Miko's Fire
Written by SonicBlu

All characters and concepts are (c) 2002 SonicBlu. 
Any similarities with characters past or present, 
living or dead, are purely coincidental. 

     Over the hilly fields of tall grass, near the 
vicinity of the tallest mountain in all the land,
and surrounded by a forest of Koruko fruit trees, 
resided a countryside village in the widespread
country of Tieral, where many beings of different 
breeds dwelled. Gorokk Village was a unique
place, for the scenic territory was a great source 
of relaxation, while the constant battle between
civilized being and dragon always rode tall in the 
saddle. From the strongest ox to the mightiest
wolf, these beings lived in great comfort amongst 
one another. A vast number of fearless beings
congregated themselves to form a powerful force 
against the attack of dragons that lived within
the cave atop Mount Gorokk; the peak of the mountain 
seemed to touch the sky. In the Winter,
you cannot see the summit of the great mountain, 
as dark clouds constantly masked its peak. The
snow capped the great mountain top each year, and 
every summer, its ice melted away into the
nearby lake near the thickest density of the 
forest. The dragons of Gorokk lived together as a
large family, and their number remained at a 
moderate level in population. During the Winter
months, every dragons's bodies lay to rest, 
which gave the village a bit of relaxation from their
threats. The beings of Gorokk Village lived 
its Autumn and Winter months in peace and safety,
but when the Spring and Summer rolled around, 
even the strongest of spirit tended to shudder
when the first dragon awoke from its hibernation, 
ready for its yearly hunt.

     Gorokk Village was the most prime target for 
attack from the dragons, but the villagers
still called Gorokk "home" and refused to live 
anywhere else. Some beings lived for the scenery,
while others clung to the heritage of their origin. 
Some even say that Gorokk was a place of
mystical rejuvenation for the soul with the way 
the heavenly, morning sun cast its rays upon the
village.

     Surrounding the forest grounds, a vast field 
of green spread through the land. In the
springtime, when Gorokk found a moment of peace, 
beings of young and old ages were
constantly seen frolicking through the grassy 
meadows. In the midst of the meadowy field resided
a tall hill, which looked out over the entire 
village. The Naitive Gorokkan tribe named the hill
"Spiritpoint" aptly for the scenic plantation 
which was believed to cleanse one's spirit. 

     As mystical as Gorokk seemed to the eye of 
the astonished beings that lived upon its rich
land, the ongoing threat of dragons continued to 
rear its ugly head. The houses and barns of the
village were made to withstand the reign of the 
dragons's fire, and not one single block of wood
was used, all except for a single barn which 
resided in the outskirts of Gorokk Village. Gorokk
relied on its stone buildings and walls for 
hundreds of years, and was a natural shield against
sweltering fire. All it took was one tragic 
year for the early Gorokkan citizens, in order to keep
the village safe for years to follow. The village's 
leader hired the fastest and hardest-working
builders to renovate the village, and before 
that Winter was over, Gorokk was given another
chance at housing the lives of settlers. Upon 
completion of reconstruction, the leader of the
village enforced that no structure within the 
limits of Gorokk shall be built out of straw or wood,
but the strongest of stone to repel against 
the dragons's fire. The law remained just as strong in
their current year of 1890 for the villagers to follow.

     The early-Spring skies seemed to darken 
as the dragons draped the morning sun,
spreading their mighty wings to take flight. 
Some dragons kept flying onward as they dodged the
oncoming attack, while others stayed behind 
to wreak their chaos upon the village of Gorokk.
From below, the loud cries of the Confederacy 
rang throughout the land as the platoon shouted
and the higher ranks yelled their commands.
"Conserve your ammunition! Our reserve is 
diminishing, and it's getting more difficult to stock
up!" Lieutenant Gobu shouted onto the 
Confederacy as they huddled together with their
crossbows drawn, aiming up at the hovering 
dragons above.
"We know, Lieutenant. Every year, it's the 
same thing." the only reptile of the platoon spoke as
he took aim to the skies.
"Mind your talkback for another time, 
Grieko, they're coming fast!" As the Confederacy took
aim, they watched while, one by one, every 
dragon made their way into the clear, blue skies.
Shots were fired everywhere, but even the 
ammunition and quick reflexes of the Confederacy
were not enough to penetrate the strong 
scales of the mighty dragons at such a far range. The
Confederacy branched out in various places 
that surrounded the village in hope to defend more
ground. Among the fighting soldiers, the 
muscle-clad body of a brown forest fox stood fearlessly
upon the land, using his sharp eyes to 
take aim. Miko Keegan fired bolt after bolt, almost
consecutively into the air, in an attempt 
to bring something for the flying dragons to fear. Not one
single civilian was seen in the village 
streets, for they were all locked away in their homes,
watching the battle from inside. 

     The deep, blue skies above were soon
obscured by the holocaust of red flames the
dragons breathed from their muzzles. The 
smell of sulfur quickly covered the fresh air, along
with the singed fur from the fallen soldiers 
of the Confederacy. The only sounds that could be
heard were the mournful moans and cries 
of pain intertwining with that of the battle yells from
the fighting Confederacy.
"Miko! Behind you!" a voice yelled from 
behind. Miko slowly turned and almost froze in terror
as he saw a towering black dragon approach. 
Quickly, Miko loaded a bolt into his crossbow and
aimed for the whites of the dragon's eye.
"Not today, evil dragon. Not ever!" Miko 
shouted as he pulled the trigger. The bolt sailed swiftly
through the air and struck the black dragon 
directly in its eye. Screaming and howling in pain, the
dragon continued running throughout the 
land, and soon, the screams from the dragon's throat
faded away into the distance. Miko looked 
around to see if there were any more surprise
appearances, and when he noticed that the 
village was free of the dragons's presences, he joined
up with the rest of the platoon. All was 
now silent after a prolonged day-long battle had ended.
"Nice work, Keegan. Got that no good dragon 
right in its eye," the Lieutenant said, "and that's
exactly what I've been trying to teach you 
all. The eyes of the dragons are the only vulnerable
spot to take them down, because if a dragon 
can't see, they can't wreak their evil into our
village."
"Do you know how sharp of an eye one must 
have to put that task into effect?" a strong ox said
as he emerged from the crowd of remaining 
Confederate troops. 
"I know it's tough, Grusser, but that's why 
the Confederacy must be alert at all times; your
shooting skills must be honed."
"Or be very lucky." Marlo Grusser whispered 
under his breath and scratched swiftly behind his
ear.
"Hey, who needs luck when we have Miko on 
our side!" a muscled wolf said happily. Torr
Blackwell had always admired his best friend 
highly, and with a quick thrust of his arm, he held
Miko's paw up in victory for a deed well-done.
"Torr, I appreciate the fanfare, but we are 
all in the Confederacy together. Surely, you could have
done just as good a job as I." Miko said with 
a soft smile. 

     At this time, a large crowd of fox, horse, 
ox, and wolf families scurried out into the open
from the seclusion of their stone houses to 
rejoice with the Confederacy's triumph.
"Miko, you were great! I saw the whole thing 
from my window. You are truly a credit to our
village." a young arctic vixen said as she 
approached. Her name was Nara Kapri, but everyone in
the village gave her the nickname "Winter" 
due to her flowing, white fur and hypnotic, bright-
blue eyes, that could even send chills down 
the spines of the most horrid of beasts.
"Go get ‘er." Torr commented and took 
a seat on the edge of a stone fence.
"Winter, what's on your mind?" Miko asked.
"I wanted to tell you that you were really 
great out there. Every moment you're out on the battle
field could be your last, but you seek to 
see past all that. Just the right type of fox that catches my
interest."
"Winter, I wish I could tell you in better 
terms, but I'm not out to start relationships or anything. I
just want us to stay friends." Miko said 
and placed his paw softly aside Winter's cheek.
"Miko, you've been saying that since we 
were in school together. What's really wrong? Is it
me?"
"No, it's not. It's just..." Miko hesitated and gazed 
into Winter's concerning eyes, hoping to find
another way out of letting her know of his secret.
"It's just that I don't know what I want, and I 
won't be able to provide like the fox you're looking
for. I'm sorry, Winter, I just can't offer you 
the things I would like. I will promise to you my
eternal friendship, that which you have long 
since earned, and that is what I shall continue to give
onto you."
"Miko," Winter said as a few tears came to 
her eyes, "every time you speak those words in such a
manner, it makes me long for you even more. 
What's not to like about the way your mortal body
is built, the gentle flowing fur you possess, 
or the heavenly words you speak as your gentle breath
pushes them past your lips?"
"It takes a lot more than that which is seen 
on the outside, Winter." Miko said and began to walk
away. "Although, I really do want you to have 
the best in life. I know you will be a lot happier
with someone who can love you the way you 
need it. You're a very attractive young vixen. I'm
sure you will find someone to fill the gap 
of emptiness within your heart, and when you find him,
he will treat you far better than I can." 
he said and gave a soft bow. Winter only sat and hung her
head in grief as a small stream of moisture 
began to form in her eyes. Miko joined up once again
with Torr and headed away into the village center.
"What's the situation with you and Winter?" 
Torr asked in a curious tone.
"She's still got that crush on me. I just 
can't bear to tell her how I truly feel inside. Not many
understand."
"You know I would. I'm your own best friend."
"I know that, and I am forever grateful for 
this, Torr, but this is something that I don't want
anybody else to know. Not even my own mother."
"What is it?" Torr leaned forward and whispered 
"You don't mean to tell me you've got some
kind of disease, do you?"
"N..no, that's not it at all. It's just that..." 
Miko started, but quickly declined. "I don't want to talk
about it."
"Torr, darling, I missed you!" a slender wolf 
screamed as she ran to the arms of her mate. Torr
smiled deeply as he held his arms open wide to 
accept her into a huge embrace. He picked her up
with his muscular arms and held her up off the ground.
"Luna, I missed you too, love. It got rather 
scary for awhile, but I thought one mere thought of
your gentle face to keep me going."
"Aww, Torr, you are so sweet." Luna Blackwell 
said and covered his muzzle in a loving kiss.
Torr closed his eyes and returned the gesture 
gracefully.
"Well, how sentimental thou art." Miko said as
he watched the couple sharing their tender
moment with a wide grin on his white-furred muzzle.
"Hey, you could have the wondrous pleasures of 
love if you gave in to Winter."
"With her? No thanks. I need to get some work 
done on the farm. I need to start by gathering
some Korukos. I'll see you later." Miko said 
and quickly declared his farewells among his
friends.

     That evening, Miko crossed the grassy 
fields that led to the forest floor. As Miko walked,
his mind began to wander. How he longed to 
have a companion, a true love to call his very own,
but nobody in the town of Gorokk would ever 
understand his deepest secret. Being the only
homosexual fox in the small village was 
extremely difficult. He tried his best to keep his deep
secret well under wraps, for he didn't 
know how the entire village would handle a homosexual
being living amongst them. Miko's thoughts 
of loneliness quickly subsided as he stood before the
stretch of trees that loomed before him. 
Swishing his tail softly to and fro, he stepped slowly into
the thick forest.
"Gotta move further out. It's where Korukos 
grows best." Miko whispered to himself. He kept
walking until he found his way into a small 
clearing, where the sun's light seemed to cast directly
onto the bald territory.
"Eureka." Miko whispered as he was quite 
inspired by how the sun's rays shone upon the forest.
With a grunt of his throat and the tightening 
of his muscles, Miko hoisted himself up the trunk of
a tall Koruko tree, where a bountiful supply 
of fruit awaited him. Once he felt he had an ample
amount, he leaped from the tree and landed in 
a crouched position on the ground. He slowly
raised himself upright and gathered any 
fallen Koruko fruit that tumbled from the basket. He
started heading back through the path he 
came from, when he heard the sound of sobbing in the
distance. He stopped in his tracks and 
gazed into the direction the soft sobbing came from, trying
to see who made the saddened sounds that 
echoed through the forest. He shrugged his shoulders
and started along his way once again, 
only to hear the sound of the sobbing even louder than
before. Miko's curiosity ran stronger as 
he turned and walked gently into the direction from
whence the sobbing emanated.
"Hello?" Miko called into the thickness of the woods.
"Go away. Please, go away." the voice said sorrowfully.
"Who are you? What are you doing out here?"
"I said go away. Please, do not try to help 
me, for I am beyond help."
"Why not let me be the judge of that, mister?" 
Miko said as he tried to follow the sound of the
mourning voice.
"There is nothing anybody can do. Please, 
take heed of my words and go. I will be all right."
"Are you sure? You don't need anything else?" 
Miko said as he crept silently along the floor,
trying not to arouse attention. He heard 
the sound of a crackling twig from behind. Startled, Miko
flipped around and almost dropped the 
Korukos he carried. There, hiding within the thick forest,
stood a young, green dragon, his body 
sprawled across the floor. Miko instantly leapt into a
defense mode and held his fists tightly. 
As sharp as he was with a crossbow, his fists stung just as
bad whenever he had to use them.
"What are you doing in these woods, dragon? 
Have you no sense?" Miko bellowed.
"Please, I come to you in peace. I do not 
wish to battle you, for I have other issues that run
rampant within this heart of mine." the 
green dragon said as his eyes produced a steady downfall
of teardrops. Miko was slow to let his 
guard down, for his first instinct was not to trust anything
a dragon had to say.
"You have about ten seconds to make yourself 
scarce, dragon." Miko said as he gritted his teeth,
which only made the dragon cry harder.
"They don't want me around, you don't want 
me around, nobody wants me. Why do I continue
living in a world, looking to belong, and 
getting shunned in return? What good is a life such as
this?" the dragon said through his sobs. 
He raised his large paw and extended his sharp claws. He
held his claws above his head and pointed 
them directly to his chest.
"This is what it shall lead to. I came here 
to escape from my worries, and that is exactly what I
intend to do." he said and gave a loud cry.
"Wait, hold on." Miko said, unsure of how 
to handle watching a living being take his own life.
"No, it's no use. You'll only hate me anyway. 
I'm not inferior, you know. I know your race all
too well, and it's because of you that us 
dragons are threatened every year."
"You lie! It is because of your type that 
we must protect our village." Miko yelled. "If you want
to end your own life, be my guest, but don't 
expect me to have to sit and watch it." 
"You have a lot to learn, little fox."
"Oh, do I? Listen, I'm not the one that has 
to work with the village to shield you of your fire that
you breath onto our peaceful village."
"If it wasn't for your streams of weaponry, 
we would be able to fly the skies in peace. Look at
this. You see this?" the dragon said angrily 
as he pointed to his wing. Miko didn't notice at first,
but the joints in the dragon's left wingtip snapped.
"Yeah, take a good, long, hard look, fox. 
This is what happens when you engage in your so-
called ‘battles' which have no purpose. 
What did we ever do to you?"
"Your kind burned down our village many years ago."
"So, because a few dragons set fire to your 
village, you think you have the right to declare war
upon our entire race, is that it?"
"All you dragons stand for are a reason to 
hurt, to cause pain."
"What about you? You're so wrapped up in 
your own worlds, your own frame of mind, you
won't even attempt to listen to reason, 
even if it was staring you dead in the face." the dragon
said as he lurched forward and fixed his 
dark-red eyes into Miko's gentle shades of brown.
"You have no idea how it feels to be 
outcast, to the point where even your own kind won't take
you in." Miko thought of the loneliness
he endured his entire life, his need for companionship,
and the consequences of having his secret 
spread through the entire village. Immediately, Miko
dropped his guard and sat upon the forest floor.
"Yes...I do." Miko said in a gentle tone. 
The dragon's tears seemed to lessen as he stared at the
attractive fox, not thinking of war or 
the irreconcilable differences between their races. Miko
stared back into the dragon's eyes 
feeling nervous, not sure what to say about his own secret. 
"So, why exactly are you here?"
"The others. They left me here. They 
pushed me out of the caves when I needed shelter from the
winter months."
"You stayed here all winter? I thought 
you flew out with the others. What about your wing?"
"I...I didn't want to tell you the 
real reason why, so I lied. Please, don't hold it against me."
"Hey, don't worry. You've shown me 
something just then."
"I did? What was that?" the dragon 
said as he raised his head higher.
"That even though we are of different
culture, we have the same feelings." Miko said and leaned
his back against a Koruko tree. "I am
Miko Keegan, and I feel there is more to us than we
imagine. I would like to try and be 
your friend; you seem to be in need of a good friend."
"I need that so much." the dragon 
whispered, but still loud enough for the ears of the muscular
fox to hear.
"What's your name, dragon?"
"I do not have a name, for our heritage 
does not believe in them."
"Well, I can't just call you 'dragon.' 
I know, I'll give you the name that belonged to my father. I
shall call you Cyrrus." Miko said and 
reached his paw out. 
"‘Cyrrus?' What meaning does the name 
'Cyrrus' hold?"
"Just a name, really, I suppose. Besides, 
you look like a Cyrrus." Miko said and smiled a gentle
grin.
"Very well. If that is what you wish, I 
shall be known to you as Cyrrus." the young dragon said
and shook the fox's paw firmly.
"Well, Cyrrus, now that we've set aside 
our differences, why don't you tell me what happened to
you?"
"If I told you my secret, do you promise 
not to hurt me, too?"
"Promise." Miko said and placed his paws 
behind his head to stretch his arms out as he relaxed
against the Koruko tree.
"All right. I'm here because...I...I'm a 
homosexual." Cyrrus said and immediately buried his head
in his arm. In an era and a land where 
homosexuality rarely occurred within the hearts and
emotions of males, Miko immediately 
felt uplifted, as if a great weight was removed from his
shoulders.
"That's okay. I'm also homosexual." 
Miko whispered. Cyrrus sprung his head up at attention at
Miko's words.
"You are?"
"I know, it's not common, is it? I'm 
not at all happy with it, but it's who I am."
"Finally, I'm able to find someone 
that feels....that feels..." Cyrrus 
stuttered, his excitement built
within him to a level he's never 
experienced before in his entire lifespan.
"That feels the same way I do." 
Miko finished. Cyrrus nodded swiftly again, 
and before Miko knew it, he felt the strong embrace 
of the dragon's arms around his muscular body. 
After a tight
hug, Miko spoke.
"How is your wing holding up now?"
"It stings, but as long as I don't move 
the joint, I'm fine."
"We still need to fix it, but we can't 
leave you here." Miko said and approached the dragon
closer. As he got a better look at the 
dragon's broken wing, he ran his paw over the breakage in
the joint. Cyrrus threw his head back and 
howled in pain as Miko's paw brushed against it.
"AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!" Cyrrus cried 
and shot a heavy stream of fire into the
air.
"I'm sorry, Cyrrus. I had to see how bad 
this break is. You need it to be fixed right away."
"Tell me something I do not already know." 
Cyrrus said as he gritted his teeth.
"I'm going to take you to my barn. By 
taking the route behind Spiritpoint, you will be unseen by
other villagers. Once we're there, I 
don't care what book I must read through, I'm fixing your
wing. The place I'll be taking you will 
be the only building in Gorokk that is made of wood, so
try to keep your fire to yourself." 
Miko said and took Cyrrus's paw. The teary-eyed dragon stood
and crept behind Miko as the pair 
walked slowly and carefully out of the forest. 

     The two beings headed around the 
large hill as silent and discreetly as possible. With
careful eyes, Miko scanned the entire 
land, looking for anybody that could possibly see what he
was attempting. The flaming braziers 
lit the streets of Gorokk brightly, but not a single being was
found in the open areas of the village. 
From the house in the corner of the village, the outline of a
strong wolf walked slowly by the window. 
Miko didn't notice whether or not his best friend saw
what he was doing, nor did he want to 
find out. Miko led Cyrrus quickly across the open field
and into the open fields of the Keegan estate.

     That evening, Miko flipped through 
page after page of his grandfather's old first aid
books nervously, trying to find the 
section on broken bones. He stopped and gazed upon a
silhouetted picture of a fox with 
his bone structure drawn clearly, and a noticeable 
breakage to its leg.
"Here it is. How to apply a splint. 
This looks simple." Miko said as he quickly read over the
procedures listed in the book. 
"Is this going to hurt? I don't know if 
we should be doing this inside the barn. What if I breathe
fire again?"
"It shouldn't hurt after the splint has 
been applied, but for safety's sake, why don't we go around
to the back of the barn. If you start 
feeling any pain, shoot your fire to the 
sky, like you did before. Okay?" Miko said 
and ran his paw softly over Cyrrus's head.
"You're so nice to me, Miko." Cyrrus said 
in a soft tone.
"I'm usually a nice being, and I can be a 
friend for life. It's the Confederacy that 
turned me into a brutal killer, but you have 
my word, I will protect you." Miko said and 
led Cyrrus through the
barn, and used the structure to block the 
nearby village of any view of the dragon's presence.

     Miko brought a few strips of cloth with 
him and walked around the vicinity of his
farmland, looking for a couple strong branches 
of wood. He returned to Cyrrus with a
disappointed look on his face.
"What's the problem?" Cyrrus asked.
"I have to go to the woods real quick. Stay 
here, and don't move from this spot. I can't take the
chance of you getting caught, especially now 
that you're amongst us." Cyrrus nodded silently and
Miko ran his paw gently down the dragon's back. 
A deep sound of contentment erupted from
Cyrrus's throat, almost sounding like a purr.
"You'll be all right. I won't be long." Miko 
said. He embraced the dragon as best as he could and
placed a gentle kiss upon his scaly back. 
Cyrrus felt his eyes build with moisture, but apart from
the tears he cried in the woods, these were 
tears of sheer joy, which was something Cyrrus never
felt before in his entire life. Cyrrus leaned 
forward and slurped Miko's face with his large tongue.
"This is how we dragons show our love and 
appreciation." Cyrrus said and smiled a wide grin.
Miko gazed softly into Cyrrus's eyes and 
developed a smile of his own.
"This is how us Gorokkans show our love." 
Miko whispered and placed his paws around
Cyrrus's head, bringing his muzzle closer 
to Miko's. Miko closed his eyes softly and pressed his
mouth to Cyrrus's in a passionate kiss. 
Cyrrus immediately grasped the idea, and wrapped his
arms around Miko's body. Miko glided his 
tongue in between the lips of the dragon's muzzle,
hoping to give a subliminal message for the 
dragon to open his mouth a little. Miko poked at
Cyrrus's clenched teeth, but was unable to 
deepen his kiss.
"I think I like your way better." Cyrrus 
said and chuckled softly. 
"I can teach you more," Miko whispered and 
kissed the back of Cyrrus's paw gently, "but I really
must hurry to the forest before any more 
time passes." Miko said as he turned away.
"Miko?" Cyrrus called after the swift fox. 
Miko stopped in his tracks and turned to face the
bright-eyed dragon.
"I...I love you." Cyrrus whispered as a soft 
smile formed upon his muzzle.
"I love you too, Cyrrus." Miko replied.

     As Miko walked along the empty fields of 
Gorokk, he felt overwhelmed with a
lighthearted feeling rushing through his veins. 
He felt as if he could fly with the mighty wings of
the strongest dragon as the care-free emotion 
of sheer love coursed through his body, giving his
heart noticeable tingles. He was merely a 
few yards from the stretch of trees when he heard a
voice calling from behind.
"Miko! There you are!" Torr yelled and ran 
up to meet his best friend.
"Torr, you startled me. What's going on?"
"Perhaps I should ask you. I saw you earlier 
this evening."
"You...you saw me? What did you see?"
"Miko, I'm not a fool. I saw you walking away 
with a dragon. What have you been doing?"
"Torr, I know what you saw may be unusual, 
but this dragon, he is different. Everything he
resembles is every part of me within the body 
of scales of which he possesses."
"He's a dragon, Miko! You know they can't be 
trusted! You of all beings should know this!"
Torr said and reached his arm back. Miko's 
mind had not grasped the gesture his own best friend
was making before Torr's claws scraped across 
Miko's face, and parting his fur with deep
scratches.
"Ow! What's wrong with you, Torr?"
"You dare to bring a dragon to your home, are 
you insane? If the Confederacy heard of this, they
will hang you and that dragon of yours!"
"Torr, please, the Confederacy must not know 
about this. So far, you are the only one that knows
of my secret. Please, don't tell anyone else."
"Don't bet on it, Miko. As far as I know, 
you're about as trustworthy as those evil dragons."
"Torr, will you please sit down and listen 
to me? First of all, these dragons, they're not out to
attack our village. The only reason they 
attack us is because we attack them first. The
Confederacy trained us to strike first, 
and strike hard. What do you think the dragons's reactions
will be? They're not the enemies. We are. 
Us!" Miko shouted. "You didn't have to be so
aggressive, either. That really hurt!"
"I'm sorry about this, Miko. I didn't know 
what I was doing."
"I guess you didn't." Miko said angrily 
and started to turn away. The strong wolf reached out
with his arm and grabbed Miko's shoulder 
firmly.
"Wait, Miko. Where are you going?"
"Into the forest. I need a couple branches. 
Cyrrus has a broken wing and needs help, and I don't
have time to stand here and fight with you." 
Miko said as he flashed an angry look in his eyes.
"Miko!" Torr called and tried to run after 
the fox he assaulted.
"Leave me alone!" Miko yelled. Torr stopped 
trying to run after his best friend and looked at his
sharp claws.
"What vulgar display of terror has seized 
my will and made me attack my own best friend?" Torr
asked himself and felt his eyes perspire 
with moisture as he retreated back to his home. Miko
watched for awhile as Torr headed back 
before returning to the barn to doctor the dragon's
wound. Holding the two large branches 
tightly in his arms, Miko ran swiftly across the field; his
tail flapped wildly in the breeze as he ran.
"Cyrrus! I have returned!" Miko called 
and dropped the branches. He procured the long strips of
cloth from the pocket of his trousers 
and proceeded to wrap the strips of cloth around the tip of
the wing while holding the two branches 
in place. As Miko worked, Cyrrus closed his eyes
tightly and howled in pain as the 
concerning fox applied the splint.
"I know it hurts, love. Please, try to 
be strong." Miko said comfortingly. Cyrrus tried to resist any
urge to scream as the joint in his wing 
was held in place. The branches of the trees pressed tightly
against the wound and brought about a 
great discomfort, but after Miko finished applying the
splint, Cyrrus did his best to tolerate 
the pain.
"How's that, Cyrrus?" Miko asked as he 
held the dragon's paw softly.
"It hurts a great deal, but I think I 
will get used to it." Cyrrus replied and smiled gently into the
fox's eyes. As much as Miko wanted to, 
he couldn't seem to find his own smile to return the
dragon's loving gesture.
"What's the matter, Miko?"
"It's Torr. He used to be my best friend. 
That's why I came back with these scratches. He caught
us."
"What?" Cyrrus screamed and rose his 
large body upright.
"It's okay. I don't think he'll tell 
anybody else. I think I broke through to him, but I still didn't
want him to get in my way. Just give 
him the opportunity, and he'll screw everything up, and
time was of the essence. Besides, I'm 
taking care of you now. Torr has his own family."
"You...gave up your best friend for me?" 
Cyrrus asked and placed his arm softly around Miko's
shoulder. Miko slowly nodded and leaned 
into Cyrrus's embrace, softly sniffling a tear from his
eye.
"I love you, Cyrrus. I have been searching 
my entire life for my happiness. You helped me to see
it in such a short time. My heart, it showed 
me at an early stage that you are the one I am to
love." Miko said and raised his tear-stained 
eyes to meet Cyrrus's. The tears ran down Miko's
cheek and mingled with the wounds of his 
face, staining his fur with a bright shade of red. Cyrrus
leaned forward and used his dragon tongue 
to cleanse the fox of his wound.
"This is a special remedy us dragons use 
to cleanse our wounds." Cyrrus said between licks.
Miko nodded softly and closed his eyes as 
the dragon's long tongue grazed across his face.
Cyrrus continued his licking, approaching
Miko's muzzle slowly. Miko's heart felt as if it
skipped a beat as he caught the warmth of 
Cyrrus's warm breath blowing against his furry face.
Miko wrapped his paws around the dragon's 
head and brought his muzzle to align with his own.
He brushed his tongue against Cyrrus's and 
swiftly suckled it into his muzzle. Miko took the
length of the dragon's tongue deep into his 
mouth and wrapped his own fox tongue around the
long sliver of pink. They shared a deep, 
passionate kiss for what seemed like an eternity as their
own paws explored each other's bodies. 

     Across the vacant, peaceful field 
within the Blackwell home, Torr slumped forward as he
sat in his chair that adorned the far 
corner of the room. The megaphone softly crooned the sad
notes of a gentle composition as his 
tears ran like raindrops from his eyes. Through the wall of
moisture, Torr tried to make out the 
figure of the picture he clenched in his paws. Torr still
refused to comprehend the outburst that 
occurred between them, but he knew that nothing could
change the situation that had already 
happened.
"Miko, what has happened to you? What has 
happened to me?" Torr whispered as he looked
over the very claws he used to slash at 
his best friend's face. Torr's ears twitched as he picked up
the sound of Luna stepping softly across 
the floor. His canine nose instantly caught the scent of
his mate as she appeared in the living room.
"Torr, honey. What's wrong? Why aren't 
you coming to bed?" Luna said as she donned her robe
to cover her nude body. Torr sat in the 
chair as naked as the day he was born as his attention
fixed to the depressing music playing 
through the megaphone.
"Torr, didn't you hear me? What is wrong?" 
Luna asked as she softly touched her paw upon
Torr's.
"Luna, have you ever known how it feels to 
lose a best friend?"
"Oh, Torr, what's this about? You and Miko 
have been inseparable throughout your entire lives
together. You can't possibly tell me you and 
he didn't have a single argument in the span of your
friendship."
"Tonight was different, Luna." Torr said as
he slumped forward once again, his head pointing
directly onto the bare floor.
"Torr, please talk to me. I'm your mate." 
Luna said as she knelt down on the floor.
"I can't tell. I can't say to anybody what 
my own eyes saw."
"Surely, you can trust me. Why would I ever 
tell anyone else of your secret?"
"It's not my secret, it's Miko's. It would 
tear him up if I told anybody else."
"Oh." Luna said as she let out an uneasy 
sigh and sat herself down onto the bare, stone floor.
"What's wrong with that, hon?"
"I'm just a little confused. I thought you
said you and he broke the friendship off."
"Yeah, I mean no..." Torr said and growled 
as he clenched his head tightly in his paws.
"Torr, please, perhaps if you told me what 
happened between you both, it would make you feel a
lot better."
"No!" Torr said and slammed his fist down 
onto the arm of his chair. "I told you, I can't speak of
that which I saw. All I can tell you is 
that Miko's changed. He's not the same fox. He says it's
because of the Confederacy."
"Why in the world would he desecrate his 
very army?"
"I don't know. Miko's always been a fine, 
upstanding soldier. I just don't get it."
"Maybe if you talked to him instead of me?" 
Luna asked as she placed her paw under Torr's
chin. She lifted his head softly to gaze 
into his light-grey eyes with a concerning glare.
"Torr, please. It will do you no good to 
sit here and let this situation become the death of you."
"Luna," Torr started as he latched his 
paws around his mate's, "you know I trust you with
everything I've got. I love you very much, 
but this time...this time, I have to disagree." Torr said
and lowered his head again, slowly removing 
his grasp of Luna's paws.
"Then, you shall continue letting this 
matter overwhelm you. I've spoken my wisdom to you,
Torr, but it's up to you to acknowledge 
it." Luna said and rose from the floor. She turned for the
bedroom and crept into the bed. Torr 
sighed as he slowly stood and removed the cylinder from
the megaphone before heading into the 
room behind her.
"Perhaps I need to take this matter to 
a different source." Torr whispered to himself as he gazed
across the room at his Confederacy 
uniform draped over the backrest of the chair. He gave a
prolonged yawn before allowing his 
sleepiness to overcome his body.

     The rooster's crow rang out over 
the Keegan farmland and stirred the loving couple from
their sleep. Miko smiled as he looked 
up at the eyes of his lover and kissed him softly.
"Morning, Cyrrus." Miko said and kissed 
his new lover deeply. Cyrrus closed his eyes and held
the gentle fox in a savoring embrace.
"Did you sleep okay?" Cyrrus asked.
"Best sleep I've ever had." Miko replied 
and fell hypnotized as he gazed into the dragon's eyes.
The couple's stomachs rumbled in unison 
and both lovers chuckled softly.
"I take it you want something to eat."
"You better believe it. I got sick and 
tired of living off of Koruko fruit every day. What's for
breakfast?"
"Koruko fruit." Miko said and smiled 
widely. Cyrrus sighed in disbelief as he shook his head,
trying to hold back a chuckle. Miko 
rose to greet the sun's shining light and gave his body a
continuous stretch. His muscles flexed 
as he brought his paws behind his head, which made
Cyrrus stop to stare at the handsome, 
muscular fox's form.
"What?" Miko said as he looked over at 
his admirer.
"Oh, nothing." Cyrrus said and smiled a 
wide grin.
"Yeah, I'll bet. Sit back and relax here 
for a bit. I'll go inside and get breakfast started." Miko
said and crept out of the barn's doors. 
He blew a soft kiss to his dragon before closing the doors
and hurried to the small house in the 
distance.

     Torr was found climbing Spiritpoint 
to clear his mind. From the far distance, he saw a
tiny speckle that resembled the Keegan 
estate, but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
He reached into a hand-stitched pouch 
around his belt and procured a small pair of binoculars,
which he used while serving the Confederacy. 
He could clearly see Miko walking across the field
of his grandfather's farmland, not wearing 
a single stitch of clothing on his muscular body, and
carrying a large platter.
"What's that crazy fox up to now?" Torr 
said under his breath as he followed Miko's every move
with the binoculars. "I don't know what's 
up over there, but I'm taking a closer look." Torr said
as he hoisted himself upright. Racing 
down the large hill, he crossed the vacant meadow, keeping
as discreet as he possibly could, until 
the Keegan estate towered before him.
"I'll find out just what is going on 
here once and for all." Torr said and crept upon the 
silent barn as quiet as a fieldmouse. He stood upon 
one of the empty barrels sitting underneath the small
window and lifted his head high enough 
to peer inside. Torr almost fell backwards as he saw the
body of the green dragon sitting inside, 
eating off the same platter as Miko, and he also noticed
the dragon's erection growing from his 
vents.
"So, that's why Miko wouldn't talk to 
Winter. He's as homosexual as they come!" Torr
whispered, trying not to be heard. He 
watched in amazement as Miko and Cyrrus shared a filling
meal of scrambled eggs, fresh-cooked 
bacon, and linked sausages, giving each other a couple
kisses as they ate.
"That's so disgusting!" Torr said under 
his breath, but he felt rooted to the spot he stood.
Something inside him forced him to watch 
everything the male couple were doing in the barn.
Miko cast aside the empty platter and 
climbed into the arms of his green-scaled lover. Cyrrus
smiled as he covered Miko's muzzle in a 
deep, passionate kiss, their tongues dancing together as
they shared the tender moment. Torr felt 
his body begin to lose its balance and grabbed onto the
side of the barn as best as he could to 
keep his weight centered atop the barrel. He let out a quick
yelp as his body fell to the floor, and 
landed flat on his back.
"Ow!" Torr shouted and immediately tried 
to rise to his feet.
"What was that?" Cyrrus asked. Miko stood 
and looked into the direction of the window.
"I don't know, but I think we're being watched. 
Stay here." Miko said and crept towards the
doors of the barn. He slid the door open just 
enough for his body to slip through, then closed it
after stepping out into the open.
"Who's there? Show yourself now!" Miko 
shouted, but the perpetrator remained in hiding. Miko
used his stealthy movement he developed 
from the Confederacy to sneak up onto the invader of
his territory. Torr's ears immediately 
picked up the sound of Miko's paws lightly stepping across
the gritty floor of the barnyard and 
struggled to his feet. Miko took a mighty leap around the
corner of the barn and found the wolf 
he grew up with standing wearily as he held his head.
"Torr? What are you doing here?" Miko 
asked as he stood, not even taking to account of the lack
of clothing on his body. Torr looked up 
at his naked best friend and glared angrily into his eyes.
"I should be asking you that question, 
traitor!" Torr said and pointed an angry paw at the fox.
Miko crossed his arms across his mid-section 
as he leaned against the side of the barn.
"You dare call me a traitor? I'm no traitor, 
I've just grown more wise than the entire village of
Gorokk ever was. The question is, what are 
you doing on my property? I don't ever remember
sending you an open invitation. You have ten 
seconds to get your canine hide off my field!"
"I guess the truth really does stand out. 
Not only are you a traitor, you're a damned homosexual!
How could you?" Torr shouted.
"Hey, it's my life, not yours, and not 
anybody else's. The only one I want to be a part of my life
is my dragon lying hurt in this barn here. 
Now, I'm not the one that attacked my best friend and
eavesdropped on his privacy, so don't stand 
there and tell me about being anybody's traitor. Until
you can learn how to act like the Torr 
Blackwell I once knew, you can just forget you ever knew
me!" Miko shouted and stomped away to enter
into the barn, slamming the door loudly behind
him.
"Someday, Miko, you're going to regret 
having entered into this world. I will be right there to
make sure that happens. Just you wait and 
see!" Torr shouted and picked up a large rock in his
paw. He thrust the rock through the small 
window of the barn and shattered the glass pane.
"Leave us alone, Torr!" Miko shouted back.
"Who was that, love?" Cyrrus asked as he 
softly brushed his paw against Miko's angry face.
"Torr Blackwell. He used to be my best 
friend. I say good riddance to him. He attacks me,
trespasses onto my property, and eavesdrops
on my privacy. Does that sound like anybody's best
friend to you?" Miko asked in a quivering 
tone. Cyrrus shook his head slowly and wrapped his
arms around Miko's body.
"I won't let him harm you anymore. We can 
take care of each other." Cyrrus said softly. Miko
turned to face his loving dragon and rested 
his head against Cyrrus's thick chest. He could hear
the steady, constant beating of Cyrrus's 
heart. Immediately, Miko burst into uncontrollable
sobbing. Cyrrus held his fox softly in his 
arms and nuzzled his head softly against the soft fur of
the fox's cheek, and the couple remained 
in an everlasting, comforting embrace.

     From within the Confederate base, Torr 
held his head low and bumped into Marlo
Grusser as he walked by.
"Hey, watch it, Torr."
"Marlo, sorry. I didn't see you there." Torr 
said in a bit of an angered tone.
"What is bothering you? I've noticed you 
haven't really been acting like yourself lately. What
gives?" Torr looked into the window of the 
lieutenant's barracks and noticed the towering ox
hard at work behind his desk. He looked 
back into Marlo's eyes and lowered his voice.
"Marlo, listen, can you keep a secret? I 
mean, if anybody else knows this, it might cost me my
tail." Marlo nodded slowly and Torr accompanied 
him to the other side of the village. Once atop
Spiritpoint, Torr proceeded to tell of his 
discovery.

     Meanwhile, in the seclusion of the barn, 
Miko relaxed in the warmth of his lover, gazing
up at his eyes, and sighing softly.
"Are you all right, Miko?" Cyrrus asked as 
he leaned his head down to kiss the worried fox
softly.
"It's Torr. We've never got into anything 
fierce like that. Not ever."
"He seemed rather upset, and for that matter, 
so did you. You do realize he could easily bring his
army with him."
"I know. I have already taken that into 
account last night."
"What are we to do if they come here?"
"We go down fighting. There's no other choice. 
I'm a decent shot with a crossbow, and you
could easily burn down the entire fleet of 
soldiers with one breath."
"You really are sounding like a traitor." 
Cyrrus whispered and rested his head in Miko's lap.
"I would gladly give up my friends, my army, 
my village, just to live with you for all eternity,
sweet Cyrrus." Miko whispered as he ran his 
paw softly across the dragon's head. Cyrrus smiled
and emitted a satisfying tone of a dragon's 
purr through his throat.

     Torr Blackwell finished telling Marlo 
of his discovery, and the ox slouched forward,
taking in every word Torr had to say. He 
scratched behind his ear as Torr seated himself on the
soft, grassy hilltop. 
"I feel it's time for extreme action. What
do you say about that?" Torr asked as he extended his
paw. Marlo gave a smile and shook Torr's 
paw tightly and firmly.
"You're a good ox, Marlo. I'm going to need 
your help." Torr said as the pair headed down the
slope of Spiritpoint.
"Anything I can do, I'll give it my best. 
After all, there is a dragon living not too far from the
village, and it's a member of our own Confederacy 
that's behind it all. You have my word." 
"Great. I'm going to need you to round up the 
rest of the platoon. Make sure you gather as many
together as you can. We'll meet in the forest 
tonight at eighteen-hundred hours."
"You got it, Torr. See you tonight." Marlo said 
and started to salute the wolf.
"What's that for, Marlo? We're of the same rank,
you don't need to salute me."
"Sorry, Torr. Force of habit coming back again."
"It's okay. Just do your part. I have to work 
on a strategy." Marlo nodded swiftly and headed off
into Gorokk Village.

     The sun started to set on the land of 
Tieral, as little by little, the soldiers of the
Confederacy began to form in the thick forest. 
Torr paced swiftly back and forth as he waited for
the troop to assemble. Lying against a wide 
Koruko tree stood several spears Torr constructed.
As the troop waited, they sparred against one 
another to keep their close-range fighting skills
honed. 

     The entire troop assembled before Torr 
Blackwell as he paced back and forth along the
lineup of eager soldiers, each one dressed in 
their own casual wear. Each soldier was equipped
with a spear, and shared the same angry glare 
in their eyes.
"All right, troop, listen up. Tonight, we're 
reclaiming the safety of the village. Over yonder lies
the last Confederate soldier that's keeping 
the enemy secluded. Miko Keegan is a traitor, a
homosexual, and defied the entire Confederacy 
by calling us the enemy. US!" Torr screamed, his
voice echoing across the forest.
"He dies for that." one soldier piped up.
"He has no right to oppose his village! I say 
we slay him and his dragon." another soldier said.
"However we do it, we have to make it look 
like an accident. Our calling as soldiers of the
Confederacy calls for serving and protecting 
Gorokk Village of the dragons's encounters. We're
only doing our job. Chances are, that fox 
will try to get in our way. It'll be in the bag. Come on,
let's go get us a dragon."
"Yeah!" the platoon shouted and filed 
swiftly through the forest.
"Hey! Keep to your formation, guys!" Torr 
shouted. The soldiers quickly formed into a double-
file line and slunk down into the darkness 
of the wide Gorokk meadow. Once they stood near the
barn, Torr continued.
"We will all go in formation. Marlo, I want 
you to lead the flank. Now, we'll need to form two
lines. I want the sharpest fighters with a 
spear on this side. Those that are our weakest over there.
Double time, let's go, let's go!" Torr 
commanded, and immediately, the platoon lined up
according to their close-combat skills.
"Okay, it's a little uneven. That's all 
right. Now, this is the way we'll go in. There's about 
thirty of us altogether. I want a skilled combatant 
to pair up with a weaker one. We move in swiftly,
and encircle the dragon. Don't give him any
chance to elude us. Attack hard, and attack often.
Try to aim for the throat, and use as much 
force as you can with your thrusts. All right. Let's
move in." Torr said and leapt into the lineup 
of troops. From within the barn, Miko brushed his
paw softly upon the dragon's broken wing to 
see if there was an improvement. The door to the
barn crept open slowly. Miko and Cyrrus 
sprang up in shock as they found the occupancy of the
barn quickly fill with the Confederacy.
"Torr, what is this all about?" Miko said 
as he identified his former best friend among the group.
"ATTACK!" Torr screamed. Immediately, Cyrrus 
swiped his long tail across the floor and threw
his body violently to and fro, trying to dodge 
the attack of spears. He let out a loud roar, loud
enough to deafen the ears of the platoon, but 
their main concern was to bring the dragon down.
As Cyrrus swept his tail across the floor of the 
barn, knocking soldiers back with his large
sweeps, Miko resorted to using his fists to fight 
off any standing soldiers that were nearby. 
"Cyrrus, they're too overwhelming for me! I'm 
getting my crossbow!" 
"Oh, no you don't." Torr said and tackled the 
muscular fox to the floor.
"Let me go, Torr. Why are you doing this to me?"
"You called us the enemy, Miko. You deserve to 
die just like this dragon does!" Torr shouted
and grabbed Miko's throat tightly with his paw. 
As powerful as Miko's muscular body was, he
still had trouble fending off the strangling attack 
of the wolf which knelt upon his fallen body, his
knee pressing deeply into his chest. Miko channeled 
all the strength he could muster into his fist
and punched at Torr's nose as hard as he could. 
Torr shook off the stinging sensations and
increased the grip around Miko's throat. Meanwhile, 
Cyrrus was overwhelmed by the onslaught
of soldiers that seemed to keep coming towards him. 
Only a small handful of soldiers sustained
fatal injuries, but the majority of them still 
lurched their spears towards the dragon. The strength
of his scales were barely enough to fend off 
the attacks, but no matter how painful the sharp
points of the spears felt, he held back everything 
he could to keep his fire breath to himself. He
kept swishing his tail madly, trying to fend off 
the soldier's attacks, and took a quick glance at
his lover on the floor being choked by the wolf's 
strong grip.
"Leave him alone!" Cyrrus yelled and drew his tail 
back. Before Cyrrus had a chance to strike
Torr with his tail, he felt a sudden, sharp pain
in his throat. His eyes fixed on the ox that appeared
before him to deliver the fatal attack with the 
long, sharp spear, which went through Cyrrus's
throat and stuck out through the back of his neck.
"AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH!" Cyrrus screamed and 
threw his head back. He
pointed his muzzle straight up, and could not resist 
howling in sheer pain. As he tried to remove
the spear from his throat, a stream of fire left 
his mouth and caught the loft of the barn ablaze.
"Fire! Fire! Retreat now!" Marlo hollered. Immediately, 
the remaining standing soldiers
scrambled to rescue their injured allies and carried 
them to the safety of the open field outside the
barn. The fire quickly spread over the entire roof 
of the barn and began to catch the sides of the
structure, followed by the sweep of fire across 
the dry hay-lined floor. Torr gave Miko's body a
swift kick with his foot paw before dodging the 
towering flames that shot up in front of him like
fiery walls. Using his speed and his vast leaping 
skills, Torr sprung for the doors of the barn, just
as the entire exit engulfed in flame. From inside 
the barn, Miko rose from the floor and coughed
heavily from the combination of having his breath 
squeezed from his throat and the rising smoke
and fire in the barn. 
"Cyrrus! CYYYYRUUUUUS!" Miko cried as he saw the 
dragon lying motionless on the floor.
The flames moved in closer to the couple, and in 
a weak tone of voice, Cyrrus spoke.
"Get....get out...save...yourself."
"No, Cyruss. I want to stay with you."
"You...can still make it. I...I'm finished here. Go."
"No!" Miko screamed and latched onto the left 
hind leg of his beloved dragon tightly.
"Whether we live together or die together, we 
remain...together!" Miko shouted as the roof of the
structure began to collapse and fell onto the 
floor, catching more of the barn floor on fire. Miko
squinted his eyes and tried to see through the 
smoke and moisture in his eyes, and could barely
make out the outline of the last vision he would 
ever see before leaving his life as a hard-
working, fighting fox.
"I....love....you....Cyr...." Miko uttered 
listlessly. The life of his beloved dragon ended too soon to
hear a reply, and it wasn't long before Miko's 
spirit joined his side in the spirit realm. He fought
the toughest battle of his life when he had to 
let go of his best friend, and now, the recoil of their
falling out went up in a blazing flash of fire 
that took the lives of a loving couple that once hated
one another, but through the midst of the 
differences and the hatred between both races, two
beings from opposite worlds managed to come 
together to find love. It was love they found
together, and after a brief moment later, 
faced their death together. Nobody remained on the
Keegan's property as it engulfed into flames. 
Within the hearts of the Confederacy, he who lived
through one day shall rise to fight another, and
never wear the scars of loss from the battles of 
yesterday's past.

     From across the meadow, the Confederacy watched 
as the flames swallowed the entire
structure before slowly dying down. They celebrated 
amongst themselves for their
accomplishments of the dragon they brought down, 
and the lineup of troops quickly disbanded.
From the darkness of Spiritpoint, the figure of a 
muscular wolf stood desolate atop the large hill
overlooking the entire land. His duty was to protect 
the village, and he set out to do just that.
Deep down inside, he felt a slight tinge of remorse 
for having taken the life of the very fox that
was once his best friend, now became the remains of 
the smoldering soot and ash that the inferno
left behind.
"It's over...for all of us, it's over." Torr whispered 
under his breath and slowly backed down the
large hill, and headed back into Gorokk Village, 
never to speak a further word about his
accomplishment. 

The End. 

***This is the Free version of Miko's Fire. This story
has been truncated and made into a Rated PG13 story
for magazine submission, thus leaving
out a lot of detail, plus a longer epilogue (and not
to mention the "good stuff" that people like to read about
in furrotic stories.) To order the full printed 
manuscript, please contact the author at
sonicblu@yahoo.com***