Tails of Alpherion: The Fated Reunion

Okay brief...it'sgotfurries,magic,goodv.evil,characterdev,world building,jokes,violence.

ONE

Today is a special day for Samantha Snowfield. Not only is it the first day of a promising new year, Summerville U final exams are now upon them. This will determine the conclusion of her attendance after two full years. Samantha had just turned eighteen at the end of last year and she looks forward to being a responsible adult figure in the community. She had been working diligently on earning her certifications to become a Child Care Administrator. As of now, Sam possesses a quiet confidence. She tells herself that all of the hard work and studying will pay off for her come time for testing. Until then, everyone else on campus is more concerned about what they are going to do with a week-long break to kick off the month of New Spring.
While her peers are planning to find ways to spend their vacation away from the campus, she has yet to come up with any plans. Samantha did not mind the idea of staying put and enjoying the solitude. It is not as if she knows anyone well enough to go traveling with in the first place. Samantha typically goes out of her way to avoid mingling with other students, only because she feels that opening up to anyone will only distract her from studying and her goal to graduate. However, every so often, Sam did wonder if she would ever make time for at least one friendship. Especially since she let so much time go by without introducing herself to anyone besides her roommate a couple times.. Dealing with low self-esteem and insecurities really put a damper on her social life.
The alarm suddenly goes off on her dresser and Samantha slowly pokes her snout out from under her heavy blankets. After testing the temperature with her nose, she pokes out her arm and swings for her alarm clock until she accidentally smacks it onto the floor. Flustered, she pops her head out and scoops up the clock, shutting it off and then releasing a sigh of relief. She adjusts the strap to her tank top and then gets up to peek outside of her room, peering through the crack of the door. Everything is quiet and still, but even so, she sniffs the air once more as if to check for any signs of life. As she expects, Samantha is in the dorm alone, once again. Fortunately, this means that Sam can parade about as she pleases and she takes full advantage of this moment. Sam rushes to gather her things and prepares to take the longest shower she can stand. For most of her time at Summerville U, Sam had enjoyed the luxury of having the space to herself. It wasn’t until about six months ago when Samantha began sharing her room with another student by the name of Najera Whitemane.
Samantha dances and sings with reckless abandon within the security of the bathroom walls. With the freedom of not having an audience, Samantha turns up the volume to her imaginary solo while soaking up the hot water. Once the concert comes to a conclusion, she gives herself a vigorous shake, hops out of the shower, and strikes a sassy pose in front of their foggy bathroom mirror.
“Thanks to everyone who came to hear my concert!” Samantha quietly projects as she pretends to yell over the sound of a cheering crow.
Samantha quickly grabs the nearest towel and tries to finish drying off. However, as soon as she starts drying her face in the mirror, Sam hears the door handle wobble. It sends a shock of fright down to the tip of her soggy tail. In her head, she thought she locked it behind her, but that was not the case. All Samantha can do is jump back and yelp as the door swings open. On the other side is none other than her mysterious roommate Najera Whitemane, who stumbles inside the bathroom and shuts the door. Najera’s eyes are barely open and she fans her way through the heavy mist and plops down on the edge of the bathtub. At this moment, Samantha is utterly lost for words, but then, so is Najera. She simply sits there staring off into space, unaware that Samantha is standing a couple feet away from her.

“Jera?” Sam’s instincts kick in and she knows exactly what’s about to happen.
Without any prompts from Najera, Samantha lifts up the seat for Najera to barf just in the nick of time. Though she saves herself from witnessing the contents of Najera’s stomach fill the bowl, the smell is just as bad. A pungent odor of sugar, bile, and alcohol waft within the bathroom. Sam covers her snout while turning away from it all; her maternal instincts kick in and she goes straight to work. Sam paces out of the bathroom and then returns with a small cup of low fat milk. Once Najera takes a moment to breathe, she hands the cup to Najera, and begins to rub her back in small circles.
“Thanks…” Najera pants.
“It’s okay,” Samantha replies as she continues to rub her back.
It is no secret to Samantha that Najera is a party animal and reckless personality, but Sam knows better than to judge others. She was never raised to be critical of others. She also has faults of her own. When it comes down to Najera, Samantha does whatever she can when she returns this way in hopes that one day it will convince her to stop. Even though she did not know her very well, Sam still cares for her well-being. It is just something that she does instinctively. However, Sam admittedly feels way more comfortable around puking infants or children than puking adults who know better.
“My God, what have you been drinking this time?” Samantha gasps after failing to hold her breath for very long.
“A few shots of Caged Fury, uhm…two cans of Tropical Thunder…or were they called Tropical Summer? I can’t remember the re—” Najera starts to puke yet again.
Sam swiftly takes the cup away from Najera and sits it on the tub next to her thigh. That is when she notices the huge wet spot on Najera’s backside and shakes her head with pity.
“Damn, Sammy, you should’ve been there to see it…I stole the show!”
“What show?”
“The crowd…they loved it…they loved it so much…they begged me to stay…for the after party!”
“Oh, you performed?” Samantha peeks out the bathroom door to see Najera’s guitar case lying against the couch.
“Guess I overdid it a little…”
“Well, from my point of view, I’d say that it was a lot…” Samantha sighs. She steps back and turns to leave the bathroom to dry her hair in her own room.
“Hey…” Najera calls out to Samantha, stopping her at the door.
“Yes?” Samantha turns to look over her shoulder.
“Is it just me…or have we done this song and dance before?” Najera asks her.
“This makes three times now, yes.” Sam replies feeling a little dejected.
“Damn…sorry ‘bout it.” Najera sits back and props herself up against the edge of the tub to stare at the ceiling.
The room still feels as if it is spinning to her and she closes her eyes. Samantha accepts her apology and heads straight to her room. She concludes that it will be easier to concentrate on drying off in there without the stench of vomit ruining her appetite for breakfast. Before she starts, Samantha hears Najera suddenly cussing for no apparent reason, but then remembers the giant wet spot on Najera’s butt and tries not to giggle. Sam then reprimands herself for laughing because she could have easily informed Najera about it prior to leaving.
Najera Whitemane came all the way from the Northern Territory to go to school here in Summerville. Najera transferred to Summerville University after getting into trouble her first year at her last school. She was only older than Sam by two years, but very immature and hardened by the harsh lifestyle she grew up in up north. Samantha assumes that it must be tough for Najera to adjust to being around so many new faces and species besides her own. There are not many Wolf Faunians like her who settled in the Western Territories. However, it does bring Najera some relief that she has Samantha as a roommate during her stay in Summerville U.
Najera finishes cleaning up her disaster as soon as Samantha steps out of her room, fully dressed and ready for the day. Samantha helps to escort Najera to her room and lays her down on the bed. She takes off her wet pants, and shirt in that order and covers her with a couple layers of blankets.
“Aye…thanks for the assist, friend,” Najera mumbles, her eyes barely open.
“Oh, it’s nothing really. This is sort of what I’m going to school for after all,” Sam replies jokingly.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” Najera replies weakly while fidgeting under the heavy blankets. “Hey, Sam, what are yuh planning to…do for Spring Break?” Najera asks out of curiosity.
Sam tucks the blanket under the mattress and stands up with a sigh. She never considered doing anything besides lounging around or reading books. She had seen posters and flyers of all the events that will be held both here and in neighboring cities. Some of them spark her intrigue but not enough to go out alone, especially with the looming danger of hostile and inebriated faunians.
“I haven’t planned anything yet…let me go get you a wet rag and some water,” Sam suggests as she leaves the room. Sam then comes back and puts the cup of water on the nightstand as she watches Najera sleep for a few seconds.
“You’re such a wild animal, Jera. I pray one day you give this stuff a rest,” Sam thinks to herself before leaving to go visit her mentor at the city orphanage, called Honey Grove.
…

Samantha steps out beyond the ornate gates of the university and takes a huge breath of fresh air. The morning sun is beaming and the temperature is perfect for outdoor festivities. Samantha begins her day by deciding to pay her old home a visit. As she walks along the cobblestone sidewalk, she briefly takes a peek inside the windows of a few roadside shops. Each one displays an assortment of various consumer goods, designer clothing, and tempting treats. As she continues further down the sidewalk, the combination of rustic and modern design always catches her eyes. Sam dreams of one day owning a home of similar design along the city outskirts, but for now, she is content with the housing the school is providing. Eventually, Samantha arrives at a bus stop and patiently sits down on one of the sheltered benches.
To pass the time, Samantha positions her tail in her lap and starts running her fingers through it. She considers it as a soothing mechanism to distract her from the idea that others are watching her. After a few minutes pass by, she turns attention to the cars passing by on the street. The idea of being behind the wheel of something so big and fast fills her with too many bad thoughts. Luckily, before her overactive imagination can plague her with worry, she hears the familiar sound of the bus rumbling towards her.
Finally… she thinks to herself, sprouting up from her seat and adjusting her long skirt.
Normally, Samantha will spend her afternoons working at the orphanage once she finishes classes. However, since she did not have to worry about those for a week, Sam figures that today will be a fine opportunity to stop by early and say hello without the clamoring of kids everywhere. Plus, it will be a nice surprise for Mrs. Benton; they will have a chance to chat and check in on each other without interruption.
Mrs. Ursa Benton is the Founder of Honey Grove Orphanage in Summerville. For Sam, Ursa has been a model parental figure throughout all of Samantha’s lifetime. Not long ago, Samantha was also an orphan here just like them. Normally, the aim of the program is to have the children acclimated with new families at a young age. Sadly, there are a few exceptions that fall through the cracks. Samantha is one of the few who never got the luxury of meeting a new family.
The emotional and psychological toll this left on her made her timid and insecure. As she got older, she began to tackle her flaws and insecurities by masking them or creating distractions. Luckily, despite her issues, Sam was able to mature into a responsible young adult. She made it through high school with honors and got admission to the school of her choice, allowing her to stay close to home. Her reasons for staying within Summerville are simple; she couldn’t bring herself to leave behind the children who will ultimately end up like her, unable to find a new family to call their own.
Samantha’s bus comes to a halt at her stop and she wastes no time in getting off and pacing towards the black iron gate. She opens the latch and takes a deep breath before shutting it behind her. Something about walking up the limestone steps always fills her with a sense of desire and determination. This is definitely the place where she wants to be. No matter what life tries to throw at her, she will do everything in her power to make this place her dream job.
“Hello, Mrs. Benton!” Sam greets Ursa after peeking her head inside the office.
Ursa flinches from behind her desk before looking up to see Samantha smiling back at her. She smiles in return and stands to her feet. While making her way over to greet Samantha, she always makes it a habit to stand on her tip-toes to hug Ursa. It was the only way to get her arms over her shoulders to give her a nuzzle. Ursa would just laugh and squat down just enough for Sam to actually reach. It’s just one of the many ways Samantha tries to make light of her lack of height.
“Oh goodness, girl, look at you today! You look so radiant.”
“Thank you…” Samantha blushes.
“Are you excited for the beginning of New Spring?” Ursa asks.
“Yes, ma’am, I sure am…” Sam clasps her hands together. “I’m more excited about finally working here full time.”
“Is that so?” Ursa smirks while walking back to her desk with Samantha in tow. “There’s no need to rush,” she adds before taking her seat.
“I really want to do the best I can to give back everything you gave to me,” Sam says endearingly, taking a seat as well.
“Sam, I know that you are willing to do everything you can to succeed here, but please don’t feel as if you owe me anything in return for taking care of you.” Ursa tells her as she straightens her desk. “Taking you in was the first time I felt privileged to care for a child, rather than it being a profession. Finding you…that forever changed the way I operated as a Childcare Specialist.”
“Oh…” Samantha stares at the floor feeling overwhelmed with modesty.
“Look, what you want to do here is a noble action. I would choose you over anyone a hundred times over. However, I want you to make sure that working here is not just some obligation…but a passion.”
“I understand…” Samantha combs her fingers through her tail again. “Still, I cannot wait until graduation. After this week's over, there will be finals,” Sam claims emphatically. “Right now, I know that my grades are great, but if I ace these upcoming final exams, then I can be honored as an Alpha Majority,” adds Samantha, trying not to let the doubt fill her head despite knowing how capable she is at her field.
“Just do your best, Samantha. I will be proud either way. Speaking of which, do you know who else is ready for you to finish school?” Mrs. Benton inquires.
“Who is that?”
“Abriel! She’s missed you ever since you left for the University.” Ursa lowers her tone as if trying to be secretive.
“Oh wow, that is right…” Samantha recollects.
“I know you two hardly see each other anymore,” Ursa comments.
“Yeah, that’s true…we’ve both been pretty busy.”
“She does still ask about you on occasions. She’s been hard at work with her gymnastics training.” Ursa tells her.
“I wish I could see how much she has improved…” Samantha sulks.
“I think she’s also preparing to audition for the Summerville High School gymnastics team and their cheer squad as well.”
“Oh my God, are you serious? That’s wonderful for her! I hope that she studies hard and breezes through high school as easily as possible.” Sam laughs.
“Well, you know Abriel. She will buckle down and be serious only when she must. But I will see to it that she doesn’t cut any slack, especially if she claims to follow in your footsteps,” Ursa tells Samantha, letting it be known that she is the one Abriel endears more than any other.
“Hmm, perhaps I should try to find time to spend with her during this break period…” Samantha utters quietly, trying to avoid eye contact. “If it is okay with you, could I go see the infants for a while?”
“Sure thing…I think that Nora Jean is tending to them now in the nursery.”
“Just Nora?”
“For now, yes. Vivian should be showing up shortly.” Ursa cut her eyes, signaling this is not the first time Vivian has inconvenienced her.
“Then I will sit with her and help until she comes in…” Sam offers before taking her leave.
…

After Sam spends the rest of her day interacting with the infants and listening to Nora Jean’s misadventures on her family’s farm, she eventually heads back to campus. By the time she makes it to the campus grounds, she notices that quite a few students have already left for the week. Some were likely going to party, while others were probably returning home to see their families. Samantha considers what it would be like to have somewhere to return to. A place where someone is waiting for her. Instead of letting her mood spiral into the gutters, she takes a deep breath and gives thanks for the wonderful loved ones who are like a family to her in Honey Grove.
Samantha finally makes it to her room and can hear a faint sound coming from behind the door. She assumes that Najera is up now and enters the room to find Najera stretching out on the couch, seemingly watching television.
“Najera, are you awake?” Sam asks, quietly closing the door behind her.
“Yeah…I’m awake. What’s up?” Najera responds. Her voice is a bit craggy and she tries to clear it while rustling around under a blanket.
“How are you feeling now,” she asks sympathetically.
“As cool as a wet nose…” Najera jokes weakly. “Yo, c’mon over here and sit wit me. I ain’t had nobody to talk to all damn day…” Najera insists as she pats her hand on an empty spot for Sam to sit.
This catches Samantha off guard. She never really communicated with Najera very much in the past. They speak to each other or ask general questions, but they never sat to have a genuine conversation before. Samantha knows that she must poise herself to make the most of this interaction. Talking may not be her strong suit, but she considers herself a great listener. So, her plan is to simply remain quiet and only speak when she has a response. The plan sounds foolproof to her, so she fills herself with inner determination and paces over to the couch. When she sits down, Najera digs in between the cushions and fishes out the remote for the TV.
“Here, you can find something you like. I feel as though I can never find anything on television that holds my attention,” says Najera as she hands over the remote to Samantha.
“Oh, it’s okay; I rarely watch any television either…I use it to put myself to sleep.”
“Yuh don’t? Then how else do yuh spend your downtime?” Najera glances at her curiously.
“I usually read, study for tests, eat out at my favorite food dives, and uhm…sing to myself when no one’s around.” Samantha mumbles at a lower tone than the rest of her statement. “I also volunteer at the orphanage I grew up in…” she informs Najera. “I forgot to mention, I’m a really big baking fiend…I’m just not that good at it yet.” Sam also shares with Najera.
“Whoa, hold up a sec…yuh grew up an orphan?” Najera gawks at her with astonishment. She never would have guessed that about Samantha, but now it makes sense as to why Najera never once heard Samantha mention anything about parents. She knew that Samantha would go out regularly during the week and then return before sunset. Najera thought she was simply going to work, but not as a volunteer in an orphanage.
“Uh, yeah…haven’t I told you that before?” Samantha replies, trying to belittle the idea so that she can change subjects.
“Shoot, if yuh did, I honestly forgot because it’s news to me now. So, for how long did yuh go without your parents?”
Samantha stares at her hands, realizing that she was going to have this conversation one way or another. With this in mind, Sam sighs softly and interlocks her fingers to tap her thumbs together methodically.
“Um, since I was born…I guess,” Sam sulks, feeling uneasy.
“I’m sorry if I caused yuh to have any bad memories…” Najera apologizes, swiftly picking up on her demeanor.
“Oh no, there’s no need for that.” Samantha mumbles.
“Yeah, but I just realized that's a prickly subject.” Najera rubs the back of her neck. “I gotta say though, all this time we’ve been dennies, it never occurred to me to sit and chat. I mean, yuh always looked preoccupied whenever I saw yuh.”
“Yeah, I…I thought the same thing about you.” Samantha smiles bashfully. “It is funny how things like that occur, huh?” Sam shrugs in response.
She makes a good point. When Najera arrived here, Samantha was extremely reclusive. Samantha had to learn how to acclimate fast on having a new roommate. With Najera around, Samantha now dealt with having to share the bathroom, or Najera barging into the wrong room by accident, of certain foods going missing when they were left in the fridge for later. It took some getting used to, but Samantha is known for having the patience of a saint.
Najera never took her studies seriously, and she would always focus more on trying to kick-start her music career. At times, Samantha would wake in the middle of the night to hear Najera plucking at the strings of her guitar or mumbling lyrics from the living room. It became obvious that Najera had no interest in attending school anymore as time passed, but she wondered as to why she continued trying even though she was technically old enough to live on her own.
“Hey!” Najera blurts, breaking Samantha’s train of thought.
“What! What is it?” Samantha says, flinching from Najera’s sudden burst of excitement.”
“I just remembered what I had wanted to ask yuh! How ‘bout you and I take a road trip together?” Najera proposes.
“A..road trip,” echoes Sam.
“Yeah! We can hit the road, find some parties, and get in touch with our inner wild side!”
“Eh…uhm. I dunno…” Samantha squirms meekly.
“Oh wait, was that too much?” Najera then tries to reiterate her statement. “What I mean is…we can uhm, just find somewhere kosher and chill. Yuh know, somewhere along your speed.”
“I uh…well it does sound nice.”
“Then will yuh go? C’mon, I promise you won’t have to do anything out of line, and I’ll steer you clear of any trouble. Is that a deal?”
Samantha takes a few seconds to consider the offer. Her fingers rake through her tail as usual. If this is going to be her final year attending school, she should at least take this opportunity to experience what it will be like. There will be no time for moments like this once she’s in the real world. Since Najera is the one inviting her to hang out, she does not have to figure out what to do or where to go on her own. Plus, having Najera along with her is good for staying safe. Traveling with numbers is always a good strategy. The only thing truly nagging Samantha is if she can totally trust Najera with her safety. Will she be reliable when it comes to spotting threats?
“Well, I think I would love to go somewhere,but…” Samantha pauses.
“But?” Najera frowns, expecting her offer to be rejected.
“To be honest with you, I am afraid to…only because I’ve been considered as naive to a fault by some. So I…I don’t want to be taken advantage of,” Sam reveals to her.
“Naive?” Najera folds her arms and scowls at her.
“That’s just me putting it lightly…” Samantha sulks, shriveling up her posture.
Najera suddenly sticks out her hand toward Samantha and offers for her to accept it. Sam stares at her for a second and then back at her hand. Her gesture seems genuine, but Samantha finds herself getting distracted by the thoughts in her head, telling her that she will be foolish to trust her; they will have nothing in common and the trip will turn out to be a disaster.
“If you’re saying that you need a friend you can trust, then I’m your female. Believe it or not, I have trust issues too, but I can be the most loyal mate you ever had in your life…wait, uh, you know what I mean, right?” Najera stammers from embarrassment. “I uh…just know that I ain’t gonna leave yuh stranded or betrayed, ‘kay?”

Samantha finally smiles before taking Najera’s hand and shaking it gently.
“Don’t worry, I know what you mean.” Samantha replies with growing confidence. “It’s a pleasure to finally make friends with someone here for a change.” Samantha covers her snout to hide her blushing, but her tail wags with enthusiasm.
“Likewise, my new beastie! So, now we gotta start planning where we're gonna go?”
Sam glances up at the ceiling as she thinks of places for them to visit. The weather is getting warmer, so something outdoors would be ideal. She also must consider things that will hold their interest. After a moment of silence, the perfect idea suddenly dawns on her.
“I may have an idea…”
“Let’s hear it?” Najera perks up and sits straight.
“Have you ever gone to a beach before?”
To be Continued


Samantha Snowfield