Author's note: The title of this chapter is a line from "(You're A) Strange Animal" by Lawrence Gowan
Swimming below the water’s surface, giving chase; Patricia was surprised when furry webbed paws reached up below the lake’s surface dragging her under the water. Seeing it was a were-otter chuckling as both rose to the surface. Patricia instantly recognizing that it was Brain that snuck up on her; she grinned as Brian quickly dove back under water, quickly swimming away. Laughing, Patricia soon follows; able to see clearly as both hit the bottom of the lake, dodging and weaving between the large rocks leftover from the retreating glaciers from the last ice age.
Catching up to Brian as he surfaces for air; joining him to take a breath as well. Patricia swims close; pressing her body up to his. Feeling his arousal pressing on her; Patricia wraps her arms around him and passionately kisses Brian on his muzzle.
“You really are an eager beaver,” Brian returning the kiss; “you are taking your were-birth control pills?”
“Birth control pills,” Patricia looking confused; “you mean you don’t have a condom on you?”
“Oh you got to be joking,” Brian recoiling in horror; “don’t tell me you never heard of were-birth control pills up in Canada.”
Patricia cackles; “oh the look on your face. Its priceless,” Patricia still laughing; “of course I’m on a were birth control pill. The community I may have come from up north may have been a little paranoid and secretive. But that doesn’t mean we never heard of Tachibana Enterprises and there cutting edge medical division specializing were research.”
Brian looks on confused as Patricia approached him again.
“Back in two thousand and fourteen we moved to Fort Vermillion Alberta,” Patricia speaking up; “a normal discovered our community in Wood Buffalo Nation Park. We had the largest beaver dam in the world and at the time it was inaccessible by foot as it were.
“I think I remember reading about that on the internet,” Brian speaking up; “this man planted a flag that represented some club in New York right?”
“The Explorers club,” Patricia grousing; “Suffice to say he wasn’t the first to come by afterwards. Once news reached of our sanctuary another person came to visit our area. Only she didn’t leave shortly after arriving. “I and my family were surprised to see her transform into a were-fox. She stared at us for some time before my parents had the nerve to approach her.”
“Let me guess,” Brian floating on his back in the water; watching the snow fall from the grey sky above, “you never knew of the existence of other weres before paw?”
“Correct,” Patricia watching Brian circle around her; “claiming to be one of Tachibana No Akane’s many daughters, I don’t remember her name. She talked to my parents and most of the other community that wasn’t what you would call feral. There was… inbreeding,” Patricia sighing; “going on at the dam.”
“I’ve heard of inbreeding among were communities,” Brian looking at Patricia; “but it was mostly with some of the avian weres out in the Appalachians.”
“Be that as it may,” Patricia finishing her story; “once the were-fox convinced us that she wasn’t about to hunt us. At least us were-beavers that still had their wits about them, we moved to Fort Vermillion and started new lives.”
“You weren’t betrothed to anyone up there,” Brian asking; “weren’t you?”
“I would have been,” Patricia sighing; “my cousin who acted more like a beaver than everyone else was trying to mate with me ever since I had my first transformation. My father eventually put a stop to it thankfully. I was in,” Patricia blushing through her fur; “in heat at the time.”
“That’s horrible,” Brian looking shocked.
“What’s even more horrible,” Patricia sighing; “ever since my first transformation, I have not had sex.” Looking at Brian, “I’m sixteen years old and still what normal would say a virgin.”
“Your parents were worried you would have gotten pregnant,” Brian answering.
“Fortunately it wasn’t long after when the were-fox arrived and helped us move,” Patricia smiling; “the doctors here in this town creating the were-birth control pill for were-beavers. “Many of my family,” Patricia smiling even more; “had one hell of a fuck afterwards. Being able to rut without worrying about becoming pregnant was a boon to us. It may have saved our were-species from dying out from inbreeding.”
“So how did your father come to work for Knight Industries,” Brian asking; “because here in town the two companies have a rivalry of sorts.”
“That I don’t know,” Patricia shrugging her shoulders; “but what I do know is, I took my pill an hour ago and have a burning desire to feel you in me.”
“No,” Brian answering; “not after what you told me. If we are going to do it, let’s make it special. Like you,” Brian holding Patricia’s paws; “I have family drama. Not quite like what you had, but mine has me feeling confused and ill at ease.”
“I told you mine,” Patricia speaking up; “tell me yours.”
“When I was four years old,” Brian speaking; “my father left me and mother. He ran off with some floozy, took all of the money and anything of value and leaving us with so much debt; my mother has to work two jobs just to keep us above water.”
“So that is why you were working at the elder council building last night,” Patricia answering; “you want to help out as it were.”
“That is partly the reason,” Brian smiling; “last week I started doing something really, really stupid. At the time it was with the best of intentions,” Brian sighing; “I was going to become a gigolo. A male escort agent; the money would of help my mother out immensely. But with the sheriff catching wind and my mother finding out-“
“You got in more trouble,” Patricia interrupts; “than it was worth.”
“Yes,” Brian answering; “but let me finish. Getting grounded and having to deal with an ex-girlfriend who had some legal issues she thought she could dodge. You may have met her,” Brian shuddering; “Julie Stovall. Because of her, she helped torpedo that career path.”
“Yet there is more,” Patricia speaking.
“There is,” Brian now swimming to the shore where his clothes are; “mad and angry, I had it out with my mother and showed her how good I was with computers. I had my father declared legally dead. This way the council could help her out in easing some of the debt load George Walker left us. My after school job,” Brian nearing the end of his story; “is punishment for what I did as well as giving me an honest means to help my mother out. Just yesterday,” Brain looking at Patricia as they both walk out of the lake; “my father called us up for the first time in a decade, and again this morning, only this time pissed off that he was declared dead.”
“So what happens next,” Patricia asking watching Brian dry his fur off with a towel he brought over.
“The elder council will now deal with the issue,” Brian defurring and getting dressed; “my god father Andrew Curtis has a scroll that will make my dad’s attempts to threaten my mother look like mewling from a newborn kitten.”
The wer-mer rep is your godfather,” Patricia looking surprised.
“His younger sister and my mother were good friends,” Brian looking sad; “Andrew’s sister has passed on so he kind of treats me as a nephew or the son he never had.”
“I can see how that would sour you for any prospect of sex,” Patricia responding; “up until I saw you, I was feeling alone being the only were-beaver apart from my parents here in town. I missed frolicking in the water with a fellow were. Thank you for that,” Patricia grinning; “our swim in the lake was fun.”
“Your welcome. But you said your community was rather isolated,” Brian following Patricia to her stash of clothing; “did you go to school or what?”
“We were cagey,” Patricia answering; “but knew better than to isolate ourselves off from the outside world completely. My mother home schooled me before moving to Fort Vermillion. She made sure I was well educated. Plus I wasn’t too far behind with the school curriculum that I wasn’t able to catch up quickly.”
“You’re lucky than,” Brian shaking his head as he gives Patricia a measure of privacy as she defurs and dresses; “next week is the end of year exams and you don’t start school here until after Christmas break.”
“I had my midterm exams,” Patricia answering just before we moved here; “does the high school here offer French language courses? I want to maintain my bilingualism.”
“Just talk to our were-otter rep Racheal Gauldet,” Brian smirking; “she’s from France. I’m sure she would be pleased to talk to you in French. English is her third language, German is her second language.”
“So if sex is out for today and possibly for a while,” Patricia now fully dressed; “what do you want to do for today?”