Balto and Nikki - Young Love

25. A Pleasureful Morning

It was a warm Saturday morning at Spaulding Lake. The sun came into the small, wooden house, which Nikki's father had bought not long ago. After he renovated it, this cabin by the lake became something like a love nest for Balto and his lovely girlfriend Nikki. It was her, who woke up first this morning. The spotted feline sat up straight in the wooden, queen-sized bed her father built. As she looked next to her, she noticed that her canine mate was still sleeping like a rock. This quiet moment gave Nikki the chance to let her thoughts circle the happenings of the last few weeks.

About two weeks have passed since the Howling Musketeers won the theater competition at the Minskoff Theatre in New York. Since then, Nikki and her friends at college are constantly being asked about the play, about New York and about humans. For Anthros, it still isn't so common to be around humans for an extended amount of time.

Nikki has had a few boys at her tail asking for dates since New York. The young cheetah's popularity has increased much, since the word of the Howling Musketeer's success made its round around the college campus. And not only hers. The other members also had their fair share of often unwanted attention. Love letters, questions for dates, even emails with dick pics and such stuff. Worse than that were the threats, which especially Miguel received. As a Mexican, he had his problems before with closed-minded individuals. Yes, Anthros can be racist, too. Even if they should know it better than, well, humans.

Good for Miguel that he doesn't have to face these threats alone. With the Musketeers, he has friends by his side. No, more than friends. Family. And maybe even more than that. At least, there are rumors around campus that he was seen kissing a certain Bengal cat on more than one occasion. Angelike seemed to have found enjoyment in the Mexican Wolf, whose talents with yarn and needle, and also his skills with the guitar, are a very useful asset to the group.

Raphael and Svetlana admitted that they have fallen in love and are now an official couple.

Gabriel, Jonathan, Thomas, and Joseph remain single to that day, and somehow enjoyed the attention they got from some girls at the college. Well, for Jonathan it was sometimes a bit annoying, since he is more into boys.

Yesterday, Balto and Nikki were invited to the home of one of Balto's friends from school. A white tiger boy named Antu Strife. The special thing about him is, that he has a human father. Well, Mr. Strife is not his biological father. This good man adopted Antu and moved to Darwin's Hope with him a short time ago. Mikey also visited the tiger that day. The nerdy gray fox entertained his audience with stories about comics and superheroes. They all had a wonderful evening with good food and karaoke. Nikki was a bit suspicious about Antu's father and his motives at first, but after she knew him better, she saw many parallels to her father. Like him, Mr. Strife is a former soldier. That way, the two had something to talk about during the evening, whiles the boys played together.

After this lovely evening, Nikki and Balto drove to the cabin by the lake. It was already dark, as they arrived, and it didn't take long until they both went to bed.

But now back to the present day. Nikki yawned, while she watched her boyfriend sleeping. Soon, they will celebrate their two-years anniversary. Two remarkable years, in which they both shared good and bad times, joy and sadness, fear and hope. They learned how to be there for each other, that a relationship is more than just sex. Our feline had to smile, as she carefully caressed Balto's head. He had grown since that night he committed his love to her. In more than one matter.

Nikki stood up, picked up her shirt from the floor, and moved into the kitchen. There she made herself some coffee and cocoa for her wolf. While she was in the kitchen, she noticed that there was everything here for making some pancakes. Well, Nikki can do many things, but cooking isn't much her thing. That is usually more something for Balto. Nikki called Christa, Balto's mother, for help. Under the white she-wolf's guidance, the cheetah was able to make breakfast for her lover. The smell of fresh food finally woke up the little wolf. Following his fine nose, he walked into the kitchen, where he was welcomed by his girl.