People simply couldn't understand anthros. Ever since their discovery, people had tried to question anthros about their habits and ideas. It was difficult to tell when they would behave like animals, and when they would behave like people. The differences seemed non-existent sometimes, and staggering minutes later. When anthro lands were first discovered, the language barrier proved to be a great problem, and human's attempts at non-verbal communication insulted anthros more than it did to help. The first humans were driven out in a matter of days. Even the best diplomats that were sent only managed to calm things a little bit. It was clear that a large effort would be made before people and anthros could really communicate and understand each other.
However, that didn't stop the few odd stragglers from trying. A few humans managed to visit anthro lands, and were permitted to stay for a short while. Only a few would last longer than a week before getting kicked out. Those that remained for long periods of time were rare, but they did occur. So far, nobody who had remained with the anthros had been able to fully grasp their language, or report back about what they had learned. Progress had clearly been slow.
The opposite was almost true as well. Anthros occasionally ventured into human lands. However, things didn't tend to work out quite as well for them. A few were captured as exotic pets, and numerous injuries were commonplace whenever there was a scuffle involving one. The anthros that were lucky enough to venture into the more peaceful human locations rarely spoke much, and very few anthros remained in human lands before deciding to go back.
To you, it was a bit of a disappointment. If people acted that way, it wasn't any surprise that anthros were hesitant to trust humans. You did have an interest in them, but besides the occasional spot on the news or photograph, you had never seen one before. You didn't quite know how you would react if you saw one, and it was impossible to tell whether or not you'd be able to communicate with them at all. However, it was still something that dragged in the back of your mind.
You couldn't imagine meeting an anthro. Your job only required you to head out occasionally, so most of the time, you just remained at home, devoted to your work. You did head out on occasion, but there were only a handful of friends who really visited you often. The trip to anthro lands would cost you more than you could afford, and it was too much to hope that an anthro would end up where you were, deeper in human lands than they would be able to travel.
__________
The day had started like any other for you. Early morning, breakfast, and a bit of work. You only needed to take a break in order to try to pick up some groceries before lunch. With your schedule, it was quite simple to put your work on pause and head out. The store was close enough that you normally walked the distance. Looking up at the sky, you grabbed an umbrella before heading out.
When you arrived at the store, something had caught your attention. A few shoppers were standing around, talking about the rumors that an anthro had been spotted in your town. They couldn't agree on the exact species, but it seemed to be something like a wolf or dog. It had apparently been close by, but always ran before anybody could get close to it.
You didn't think too much of it as you grabbed some food. There have always been numerous rumors of anthros, and there's always been some fantastic confusion between meeting an anthro and an ordinary animal. You took care of your shopping fairly quickly, and made sure to get extra in case the weather was going to be rough soon. There was only a light rain on the moment, and you didn't feel like using your umbrella with a minor sprinkle, so you began making your way back home. It seemed like it was going to be another peaceful day.
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