The rustle of frightened animals through the woods disturbed the night air as Malachi lead Rain through bramble and brush. "Where are we going?"

"A safe place. At least, I think it's safe..." The wolf's eyes darted between the trees as he looked for familiar marks.

"What sort of place is safe from an entire town?" Rain was trembling with fear even as she ran.

"No place within the town. At least not indefinitely. This is only temporary. I don't imagine we could stay there more than a day."

The vixen followed the wolf past the treeline toward a house.

"I... I think I know this house."

"You probably do."

"Really? Who--" Rain's voice was interrupted by Malachi's paw clasping over her muzzle. He pulled her behind a bale of hay, and made a shushing motion with his finger. A couple of men were walking down the road. A few minutes later, they passed. The wolf tugged Rain back toward the house again, and opened up a window, slipping in. "Wait-- are we breaking into someone's house?"

"They'll understand."

"Understand? What if they shoot us?"

Malachi looked right into Rain's eyes, "They won't shoot us."

"You sound so sure..." She certainly wasn't.

"Come on." He took her paw and lead her through the hallway toward the kitchen. "We need food first."

"We're stealing stuff?" Rain's ears flattened against her head. She'd been such a good girl, at least she always saw herself that way. In one day she'd gone from popular to dumped, a fugitive, and now a theif. "Shit, Malachi. How many times did you steal stuff from our family?"

Malachi frowned, "Not once. I always ate my rations like I was told. Look, we're trying to survive. The rules are different."
Rain bit her lip, "I don't like this at all."

"I'm the one stealing, not you. So don't worry about it." The wolf handed the girl some bread and cheese, and a bit of chicken,

"Make some sandwiches. We'll--"

"Make some sandwiches?!"

The wolf sighed, and looked at Rain. "Please?"

The vixen gave him an exasperated look. "I'll make my sandwich, but I'm not making one for a slave."

Malachi's ears flattened at that, "Yes... well, alright then. My apologies, Miss Rain." They were in this together and yet she still reguarded him as lesser.

The two made their meals, and Malachi poured them both glasses of milk. Rain sat down and finally got a good look around. "Wait, this is--" The light switched on.

A large cat, shotgun in paw was standing there. It wasn't pointed at them, but the presense of it was enough to frighten Rain. "I'm sorry, Mister Felinious, we'll leave. We shouldn't have been here-- Oh, God, please don't shoot us!"

"Calm down, girl. Eat your sandwich. I'm not going to shoot either of you." He gestured to the wolf, "You're Malachi, ain't ya?"

The wolf nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry to bring trouble upon your household, sir."

The cat shook his head, "Scared me, you two did. I must say I'd never think Rain for the type who'd seek a slave's company..."

"Hey! Don't get the wrong idea! He's not my lover."

Malachi's ears turned red, "Just the same, she's in trouble as if she were." He loosened the collar of his already frayed formal shirt.

"As I imagine." The cat eyed the two, a bit curious about what happened.

"Daddy!" The door open as a girl's voice called out and shut behind her. "You won't believe what happened at Prom tonight..."

May walked into the kitchen and froze, "Rain!" She rain up to the vixen and hugged her, tears streaming down your face, "You're alright! They haven't gotten you yet!"

Rain shushed the girl, "You'll wake the neighborhood!" She hugged her friend, and then held her out at arms length, giving her a look, "You never told me that you got fucked up because you were seeing a slave."

May's ears went right flat, "I'm sorry. But if I'd told you that, would you really want to spend time with me?"

"I don't know. I might have." No, she wouldn't.

"Daddy, don't just stand there! Get these two some supplies!"
The man's ears flattened, chastised, and he headed to the hall,

"Yes, yes. Of course..."

Rain stared at this, "Wow. You've got a handle on your father. What's the deal with that?"

May shook her head, "It's not important, look, I'm coming with you."

Rain's eyes went wide, "Why would you do that? You've already paid for this sort of thing. I don't even want to know how they handle repeat offenders!"

May grabbed the vixen's blouse and looked right into her eyes, "Damn it, Rain. You're right. I've lived through this. And that's exactly why I'm sure as hell not letting it happen again."

---

# Two Years Earlier

Large dish-shaped ears bent back a bit as the mouse grunted, lifting a large barrel into a truckbed. He rather wished his owners would just buy a forklift. He'd happily drive that and get more done. He was handsome-- the field mouse's work driving his muscles into tight coords and ripples.

He worked without a shirt, sweat matting his fur. He walked over to the watering trough and dunked his head in, pulling in several gulps.

"Ah, come on, Will! The rest of us gotta drink that, too."

The mouse pulled his head out of the water, and shook it, flecks of liquid slinging from his ears, "Sorry, sorry. Just so hot out today..."

His friend gave him a punch in the shoulder, "Your sweat isn't the sort of flavor I like in my water."

"Hey, it's salt. Everyone needs salt, right?"

The other mouse rolled his eyes, and thumbed over to the house,

"We're finished anyway. That was the last truck. Get yourself cleaned up. Ah, shit, there she is again." His eyes flicked over to a girl leaning on the fence, watching the boys work. "She's got your eye on you, William. You might just get pulled off this work and into sex service." He laughed, "Beats field work, I'd say."

"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes, "It's not like I could go after her anyway. She's not one of our Mistresses. I'd rather follow the rules. Pretty as she is..." He trailed off, staring at the cat.

His friend gave him a weird look, "You're damn right you'd rather follow the rules. You know what happens to slaves who think that they're above their place." He started his walk back to the slave house, "Come on. The shower is about to start."

William's ears turned quite pink and he nodded a little, pulling his shirt from the ground and slinging it over his shoulder as he headed back. The cat's eyes followed him all the way before she scampered off.

---

William got under one of the showers, the warm water running over his body and washing away the day's work. He closed his eyes and pointed his face up, letting the stream cover his face for a while. He pulled it out and then shook his head again, splashing those next to him.

"Hey, watch it, Will!" A female shoved him a bit.

"Sorry, sorry." His ears laid back. William always felt awkward in the showers. The masters required all of them shower together, male and female. Often lewd things would happen, and Will assumed this was the intent-- more slaves meant more workers. He didn't want to think about how many of the girls around him he was probably related to. The masters even permitted rape in the showers to keep the numbers up.

The girls felt safe enough to push him around-- he was gentle, submissive even to the other mice. This made him easier to talk to, but some of the other males would occasionaly force him onto his knees in the shower, and humiliate him in front of the women.

Soon enough his shower was over, and he was toweling off, walking back to his quarters. He looked out the window, and the cat was there, looking in. She gave a smile and gestured to him, skipping off. Will looked around to check if anyone was watching him, and then threw on a pair of pants, slipping out the door and toward one of the barns.

His eyes scanned the room, only seeing a few animals grazing on hay. Then he spotted her. "May..."

The cat was a pretty young girl. Lithe, with clean and preened fur. She wore a bow on her slinky tail, and a big grin on her face. She was without the callouses of hard work or the scars of whips that the mice often had.

"Hey, Will." She slipped up to her footpaws and slinked over to him, giving him a kiss on her nose. "It's good to see you."

He nuzzled her neck, "You're frightening me. The others are starting to notice you hanging around. I think they're starting to suspect us."

She placed a finger on his lips, "They're not going to find out. Don't even talk like that." She rested her head on his chest, and he slinked his tail around her middle. "We're going to do something different today."

His ears perked. "Oh, what's that?"

May slid down to her knees, and undid the mouse's jean shorts, starting to pull them down. "I'm going to serve you."

Will's eyes went wide, "M-May! No, no..."

She gave him a stern look, "William. Let me have this. You've been good to me, risking your life every day to see me."

The boy was stunned, and he went quiet, just nodding his head a bit. He looked down at the cat, who had taken to grooming over the mouseboy's sac with her rough tongue. He placed his paw atop her head, heart racing. This wasn't right-- he was supposed to serve. But there she was, coaxing the boy's shaft to its full stiffness.

"May..." He sucked in a breath. The boy backed up a bit, pressing against the barn wall while the girl nuzzled his cock, adoring it, kissing it. Her tail flicked behind her. William couldn't help but feel his hair stand on end-- instinctive fear of felines was always present, but it just drove him to love her more. Right now it upped the excitement, pushing a bit of pre out of his tip.

"My father says that one day they'll do away with slavery..." She trailed her kisses up the bottom of his length, "That one day, we'll be free to love who we want..." Her sandpaper tongue brushed him from base to tip, the boy's claws scraping at the wall as he shivered.

"I... I hope he's right, May... I really do..." He pulled in a gasp, looking into the girl's eyes, seeing her affection. She slipped her muzzle over the boy's shaft, warm, wet lips enveloping his mousehood. She drew from the base of his cock to the tip, kissing it as she pulled off.

"Grab my head, William. I want you to thrust into my throat." She looked up at him, licking over her muzzle and flicking her tail.

William shook his head, "No, no. Good God, girl, what are you thinking? I can't..." She extended her claws, and pressed them against his stomach.

"I need this, William. Give it to me." As much as they were lovers, even they couldn't escape their roles on some level. The boy slowly nodded, and took hold of the cat's head. Trembling, he thrust his cock into her muzzle, tip slipping into her throat and causing her to gag, eyes tearing up.

The mouse pulled out, shaking his head at that reaction, "Sorry, sorry, May. Please, I didn't--"

She looked up at him with that glare again, "Why did you stop?" William froze. She really wanted this.

"S-sorry..." He thrust his cock right back in, beginning to hump right into her muzzle. It was wrong-- he was hers... at least, that's how he thought of himself. The collar stated otherwise. But he could not disappoint his lover, and this is what she burned for.

May slipped her paw under her skirt and into her panties. Her fingers explored her own sex, pushing them deep into herself while her thumb massaged her clit. Her eyes streamed down with tears, each thrust in putting pressure on her throat, but she loved it. Every moment of it. Finally submitting to him, rather than the other way around. Well, sort of. She had told him to do it. But it was a start. Perhaps he'd learn in time how to command on his own.

The boy's breath pulled in and out with pleasure, each passing moment bringing him closer to his peak. He couldn't believe he was doing this. Even looking down and seeing his free lover choking on his slave shaft couldn't convince him any of it was real. Soon, he couldn't hold back any longer. His toes dug into the dirt of the barn floor, and his back arched in bliss, forcefeeding the cat thick ropes of rodent seed.

May drank each spurt-- at first without choice, but as the mouseboy's grip relaxed, and his tip left her throat, she grasped the opportuninty to gulp down every bit of what was given her, until the boy had finished. Her own workings took her over the edge, soaking her paws in sweet feline honey.

"S-sorry, May..." He still felt he had to apologize, out of sorts from the matter.

She pulled off that cock. "Nothing to be sorry for, hon." May groomed over his shaft a bit before grabbing his chestfur and pulling him down. She locked the boy in a kiss, causing him to taste himself. William's ears turned quite pink, and he closed his eyes, slowly relaxing into his lover's hold.

After a while, the two broke their kiss. William's eyes opened as he smiled, but his face quickly turned to shock, "May! Look out!"

THUNK!

---

May woke up a bit groggy, hands cuffed behind her. "Wh--where..."

"May, you're awake!" Her father embraced her, holding her close.

"What's going on, why can't I move my paws?" She struggled at her binds, and her father shushed her.

"You... you were caught. With William." His ears lowered, the cat nosing his daughter, "They brought you here bound, and took him away... but tonight..."

"No..." Her eyes went wide, "NO! NO! NO!" She tried to push past her father, but he held her tight.

"There's nothing you can do, May! There's nothing either of us can do." His cheeks were already soaked with tears, and he held his little girl's head to his chest.

"Dad... Daddy, are you going to..." She looked up at him with apprehension.

"May... I..." He let go of her, taking a step back, "If I don't, they'll... you know what they do to sympathizers. We'll both lose our lives."

"No! Find a way around it Daddy, please!" She dropped to her knees, begging him. The cat walked out of the room, unable to face her, his face buried in his paws.

---

William found himself bound. This was not unusual-- he was a slave. What was unusual was the person handling him. A local sherrif's deputy, forcing him to walk by pulling a chain hooked up to his collar. The boy followed, trembling in fear.

For crimes like these, there was no trial. The people found that doing so would defile their legal system. Putting a slave in court would put dirt in the scales of justice-- and over time, they'd tip the wrong way.

He couldn't see. A hood had been placed over his head. He knew what awaited him just the same.

Torches had been set up near the town gallows, lighting the evening for those who had gathered to see the monstrocity. A whole crowd stood around, waiting to see justice served.

May was restrained, and on her knees, held in place by her father, who was flanked by police officers carrying rifles. His cheeks were wet, and May looked up at him in fright. He kept silent. It was all he could do.

She spotted him, lead by chains and hooded. The deputy reached over and tugged the cloth off his head, revealing the slave's face to the crowd. They began pelting him with rocks.

May struggled in her bonds, and she cried out, "Leave him alone!" As soon as she did so, one of the officers knocked her on the side of the head with the butt of his gun, causing her to tumble over. Mr. Felinous raised his paw as if to retaliate and the gun was pointed right at him.

"Think real hard what you're about to do, Felinous." The German shepherd scowled at the cat, and he stood down, once again watching the display.

"This slave was caught having relations with this girl. There is a witness, and his statement is true." The deputy gestured to a tall, strong wolf. May recognized him as William's Master.

"For this crime, he will be hung by the neck until he is dead, and he shall be left for a full day to remind everyone that we all have a place in this world that has been given to us, and we shall not transgress against it." The crowd cheered, throwing more rocks at the mouse.

William raised his paws as best he could, trying to deflect the rocks. His eyes searched for May's. The light was bright near him and it made it difficult to see where she was. But her earlier outburst gave him some clue.

"Stop pelting the convicted with rocks! We cannot hang him if our officers are in the line of fire!" Soon enough the pelting stopped, the bruised mouseboy yanked over to climb the stairs. He kept looking-- where was she? Where did they---

"Stop it! Please!" She cried out, once more getting a knock to the side of her head. Her vision was becoming bleary. Her father slipped his paw over her muzzle, trying to quiet her. He whispered, gently, "Your love already has enough on his mind without your death on his conscience. Stay quiet for his sake."

She wanted to protest. Wanted to tell him that she'd rather die, too! She squirmed, and even bit her father's paw, but he gritted his teeth and took it, protecting his daughter from the wrath of those present. The paw clenched a bit in pain, clawtips digging into the girl's cheeks without the man even noticing. Blood seeped from her face as she watched in horror.

William spotted her. His eyes locked with her own. The executioner slipped the rope around his neck, and walked over to the side, reaching for the lever. William had been brought to executions like this before. Slaves were not given an opporunity for last words like free men who had been convicted were. He'd have to shout something-- quick!

"May! Live on! I love yo--ulk!" The mouse felt his feet give way, the yanked lever dropping the platform out from under him. He struggled, trying to get a gasp of air. There were ways to arrange for a long drop, snapping a victim's neck in a moment. But slaves didn't get that. They had to suffocate the long way.

May struggled, biting deep into her father's paw. He grunted and kept her held tight, not letting her go. She watched her love struggle, the boy fighting a rigged battle for his life.

His legs kicked out, but not far-- held together by chains, his movement was restricted. Seconds passed. Half a minute. His movements became slow and sluggish. A minute gone, and he had stopped moving altogether.

May knew-- she'd paid attention in school-- she knew he was passed out, but still alive. All it would take would be for someone to cut the rope-- for the squeezing to stop! He could take a breath, wake back up and they'd be together again.

But no one raised a paw to help. They watched him hanging there, and waited, some even cheered and heckled him.

"You like to fuck free women, huh? How's getting fucked feel?"

"Die you sack of shit! You defile everything sacred!"

May could do nothing. She couldn't even see him clearly through the tears in her eyes. A few minutes later, the standing physician walked over to William, and checked his pulse.

"Time of death: Eight thirty five."

May heard it, and her heart sank. She finally broke free of her father's grasp, stumbling over her bonds and falling on the ground at her lover's feet, dangling before her.

The officer forced a pipe crimper and tin snips into Felinous's paws. "Go take care of your whore as the law requires." He was enraged. he wanted to rip the dog's throat out, and strew his organs all over the ground. But there were two more nooses on the gallows, and he knew they wouldn't hesistate to fill them both.

He walked toward his daughter, trembling. He grabbed her, and she screamed, "Daddy! NO!" He pressed her face into the ground, sobbing as he took the pipe crimper to her tail, feeling the bone crunch under it. May screamed and writhed in pain, her body bucking like a bull as she tried to get free.

"I'm sorry-- I'm so sorry, it's almost over..." He wiped his eyes of tears, and forced May's head still, clipping one of her ears. Blood ran down over her face and into her ear, the girl squirming in his grasp.

"I hate you! I hate all of you!" She cried out, in such pain. Her father once again clasped his paw over her muzzle, sobbing there, "I know... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Within a few minutes, the crowd dispersed. He let her go, and May hugged the legs of her lover, crying herself to sleep at his feet.