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(Warning: the following letter describes a very disturbing suicide; if you are a very sensitive person, please do not read this one)

Dear Papa Bear

I only recently learnt about you, and from what I can tell, it'd have been very helpful to know a lot sooner. But, I suppose you play the hand you're dealt, make the best of it and all that. I apologise in advance for taking up you time and there's a couple things some people could find triggering in here, so be warned.

For me, everything started about six years ago. I had just got into high school and made friends with a couple guys who were in university. You know, make friends with older, university guys who are all into the same geeky things as you, because your parent decides to send you to a sport focused high school where you get bullied for liking geeky things. Or, that's what I thought at the time anyway. They were really nice guys and we became very good friends over the next three years.

There were 2 guys in particular I grew very attached to. Like a father-son/brother kind of relationship. Riaan and Danie. We were almost always together. Either I was with them after school and in the evenings, or I sat in Skype calls and chat rooms with them. Inseparable, you could say.

Riaan always said it was like having a younger brother, and he liked that. Partially because he didn't have much of a family. His mother and father hated him, his siblings were continuously told he is the worst of the worst, he didn't really have a pleasant upbringing. Add in the fact that he was severely depressed and often suicidal, cripplingly self doubting and loathing, and had severe anxiety and you have a recipe for disaster.

Danie had an abusive father who slept with everything that he couldn't drink, smoke or snort. His mother ended up grabbing him and his brother and leaving. Socially awkward, shy, and nervous, sort of your typical nerd.

And then there's me. Father cheated on mother, ran of with his mistress to Tanzania and disappeared. Single mother left trying to raise two kids with the father only caring enough to help when convenient for him. Socially inept, awkward, nervous, permanently stressed out and mildly depressed even at the best of times.

Some of our other friends used to joke that we were pretty much just one constant self help seminar. Gave us three a nickname I can't remember. But it was ok. We were happy with the way things were, and we wanted to keep things that way.

Everything was fine up to that point...

About 3 years ago, I was in my second last year of school, I ran over to go visit Riaan at his little student flatlet. Thought we could finally marathon the resident evil movies, like we'd been saying we should. Funny that I have a really bad memory because of a head injury I got when I was 3, but I can still clearly remember everything about that night, right down to what magazines and games he had laying on his desk. Anyway, walked in, everything was dark, thought a bulb blew or something. I walked in on him sitting in his shower, hunched over. He had gone and taken his father's shotgun, the same one his father took on hunting trips to the Karoo to hunt springbok.

I yelled, but nothing, just a loud, sharp ringing in my ears followed by a shower of red. You'd be surprised how loud it actually is.... I can't really remember what he looked like, but I can still clearly remember the grotesque rose on the wall, where every chunk of brain, bone and blood landed. How he sat before, where he fell after. It's this permanent horror still burnt into my eyelids, always there the minute I close them.

No notes, no reasons, nothing. His parents arranged a “private funeral” and dumped what was left in an unmarked grave so it could be forgotten.

That's when things fell apart. I stopped caring. Danie stopped caring. We gave up. Eventually we forced ourselves and each other to move on. We bottled everything up, pretending we were ok. It worked, for the most part.

They all finished their courses, got jobs, I finished school and went off to college. Life went on.

Couple of months ago we found out Danie pretty much destroyed his liver. He was down and out for a while, barely alive and dropped off the waiting list unless he stays sober for at least one year.

Now I've got this constant feeling of dread hanging over me. I can't focus on anything or get myself to care enough, either. I think I've already given up without even thinking of trying to put up a fight and that's what scares me most. I just don't know what to do anymore.

I'm sorry about babbling on and taking up your time. I feel like a complete asshole dumping all of this on someone else and asking them to help, but at this point I've written this about a dozen times and chickened out at the last minute. So, I thought, what the hell, if you sit quietly in a corner, nothing will change. But I thank you for your time, and I'm sorry for taking up so much of it.

Sincerely,
Jean (age 20, South Africa)

* * *

Dear Jean,

That took real courage to write your story to me. I can’t imagine anything as horrible as what you went through when you witnessed your friend’s violent suicide. Please do not apologize or in any way think you are taking up my time. This is what I’m here for, although I have to admit this one may be out of my league. As you know, I am not a licensed psychotherapist. It might be clichéd, but have you sought one out? 

In part of your letter, you say that you and Danie moved on, but I don’t believe you have. Danie is killing himself with alcohol and you are deeply, deeply scarred. What Riaan’s parents did to the body is an insult to his memory. I understand what they did, but I won’t condone it.

All three of you are victims of a society that doesn’t accept those who are different. For a while, you found a solution by creating your own support group, but Riaan, sadly, fell apart and shattered that circle. Normally, when someone goes through a tragic loss such as this, I tell them to seek out support, perhaps go to grief counseling or a local support group of people who have lived through the same thing. In your case, however, I worry that this would just remind you of the trio you already once had, and that would just bring back sad memories. Nevertheless, educating yourself about the grieving process, which is unique when it comes to suicide, may help. Here is a website that has useful information. If you are religious, you might also seek out help from your local church or temple.

But there are several other things I would like to suggest you do, too.

First, make sure you are not blaming yourself for any of this. Riaan’s suicide is not not not not your fault. I’m not sure you’re feeling that way, but if you are you have to get that notion out of your mind.

Second, if you are feeling powerless, empower yourself by being there for Danie. This will help both of you.

Danie internalized his grief, and the result is that his grief manifested itself in alcoholism. You’re also internalizing your grief and damaging yourself in a different way. Have you allowed yourself to cry? Grieving is a catharsis that you must go through before you can continue with your life. You might also be angry at Riaan for what he did. That’s okay, too. Let it out. Yell, scream, shout out your anger. It doesn’t make you a bad person to be angry, and, once you let out that anger, you will feel much better and, actually, not feel so angry anymore. It is very unhealthy to keep grief and anger inside you. I cannot emphasize that enough.

The next thing you need to do is recognize that in life we often go through major transitions. I have gone through two of them: my attempted suicide at age 18, and the discovery, at 40, that I was gay. Both times, it was like I died and was reborn. Both times were extremely difficult for me, but I managed to emerge on the other side. Riaan’s suicide is like that. The breakup of your circle is like that. A phase of your life has died, but that doesn’t mean you are at the end of life.

You are in transition.

Recognize that you are in a transitional phase of life, not at the end of it. This feeling of dread hanging over you is the image of Riaan’s suicide repeating in your soul like a broken LP. 

The Buddhists have something called a 49th Day Ceremony. They believe that when someone dies, there is a 49-day period called the bardo that is a time between one life and the next. After the bardo the soul is reincarnated into the next life.

Although Riaan died three years ago, you can still perform a ceremony not so much for him but for you (and Danie). My suggestion to you is that you create a ceremony that is significant and specific to you. It should include two parts: in the first part, you commemorate the old life, and in the second part you celebrate the new. For example, you could take something that was Riaan’s or that signifies Riaan’s life in some way, tie it to a helium balloon, and let it soar far far away. Then, in celebration of the new life, you could, say, plant a tree in his name and let that tree’s new life represent his. After performing this ceremony for Riaan, guess what? Do the same for yourself. You need a rebirth, as well. Again, if you can convince him, get Danie in on this, as well.

Ceremonies are not an empty gesture. There is a reason that we have them in all religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions. They are a way of giving form to concepts and beliefs that would otherwise seem too abstract to us. They help us to cope with—and celebrate—the changes that are inevitable in life.

In essence, Jean, the reason you are feeling the way you are is because, despite what you think, you haven’t actually moved on and you haven’t grasped the idea of life and death as a transition, not an ending. With transitions, there is hope, while the idea of death as an ending offers no hope.

Embrace that life is in flux. Nothing really dies, sweetie. It just changes. It’s okay to grieve over the loss of what once was and to miss your friend, but please see that this is not the end of hope. There is always hope, love, and rebirth; they are as much a part of life as death is.

Hugs,

Papabear

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Rare Replay released on the Xbox One today, and includes five short documentary videos about five games in development by Rare that never saw the light of day as fully-fledged games. Some of them sounded quite furry!

The games that can be previewed are Sundown, The Fast and the Furriest, Kameo 2, Black Widow and Tailwind. Unfortunately, the actual video clips of these unreleased games aren't available yet, because no one has unlocked them all yet! As soon as we get videos of them all, we'll update the story. For now, we have these screenshots from the short preview videos attached to the games, courtesy of Kotaku.

Black Widow

Black Widow looks like a primarily vehicle combat driven game, without a lot of furry influence save for the "mech's" close resemblance to a spider.

Sundown

At first glance, Sundown appears to be a horror game starring three teenage-looking undead creatures of some sort. This looks like a relatively fleshed out idea.

Kameo 2

Kameo 2 was probably closer to becoming an actual game than any of the others on this list, and looks like there was already a good set of concept art for the game, along with models and surroundings. I would love to see the different forms Kameo would have taken in this sequel and hope that info is included in the preview vid.

The Fast and the Furriest

No doubt this would have been a furry bonanza racing game. Looks like a game akin to Mario Kart of Sega All-Stars Racing. It's a shame this didn't make it to release.

Tail Wind

Probably the earliest in development game of the five, there's no clues as to whether this game's "Tail" Wind would have actually included anthro characters.

Update to Part 1:  “If there was a Museum of Furry, theatrical “Panto-Animals” would be a major exhibit.“ My first Panto-animal history article shared a discovery of amazing proto-Furry happenings, in an overlooked era of Pantomime theater in Victorian Britain.  Stunning photos show why the topic is worth uncovering.  From these scarce records, a handful of actor names stood […]

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“I was born to serve as a cog in a machine, a terrible and awful machine”

With just under four days left, there is still time to back artist John Mueller’s latest Kickstarter project to fund his comic, Oink. His grim and gritty tells the story of Oink, a pig man who resides in a city under the control of religious zealots who control his kind in a hellish Orwellian fashion. Described by the artist as a comic taking in many elements of his own experiences with the education system and how it’s often difficult for anyone who doesn’t fit the strict mould set out by it. The story of Oink is obviously very personal to the artist as it uses the extended allegory of the school system and takes it to screeching extremes making it both nightmarish and brutal.

First published over twenty years ago, Mueller has spent the last five years working the brutal and oppressively gloomy artwork for the new hardback Icon edition of his comic and from the from the samples shown on the Kickstarter, has developed into a much more confident artist with more ambitious panel composition. Oink is now 200% funded and with the success the artists hopes to fund the second and third volumes of his long running, which Mueller has “had mapped out in my head for the better part of 20 year”, of the series next year.

Jason Karlson: For those who didn’t read it the first time around, what is Oink about and how did the concept start out?

John Mueller: I began working on Oink in 1992. I had become interested in comics after reading Sin City, Judgement on Gotham, and Tell Me Dark. These were the three books that made me realize that I needed to be making graphic novels. I didn’t really think of myself as a ‘writer’ but I wanted to tell a story. The thing that everyone will tell you about writing is to write a story that is personal to you.

Oink is really a story about my experience in the public education system, which I referred to as the Public Slaughterhouse, a system where children’s dreams go to die. We all start out with these great ambitions as young kids and by the time the system is done with us we are trained to make practical career choices and not swing for the fences. What happened to being an astronaut, a president, or a scientist?

The system seemed to be designed to set me up for failure. I was bright, but I was not a math or science kid. I was artistic and a creative problem solver type, but nothing in the system seemed to value that very much. I received a lot of negative feedback at that time, and my grades were pretty terrible. I also had a hard time being contained in a chair for long periods of time, and I’m still that way today. I need to get up and move, moving helps me think and be creative. I spent most of my adolescent years believing what they were saying- that I was a failure. I would put myself in the desk for 8 hours a day and go home really sad and depressed. It’s like training wheels for a prison if you aren’t really succeeding isn’t it? People say ‘well that’s the real world.’ Is it? Is that what we’re teaching, obedience and apathy?

It really messed with my head at that age. Fast forward to Art School and I instantly became a 4.0 student and began feeling confident about my prospects in life. Why did I have to go through 12 years of feeling like a failure? I was just a round peg being jammed repeatedly into a square hole year after year. Under the surface, Oink is about that experience. The bad guy is my guidance counsellor who hounded me to NOT go to art school, he told me I was going to ruin my life.

JK: You also mention forging your own path as a theme of your work, since you started the original Oink, do you think there are a lot more routes for people wanting to get their work out there on their own terms?

JM: If this campaign proves anything, it’s that if you have a vision for your life, there is a way to make it happen in today’s world. I honestly never would have thought even a year ago that I would be as busy as I am with Skyshine and OINK, both crowd-funded, creator-owned projects and both doing really well within their respective fields. When I started out over 20 years ago none of this existed…meaning the internet. It’s amazing how quickly it has evolved, always seeming to make it easier for people to connect and find things they are interested in. So if you are a niche kind of artist like me this is the best it’s ever been.

JK: The project, redrawing Oink has taken a while and must have started before Kickstarter was even around, at what point did you know it was the perfect project for a Kickstarter, and what was the original plan to publish the new edition before this?

JM: When I started, I didn’t know what this project would be, there was no plan, just this desire to get back to my foundation. I just knew that I needed to do it. The original publisher had gone out of print and I was regularly hearing from fans who were asking me what was going on with the book. I started the remastering project in 2010, so I think Kickstarter was pretty new at the time. Kickstarter is the perfect venue for an artist like me, because backers look at not only your art, but also your story. My story is a comeback story and people seem to like those, at least I do.

JK: Did any parts of the story change in the time between the original and this version?

JM: Yes, I added quite a bit, and altered a lot of elements to set the foundation for the series going forward. OINK is connected to a larger world that I created called BEDLAM, which is sort of my own post-apocalyptic universe. My indie video game company Skyshine is producing a game set in that world…albeit a totally bonkers version. You can see the game on our website: http://www.gobedlam.com The game has mutants, marauders, Cyborgs, futuristic tech cities, and bizarre cults brought up in the ashes of our world…it’s like all the stuff I loved as a kid.

JK: This edition also features radically revised artwork, what lead to this decision after all this time? Were you worried about the reaction from fans of the original comic, and how do you feel about revised and edited comics in general?

JM: I love this edition; this is truly me as a fully evolved artist. I created the first book when I was 22 and I don’t mind saying that I was wearing my inspirations on my sleeve- Simon Bisley, Ted McKeever, and Bill Sienkiewicz. This new edition is really all me, for better or for worse. I wanted to update the book to reflect my growth as an artist. It kills two birds with one stone, I get to put OINK back in print and I get to show people who I am today. Most of the fans of the original series that I have talked to have been very supportive of this remastered edition. Regarding the idea of rebooted comics, I think when it is the original creator, I like it, but when it is for corporate interests I am not a fan.

JK: When you first started this, did you imagine it would be over 200% funded within the first few weeks, or did you have more down to earth expectations of it?

JM: I had pretty low expectations, I mean I was hoping it would resonate with people but it’s a dark science, these crowd funding campaigns…there’s really no telling. I’m ecstatic about the Kickstarter community embracing the project as it has, since OINK has always been a bit of a loner in comics. He just doesn’t fit into any genre or mold so I think the big comic news sites like CBR don’t know what to do with it, and it’s hard to stand out in a comic shop unless you are a monthly series…so Kickstarter…let’s do this!

JK: Your Kickstarter pitch mentions plans for the next two arcs of the Oink story as stretch goals, do you think you’ll find it strange to spend years on the first one, and suddenly be able to start work on the next two very soon after this one? Will those too be kickstarted when completed?

JM: I’m hoping to do another campaign for the sequel of Blood & Circus in 2016. These books require a lot of dedication and focus, so if I am able to do another book, I definitely want to produce it in a shorter time frame, but more of a full-time focus. I’m REALLY excited about its direction because it’s going to be so over-the-top with post-apocalyptic monsters for OINK to contend with. He will join a travelling circus with a bunch of freaks from Bedlam, so you can imagine it’s a great setting for some fun art and characters.

JK: Oink obviously features pigs, why do you think pigs are so often used in fiction like this?

JM: Pigs are probably most well known for their gluttony, just rolling in mud and being really fat and not giving a crap about anything but their own happiness. They are short-sighted, and can be devious to get what they want. I think it’s why they are so often used as an allegory for the fat successful politician or corporate CEO. With OINK, it’s more about the ignorant and misunderstood aspects of these animals. I sort of see the ‘masses’, of which I am one, as these misunderstood animals. The gluttonous fat cats think we’re all mindless consumers and they can do whatever they want to us and we’ll take and it and ask for more. When you look at the world it’s hard to not see the truth in that, but we all have a choice to ‘live the change we want to see in the world.’ I’m trying to do that in my own life and it’s been a rewarding experience. I don’t really spend much time trying to change the world around me but more of what’s going on inside myself. I’m happy for people who find happiness, and I want to help those who are struggling. I think that’s why I enjoy teaching art and working with young artists too.

Find Oink’s Kickstarter here.

Hey there! I need to draw -- But I don't know what! So, I'm gonna take requests to help build my portfolio up, and to practice. Which means it might not come out exactly like my old art; I'm trying to improve.

I'll take up to five people (No more, because then everything will take waaaaay too long) and I'll make sure to let you know how progress is going with your drawing. And if you have anything in mind (Scenery, pose, action, event, etc) please let me know beforehand in your original post! I won't draw porn, sorry.

I'll either contact you through: 1. Reddit; 2. FurAffnity; Or 3. Deviantart; All of my accounts share the same username (Slyoren) For simplicity reasons. If you want me to contact you through FA/DA, please put your username in your post :P

It's a first come, first serve kinda deal. So be quick! (Please post your requests as a comment, so others can see)

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Two days ago I met the strangest girl ever. She was strange because she was not a human like you and I, but she was a mix between a fox and a husky. Her tail was the tail of a fox, and her fur was short like a huskies. Her ears were perked up from the husky in her, and her muzzle was shorter than a normal foxes close to that of a humans. How I met her was a weird situation in the first place. When I was walking in the woods alone on a one night; there she was, just cuddled up in a ball on the forest floor. I knew she wasn't like the normal anthropomorphic animals that have woven their way into normal society like the rest. She looked different. When I approached her she had a cute appeal to her that the rest do not have. Maybe it was because she was sleeping in the shade and the sun reflected off her fur in the most beautiful way possible emphasizing the black and red fur that shined so brightly. I don't know why but this didn't seem the same as all the others. When I approached her I accidentally startled her by stepping on a twig that made a loud snap. She woke up in a stumbled manor her ears perked up and she turned to face whatever was coming close to her. When she saw me she looked fearful even though I am sure her jaws could rip through my flesh in a matter of seconds. When she looked in my eyes her tail went between her legs in fear and she scurried off as quick as her paws could carry her. Awed at the sight of her running away scared I just stood there watching her beauty run away from me. I didn't say anything or do anything but watch her run.

A couple days after that encounter I was walking through town buying some food for continuing my adventure a few days later, then suddenly I couldn't see anything and all I could feel were two furry paws on my face. I had no clue who it was that was doing this though, when I asked who it was a soft famine voice whispered "be quite, you will know soon enough." in a calm subtle voice then placed a bag over my head and dragged me along with me stumbling over the small rocks and things I could not see. After about 5 minutes of stumbling dragging, I heard a door shut and the bag was ripped off of my head. The room was not bright but some what dark.

When I looked around there was no one around me until I turned around to see her standing there like nothing weird had happened. She didn't look scared this time, rather she had a very curious look on her face. "It's you!" I said to her rather enthusiastically. "Yes, who else would it be? Are you a criminal or is someone out to get you?" she asked me in a very excited and curiously voice. "No, I am not a low life thief and no one is out to get me! What do you want from me?" I exclaimed in a mildly angered voice. "Well, I wanted to talk to you. Last time you scared me when I was sleeping. You know it is not smart to creep up on a sleeping animal they could be quite deadly." She remarked in a cheerful voice. "You didn't have to bag me in the middle of the market!" I remarked in a rather loud voice. "Sorry, I didn't know how to approach you in a way that would be easy for me or you, I thought you were someone who would freak out and hurt me or something mean like that. ARE YOU A STALKER?" She asked with a smirky smile. "Yes, I am your worst nightmare. I am the forest stalker. boohoohaa." I replied in a scary ghostly voice. I was only joking but when I looked at her she was quivering in the corner of the room. "Oh come on, I'm only joking I was looking for something that I lost in the forest a few days ago. It was in a spot around where you were sleeping." I said to her walking over to her to comfort her from my stupid joke. I knelt down and started to pet her on the top of the head. Her fur was so soft I could fall asleep laying on her. "Geese you are a meanie. Don't scare me like that." She said in a sniffling voice. "My name is Allen. It is nice to meet you." I said. "I'm Lucy." She said. "Well it is nice to meet you, Lucy. What were

you doing sleeping in the woods?" I said. "I didn't want to go home and I was tired and the ground looked so comfortable." Lucy said.

I stopped petting her head and then looked around the house, but there was not a lot there besides a table a chair and dishes in the sink. "Do you live here?" I asked still looking around the house. "Yes.... I live here but I don't like living here." Lucy said in a sad voice. "Why is that?" I asked curiously. "Well I don't like living alone in a house it feels weird." Lucy said ashamedly. "You don't have a husband or kids?" I asked curiously. "No, I've never been married or had kids. What about you? Do you have a wife to go home to?" Lucy asked embarrassed. "No, I only have a house that I don't stay at very much. It kind of does get lonely living alone eh?" I said "Where do you live then? You said you are not there that much" She asked. "I live very far away on the other side of the world in a little town named Equestria." I said like it was nothing. "What brings you out this far?" She asked. "I don't know I like to travel away from a small town and see the world." I said sheepishly. "Do you like seeing other cultures and other people?" She asked curiously. "Yes, In my town there are only humans, and a relationship between a human and a Keeshen like you is strictly forbidden." I said in a smutty voice. "Well that isn't much different from here. Here you can have a conversation with a human, but you cannot have a relationship with a human or have kids with them. Yes there is "that market"..... but few are in it and if word got out there were humans having intimate relations with a Keeshen boy would there be some trouble." She said. "Wow this is more exciting than the old boring town I am use to." I remarked "I bet it is, but when you are use to this it is not a big deal." She said blandly. I soon left her house after we talked for a little bit more. The next day we met at the market again by change (personally I think she just wanted me to pet her head again). After I did some exchanging for preparations for my trip we went to get a drink. While we were talking she found out that I was planning to leave tomorrow. "YOU'RE LEAVING TOMORROW!?" She yelled with her tail flaring up as she stood up knocking over our drinks and making everyone look at us. "Sorry to cause a commotion everyone" I said to the people around us. "Yes, I am leaving tomorrow. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal to you." I said chuckling a bit. I didn't think she cared that much I mean I just met the girl not two days ago for the first time rather than her running away from me in the woods. "Well I am a traveler. Umm well if you want, you could come along with me if that pleases you. It is only me traveling and it seems like you don't have anyone here to keep you from coming along." I said as I cleaned up my spilt drink. "Why would I come with you? We just met." She smirked. "I don't know I was only offering because I thought you would like to see the world I mean it doesn't seem like you have too many ties here." I remarked back to her trying to get another drink from the waitress. "Well you are a fool to think I would give you the honor of traveling with such a lady as myself." She snickered back raising her head as in such a royal manor. "You're such a lady? HA Ok then I am the prince of kindness." I joked. She didn't find my humor that funny and threw what little drink was left that she had in my face. "Well with that madam, I must get back to preparing for my journey tomorrow there are many things I need before I set way." I said as I stood up walking towards the door. "You only wish I wanted to go with you." She said as she chugged down my drink. After I left I went back to shopping for supplies I needed.

The next day when I was leaving town I heard someone calling my name from afar. Not thinking I kept going thinking they were calling for someone else. Out of no where I felt someone throw themselves on me knocking me to the ground. "What the hell was that for!?" I yelled as I turned to look at the person that was now laying on me. "You were just going to leave like that!?" Lucy yelled at me. "I thought you weren't going to come." I said. "I changed my mind." She said smugly crossing her arms and looking away from me like I wasn't in front of her. At this point I was happy I got to travel with someone, plus I thought she was cute too, But at the same time she just threw herself on top of me and changed her mind to leave her town to travel with someone she barely knows didn't sound so smart on her part. "Well I am glad you decided to come along." I said giving her a bright smile. "Where are we going?" She asked. "East. That's all I know. I don't really know nor do I care." I remarked. "Well that is stupid." She said smugly. "Yes it is, Frankly I don't care. I don't have anyone waiting for me back home, I don't have anyone they are all gone." I said blankly. "What do you mean they are all gone?" She asked. "Well I did have family but they left me a long time ago and I have not seem them for 6 years. I had a Girlfriend that I was with for about 3 years and one day she all of a sudden left me without ever saying goodbye. She never wrote anything on why she left or anything about us or something someone would say when they just up and leave you. She just left. I don't know where she went or why, sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if she stayed and never left me." I said in a depressed voice looking down at the ground. A few seconds later I felt something very soft and warm wrap around me. I looked up and she was hugging me tightly. "It's ok Allen, I am here for you now. I won't leave you. The same thing happened to me, I had family and I have not seen them since I was a little pup. One day they vanished and I never saw them again." She said hugging me tightly. She was hugging me so tightly I could feel her heart beat and her breathing. It was nice when she was hugging me she felt like a warm blanket and now I knew that I was not alone in the world anymore she was there for me and I was there for her.

A while later still in the town's limits we finally set off on our adventure. It was about mid-day when we finally left. I ate before leaving town, Lucy, on the other hand she chased me down and didn't eat. After the sound of her stomach making loud annoying noises that I pretended like I couldn't hear got to the point of annoyance we stopped and made a little quick camp to eat. "I'm starved, What's for lunch?" She asked. "You didn't bring any food?" I asked. "No." She replied. "Did you bring anything?" I asked. "Ummm" She said dumbly. "Did you bring any clothes at least?" I asked now dumbfounded. "Nope. I don't wear clothes that often only in public do I." She said bluntly. "Ummm, is that normal for a Keeshen to not wear clothing? I didn't pay attention to that in town." I asked now worried. "Keeshen's don't wear clothes that much it messes with our fur too much." She said. "Uhhh." I said. "Don't worry I don't mind if you see me naked, not like you will see anything my fur covers everything pervert." She said now suspicious. "Still. You walk around naked? And I'm not a pervert!" I said worried. "Relax everyone is use to it and if it bothers you so much mr. I will leave these clothes on." She said now disappointed she had to ruin her fur more just so I didn't have to be embarrassed.

A few days after we have been traveling for a while we were staying at a campsite we made for longer than normal just to wash up in the river and relax from traveling for so long. Lucy was in the river washing her fur while I was taking inventory of what was left of our supplies, or I should say my supplies that Lucy leeches off of. "Allen! Allen! Help me!" Lucy Yelled as loud as she could. I bolted to the river to

see Lucy in the water surrounded by two guys in cloaks standing on the bank of the river. "What do you want with Lucy!?" I yelled at them as I jumped into the water to protect her. "She looks like a good specimen for our..... trade" One of them said in a creepy deep muffled voice. "Back off she is with me" I yelled. "Oh? She is? She doesn't look like you own her. Is she your pet?" The other one said with a higher pitched voice. "She is not my pet!" I yelled back at them while protecting her as she quivered behind me. "Well what is she then if she is not your pet. Do you mate with her you filthy pig? You know humans and Keeshen could never have a kid nor is it allowed in the entire country!" said the creepy deep voiced man. "Yeah is she your mate?" said the high pitched man. "No! She is my travel partner! Now leave us alone!" I yelled. "Oh you sound so scary. Frank hold me." Said the deep voice. "You wish Vinnie." Said the high pitch voice. At this point they started to creep closer to us. I was backing up keeping as much distance as I could. "Lucy get out of here!" I yelled at her. "No! I won't leave you." She said. "Don't be a fool! Get out of here I don't want you to get hurt. I will find you when this is over." I said sternly. "NO." She said boldly. "GO!" I said in a fierce voice. She yipped in fear and ran off. Once again I was looking at her running away in fear running on all fours as fast as she could. This time she was soaking wet and there were no sunbeams shinning off her coat making it sparkle.

Once Lucy was safe out of sight I turned to the two creeps. "I will give you one chance to leave here without getting hurt." I said sternly to the two. "Oh no. Please don't hurt us Mr. We're so scared." The high pitch voice said laughing. "I warned you." I said. The two jumped at me and I bashed them with a big stick I found in the water that they didn't see me pick up when I was protecting Lucy. The fight did not last long. I got hit good a few times, but I got out of the water with bleeding cuts and bruises. The two were out cold on the side of the river. I just left them there. All that was on my mind was finding Lucy. I ran through the forest yelling for her trying to find her. I couldn't find her anywhere. Mad and scared I went back to the camp trying to find her. Finally before I got to the camp I found her quivering near a tree scared and wet. She was cold and damp. When I went to hold her she scratched me with her claws. My arm was bleeding now more than it was before. She looked up at me scared. When she realized it was me she busted out crying jumping into my arms. "Don't leave me." She said whimpering. "I'm sorry I didn't want you to get hurt." I said holding her tightly. "Come on stand up lets get you dried off, you are soaking wet still." I said to her. "Ok." She said still shaking. Soon I had a fire started and found something to dry her off with. A little later after her fur was dried off she sat next to me leaning against me. "Thank you, Allen. If it weren't for you I don't know what those creeps would have done with me." She said in a soft quiet voice. "Don't worry about it. It is my fault you are out here in the first place." I said petting her head. "Still, I am happy you were there for me." She said now looking at me. I looked at her back. Her eyes were twinkling from the light of the fire. She leaned in and we kissed. It didn't feel weird at all even though I was a human and she was a Keeshen. Later that night she crawled into my tent in the dark and scooted into my arms. The next morning we woke up and packed up after eating breakfast, and went on our journey to the east.

A day later we arrived in the town of Aserath and I got us a room at a tavern for the night. Later that day I went to the market to gather supplies to continue our journey further east. Lucy was out shopping too but she wanted some things of her own and I gave her money to get what she wanted. Later on after getting all the things I needed I walked back to the room and stored away the things we needed. I went

back out to get some information about people and things that I thought might be useful for our trip. And to see if I could make some money in the next town gathering things they needed. When I was out looking I heard a rumor someone said about a far off island way to the east that was a place where Keeshens and humans lived together and it was not a part of the kingdom so the laws of a relationship were not enforced. Not thinking much about it I carried on with my scouting. When it was later, I went back to the room and waited for Lucy to get back. A while later she got back and said she had a place she wanted to visit. I asked her where but she said she would tell me later on when the time was right. I took her out to eat that night and returned to the tavern later. We crawled into bed together and talked about the things we saw at the market, this was a bad idea on my part because she went on for a long time but I guess that is what girls so when you ask them. I woke up the next morning before Lucy did only to watch her gnawing on my arm. I don't know if this is part of being mates or if I taste good to her. It didn't hurt at first but soon she started chomping on it, I woke her up by blowing into her ear. She didn't like that at all, but it was funny to watch her ears flick around. We soon got out of bed and were on our way. Later on the trip when we were setting up camp for the night she said she had to go out in the woods for a little bit. She retuned about 5 minutes later with her clothes missing her fur scuffled and walking on all fours. "What the hell did you go do?" I said shocked. "I got in a fight with some birds" She said like it was nothing. "Now why did you go and do that? " I asked. "It looked tasty and I wanted to share it with my mate." She said in a wife like voice. "Oh that was sweet of you." I said smiling at her brightly, because I know she didn't catch it because she is too afraid to hunt but she tried her best for me.

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Dark Horse Comics have announced a new 5-issue mini-series written and illustrated by Scott Kolins (Flash, Avengers). In Adam.3 we meet Adam, a super-heroic young man who lives with his family on a tropical island. A most unusual island: Animals of nearly every species live there. They all talk, and they’re all Adam’s best friends. Well, that is until a mysterious and evil alien presence crash-lands on the island. It has the power to mutate Adam’s animal friends into very, very bad things. Check out the interview with the creator over at Comics Bulletin. Issue #1 of this new full-color comic arrives later this month.

image c. 2015 Dark Horse Comics

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