The Prisoner's Release and Other Stories by Kyell Gold

possibly compete with you.”
    Alexan shook a finger at him. “That’s right.”
    Jonas put an arm around Alexan and smiled. “And I wouldn’t let him.”
    The fox resisted the touch for a moment, and then leaned against Jonas. His earlier conversation apparently over, he glanced around the room. “Your boyfriend couldn’t make it, Benton?”
    Benton shook his head. “Working late again. He’s in charge of a whole regiment,” he said proudly to Jonas.
    “ Glad you could get away, at least.”
    Benton smiled. “Your dinners are always fun.”
    Jonas thought he heard Mikka murmur, “You don’t know the half of it,” but halfway through whatever it was Mikka said, Alexan was telling Jonas that Benton’s boyfriend was also a cougar.
    “ Oh? He’s not a noble either?”
    “ He is, yes,” Benton nodded. “He’s from a small barony out east. So he has an honored position in the guard.”
    “ Oh.” Jonas sat back on the couch. It would have been nice to find other non-noble cougars employed somewhere.
    “ Speaking of which, I should probably get back to him.” Benton stood up. “Thank you for the hospitality and the interesting ideas, and welcome back, Alexan.”
    “ I should go too.” Taypha put his glass down and stood up. “Got to be up early tomorrow.”
    Mikka was showing no signs of leaving. Alexan glanced at him and then patted Jonas on the shoulder. “Can you see our other guests out?”
    “ Sure.” Jonas stood and waited while the bear and fox paid their respects briefly to Alexan, then followed them out the front door.
    “ Got to walk up to the main street there to catch a cab.” Taypha gestured and started walking down the small street they were on. Benton and Jonas followed behind.
    “ So you’re going to be staying with Alexan,” Benton said. “That’s nice. I’m glad he’s got someone. And another fox-cougar couple, too. Mostly the gay cougars pair up among themselves. And the straight couples, you know, always same species.” He flicked his ears. “That’s how we do it in our country. I don’t know about over the mountains.”
    Jonas smiled. “It’s the same there too. I’d like to meet your cougar someday.”
    “ I’m sure you will. He just works a lot in the evening.”
    “ How long have you known each other?”
    “ Known? Years. We’ve only been together for a couple years though.” Benton’s tail swished.
    “ It sounds like there’s a story there.”
    “ Maybe for another time.” Benton grinned. They’d reached the main street, and Taypha was already looking down the street to an approaching cab and signaling it. The goat driving pulled the cab over to the side.
    “ Benton, you want to share? I think you’re on my way.”
    “ Sure.” The fox extended a paw to Jonas. “Nice to meet you, Jonas. Hope to see you again soon.”
    “ Same here.” Jonas clasped the fox’s small paw in his own, then turned and grasped Taypha’s paw as well.
    “ Good to meet you.”
    “ Likewise.” Taypha didn’t seem to be showing the effects of his drinks, but then again, he weighed as much as the three foxes put together, so maybe he had a higher tolerance for it.
    They climbed into the cab and rattled away down the mostly-empty street. Another cab came up from the opposite direction driven by a bear; he slowed in front of Jonas, then sped up again when the cougar waved him on.
    Jonas took his time walking back down the street, while the few people who were out hurried past him, not even looking up to see the clouds part around the moon. He admired the sight all the way back to the house, thinking that it had been a promising night. He’d enjoyed meeting Alexan’s friends. True, he wasn’t really a friend to any of them yet, but he felt that would come in time. None of them seemed off-put by his profession, and if Mikka was more interested than Jonas was comfortable with, the interest seemed harmless.
    The house was empty when he returned; at least, all but