“My goodness,” Jenna said as she walked slowly around Vanessa. She licked her black lips thoughtfully. “You do look a Verran. And that top is to die for. I might have to start making both Verran and Furran fashion, though that would put me in competition with my good friend up the way,” she said with a laugh.

Vanessa was caught completely off guard. She wasn’t at all, in the slightest, used to receiving genuine compliments like that. “Uh... Thanks? It’s just something I picked up off the rack at Hot Topic.”

“Is your skin naturally that pale?” Jenna asked, “That’s even more pale than me, Gods, lucky bitch,” she said in a half-joking, half-flirting tone that made Vanessa’s head spin.

“Yeah,” Vanessa laughed a little. “I guess it’s a little derrogatory, but people call me albino back home - pigmented hair and eyes, but pale as fuck. If I go out in the sun for more than a minute or two without sunblock I turn into a big red lobster.”

“If I go out in the sun for too long I die.” Jenna winked. “It literally evaporates the water in my body quicker than anything.”

“Holy shit,” Vanessa said. “Wait... Please tell me you’re not a blood-sucking vampire. Because the way this day has gone that would just about top the shit sandwich.”

“Blood? Ewww that is just nasty.” Jenna made a sour face. She was still holding her apple, which, to punctuate the point, she took another big bite.

“Her people are mostly vegan,” Brie giggled out, trying to be respectful.

“Oh thank you merciful Gods and or Goddesses,” Vanessa laughed. “That’s the problem with finding a girlfriend back home. You only meet the crazy vampire wannabe weirdos, or the guys who think they can turn the hot lesbian goth chick straight.” She shivered.

“Ah.” Jenna grinned and nodded, “I’ve had males try that. Did you know Furran men think they are the universe's gift to women?”

“Wow,” Vanessa laughed. “And I thought surfer dudes were conceited. Well, not all of them. Just most.”

“They will try their hardest to mate with anyone that will mate with them.” Candy confirmed, “It’s kind of what turned me off to the male species. We females prefer to mate with someone who has compatible chemicals - and being able to appreciate foreplay or just a nice walk on the beach as opposed to ‘Let’s fuck” doesn’t hurt either,” she laughed. “Of course it rarely works on furran women anyway. To tell the truth, we actually take relationships very seriously. It’s mostly just horseplay,” she teased. “But it still grew weary on me.”

“Pawplay you mean.” Hailey giggled.

“Remind me to show you my pawn play,” Candy teased her.

Hailey giggled, “You never know I might enjoy it. I love a rousing game of chess..”

“Get a room you two.” Brie grinned.

“Wow, I thought that was a human saying.” Vanessa laughed.

“Some things are universal,” Jenna laughed. “Speaking of, I take off for a few hours after sundown, if you want to go and get a drink. Chuck makes a delightful fruit smoothie.”

“Oh sure, I promised these three I would check out the shops with them, but afterwards I’m totally free.” Vanessa grinned.

“Fang-tastic,” Jenna teased. “Meantime, I’m going to start on anew design. I feel positively inspired. Verran meets Furran. Oh this will be so fun!”

Before they left Jenna wrote down the item numbers of everything the two girls were taking and bid them farewell for now. Then wandered across the street to a shoe shop, “This Ben’s shoe shop?” Hailey asked.

“Looks like Jerry’s working the front counter,” Brie said, sending both Hailey and Vanessa into a giggle fit.

“Ben and Jerry’s.” Hailey giggled out, “We have some that we brought back from 7-11 in cold storage now.”

“I’m shocked it made the trip,” Vanessa laughed. “Tricia wasn’t kidding about that ship being well insulated.”

“It;s amazing, and I get to sail on it.” Hailey giggled out, still stuck on the Ben and Jerry’s giggle train.

“Same.” Candy grinned. “I’ve always liked ocean travel: hate water, but love to travel.”

An attractive young woman who looked almost human, except for her long, pointed ears appeared in the shop window, placing a cute pair of heeled ankle boots in the display. She, herself, was wearing a red sleeveless dress and patent leather belt, sandals, and had her near platinum blonde hair up in a tight bun. She said and waved at the window shoppers through the window.

“Excuse me.” Candy said, “Do you have those boots in something more of an Open style and that can fit feet like these?” she showed the girl her cat like feet.

“Oh, we sure do,” she replied brightly. “My uncle Ben’s a cobbler of many talents and many fashions. He would be remiss not to make a few Furran pieces though to be honest, we never thought we’d see one here. Jenna told us we would someday though,” she giggled. “Right this way.”

“I think we might be seeing more, too.” Candy nodded as she and Hailey followed, leaving Vanessa to drool over a nice pair of knee high black boots with spikes.

“We’re still getting used to this place,” Hailey said. “Would it be rude of me to ask about your family?”

“Not at all,” the woman laughed softly. “Curiosity is a common bond we all share. My uncle Ben and I were brought here at the same time though, at the time, I was still a kid.”

She giggled as she turned a corner, and the girls entered an entire, veritable shrine of Furran footwear fashion; casual, dressy, sexy, all made to either accommodate, or enhance a paw-foot. She added, “We’re of an ancient race called the Tchu. According to my uncle’s stories, our race is one of the few that encountered humans before this planet.”

“Wow.” Hailey said, paused, and squealed. ”Oh my God.” She pointed to a pair of pink metallic colored open styled strappy boots. “Totes matches that skirt.”

“Yes!” Candy squeaked. “I just love that material, too. It looks like they’ll be comfortable to wear now and after you’ve changed.”

“Silven,” The girl giggled. “We use it in clothing and bed linens because it’s just so luxurious, but it quite literally grows everywhere. We have other materials too obviously, but Silven is a delight to work with and to wear.”

Hailey took the boots and a few other pairs. “Oh I do need a pair of hard leatherish hiking boots too, but if my feet are going to look like hers, in that foot style?”

“Something like what you’re wearing now, but in Furran?” she asked, admiring Hailey’s camouflage pink hiking boots.

“Yeah.” Hailey nodded. “These but Furran.” she grinned.

“Like this?” an older man said with a laugh as he emerged from a back room, holding a pair of rugged leather hiking boots with a semi-open toe design, which was to say they had a toe cap, but a generous one with small holes at the ends.

They looked like a Furran could squeeze their toes right into them comfortably, and still have free access to their claws. Best of all, they were camoflauge pink. “I saw you disembark this morning, and I was inspired.”

“Awww.” Candy said as they got their fill of shoes, “It was nice meeting you,” as the girl filled out the paperwork with the items id numbers on them.

“Likewise!” she answered. “Stop by anytime!”

“Oh we will now that I know you guys have an Army of Furran shoes!” Candy grinned.

The girl nudged Vanessa. “Those boots would look amazing on you.”

“I couldn’t,” Vanessa said. “I don’t even have a job here yet.”

“They’re on me.” Hailey said, and grabbed them, putting her name on the paper, and the girl filled in the rest. “But you have to wear them on your date with Jenna.” She giggled.

“Does that mean we’re going on a double date then?” Candy grinned. “If we are you have to wear Furran fashion when we go out.”

“Ah, hell,” Vanessa said, “I need to find something to wear now that you mention it.”

“I did see a dress in another shop window the other day that I think would be more your style though,” Brie spoke up as she was checking out several pairs of flat shoes. “It’s this adorable laced-back sleeveless thing, a little longer than my skirt, and it’s dark orchid.”

“Don’t kid a kidder,” Vanessa said dryly.

“No it’s true,” Brie said. “About five stores down.”

They left the store and walked down the road a little passing a shop called Ericks Earth American Pizza. “No shit?” Hailey grinned, “Pizza exists here?”

“I don’t want to think about what they use to make the cheese,” Vanessa said. “I really don’t want to even think about it. As long as it looks and tastes like pizza.”

“I almost don’t care. Pizza is amazing.” Hailey grinned and sniffed the air, “And it smells delicious.”

“Well I know where we’re going for our double date,” Candy giggled. By now they had parted ways with Brie, who had an armload of shoes to take home, but wished them luck on their shopping spree.

“Not sure Jenna will like the pizza, but I can smell they serve other types of food.” Hailey nodded as they continued passed it two shops to the shop Brie told them about. It was a total goth shop, nothing but macabre type clothing, and dark gothy stuff.

Vanessa stared. Not only was the dress Brie described sitting right there in the shop window, but it had a dark scarlet red twin, too.

“Oh my goddess, I want them both.” Vanessa grinned. “But I can’t be owing you guys a ton.”

“The sign says help wanted?” Candy said with a helpful grin.

“Well, my other job seems to be canceled permanently.” Vanessa laughed.

Inside, a human girl wearing an Alice Cooper concert tee shirt, ratty black jean shorts, and black and white striped stockings that disappeared into mid-calf high industrial style leather boots sat behind the counter idly thumbing through a book. Her spiderweb earrings dangled garishly under her honey blonde hair.

“Holly shit on a stick, I walked into the best shop in the entire universe.” Vanessa grinned.

“Verran?” The girl said at Vanessa. “We are hiring.”

“Human...ish,” Vanessa giggled. “I have experience both as a store clerk in the shitty side of LA, and as a bouncer in the shittier side of LA.”

“Wait a minute,” the girl said as she hopped down off her stool. “Vanessa? Is that you?”

“Fran? Like Hottopic Fran?” Vanessa laughed, “My goddess.” she hugged the girl.

“Holy shit!” Fran said as she hugged Vanessa back. “The Vamp sisters together again!” she laughed. “Only no nightclubs to totally trash here,” she teased.

“Just The Fish and the Sea.” Vanessa laughed, “But it’s too nice of a place.”

“Yeah, Chucklefish is a great guy,” Fran laughed. “But hey, like you said, totes experience. If you want to take a few shifts working the counter I could get more designs on the floor.”

“Oh hell yeah, you’ll have to teach me your accounting system, because it seems each store is different, Ben’s shoes asks you to write your name with it.” Vanessa said.

“Oh I have an item number on each item, on the tag, that’s all you have to write down.” Fran said. “They give me so much material to work with that I usually end up sharing a warehouse with Jenna over at Furadise.”

“I scored a date with Jenna my first day here.” Vanessa laughed.

“God damn you work fast,” Fran laughed. “We became really close after I got dropped here, but I’m definitely not her type,” she teased. “You, though,” she took Vanessa’s hand and said in a mock fortune teller voice as she looked at her palm, “I foresee many joyous night howling at the moon together.”

“Fran you’ve always been the light goth.” Vanessa laughed.

“Oh, I have the perfect dress for you to wear too,” she said excitedly.

“I was thinking the dark orchid or the red one in the window.” Vanessa grinned.

“You know I was legit thinking of you when I designed those two,” Fran laughed. “I couldn’t decide on a color though, so I said “What would Nessie do? - make both!”.” she giggled, “Oh since you work here, you can go ahead and write them down. Unless you put on weight in the last six months, they should fit like a glove.”

“Hell no, I think I might have lost some.” Vanessa laughed. “You don’t have a spare set of those laying around do you?” she asked, pointing to a pair of wire frame sunglasses with small, blue colored lenses.

“Yup, I have like 30 of them under the counter.” Fran laughed and pulled out two pair, “Thats our display. Pink getting to you?” she teased as she handed them to Vanessa. “You know Pink is a goth color now.”

“I die a little inside every time someone says that,” Vanessa teased her. “Nah, I know, it’s just giving me a headache. Whenever I’m inside I’m fine though.”

“You’re allergic to it,” Fran laughed. “The sky at night turns this amazing shade of purple, though. About another half hour and the sun goes down. You can use my back room to get ready.” She winked.

Candy giggled. “We’re going to head back to our huts and change, but we’ll meet you at Erick's first then we’ll go to Chuck's right?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Vanessa said, and then she did something that even surprised Fran, pulling the girls into a hug. “Thanks guys. This has been one seriously fucked up year for me, but with you two around I feel like it’s finally starting to turn around - pink and all,” she teased.

“We’re family now,” Hailey said. “I don't have any family here, and neither does Candy, so you’re it.”

Fran watched Vanessa disappear into the back room with the red dress, and then laughed. “Wish I had a camera. I didn’t think I’d ever see that girl smile again.” Hailey snuck in the back, before Vanessa had a chance to strip more than her boots, and snapped a picture.

“Just ask anytime you want to see it,” she giggled.

“Righteous,” Fran laughed. “I might borrow that some time so I can paint from reference. Anytime you guys need anything just say the word. Have a great night!”

“Anytime.” Hailey said and waved. She and Candy walked down the street, till they hit the new neighborhood the streets were not extremely busy, but there was a few people all over. Once they got to their neighborhood however, it was empty save the new huts.

“Sure is quiet out here,” Candy said. “On Furra Prime you can’t see the stars at all for all the city lights.”

“I like the light system here, it’s not noise.” Hailey nodded. “It was well designed, but I really hope more Furrans show up, this place is scary without people.”

“I’ll protect you,” Candy giggled as she put an arm around Hailey.

“Don’t worry I can protect myself.” Hailey laughed and pulled out a long knife from her boot. “I come prepared she snuggled into Candy.

“That’s not a knife,” Candy giggled. “That’s a sword.”

Hailey laughed. “I thought you were about to say ‘This is a knife’ and pull a bigger one out of someplace uncomfortable.”

“If I was a male i’d probably pull out a penis and say something like that, but I don't have one.” Candy giggled. “I don't want one either.”

“I wonder,” Hailey giggled.

“What?” Candy asked.

“Oh, I was just thinking about the molecular density of the cellulose in that forest.” She grinned impishly.

Candy giggled, “About 100 metric tons?”

“That is some very hard wood,” Hailey nodded, trying to keep a straight face.

“Very.” Candy agreed but couldn’t keep the straight face. “This is my hut, yours is next door right?”

“For now?” Hailey giggled.

“Well if I wake up with you in my bed tomorrow we’ll know how Furran you really are.” Candy teased her back and giggled. She leaned over to kiss her cheek, just as Hailey was turning to do the same, and their lips met.

“Mmmm that was nice.” Hailey said, “Felt better than El’s mouth-to-mouth, and that was soft too.”

“The quiet ones are always the best kissers,” Candy giggled. “Even if it’s just the kiss of life.”

“Ok, so um, I don't have to worry about my V showing right?” Hailery asked.

“Covered in fur isn't it?” Candy asked.

“I think the fact that my legs are itching from hip to ankle is probably a yes,” Hailey laughed. “I’ve had to fight the last thirty minutes not to just strip right in the street.”

“Take a bath before we go out and here.” Candy reached into her top and pulled out a comb, “Use that. Fur is a lot of maintenance, but if you treat it well, it’s an absolute joy, too.”

“Oh you just want me to make a wet pussy joke.” Hailey giggled.

Candy feigned innocence. She tried to feign innocence. In reality, she had the impish grin of a 12 year old who just discovered the word ‘boob’ was in the dictionary. She giggled and waved, walking backwards up to her hut, and kept her eyes on Hailey right up until she closed the door.