Twenty minutes outside town, where silent woods mark the edges of duly kept farms, a badger finds joy in the return of a long-awaited lover.

Today’s story is “One Seat Empty” by DukeFerret, a queer romance and sports fiction writer who uploads short stories monthly on his furry social media accounts. One may follow his work by the Twitter handle @dookinduke, or the username DukeFerret on Fur Affinity and SoFurry.

Read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion.