Burdens [Furry BxB]

Chapter 110 - Caution

He fox had started off a little later that morning than they had liked. While Roger had felt a bit better now, he was still very fatigued, most likely from the lack of sleep. His head was not pounding that day, thankfully, so it very well might have been getting better. Even Hunter was happy to hear that, although he was a little sceptical.

Roger had relayed all of the information and plans to the wolf throughout the week, but he made sure to go over them once more just to make sure they were on the same page when it came to the actual situation. They would make their way to the café early, grab something to drink or eat if they liked, and wait for the lion to show up.

This plan sounded decent to Hunter since he was feeling a bit hungry. They did not have time for breakfast since the fox had woken up a little later, and the wolf was tending to his sick friend.

Once the lion was there, he would message Roger a picture of himself, which, if Roger did not spot him immediately anyway, he would at least get an idea of what the lion looked like, so he could find him. It was then he could make a judgment call and decide whether or not his friend was a bit too shady to meet.

The situation was favourable. It was an open area with plenty of witnesses in case things turned sour. Even if the lion, though he did not think it would be the case, had some outside assistance to do something a bit more mischievous, the wolf would be there to defend the fox long enough that any bystanders that happened to be there could jump in and help.

He did not think the worst-case scenario would come about, but it was best to be prepared, especially with all the news coverage of suspicious individuals stealing children. Still, he had spoken to the lion before, and he had never given him any indication of being any such individual. That was always how it was, though, he thought to himself.

That was the worst case. What was the best?

Perhaps they would get along quite well and he would feel very silly for thinking such thoughts. That seemed a lot more likely, and he was already beginning to feel a little ashamed of how he was treating the situation. He shook it off, though. A simple trick of the mind, he told himself. It was always best to be cautious.

So in the event that he did not like the situation, he could always just message the lion and call it off, no questions asked. It was a good deal. Perhaps the lion had to be cautious, as well. The discrimination was there, and the fox was not innocent of it, but no one could control time. No one could control the circumstances of their birth.

Hunter seemed to be oblivious of such thoughts, though. He had seemed to be fairly excited at the prospect of meeting one of Roger's friends, even if he were just an online friend. There was not a hint of worry in his actions, no hesitations, and his demeanour seemed much friendlier than the fox gave him credit for. It made sense, though. Another friend of Roger's that could have been the wolf's friend was a very good prospect. He had so few, after all.

Such an innocent mind, Roger thought. Naïve, maybe. Perhaps, though, it was just the fox being paranoid. Only time would really tell.

They began their trek to the café. It was not very far away, but they took things slow. His body was still fairly sore from his ailment and he took his steps gingerly. His head did not hurt as much, and the painkillers were slowly beginning to kick in. The sooner they got to the café, the sooner he could rest, and perhaps get something in his stomach. It was unhealthy to just take painkillers and not eat something.

At a distance, he could see the mall. There was still plenty of time until the lion was due to arrive. The streets were empty that day, everyone else busy doing things elsewhere. It was a nice day out. The sun had been bearing down on them, and for some reason, seemed a little brighter than what the fox was used to. He consistently had to cover his eyes to look around.

The wolf did not seem to find any difficulty in seeing, so he led him along.

The mall was not far away, so it did not take much leading to get there. Once inside, though, he no longer needed to cover his eyes, so he was able to function once more. He did not actually need any aid before, but it was nice to have.

They made their way past the pet shop and found the café, though Hunter had really wanted to go into the pet shop. So many potential friends, he had said. The dogs inside had barked at him.

Before reaching the café, Roger had slowed down, and with a tap, he stopped the wolf. He said, "Let me go in first, just to make sure Greg didn't show up super early to catch us off-guard. I don't think he would, but you never know."

The wolf shrugged and stood rooted in place. Roger took this as permission and headed forward.

The café was how he remembered it had been last time, except a little more crowded. It seemed a few more of the teens wanted to get something there that day more than any other. Perhaps this was better for them. More witnesses, as it were.

He did not see any lions, which made it even easier for him. Still, a full-grown lion would have been easier to spot among all the youngsters.

Maybe had made a mistake. Greg would be incredibly out of place in that café. It might draw more attention than was really needed. Someone might ask questions that really had no bearing, but sometimes, they liked asking questions that were not really necessary.

He signalled to the wolf that it was all-clear. They found a table in the corner and sat there, ordered some drinks, and although he had wanted to get something to eat, he figured it was polite to wait for their friend, assuming they would even meet.

He heard soft whispering from the other customers in the area. He recognized some of the faces from the bleachers. He suddenly felt very annoyed, but he shrugged it off. Another day, perhaps.

The waited.