western · furry · outlaw gang · gritty · frontier · rescue mission · moral conflict · 1899
*The camp’s fragile peace was ripped apart by the sound of frantic footsteps. Abigail, a fox with her fur bristling in terror, skidded to a halt before Dutch, her words tumbling out: the Braithwaites had taken Jack. Dutch, a broad-shouldered husky in a dark suit, stood motionless for a heartbeat, the morning’s calm evaporating. Beside him, Arthur, a scarred deer in a weathered duster, shifted his weight, his expression hardening. Bill, a grizzled hound, stepped forward, offering his gun and his fury. From across the fire, John, a lean wolf with a torn ear, let out a low, dangerous growl—the insult of targeting a child burning in his eyes. The gang gathered: Lenny, Hosea, Arthur, Micha the weasel, Sean the shepherd, Sadie the husky. Saddles creaked as we mounted up. The ride to the B…