(Who doesn’t love purty boys with wings and fur?)

“I’m free!” Jonathon yelled, sprinting out of the antique mart he worked in. “See you tomorrow, Paul!”

“Good night!” Paul called after him, laughing. Jonathon grinned at his best friend before allowing the heavy door to slam behind him. Work really wasn’t that bad, now that Paul was there with him. The short, skinny blond had a way of making everything seem a whole brighter and better than it was.

But all thoughts of work be damned! Tomorrow was the start of his vacation, and Jonathon wasn’t going to waste any time remembering the dark, dank room he spent most of his summer days in, working his ass off so he could afford this canoe trip.

Canoeing! Who would have thought Paul, Mr. I’d Rather Stay Home and Read a Book, would have suggested we go canoeing this summer? Jonathon shook his head in wonder. He had known Paul for the best of the two years, since they were fourteen, and still the kid surprised him.

Well, he supposed that that was what Paul did best. Jonathon was completely open and guileless, much to his own discomfort. He looked like the goody-goody boy next door, tall and with a slight build, a little tanned, with wavy brown hair and plain brown eyes. Paul looked the part of the mysterious, fey freak: pale blond hair, almost violet eyes, skin white like paper and he had such a quiet, unassuming manner that most people completely overlooked him unless he drew attention to himself, which wasn’t often.

The wind picked up suddenly, with an autumn harshness. Jonathon shivered and looked around in surprise. Why had it gone so cold for a minute?

He gave his surroundings a hard look. Nope, nothing here. Just streetlights and shadowed houses, bushes and a- a blue-furred freak of nature?!

His mouth fell open as he stared into the dark purple, slit-pupil eyes of what appeared to be a boy his age with blue fur lightly dusting his face and arms. Dark blue, bat-like wings were hunched behind the slender shoulders, and the delicate hands had claws. He caught a glimpse of a curling tail as the creature walked closer, away from the house he’d been leaning against so casually. Jonathon felt a sense of total unreality fall around him as he realized the creature was wearing jeans, a black t-shirt, and Nike’s.

This cannot be happening.

Unfortunately, it was, and the creature was getting closer. As Jonathon stared in complete disbelief, it stopped a few feet from him and asked, “And you are?”

The voice was mellow, somewhat high for a boy’s voice, and guarded. But that wasn’t what had caught Jonathon’s attention- when the creature spoke, he had seen very sharp, very pointed incisors.

I am so out of here.

Jonathon let out a tiny “eep” sound of fear and bolted, running for his life. He heard the leathery snap of wings behind him and ran even faster, lowering his head and out-right sprinting for his house. Some tiny preservation instinct, quite unconnected to the main part of his brain (which was screaming “I’m going to die!”), kicked in and prompted him to run through lawns and under trees, trying to lose the creature he was damn sure was flying after him.

He leaped over the last hedge, ran up to his door, and tried to throw it open, but he had forgotten that his parents weren’t going to be home tonight. He ended up banging uselessly on the wood, unable to even think of pulling out his keys.

Someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder and he whirled to stare into those crazy purple eyes again, which were gazing into his with amusement. “Perhaps you could unlock it, first?”

“I- I-“ Jonathon stuttered, shrinking back against the door. The creature’s wings were still outspread, casting an ominous shadow. The creature tilted its head and smiled slightly.

“You?” it- no, he; it is a he- asked. “You what?”

Jonathon shut his eyes and slid down the door. “Don’t hurt me.”

“Why would I hurt you?” the creature sounded genuinely puzzled, and Jonathon opened his eyes to find that it- he!- was kneeling in front of him, looking concerned. “Are you going to be all right?”

“You aren’t- you won’t-“ He couldn’t think, much less talk, with those eyes staring into his own. He shut his eyes again. “You promise?”

He felt the creature settle back, looking at him. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

“Ok,” Jonathon breathed. He stood up, still keeping his eyes shut, and heard the creature stand up as well. “Ok.”

He opened his eyes and the amusement was back, only now it was annoying Jonathon slightly rather than freaking him out completely. He turned back around to open the door, still trembling from his panic.

I probably won’t get away with slamming the door in his face, Jonathon thought uneasily, but the question of whether or not he would try to was settled when the creature grabbed his shoulder and stepped in right after him, way too close for comfort. Of course, this whole situation has been uncomfortable-

He led the way to the living room silently, then turned on the nearest lamp. The creature stood back and looked around with interest.

“You have a lovely home,” he remarked quietly.

Jonathon laughed, a little hysterically. “Only where my mom cleans up.”

The creature smiled slightly and turned to stare at him again. Oh, this is freaking me out, Jonathon wailed mentally.

“I am Minoie,” the creature finally said. He bowed gracefully.

“Uh, I’m Jonathon.” He tried to repeat the bow, but was too nervous to have any grace in the action.

“Jonathon,” Minoie repeated, saying it slowly and carefully. “Jonathon.”

“Yeah,” he replied, fidgeting.

“We need your help,” Minoie said then, lowering his head and looking at Jonathon through his long, blue eyelashes. “If you would.”

“Help?”

I sound like a twit.

“My people- the Rentai-“ Minoie looked uncomfortable. “We are in the midst of war. We are- we are dying.”

“What do you mean?” Jonathon asked, backing towards the kitchen door. Minoie reached out one hand to him, as if to stop him from moving.

“We can’t fight the ones who are trying to kill us,” he said sadly. “Please, you have to help us.”

“But-“

“You have Cielen’s crown. Please- just come with me to Annia, she can take it from you and you can go home, all we need is the crown!” Minoie said in a rush, stepping forward.

Jonathon shook his head in bewilderment. “I don’t have anything!”

“It is hidden. In your soul,” Minoie said quietly. “Please, help us.”

“But-“ Jonathon couldn’t think of anything to say. He settled for shaking his head.

Minoie moved before he could react, and was suddenly gripping his hands. Jonathon’s eyes widened comically. Minoie’s were staring into his entreatingly.

Fur. His hands are furry. No wonder they’re so soft-

“Please help us.”

Without realizing what he was doing, Jonathon nodded. The corners of Minoie’s crinkled with relief and gratitude as he smiled, stepping back a little but not letting go of Jonathon’s hands. Jonathon started to say something, maybe a protest or a plea for time, but then the room flashed around him and everything spun, leaving him to fall forward into soft, furry arms.

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