SABRINA

a story by

CHRIS YOST

(c) 1998, 1999, 2000 by Chris Yost. All rights to story content reserved. Characters Sabrina the Skunkette, Amy the Squirrel, Tabitha, Carli, Tammy Vixen, Sheila Vixen, Clarisse, and Carrie Squirrel (c) Eric W. Schwartz. Character Roxikat (c) John Barrett. Character Thomas Woolfe (c) Michael Higgs. Characters Chris Foxx, Susan Felin, Cindy Lapine, Debbye Squirrel, Clarence Skunk, Dexter Collie, Angel Collie, Wendy Vixxen, Sarge and Endora Mustelidae, and Wanda (c) Chris Yost. Character Florence Ambrose (c) Mark Stanley. Character ZigZag (c) Max BlackRabbit. Character Cyberhorn (c) William Morris. Character Terl Skunk (c) Rodney Stringwell. Character James Sheppard and Marvin Badger (c) James Bruner. Characters Kittiara and Katja (c) "Kittiara". Character Mark the "cheetaur" (c) Mark White. All rights to additional characters reserved by their respective owners. Story based on characters and situations created by Eric W. Schwartz.

Friday evening came along, as all good Friday evenings do. All week Sabrina had been having trouble with her car; the little red HOT light had been demanding her attention since Tuesday. It had been making her nervous, and rightly so; every day she was filling the radiator with water, and at Chris' suggestion she had also filled the overflow tank.

Today she was stuck in traffic. Someone had apparently broken down on the side of the road and everyone had to slow down to look at the abandoned car. And as Sabrina sat and her car seemed to move only a foot every several minutes, she watched the little HOT light come on, go off, come on again, go off again … eventually it reached a point where it was staying on, and our girl was starting to panic! A smell of sweet wet heat was entering the passenger compartment.

Oh please, God, see me to my exit! Sabrina felt traffic pick up to about 7 miles an hour, then as it slowed again she saw steam escape from under the hood. Her stomach instantly started knotting. "At this rate, Chris is going to beat me home," she told herself aloud, "and I'm going to be stranded!"

Miraculously she made it one more mile to the exit. She turned off and drifted through the light and into the car park just as the engine died. Quickly shifting into neutral she steered her drifting car neatly out of the way at the front of the lot.

Now steam was simply pouring from under the hood. To Sabrina, it was loud, too. She stood with her hands on her hips, sighing and trying hard not to cry.

"Oh, God … " Sabrina buried her face in her hand. "And I'm so late as it is. When I bought Mom her cell phone, why didn't I buy one for me, too? I don't even have change for a pay phone." She reached into the car to set the emergency brake and get her keys and purse. "I wonder how far it is to the nearest gas station." She locked the door and walked out toward the road. She knew she wasn't far from home, but it was going to be a walk nonetheless.

sigh A terrific ending to what was a fairly nice day.

She was lucky though the weather was cool so she shouldn't get too hot. As Sabrina walked she looked back once in a while to just see her car in the distance. Finally she rounded a bend and could no longer see her little friend. She thought that this was really the first big thing that had gone wrong with the car. Oh well, cars always cost money, and maybe it's time to look at a new one anyway. She was coming to the edge a residential district; not hers, still some distance from her building and her feet were killing her. And it was then that she heard a clearing of a throat beside her.

"AAAAAAHHH!" she screamed.

The large creature took a step back. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," she said.

Sabrina now had the time to study where and who the voice had come from. She was at first staring at a furry torso and had to look up to see the rest of the person. It was a female cheetah, who was obviously blessed in the chest department. Also as she looked she found that she was also a taur.

"Uh, hi," Sabrina said, trying to calm down.

"Sorry bout that," she said to Sabrina. "I know sometimes I'm too quiet for my own good. My name is Mark, but most call me Cheetaur."

"Your name is Mark???" Sabrina said in confusion.

"Yup, that's right; it's a long story. If you want a lift I'd be happy to give you one if you like. You look as though you still a long way to go."

Sabrina looked sideways at her new acquaintance. "You mean on your back??"

Mark nodded silently.

"Uhm … " Sabrina wasn't too sure about this. "Are you sure you can carry me?" she asked.

"Oh, you'll be light compared to some of the loads I've handled in the past." She got down on all fours to allow Sabrina to climb on and then she was quickly up again. Then she did some thing really amazing: her torso turned almost 180 degrees and she looked at Sabrina. " So where to aaaah ......"

"Sabrina."

"So where to Sabrina?" Cheetaur asked with a smile.

"Well I was going to my apartment building to meet my fiancé, but it seems I need a garage instead."

"Oh, was that your car back there?" Mark asked.

"Yup."

"Sorry bout that, I don't like vehicles much, not enough room."

"I can see why," she grinned.

The cheetaur raised her eyes in thought. "Well," she said, "I know this one place that's pretty good, but I'm guessing your place is closer than any garage. Maybe it would be best to go there first."

"Sounds good. My fiancé is probably there waiting for me, anyway."

"Ok, your place it is." She turned back around and started to pace herself.

The ride wasn't really as smooth as Sabrina had hoped, but it did beat walking. It was so nice of her to offer, she thought. As they moved along, curiosity finally got the better of her and she asked " … ah, you did say your name was Mark, right?"

Sabrina watched the back of Mark's head nod. "Yup. Since we have the time I can tell you. Y'see, I'm one of 13 children born at one time and all of them were boys except me, much to my mom's disappointment. So, as she was naming us all she had never really thought about a girl's name, so she called me Mark. Which while I was small didn't bother me; I was as tough as my brothers and I whipped a bunch of their tails many a time. So I was the ultimate tomboy. It was only when school started did things get a bit tough.

"Name calling, eh?"

"Yeah, but since I was bigger than most of the kids it didn't last long. One of my friends came up with 'Cheetaur' and, well, I've been that since, but I do like to be called by my regular name now and again."

Something suddenly hit Sabrina in the back of her Sabrina-brain. "Hey wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "I've seen you before. I just don't know where." Sabrina thought hard but it wasn't coming to her.

Mark grinned. "It's the TV, Sabrina. I've been on TV. I'm the spokesperson for Cheetah-paw tires. The ones that grip." She emphasized the last part by breaking her stride long enough to swipe the air with her right front paw.

"That's right!" Sabrina exclaimed. "WOW! I'm riding a celebrity!"

"Now that's funny." She gave out a laugh and rounded a corner.

They passed a couple who gave them the darndest stare.

"Uh, does that happen a lot?" Sabrina queried.

"You mean the staring ... ah yeah, but it can't be helped." Mark shrugged it off. "Just look at me, I'm a very large 4 footed animal. Doesn't really matter that a skunk is riding me; they would stare anyway."

"I could go naked," Sabrina suggested. Think that would help any?"

Cheetaur let out a laugh! "It might!" She shook her head, still laughing. "I'm used to it though, happens every time I come to town. Which has been often now, I don't get back here as much as like so I'm making up for lost time. Traveling is about what I do now. Its hard being a sponsor, and you have to go where they want you to go."

"So celebrity life isn't all it's cracked up to be," Sabrina said more than actually asked.

"Yeah. Sometimes its great, and other times you just want to talk to someone nice, like you."

"Thanks Mark." Sabrina watched as they neared the edge of her neighborhood. "Wow we really have traveled a lot of distance in a hurry!"

"Hey, having four legs helps a lot." They passed a family of foxes walking their newborn who all seemed to recognize Mark. "So what do you do Sabrina?" she asked. "I'll bet you're a teacher or something like that."

Sabrina debated whether or not to tell the complete truth; it was a little embarrassing, but she thought it couldn't be any worse than to be called Mark when you are obviously a girl. "Well, I'm an artist, and I design web pages for a local … well, ever hear of ZZ Studios?"

This stopped Cheetaur in her tracks and she did the 180 thing again which still unnerved Sabrina. "You know Ziggy?" she asked.

"Ziggy?" Sabrina chuckled. "I hadn't heard that one mentioned around."

Mark acted alarmed. "Oh, don't tell her I called her that, she'll freak!"

"I take it you know each other then."

"Sabrina, every time I see her the check she writes always gets bigger."

Sabrina understood now. "I see," she said, "she wants you to act, right?"

"Does she ever!" Mark extended her arms. "Look at me: I'm an exotic, pretty and a four legger. There aren't any four leggers in any porn films I can think of and if she got me … well, she could write her own ticket, even better than she has it now."

"I see. And you obviously turn her down."

Mark nodded again. "Yeah. I hate to do it. She's so nice to me, then the offer, and the pouty look … it's hard. Who knows though, if I'm desperate I know where I can get a job." She realized what she had said and desperately tried to back track. "I-I-I-I didn't mean that ... " She was stumbling and Sabrina let her do it just a little more before she let her off the hook.

"Its ok Mark, I know what you mean." She inadvertently patted Mark on her shoulder. "I don't act in these things. If I had my choice I wouldn't really be there either, but the pay is good. There are a lot of nice people working there as well."

Cheetaur was a bit embarrassed and it showed, but she recovered. "Thanks Sabrina. Sometimes my mouth goes off, and while I'm fast I'm not that fast to catch the mistakes it makes."

"We all make those Mark."

Cheetaur turned back around and started forward again. "So you know computers," she said, hoping to change the subject.

"Some," Sabrina said. Mostly Amigas, I have a knack for those. I met my fiancé on the chat lines."

"That is so cool!" Mark exclaimed. "I'm on that a lot since I'm traveling. Think I can get your e-mail address?"

"Sure!" Sabrina told her. "When we get to my apartment building remind me. I'll give you his and mine. Always nice to hear from another voice from out on the web, especially a famous one!"

"Thanks Sabrina that sounds great." Mark waited for traffic to clear before she crossed the street. "This Chris of yours, he sounds like a great guy."

That was Sabrina's cue to tell Mark all about him and she did. Sabrina noticed that the area they were entering was familiar and in no time she was telling Cheetaur to turn here and there and finally they came to her building. And sure enough, Chris was there, his car parked out in front.

"Wow, nice place," Mark said.

"Thanks." Sabrina dismounted, and gave Mark a big hug. Would you like to come upstairs?" she asked. "Chris is here, I want him to meet you."

Mark raised her arm and sat in front of the steps. "Thank you, but I have to rest for a moment. If I may ask, could you bring me a pitcher of water?"

"Sure Mark go over there under the tree and sit in the shade." Sabrina pointed to the tree in the tiny grassy patch beside the steps. "I'll be right back. "Anything else?"

"Water will be just fine, thanks Sabrina. I can't wait to meet Chris."

Sabrina ran up the stairs and Mark moved under the tree. Soon Sabrina returned with Chris and a big pitcher of water and a glass. As they were introduced, Chris was stunned at the size of Cheetaur, and she was only lying down! She was Sabrina's height just laying there. She accepted the pitcher but she really didn't need the glass. She finished the pitcher in no time and asked for another. And Sabrina ran off to get it.

"So you're Chris," Mark said. Her head was eyeing him up and down. Chris, well, yeah, he was, well, looking her over too. "Sabrina speaks highly of you, makes me wish I got here first."

Chris made an embarrassed grin. "Aw, she likes to show me off," he said. "Only fair, I show her off all the time."

"I can see why."

"You're good in your commercials."

Cheetaur laughed. "Thanks. It's not the tires everyone is looking at, though."

Chris had to suppress a big grin for he knew exactly what she was talking about. Most of the guys he knew would give their right arm to be here right now. He was going to have fun telling them that he had the chance to meet their dream girl. "Well, if it sells tires ... " He had to smile, he just couldn't hold it back.

Mark nodded while she giggled. "Good to see there's an honest guy left on this planet," she admitted. "You can go back and tell them they are real."

It was just then that Sabrina came back. "Ah, what are real?" she asked.

"My breasts."

"Chris! How dare you!" She gave him light hit in the arm and handed the pitcher to Cheetaur.

Chris pointed at Cheetaur and stammered "I-I-I … !"

"Not his fault Sabrina," Mark said as she accepted the picture. "I gave the information willingly. It's a guy thing."

"Yeah, what she said," Chris said, rubbing his arm.

Cheetaur drank the second pitcher just as easily as the first. "Ah, that's good, thanks. Now about your car … "

"What about your car?" Chris asked, quickly concerned. It completely slipped his mind that Sabrina was driving a cheetah-taur rather than a Honda Civic.

Sabrina cocked her head in the direction they had just come. "The engine overheated," she explained. "I've been having problems with it all week."

"Sabrina," Mark said, "go phone Mike's Garage. I know him; tell him I sent you and he should give you a good rate. If not, you phone me and I'll give him a tongue lashing."

"Something tell me it wouldn't be a good idea to get on your bad side," Chris said.

"You're right Chris." She gave him this really big smile that nearly seemed to intimidate him.

"Ok, I'll get some paper," Sabrina said, "and we'll exchange some names and numbers."

It took a few minutes and when they were done they both had contacts and Chris even got a good deal on a set of tires. Mark waved good-bye and she hoped she would meet up with them again.

"She's really nice and smart too," Chris said.

"What did you think she was going to be like??" Sabrina questioned.

"Oh just another airhead actress with huge ... "

He got another slap.

"OW! Would you stop doing that!"

"When you get it through your head that just because a woman has been blessed doesn't mean her brain is the size of a peanut," Sabrina scolded.

“What?” Chris asked sleepily.

“Huh?” Sabrina opened her eyes about halfway in the darkened room.

“Kitten,” Chris asked, “please stop hitting me?”

“Am I?” she asked and turned her pillow over. “Sorry … ” And she was fast asleep again.