon." Polo licked his lips with relish, making sure the micro could hear him. Its tiny hands covered its ears in a futile attempt to ignore the wolf, its whole body contorting in fear.  The little guy’s terror was palpable, and there was nothing more irresistible to a predator.

Dipping his snout into the box, Polo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ready to savor the rush of olfactory pleasure. Instantly, the scent of his victim's fear intoxicated his senses... But his keen sense of smell caught something else. An aroma that was totally unexpected yet strangely familiar.

Abruptly dropping his theatrical act, the wolf pulled his snout out of the box, confusion washing over his face.

"Hey, you," he addressed the micro, regaining his usual tone of voice. His speech now tinged with concern. “Yo, look at me.”

Polo gently inserted his finger into the box and carefully poked the tiny human's back with a claw.

"Please, d—don't hurt me!" sobbed the micro, turning around to face Polo, finally revealing his features.

Polo's eyes widened in astonishment. His heart skipped a beat…

"Ollie..." he said at last, recognizing his friend.

The human rubbed his eyes, wiping away the tears, and still terrified of what he might encounter, slowly looked up.

"P-Polo? Is that you?" he managed to say in a faint voice, trying to hold back his tears. The wolf's face loomed over him, occupying his entire field of vision. Although it was a recognizable face, the situation was too unsettling for it to provide any significant relief.

Polo felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him. Slowly, he began to bring his hands to his head. "No... No no no, fuck... Fuck! Okay, this is bad." His menacing and teasing demeanor had completely vanished.

"W-what are you doing? What is this place?!" Ollie tried to stand up, but his legs trembled so much that he could barely maintain his balance. His voice grew more nervous by the moment. "I-I went to that interview, and once I got there, someone covered my eyes, and the next thing I knew, I was brought here, and I... I…"

“Okay, just breathe, man," Polo said, trying to calm down his friend (and himself, to some extent). But Ollie couldn't control himself; his words came out like bullets from a machine gun. He was utterly terrified.

"—And—And I don't know what's happening! Then this guy threw me into this box and ripped my clothes off, and I didn't do anything! Why are they doing this to me?!”

Polo looked at Ollie with a heavy heart. His friend's expression mirrored that of any other micro who had occupied that same place in the past… Defenseless, naked, deprived of all dignity…  But for the first time, the micro inspired a deep sense of compassion in him. "All right, Ollie, calm down, okay?... First of all, let's get you out of there," Polo said calmly, reaching out his arm towards the small container to pick up his friend.

Ollie fell silent abruptly the moment he saw the enormous furry paw approaching him, its shiny and sharp black claws pointing right at him. The human instinctively flinched as the fleshy pillars began to close around his body, about to scoop him up like a tiny insect.

Once Polo had his friend securely in his hand, he began to stand up again. But he didn't consider that for Ollie, the sensation was like being in an insanely fast elevator without any safety measures. In a reflex induced by vertigo, the tiny human clung tightly to the cream-colored fur of the paw that was effortlessly lifting him into the air.

"No, wait, wait, wait! Please, put me down!" Ollie cried, tightly shutting his eyes.

“Oh shit, okay… I’m sorry.” Polo muttered quietly. Handling micros delicately was not something the wolf was used to… He slowed down his movements and began to lower his paw again. Once it reached the ground, he carefully opened his fingers and tilted his hand, allowing Ollie to slide down to the floor.

Catching his breath, Ollie surveyed his surroundings, feeling overwhelmed as the everyday objects scattered around the basement now appeared like an immense, uncharted landscape.

"Better?" Polo's voice boomed from above, prompting Ollie to turn and look at him. The wolf was crouched over him, peering directly down. As Ollie raised his gaze, his eyes rapidly took in Polo's now gigantic, semi-naked body - the enormous size of his hands, the dense fur covering his belly, the broad expanse of his chest... The wolf had always been taller and bigger than him, but now it felt as if he was in the presence of an allpowerful titan who could crush him with a mere flick of his finger.


An overwhelming exhale escaped Ollie's mouth, the feeling of insignificance in the face of such a vast size difference making it difficult for his words to find their way through his throat.

"I... What is... going on?" he managed to say.

"Ollie, listen. I know you have a ton of questions, but I need to get you out of here," Polo said in a low and assertive tone. "If you hop onto my paw, I can—“

"No!" Ollie interjected, displaying a sudden burst of courage. "Please, tell me what's happening. Why am I here? Why are you here?”

The wolf stared at him, a deep sense of guilt and almost regret became evident in his eyes. After a few seconds of silence, Polo let out a long sigh. He knew he had to spill the beans. He owed it to Ollie.

"This... This is the house where my pack gathers. Once a week, we come together and have a sort of game among ourselves, like tests of strength or endurance… Stuff like that.”

The wolf spoke with as much clarity as possible, but a heavy sense of sorrow adorned his voice. However, the tiny human's confusion only deepened.

"Umm... Wh- Okay, but what does that have to do with me?”

Polo swallowed hard, mustering the courage to continue. "The winner of the game receives a prize. And that prize is... a micro. Usually, a human micro. We take turns... Each time we do this, one of us has to find the subject, bring them here, and... you know..." Polo pointed to the shrinking machine with a nod of his head. "Make the micro…"

Ollie paled as his friend spoke. The wolf's voice remained unwavering, and that only made everything more unsettling. He already knew what a micro was, and he also knew what happened to them... The human didn't need much more information to start putting the pieces together.

"So... Wait. That guy who came earlier, I'm not exactly sure what species he was, but... He started telling me all this super fucked up stuff and..." Ollie locked his gaze into Polo's enormous eyes. "And you were saying the same stuff too…"

Polo nodded and continued speaking confidently, “That must’ve Buick. He's another member of the pack... And we were both saying those things to… well, scare you. It has something to do with pheromones, not sure about the science behind it, but the thing is..." Polo took a breath, this was it, he had to say it: 

“You’ll taste better if you're scared.”

The weight of Polo's last statement, combined with his overwhelming honesty, hit Ollie like a ton of bricks. His suspicions were confirmed. He started feeling incredibly lightheaded.

"You're... you're going to eat me," he said with a trembling voice. As he finished speaking, his legs gave out, causing him to fall backward and start crawling away in desperation. His body was on high alert, ready to flee from the impending danger.

In response to his futile attempt to escape, Polo clicked his tongue with sadness and simply placed his paw right behind Ollie, blocking his path. The little guy’s back collided with the thick wall of fur and skin, and just like a cornered bunny, he curled up in a defensive position.

Little by little, Polo lowered himself to get closer to Ollie, positioning his head at the tiny’s eye level until his snout was less than one foot away from the terrified human.

The young man began to hyperventilate, anticipating his end. "Please, Polo, I'm begging you, don't—" He could already feel the warm breath coming from the wolf's nostrils. He closed his eyes, and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Please don't do this... I'm your friend…"

"Ollie," the wolf's deep voice rumbled around him, though it was almost a whisper. "Ollie, look at me.”

Shaking with fear, the boy obeyed and met Polo's dark pupils fixed on him... And unexpectedly, he recognized that familiar warmth in his gaze.

"No one is going to eat you. Do you understand?" Polo's tone was more soothing and gentle than ever before. "I'm not gonna let that happen. I swear.”

Ollie breathes heavily. He wanted to believe him. With all his might. But his trustworthy friend had suddenly turned into a ruthless predator.

“But… But you were going to! Before you knew it was me, you—”

Polo shook his head, rising slightly. "Okay, dude, I know this it’s a whole lot to take. We'll talk about it later, but right now, I need to get you out of here before—“

Suddenly, the basement door swung wide open, causing Polo to spring to his feet. Ollie craned his neck upwards, awestruck by the sight of the towering wolf fully upright. His mouth opened in disbelief at the sheer size of his now colossal friend… 

"Hey, wolfie! Haven't they told you that I already fixed the micro?" It was Buick, descending the stairs leisurely. "My methods are infallible. You should know that by now.”

Polo looked at Ollie, who was still sitting on the floor bug eyed. He couldn't risk Buick seeing him or it wouldn't end well for the little man. He needed a quick solution, one that his friend wasn’t gonna like.

“Shit… Sorry about this” whispered Polo “Just be quiet now.”

Polo raised his right foot above Ollie, who paled instantly at the sight of the large, fleshy pink surface looming over him. Before he could react, the massive foot descended, trapping him between the fully padded sole and the floor with no chance of escape. With utmost care, Polo applied enough pressure to keep his friend hidden from the view of his pack-mate, but not so much as to harm him, as he had mercilessly done with countless bugs in the past.

Just in time. The muscular coyote approached Polo with his hand raised for a high five. "And by the way, what's with arriving and not saying hi?"

"Buick! My favorite yote! How are you, buddy?" The wolf reciprocated the gesture, trying to conceal the tension in his voice.

"Well, I don't—" Buick's expression changed when he glanced at the container that once held Ollie, now empty. "Yo! Where's the little guy?”

"Umm, I..." Polo looked at the box and then back at the coyote, searching for an excuse that wouldn't raise suspicion. And then it hit him, "I was... gonna ask the same thing! The box was already empty when I got down here!!!”

“What?!" Buick started to move around the room, looking for Ollie. "It was in there when I left, I swear!”

Polo relaxed slightly; Buick had taken the bait. Luckily for the wolf, the coyote might have the looks, but he lacked the brains. "I'm telling you, man! Not here..." Polo replied, feigning concern.

Despite Polo's efforts to protect him, Ollie's hiding place was proving to be a terribly suffocating experience. Far from having a calloused and hardened texture, the skin on the sole of the wolf's foot was surprisingly soft and fleshy. Ollie could feel it molding to the shape of his body, which sank into the warm and moist flesh as if it were made of memory foam.

The wolf was trying not squeezing too hard, but even so, It was just like being under an organic hydraulic press. The slight pressure was more than enough to keep Ollie completely still, with his arms and legs spread out to the sides like a squashed spider under the ball of the foot.

‘Luckily’, his head had somehow wedged into a pocket of air beneath the bridge of Polo's thick toes, allowing him to breathe... But that only meant that besides the pressure, the heat, and the humidity... he also had to endure the smell. Not nauseating, but definitely challenging given his size. Every breath the little human took was accompanied by the unmistakable aroma of the wolf's feet, not only ingrained in the soft skin between the toes but also in the fine fur that sneaked between them, which was now tickling Ollie's face. The options were to hold his breath and suffocate or breathe and intoxicate himself with musky sweat... He had no other choice.

A ray of light filtered through a narrow slit between Polo's two toes, and through it, Ollie could see the gigantic figure of the coyote he had met before... Just recalling their encounter made the little human shudder deeply. Suddenly, being squashed under the heavy and smelly paw of the wolf didn't seem so terrible to him anymore.

"Shit! Where did that fucker go?" Buick said, rummaging through the stuff. "We can't start the game if it's missing!”

Polo could feel Ollie's growing attempts to break free. He had to get rid of his pack-mate as soon as possible if he didn't want to turn his friend into a pancake.

"Hey! Why don't you just go upstairs and keep the others busy?" the wolf finally suggested. "I'll keep looking for it down here!”

"Huh? No way, we'll find it faster if we search together—“

"No!" Polo interrupted, his tone a bit too commanding. "Umm, I mean... it's better if you distract them before they notice. After all, you were the last one to see it. What will they think if they find out it's gone?”

"Oh... damn. Fuck! But I didn't do anything, I swear!”

"God, you're so stupid," Polo thought. “Hey, I believe you! Don't worry... go, and I'll search for it. It can't have gone too far… I got you buddy!”

Nodding and visibly concerned, the coyote headed back upstairs. Polo sighed in relief and slowly lifted his foot, freeing his friend. Ollie gasped, desperate to breathe in clean air that didn't carry the fragrance of his friend's hind paws.

"Hey, Polo!" Buick added, abruptly poking his head to look at the wolf.

Polo lowered his paw onto Ollie again, this time literally stomping him, squashing him with zero care against the floor… And he could have sworn that he felt a light crack.

"Yep!" the wolf replied with eyes wide open and a regained tension.

Buick smirked mockingly, “This changes nothing, I’m still going to crush you at the games today." The coyote left the basement, slamming the door behind him.

Polo quickly withdrew his paw and crouched down over Ollie to check on his sorry state. “Shit! Please tell me I didn’t snap your spine or something.”

The human coughed forcefully, trying to catch his breath after the second stomp. Nothing broken, apparently.

"Dude! What the fuck?! You almost crushed me!!”

"Sorry, it was the first thing that came to mind. Are you okay?" Polo said with genuine concern.

Ollie wiped his face and chest with his hand, trying to rid himself of the remnants of lupine sweat. Cringing, he brought his arm closer to his nose to smell himself.

"Gahh... I reek like your feet now! When was the last time you showered?? Your paws stink!!" the human continued complaining.

"What? Pffft, No, they don't!! Come on..." Polo crouched down over his own feet to smell them, somewhat annoyed... and oh boy, they did smell. "Well... it's not my fault, okay? It was hot today! What was I supposed to do? Besides, I couldn't risk Buick seeing you…"

Calming down a little more, Ollie turned his gaze back to Polo. "Wait... why didn't you just tell him you knew me?”

Polo pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Bad idea... they won't let you go after you've seen all this, and mentioning it will only make them stop me from participating in the games... And I won't be able to do anything to stop them from—" Polo decided not to finish the sentence.

Ollie swallowed hard.

"Anyways, let's get you out of here. We don't have much time now." Polo opened his palm on the ground next to Ollie, inviting him to climb up. “Hop in.”

Ollie looked at his ride hesitantly. Polo was still the same dorky wolf, his best friend, the person he laughed the most with... But his mind was haunted by the idea that this same dorky wolf also ate people just like him... Tortured them for fun... Enjoyed doing it... And who knows how many lives he had already taken.

As if Polo could read his thoughts, he began to speak. "Ollie, I know what you're feeling... But trust me... I am not going to hurt you, alright?" The wolf pronounced each word clearly, making sure his message sank into the human…

With small steps, Ollie moved toward the open hand in front of him. The leathery pink surface slightly yielded when he placed his bare feet on it. He sat down, and the fleshy fingers arced inwards, creating a sort of cage, yet not exerting any pressure on him. Despite the wolf's gentleness, Ollie's heart pounded heavily. Suddenly, he felt utterly vulnerable. He knew that if Polo wanted to, he could shatter his bones just by clenching his fist.

Carefully, Polo began to rise from the ground, making an effort into keeping his hand steady. Of course, Polo had plenty of experience holding small creatures in his hands, enough to know he wouldn't let Ollie fall... The extra layer of care was totally new, though. As he saw himself lifting off the floor, Ollie instinctively clung to the protruding claw of the thumb.

Polo positioned his hand right in front of his chest. “You all right there, buddy?”

Ollie looked up and met Polo's gaze. Still with an uncertain expression, the human nodded, and Polo began to move toward the basement exit.

Despite the tense situation, the dizzying height and the swaying caused by the wolf's heavy steps up the stairs, the ride was an experience that Ollie could almost find enjoyable... as long as he kept a firm grip, of course. 

To stabilize himself even better, Ollie held onto the fur surrounding Polo's black claw and finger pad, and for the first time ever, he noticed how soft it actually was. Out of pure curiosity, the tiny human ran his hand back and forth across the thumb, as if petting the back of a gigantic pet. The sensation was therapeutic, hypnotic even... So much so that Ollie didn't even realize that his giant friend had already stopped in front of the basement door.

The sound of Polo clearing his throat snapped Ollie out of his trance. He looked up and found the wolf squinting, eyeing him with a puzzled expression.

"Dude... Were you... petting me?”

"What—? Pfffft! No! NO!" Ollie squealed with a higher pitch than he expected, immediately releasing Polo's thumb.

"Umm... I'm pretty sure you were," Polo insisted, his lips contorting into a teasing smirk.

"No way! What are you talking about? I was just… holding on tighter!" Ollie could feel the blush creeping up his cheeks.

Polo raised his paw and positioned it right in front of his face. "Daww, look at you all blushed! Had never seen you simping over me this much!" With a finger from his other hand, Polo started stroking Ollie's head. "You're so cute at this size..."

"Knock it off!!! I'm not simping!" Ollie shouted, more annoyed than ever, trying to push away his friend's thick finger.

Polo couldn't help but chuckle softly as Ollie ranted. For a blissful moment, they both completely forgot about the situation they were in. However, a thud coming from the other side of the door brought them back to reality. Polo instinctively closed his fist to shield the tiny human, making sure not to exert too much pressure.

With caution, Polo cracked open the door leading to the main hallway. The entrance to the house wasn't too far away, less than 30 feet. He just had to cross the hallway, and he could get Ollie to safety.

In appearance, it seemed like a simple task, except for one thing: he had to pass in front of the living room door, where the rest of the pack was currently chatting cheerfully. “Damn…” The wolf muttered.

"What's happening?" Ollie inquired, his nervousness returning. "I can't see!”

Polo unclenched his fist again. "Okay... I gotta get you out of the house. As long as you are here you won’t be safe…”

"All right... let's go then!" the human added anxiously, looking at Polo.

“That’s the thing…I can’t. They're all right there. If I walk out with you like this, they'll stop me and see you... Unless..." 

The wolf remained quiet for a few seconds.

“Umm… Unless… What?” Asked the human with a hint of distrust in his speech.

Polo fixed his eyes on Ollie and slowly pressed his lips together, showing some uncertainty about what he was going to suggest.

"I think I might have an idea.”

To be continued