The cool night air ruffled his shirtsleeves pleasantly, as the cheetah slipped easily into the crowd, blending in effortlessly. Which was quite a feat considering he was wearing leather pants and a flowing white shirt, as in the days of pirates. Kyle chuckled to himself, well pirates never fought the way he did, that was for sure.

He’d be willing to bet that every Furr in this crowd was armed, all except him of course. But many already knew that he was his own weapon, so most didn’t try messing with him. There might be a few stupid ones though, he spotted the punks that called themselves the “Lion’s Pride” rolling up on their bikes. He slipped back into the crowd and found a spot on a nearby wall to sit where he’d spot the whole thing without being noticed.

Kain’d asked him to meet him here, but (Kyle grinned roguishly) he hadn’t specified that he had to know exactly where Kyle was. He finally spotted Kain and raised an eyebrow. So that was the cat he was seeing, Kain hadn’t even told him about her, but he knew from his own sources that they’d been seeing each other for about a month now. He watched her large curious eyes and frowned a bit. She didn’t look like she belonged here at all.

Kyle made a mental note to watch her, those punks were looking a little greedy, and he needed to know if he would need to be the protector for her too.

Soon he got to find out as Jake led the Calico away from the two large Furrs on their extremely hopped up bikes. Kyle had never gotten into racing for a good reason, he preferred more even chances, besides, it would take away from his natural defenses, so he stayed around merely as Kain’s friend. He’d saved Kain’s skin on more than one occasion and he spotted Caitlin in the crowd also, near the front. She’d certainly have to patch the large tiger up later if his instincts were right.

The race started and he watched as the four mangy Furrs surrounded Kain’s calico, each eyeing her in a rather alarming fashion as they told her something that made her frown and look a little alarmed. Soon they were all distracted by the fighting though and he glanced back at Kain, watching his swordplay and smiling a bit at how far he’d come since he’d started it many years ago.

On impulse he looked down at the crowd for that gray rabbit, the Furr who’d started Kain on it all by telling him he couldn’t do it. He started when he found him among the crowd, near the edge. The old Furr looked exactly as he had many years ago. Kyle wondered why he was here; he hadn’t been to any of Kain’s races in a long time…

This must be an important one somehow. He looked back at Kain in time to see both bikes disappear into a warehouse. He looked down to find a filthy looking fox harassing the cat, his paw clamped tightly around the slender arm. They seemed to be egging her on, as she visibly got angry. He almost heard her objections from his distance, he made to go help her, afraid of what the punks would do to such an innocent, but as he watched she kicked the one holding her in between his legs.

So, she wasn’t all that helpless after all. Nice to know. They all looked up and Kyle looked also to find Kain exploding from the side of the building. Kyle’s eyes widened a bit. That was a new one. He winced a bit as Kain’s bike crashed down into the pavement, the rim scraping the cement.

Soon they were rounding the barrel and Kain was falling behind slightly, his wounds were getting to him, Kyle knew it, but he knew Kain’d get past that- he always did somehow. He started at a burst of fire came out of the back of the other bike and propelled it forward to an impossible speed. Kyle’s eyebrows rose in alarm, Rex’d put a one-stage rocket on the back of his bike. Pretty gutsy, but stupid, since he wouldn’t be able to turn.

He watched as Kain pressed a button and suddenly the bike leaped forward, swiftly gaining on Rex. Kyle frowned a bit. He knew Kain had nitros in his bike, but he didn’t get why he was able to gain so easily on the other bike. Rex must’ve forgone switching his bike to neutral, and now the idiot was straining his bike, and he was going to lose the race because of it. Kyle grinned as Kain inched forward and won.

He looked back down to the cat to find her being dragged bodily away from the race by Rex’s four stooges. He immediately hopped off of the wall; she couldn’t do anything if she wanted to, they’d learned last time she’d hit one of them and they now held her so that her agility wouldn’t help her. He was only a few Furrs away from getting to her when he spotted Caitlin nearby. He stopped in his tracks, and stood loosely to watch what would happen. Caitlin still had feelings for Kain, so it would be interesting how she would treat her rival. Never mind that Caitlin hadn’t gotten Kain back when there wasn’t any competition, her mind didn’t work that way.

He watched at she swiftly took care of them, and heard her turn down the cat’s thank you with “Its nothing, child, go see to Kain.”

He half smiled as he saw the cat frown a bit at that before she swiftly turned and hurried towards Kain. So she wasn’t quite up to Caitlin’s attitude, but she seemed too nice to compete with it so far.

Kyle grinned from ear to ear as he made his way casually over to Kain. This would make life fascinating for a while.

He got to Kain just in time to see Kain dragged from his bike. Kyle calmly held his place; it was a rare moment when Kain couldn’t fight his own fight, even in his current condition. He’d interfere if Kain got overwhelmed, as usual.

And he did, as a few minutes later the four punks came forward to help out their losing leader, he close-lined one of them casually and then set to dispatching the other three. Soon they were all finished, but not seriously injured and he spotted the cat watching him and smiled at her. She eyed him curiously then turned back to Kain.

Rex looked around and decided he was getting any more help. He deigned to make a corny parting comment and leave, but as his four “helpers” filed past the cat, one grabbed her ass. Even Kyle, who’d been watching her, was surprised by her immediate reaction. She instantly dropped the Furr with a knee to his crotch and then knocked him unconscious with a kick to his face. He spotted Kain’s surprise before he hid it and smiled. So he wasn’t exactly used to seeing that. She must usually be more sweet natured, especially since Kain had been seeing her this long.

He was soon distracted as he was ordered to hold back the crowd as Caitlin patched up Kain. Kitten (as he’d overheard Kain finally call her) sat by and held his hand, and he didn’t catch what they were saying as he held Kain’s eager fans at bay. Soon Caitlin was done and announced the rest would have to do done someplace else, as she had to take the bullet out of his leg. She bypassed Kain’s objections and finally Kain agreed to meet her back at his house.

Kyle offered to follow but Kain shook his head- the need for Kyle was done. He smiled. One of these days he’d like to be called to an occasion where his fighting wasn’t needed. He half smiled as he disappeared back into the crowd.

He looked around and found the gray rabbit watching the two and smiling a bit. He casually looked unerringly at Kyle- startling him, as he’d made no movement to betray himself. The gray rabbit simply nodded solemnly at Kyle, then disappeared into the crowd…

Kyle stood watching where the rabbit had been for a few moments before he shook his head clear it and left.

~ >^.^< ~ =^.^= ~

A couple hours later…

Kitten sat on the bed cross-legged and looked down at Kain quietly. He was patched up after all the drama involved with taking the bullet out of his leg, and was sleeping after all the blood loss and pain. They changed his sheets around him and covered him with a blanket. Caitlin had then left for her own home with specific instructions to call her when he woke up. Even after all the excitement today, Kitten wasn’t sure she wanted to go to sleep. She had this feeling in the back of her mind that she’d dream of Teffy again, and although she knew she was being silly- she hadn’t dreamed of him since that first time, but the thought was enough to discourage her.

She smiled softly at Kain, he looked so much less dangerous when he slept, his face soft. She couldn’t resist any longer and she slipped under the blanket to snuggle up next to him, wearing only the shirt she’d borrowed from his drawer. She felt his arm encircle her and she drifted off to sleep against her own will.

~ >^.^< ~ [/^.^\] ~

She awoke cuddled to him, just as she had been when she’d fallen asleep, with his arm around her and her bum snuggled up to his crotch. She soon found out what had awoken her with a giggle, he’d been nuzzling her neck gently, and she purred softly as he kissed a special spot under her ear that always made her melt.

She couldn’t resist any longer and soon she turned to kiss his blue-green muzzle, and nuzzle against him contentedly. She met his warm eyes with her own sparkling ones and she tugged on his blue ear mischievously. He dipped his head to kiss her, his love apparent in his eyes, although he murmured it against her lips anyway.

“I love you.”

Kitten kissed him back, her own feelings clear in her kiss, but she also vocalized it. “I love you too.” She felt it overflowing her heart and she snuggled up close to him, so happy and content. Soon his hands strayed and she felt his paw stroking her lower back and her tail. And just as she’d awoken the scene faded away slowly…

Kain watched her drift out of sleep, just as he knew she would. He’d felt her naked furr under his paw and hadn’t been able to help himself. He still had a bit the high from the race and with his blood high, he kept remembering what it had been like the first and last time they had made love. He nuzzled Kitten’s muzzle. He’d taken a huge chance today, taking her to the race, it was something he was afraid would scare her off, but it seems she liked it in her own way. He suspected it was mostly because he loved it so much.

She drifted out of sleep with a confused look and as she opened her eyes to find him staring at her warmly, she blushed. He smiled; it was an understandable reaction. They’d never slept together in the literal sense of the word. It was a very intimate act.

He licked her muzzle, which brought out a smile and he felt her own rough tongue as she licked his muzzle back.

“How are you feeling?” She looked down at his bandages with a slightly worried look.

He absently stroked her tail, causing her to start purring softly. “A little sore, but nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”

“Hmmmm. It’s hard to think when you do that, you know.” Her eyes drifted shut as she continued to enjoy his touch.

He grinned mischievously, the look carrying over into his voice. “That was the point.”

Her eyes popped open, revealing their darker color and instead of answering she leaned up and kissed him. This time she was the one who deepened the kiss. This time is was a slow sweet sort of lovemaking as they took their time and relearned each other’s body.

Much later they lay snuggled together, her snuggled up to his uninjured side once more.

“I was supposed to call Caitlin when you woke up.” Kitten announced lazily.

Kain chuckled, smilingly contentedly down at her and kissing the top of her head. “Well you will…She didn’t specify which time.”

Kitten giggled softly, but rallied herself to frown up at him. “She needs to look at the wounds again.”

Kain shrugged and closed his eyes. “Tomorrow morning is soon enough for that.”

Kitten sighed and nodded finally. “I suppose so.”

Having forgotten about her dream, Kitten drifted off once more, snuggled up to Kain, purring softly.