The Song of the Otter
Chapter 1

Donovan bolted up from the bed panting for air, the sweat matting the fur on his forehead. He gasped for air that didn't seem to be there until at last his lungs filled and he calmed. The polar bear beside him rolled over and pulled him back down to the bed. Donovan closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths. "The dream again, Husband?" Eric asked.

"The dream again, my love. This is getting to be annoying."

The polar bear rolled the wolf toward him and used the back of his paw to wipe the sweat off the brow of the beast. "Perhaps it is time we sought some help in this matter. This is impacting your life now."

The wolf ran his paw across the muzzle of the bear. "And yours, my love. I am sorry to disturb your sleep."

"Sleep is the least of my concerns, Wolf," the white bear whispered as he looked into the eyes of the Armbruster's wolf. He could still see the panic in the yellow eyes. "I have a husband struggling with something he doesn't understand. I don't have a clue what it is. Why don't we talk to Noboru about this? The temple dogs' history is one of helping others find meaning in confusion."

"That may be true, my love," Donovan said with a nod. "But the dogs have no belief in portents and dreams. For all their talk of philosophy and feelings, they are men of science, not mysticism. My nightmares will simply be that to them… nightmares to shake off in the light of day."

Donovan watched a yellow-furred arm wrap around him and pull him tight from behind. He stared down at the thick arm and smiled. "I mean no disrespect, Dog," he said.

"There was none taken," Noboru said as he pushed up against the wolf. "It is true that as a whole, we dogs have always seen logic and science as the hallmarks of human aspiration. The mystical has always dragged humanity into superstition and disastrous dogma." The temple dog kissed the back of the wolf's neck. "But that doesn't mean we don't believe in that which we don't understand. The Sight is a gift of your species. What is the Sight if not portents and mysticism for those unfamiliar with its nature?"

Donovan nodded. "That is true, Dog, but I gave my Sight to Oliver to save Eric. That gift in me is all but gone."

"Then I would suspect that your dream is supremely important for it to press so hard for you to acknowledge it."

"The same way your cock is pressing hard against me, trying to get me to acknowledge it?" the wolf asked.

The temple dog laughed. "It is morning, Donovan. You are beautiful and a Changeling. Did you expect it not to be there?" The golden paw slipped across the wolf's belly and fondled the swollen flesh between the wolf's legs. "I always expect to find yours here in the morning."

Donovan returned the laugh as his bear husband snickered. "No, Dog. I am happy with it up against me. Some things in life I rely on to always be there. My husbands' love. That sense I get when I see my family. The wonderful smell whenever I cook bacon. And the joy of feeling a temple dog's hard-on in the morning every time we sleep with them."

"Then I am glad not to disappoint you. In truth, knowing my erection will be there every time I wake with you pleases me as well."

The polar bear peered up over his wolf husband. "So, Noboru, can you help my husband?"

"With his morning erection or his dreams?"

The bear laughed. "Both?"

The temple dog rose and stretched. Donovan rolled onto his back. The temple dog's thick cock swayed seductively in front of the wolf's face. "Let us attend to that which is easy and take care of our morning erections," Noboru suggested. "The dreams can wait until after breakfast. I think we should cook bacon today. I am feeling a bit piggy." The dog smiled at the two beasts below him and toppled forward, swallowing the wolf's cock in a single motion.

Later in the day, the three wandered into the temple gardens. Donovan paused and took a deep breath, listening to the waterfall in the corner by the wall. His eyes closed and his muscles relaxed. "You have built such a beautiful home for our people, Noboru," he said; his eyes still closed.

Noboru bowed slightly. "I am only its caretaker, Donovan. Our people built this home for us. We are grateful beyond measure. One day, I will share this place with my brothers. But for now, it is nice when family visits."

Eric rubbed Noboru's back. "Are you lonely, Noboru?"

"I am lonely for my brothers from time to time. But my charges occupy so much of my day. It took centuries for our numbers to grow large enough to tend to the temple and monastery. I try to be patient and dream of a day when fellow monks will fill these walls with laughter."

"There wasn't much laughter in the old temples, Noboru," the polar bear interjected. "I was there. Between you dog monks and the temple dragons with their vows of silence, there was very little talking, let alone laughter."

Noboru looked at the bear, and his hand slipped along the bear's side, rubbing it lovingly. "We had much to learn about what was important in life so many centuries ago. We have not forgotten the lessons you taught us, nor the ones you teach us even now."

"Hmph," Donovan snorted, "I didn't think you learned anything from us, Dog. I thought you were some ancient wise sect of monks who knew all."

"I learned you like your balls played with rather rough this morning," Noboru replied. "I learn new things all the time." The bear and the wolf laughed aloud, and Noboru smiled. "And I learned how to make you laugh. You do not realize how much pleasure it brings me to hear you do so."

Donovan leaned over and kissed the temple dog. "The ears," Noboru begged. "Play with my ears." Donovan's paws reached to the floppy ears and stroked them until the dog's foot was pounding the ground repeatedly. The kiss broke, and the dog smiled at the wolf. "I love you, Donovan," the dog said.

"And I you, Dog,"

"And I love you both," the white bear said. "But before this ends up with us all back in bed, weren't you offering us a tour of the grounds, Noboru?"

Noboru bowed. "I was. I apologize if I get too easily distracted in your company, Ancient Ones."

"Not at all, Noboru," Eric replied. "Watching you two gave me a craving for those ears of yours. I realize that I too get easily distracted in the company of temple dogs." He leaned over and nibbled on the temple dog's ear until he heard the thumping of the foot again. With a little laugh, he let the ear slip from his mouth and smiled at the dog.

The temple dog sighed. "Old Bear, that is so unfair. In all our centuries together, did you ever know your lips on my ears to lead to anything but a day of sex?"

"No."

"Then what would you have me do with the erection you gave me?"

"I can think of two options involving my body, both of which I'm open to."

"I can think of seven if you want to include me and the pagoda rafters," Donovan said as he shifted and became a temple dog. "You offered us a tour of the grounds, Noboru. I'd like to visit the pagoda."

"There are actually forty-two options with you as a temple dog and the pagoda," Noboru said, grabbing the paw of the bear. "You stay as you are, Old Bear," he commanded. "I will need a bear to make this all work without damaging the pagoda."

"Really?" Eric said with a laugh.

The temple dog thought a moment. "The damage will be minimal…" another pause… "I believe it will still be upright after we finish…" he paused once more and smiled. "I will enjoy seeing Greg and his husband again when they come to repair the pagoda." He tugged at the bear's paw. "Come, Old Bear, let me find a new way to make you laugh."

Donovan watched as the temple dog dragged his husband off toward the pagoda. He smiled, and dropping to all fours, he lumbered after them in his newly acquired body of golden fur.

The next morning, Donovan paused and leaned over to sniff an orchid blooming among the ferns. His golden body returned to that of a wolf as he stood back up. Noboru smiled. "They have no scent, Donovan. They are orchids grown for one purpose only; to delight the eye."

Donovan turned to Noboru. "They have a scent, but you need to be on top of them to smell it. It's there if you search for it."

Noboru hugged the Armbruster's wolf. Noboru pressed his muzzle down against Donovan's ear. "And there, my beautiful wolf, you learned a lesson from this garden. All too often, we assume that what was created for one purpose cannot be something else until we are open to seeing beyond our expectations."

Donovan hugged back. "Thank you, Sensei. The warrior has heard you," he whispered. He pushed back gently and looked into the eyes of the temple dog. "Is there a lesson in this garden that will tell me why I have my reoccurring nightmare?"

Noboru gestured to a stone bench, and the three sat down. "Close your eyes, Donovan, and see the dream."

Donovan closed his eyes. "I am in a field of grass. The sky is blue and full of summer clouds. It is such a perfect day. I hear the laughter of children, and I turn to see that I am with my family. We are all there. It's a grand picnic of some sort. The children are playing with the temple dogs the way they always do at our gatherings. I smile and realize how much I love you dogs; how much I envy your ability to be so free and unguarded.

"I look over and to where five werewolves are losing in a game of tug of war against Chipo. They are so close to falling into the creek between them. They're laughing so hard as the first one gets pulled into the water. Chipo lets go of the rope and all the rest go tumbling. The rhino dives into the creek and grabs the soaking wet wolf and kisses him." Donovan chuckled. "I realize before long they will rush off to the trees in the distance.

"And then I see my husbands. They are all at a picnic table, eating hamburgers. Oliver is playing footsies with Will on one side and Derrick on the other. The two wolves are oblivious to the fact that
the other is being played with. And I get that sense that I told you about yesterday, Noboru. That wave of emotions I get every time I see them. This is my family, my home; the one thing I rely on to always be there.

"When I look up into the sky, colors are spilling out of the clouds; swirling, beautiful colors. It's so hard to describe, but it's incredibly beautiful. It's like luminescent water flowing in the air, only with all the colors of the rainbow blending and rearranging."

There was quiet, and Noboru and Eric sat patiently, waiting until Donovan continued. "It is mesmerizing. It is so far beyond anything I can find in words. And as it comes toward me, I know all I want is to touch it, to become a part of it. Everyone else is the same. It's like heaven coming down to earth and there is such a sense of peace flowing before it."

Donovan's head thrashed. "And then at the last moment, before it touches my family, the light becomes shards of glass and tears into their flesh. It rips their bodies into pieces; tearing them apart down to the bone. Still, it doesn't stop. I watch as it shreds everything around me finer and finer until all around me is only dust. No field, no trees, no family; only dust.

"Amidst all that dust, the light comes for me and does to me what it did to everything around me. And there is nothing I can do to stop it." Donovan's eyes opened, and the sweat on his brow matted his forehead fur.

Noboru put his arm around the wolf and pulled him close. The three were quiet for some time before the temple dog spoke. "Disturbing, at the very least, Ancient One."

"Yeah," Donovan agreed. "Disturbing, at the very least."

"Can you do me a favor, Donovan? It might not be an easy one."

"I can try," Donovan answered.

"Tonight, when the dream begins, I want you to place yourself between your family and the light. As it approaches, tell it you defend your family and ask it to leave."

"I don't think it will oblige that request, Noboru."

"I suspect not, Donovan. But it is the first step. Even a warrior is wise to search for a peaceful solution to any problem."

"You want me to do peace negotiations with a dream, Dog?"

"I want you to see if there are any options available to you that will end the dream. More to the point, I want to find out if you can alter the dream by your actions."

"I haven't been able to change anything yet. Even when I realize what is happening, I could not fight back," Donovan said.

"Would you like help?"

The polar bear turned toward the temple dog with a look of surprise. "You can help, Noboru?"

"I can try. But I need your permission, Donovan."

"Of course; you have it."

"Then we will wait for tonight," Noboru said, rising. "Come, let me introduce you to my charges. They are quite young and hate when I call them that. They are not my wards, and other names don't seem to fit my responsibility to them, nor how much I love them. I suspect we will need to find a better term, but obviously, they are not my children, and I know of no other words for them."

"Have you ever thought to ask them what they wish you to call them?" Eric asked as he lifted his bulky body up off the bench.

Noboru stopped in his tracks. "Actually, no. I know they reveal their chosen name first to the one they take as their companion. But we are not companions, nor will we ever be. I love them and they love me, but we know that our relationship is not that of a dragon and their companion." Noboru began his walk. "I suppose today I will ask them."

The three crossed through a rounded gate and into a large garden of stones and moss. Noboru tapped his khakkhara on the stone pavers and the rings in the circle on the top made a sound like chimes in the wind. "Okay, you two. You win. I can never find you. We have company today. If you want to visit with your family, you must show yourselves."

Slowly, the rocks and moss began shifting as the two dragons moved away from the actual rocks in the garden. As they did, their skin shifted colors and textures. Eventually, they became two purple and green dragons with long scaled bodies and folded wings like those of a bat. They chortled happily between themselves with a self-satisfied glee at fooling their guardian. It spoke more of their youth than any malicious intent. They were aware that the monk saw them, and he realized they loved hearing he couldn't. They were family, and like the best of families, the games they played brought them closer together.

"So, what would you like to do with your family today, Little Ones?"

The dragons chortled another laugh at what the monk had said. "You know, I don't care how big you grow," Noboru said matter-of-factly. "You will always be my little ones." Noboru paused. He smiled. "Yes, I would like that very much. I will call you my little ones when I introduce you."

Eric watched the bright green eyes of the dragons dart back and forth between their guardian and the two visitors. "Hello, Little Ones," the bear said with a slight bow. "I am an old friend of Noboru's. We have known each other for the better part of two thousand years." The bear grew quiet and laughed. "Yes, I am that old. My husband is even older; although I'm not sure you should mention that too often. We are both millions of years old and no longer find it fun to count the years as they pass."

Eric leaned back and smiled. "Really? You're both thirty? For a dragon, that's very young indeed. What age will you be when you have your second molt?" Eric paused for the answer and then nodded. "Forty-two is a very fine age for so monumental a turning. Will you be a mated pair?"

When the dragons responded, both Eric and Noboru laughed out loud. "I'm sorry. I forget for young ones that might be a gross conversation," Eric said, waving his paws in retraction of the question.

Eric saw the visions in his head as the dragons spoke to him. The images flowed into thoughts without the necessity of words as an intermediary. They told the bear all he needed without the dragons speaking a word. "Well, you will live a very long life, I hope. Your grandparents are far older than many of our closest friends. And your ancestors were here long before any of us were born."

Again, the bear grew quiet. "No, I don't see a problem with that. My sons have many fathers. Only two gave them birth, but six love and protect them. It is my belief that there are those in our lives that deserve to be called father because of what that word means and who those individuals are to us."

The white bear looked at the temple dog. "Seems to me they like the idea of calling you Father. They have no problem with having a dragon father and a temple dog father. I'm not sure why you struggle with it."

Noboru bowed toward the dragons. "I am no longer struggling. I would never be presumptuous enough to call myself their father, but if they wish to call me that, it will honor me to take the name."

Donovan watched the conversation going back and forth, realizing he was missing all the dragons' parts in the dialogue. He extended his hand toward the female. "I cannot speak dragon. My telepathy is horrible, but I wanted to say hello. You both are so beautiful. Your father is so proud of both of you."

The female dragon moved forward and pushed up against the extended paw of the wolf. Donovan's eyes shut tightly as the flood of images pushed into his mind. "Yes, yes, I hear you… or understand you… this is a challenge, isn't it?" He was quiet for a moment. "That is true. You've learned my language. It is time I learned yours. Will you teach me? There are no dragons in Montana where I spend most of my time with my husbands. However, we visit the highland where your brother and sister live frequently. I promise we will visit you and your father more often in the future. It would be nice if we spent time together, and you could teach me." The wolf grew quiet. "I would like that. Uncle Donovan is more than okay."

The wolf lifted his hand off the dragon and smiled. "I'm an uncle," he said proudly.

"So you are, Husband," the polar bear said, nudging the wolf.

"It is an honor," Noboru said. "It is always an honor when the ones we love give us names that show how dear we are to them."

"So it would seem, Father," Donovan said with a smile.

"To them, I am their father," Noboru said sternly. "To you, I am either Khenpo, the abbot of this monastery, your friend, or your sexual plaything. Any is fine. But you will not call me Father."

"Is Noboru still acceptable?" Donovan asked. "I think of you as all those and more when I say that name."

Noboru smiled. "I am fond of my name, Donovan. Especially now that I understand its meaning to you." The temple dog looked up at the two dragons, which seemed anxious. "No, we won't have sex right now." He paused, listening. "It is likely we will later tonight. It's what beasts do when they love each other."

Eric bellowed out a laugh as a look of chagrin spread over Noboru's face. "Yes, Little Ones, your father loves a lot of different beasts. That he is the way he is makes us happy." The bear nodded. "I'm glad you're happy for him, too. He lives far from his people, and when we visit, we try to reconnect with him. Sex is one of the easiest, most pleasurable ways we can share that connection. The Were Nation loves your father. That he shares that love with us all is apparently only embarrassing to him."

"It is not embarrassing for me. I just never realized my little ones were growing up so fast. I thought I was better at being discreet."

Donovan looked at the temple dog and raised his eyebrow. "The dog who last night screamed, 'Oh my god, I can't believe how good that feels,' is discreet?"

"It was a prayer of thanksgiving."

Donovan grinned. "I was the one down on my knees worshiping, Dog."

"I was praying for you. Your mouth was full." Noboru turned toward the dragons. "Let's go out to the field and catch you some rats or bunnies for lunch, shall we?"

"You three go have fun finding lunch," Eric said. "Donovan and I will go make ourselves something a bit more traditional."

Noboru looked at the polar bear. "I'm fresh out of harp seal."

The polar bear glowered at Noboru. "Really, Dog?"

"It was a joke, Old Bear. We monks have a sense of humor nowadays. You really need to lighten up."

Eric reached out and pulled the dog into him. He pressed his lips up against the dog's and held them there until he sensed the dog kissing back. "Go find your kids some lunch and come back to us. I have the urge to eat dog today, starting with his ears."

Noboru's face burnt red underneath all the yellow fur. "I know where you can find all you can eat of dog, Old Bear." He gave the bear one last quick kiss. "I love you so much."

Eric smiled. "And I love you, Dog. Now go before we teach your kids anything else that will embarrass you."

Noboru turned and ran after the two dragons already making their way out into the field. Donovan turned to the polar bear. "I love you too, you know, Old Bear."

Eric smiled. "Yeah, I know. The feeling's mutual."

"Want to snack on some wolf while we're waiting for that dog you're craving to be delivered?"

The polar bear reached out, grabbed the Armbruster's wolf, threw him over his shoulder, and raced back to the bedroom. "I thought you'd never ask," he said as he threw the wolf on the bed and dove in after him.

Chapter 2

Donovan sat upright in the bed. "Do you really think this will work, Noboru?"

"There is no difficulty getting into your dream. Whether together we can affect any change is another matter. Did we sufficiently tire you out with today's activities?"

Donovan smiled. "Yeah, you both did that. But I find it more and more difficult to fall asleep because of the dream."

Noboru patted the far left side of the bed. "Lay down here, Donovan. I will press up against your back and wrap my arms around you."

"That won't help me fall asleep, Dog. That's only going to get me aroused."

"I will help you fall asleep. I need to be close to you to establish a connection to your dream state."

Eric looked at the two. "Where do you want me?"

Noboru looked at the bed. "Behind me will be fine." The golden dog looked at the bed and then back at the white bear. "I do not know if this will work, but if you want to put your arms around me and press in close, I might be able to bring you into your husband's dream."

Eric grinned. "You pressed between the two of us is a dream Donovan and I both enjoy, Noboru. But I have to agree with Donovan on this one. We're wrapping ourselves up into exactly the configuration where the two of us won't be interested in sleep."

"I understand the complications of this union, but the more eyes watching his vision, the more likely we are to find a solution to his dilemma. We slept together for the last three nights. We will again tonight. Try to relax and let your mind flow to something other than where your libido wants it to go."

"Bold talk from the dog who can't pass on having his ears nibbled," the wolf murmured.

"Kiss me goodnight and roll over," the temple dog commanded. The wolf obeyed and pushed himself up against the dog.

Moments passed, and the wolf growled. "Damn it, Dog. You have a hard-on."

"So does your husband, but I am dealing with it just fine," Noboru replied. Donovan felt the warm paw of the dog gently stroke the side of his head. "Sleep, Ancient One," the dog whispered. "Show me what you see."

Donovan was in a great expanse of grass. The warm summer breeze kept the grass in motion like waves on the ocean. Above, the sky was blue, and the clouds were billowing bright white. At first, there was nothing but the sound of the wind moving through the grass, but then in the distance, the wolf heard the laughter of children. He turned toward the noise and there stood Noboru and his husband.

"This is it, you two. Please don't get killed. I hear if you die in your dreams, you die in real life."

"You died many times in this dream, Donovan," Noboru said. "It is only a dream. We are not here to succumb to it. We are here to decipher it."

"The picnic is over there," Donovan said as he pointed toward a space that slowly filled with children bouncing on the backs of temple dogs. To the right, a creek materialized where five struggling werewolves pulled a rope against a rhino, holding his ground.

"Go help the wolves," Noboru ordered.

"What?" Donovan asked.

"The wolves. Grab their line and pull Chipo into the creek."

Donovan ran toward the group. He grabbed the front of the wolf team's rope and pulled with all he had in him. Chipo's feet slipped, and the rhino went hurtling into the water. He looked up at Donovan and started laughing. "Well, don't just stand there, Wolf. Help me up."

Donovan waded into the water and reached out his hand. As soon as Chipo latched on to it, he tugged the wolf into the water with him. Donovan stared at the rhino for only a moment before Chipo kissed him. When the two ended their kiss, the rhino smiled. "It was worth it. I've wanted to kiss you forever, Wolf. But you're always so busy with those husbands of yours."

"They keep me occupied," Donovan agreed.

"Any chance I can get you and them out in the woods today? I'm trying to earn my slutty rhino merit badge, and you six could be so much help."

Donovan laughed. "We can talk to them." There was a sound above the two, and Donovan looked up. From out of the clouds, a rainbow of light poured out.

"Now," Noboru said. "Talk to it. Tell it to leave. Tell it you protect your family."

Donovan followed the order, but nothing in the dream changed. The wave of light spilled over everything and decimated the world around him. He woke up once more in a cold sweat, but this time, it was Noboru clinging to him instead of his husband.

"Nothing changed. It killed us all," Donovan said, rubbing his forehead.

"I know, Ancient One. But it hesitated when you spoke the words. Beyond mere instinct, it chose the path it took. We now know whatever it is, it will not listen to reason. It is not ignorant of the damage it does. It is purposeful. The next step is to see if it will yield to force."

Donovan turned back toward the temple dog. "You want me to beat it up?"

Noboru nodded. "For starters. It might require something more intense if that doesn't work."

"It's only whirling lights, Dog. You can't exactly kill a bunch of lights."

"Your powers manifest as light, Donovan. What better weapon could you possibly have?"

Donovan shook his head. "Point taken. Do I need to wait until tomorrow for this encounter?"

"What would you prefer?"

"To have this over and done with."

"Then lay back down and sleep. Tonight we end this dream."

Throughout the night, the three entered the dream and tried every viable option they could think of to no avail. The lights continued to destroy the world around the wolf, and the three would wake up with a jolt. Only the calming paws of the temple dog could soothe the wolf back to another try.

"I was sure that was going to work," Donovan said, upright in the bed as he tried to catch his breath.

"As was I," Noboru agreed. "The call for your brothers to join the fight was the logical next step. We appear to be running out of options."

"What would you have me do?" Donovan asked the temple dog.

"Talk to him," the dog replied.

"To who?"

"That's to whom, actually," Eric said. The two turned and looked at the polar bear. "Okay, so I am completely out of my depth here. I wanted to help somehow."

Donovan leaned around the temple dog and kissed his mate. "We are all out of our depth, my love. I am glad to have you help in whatever way you can. You were brave beyond words in the last battle. I never told you how much it means to me that you are by my side." Donovan looked down at the temple dog lying behind him. "Talk to whom?"

"To whoever it is that lies just beyond our sight."

"That glimmering thing? I thought that was only the edge of the dream."

"I had thought the same. But I watched it while you attempted to push back the light. It is not the edge of the dream. It is very much a part of it." Noboru paused. "And I believe it is watching all that transpires with great interest."

"So, we talk to it the next time?"

Noboru shook his head. "No. You talk to it. This is becoming somehow more than a dream. It is more than a vision. Someone is reaching out to you. This is sacred. You two alone must share this moment."

"I would prefer you by my side, Dog," the wolf requested.

"And I will be there when the moment is right. That moment is not now. Your husband and I will wait here. We will never leave you, Donovan, but there are paths we walk alone. This is your path and yours alone."

"Do I at least get a kiss goodbye from the two of you?"

Noboru smiled. "A kiss is always yours. But this is not goodbye. I believe this is a hello to someone else."

After kissing his husband, Donovan laid back on the bed. Noboru leaned over him and gently kissed his forehead. "Sleep, Ancient One. There is a mystery to solve and someone new to meet." The temple dog's paw slipped over the wolf's eyes, and when they fell away from the wolf's face, Donovan was asleep again.

"What do we do now, Noboru?" the polar bear asked.

"We wait for him to come home, Old Bear. Our actions are the same as they have always been for those who travel beyond our sight. We wait for him to come home."

Chapter 3

"We'll be back to the ranch in about forty minutes," Tiff said to the wolf and bear as he adjusted their surrounding harnesses. "You might as well stay buckled in for the trip." The red wolf saw the look of concern on both the Changelings' faces. "I didn't go well, did it?"
 
"We don't have the answers we had hoped for," Eric said, his disappointment clear in every word.
 
"I'm sorry, Father," the red wolf replied. He turned to the Armbruster's wolf. "And even more so for you, Donovan."
 
"It hasn't been easy. It feels as if what I am seeing is someone trying to tell me what is on the horizon, but they are working with a vocabulary of images that none of us have seen."
 
"Do you think that rainbow monster is real?" Tuff asked as his hands moved over the controls and the airship pivoted upright.
 
Donovan nodded. "I'm thinking so. But of all the beasts in the world to choose from; why choose me to sound the alarm?"
 
Tiff looked back at the ancient wolf. "Could it be someone you already have a relationship with?"
 
Donovan cocked his head. "As in?"
 
"Marcus is out there in space, remember?"
 
"Noboru suggested the same thing," Donovan replied. "Surely he would come to Will. Not only are they lovers, but Will's Sight is so much better than mine. Marcus wouldn't need to hit him over the head night after night trying to get him to understand a dream."
 
"Well, there is that, but you were the one he asked to be by his side in his changing. Don't sell yourself short, Donovan."
 
Donovan thought about the idea for a moment, and his eyes lit up. "The glimmer," he said with a sudden realization of what his time on the highland with Marcus and the dream both had in common.
 
"The glimmer?"
 
"I saw it just before Marcus's transformation and again in the dream," Donovan said as he saw the pieces of a puzzle slipping into place. "Noboru told me to talk to it in the dream. I tried, but it's elusive… I would almost say it's shy in my presence. It wouldn't speak to me."
 
"So you agree with Noboru?" Eric asked. "It's not the edge of the dream?"
 
"No," Donovan replied. "I growing more confident with each nightmare that the glimmer is what brought the dreams. They stopped the moment I confronted it."
 
"Then perhaps we made more progress than we thought," the polar bear said. "It could be that we're simply too impatient for an answer. Maybe that glimmer is not a…" Suddenly, the bear roared in pain and doubled over. Donovan was only a fraction of a second behind as he made a choking sound and crumpled into his seat. Only the harnesses kept the two from dropping to the floor.  
 
Tiff turned to the two. "Father, Donovan, are you okay?" he asked. With no response from the two, Tiff slammed his paw against his harness and released the restraints. He rushed to their side as Tuff veered the aircraft into a sharp bank.
 
Tuff tapped his ComLink. "Templeton Memorial, clear the helipad. We have two Changelings down, and we're coming in hot."
 
"Negative," the red wolves heard the reply. "We've got three of our own down here. The Black Rhino is on its way for transport to the Partridge Island Second Hospital."
 
"Gray Wolf, here, Gentlemen," the voice of Takeo came on the link. "We're loading Lothair and Colton onboard. They both collapsed in the middle of breakfast. We're heading to Partridge Island as well. Not sure if that's what to do, but it still has the best diagnostics for Changelings."
 
"What about Nathaniel?"
 
"He's down," the voice of Tyler said. "He's in the ER with the panda twins. Martin and Oliver went down at the same time as Nathaniel. Martin is conscious again, but incoherent. We're not sure what the hell is going on."
 
"What about the husbands on the highland?"
 
"None of them are responding to their ComLinks," Jason's voice chimed in. "Katashi and Zhuang are out there looking for them, but the highland is a lot bigger than it used to be."
 
"Good god, what next?" Tyler's exasperated voice interrupted. "Lewis just walked in with his husband on his back. Anders is shifting. He's losing his bear shape. He's becoming some sort of yellow blob." There was a pause while everyone on their ComLinks listened to the hospital manager barking out orders. Tyler's voice was uncharacteristically demanding. "Get a gurney and get Anders to Emergency stat." There was a pause as only the confusion in the background came over the ComLinks. "I'll leave the line open, men," Tyler finally said breathlessly. "If any of you find out what's happening, let us know."
 
"We're touching down now," Tuff said. "Better find a couple of more rooms. And if your orderlies don't move it, you're going to need a bucket for the two Changelings on board. They're shifting too."
 
"What the hell is happening?" Faraji asked. "The Black Rhino is heading your way, Tyler. Francisco and Ivan are shifting as well. Patrick seems to be okay. He's unconscious, but…" the voice tapered off. "Oh, hell, he's stopped breathing and I can't find a pulse."
 
"Nathaniel is coding," another voice of an unknown doctor interrupted. "We've lost all vital signs." There was a pause. "What in the name of Terra? There are no vital signs because he has no internal organs. He's changing, the same as the others. Only it's not happening as quickly."
 
A familiar voice came over everyone's ComLink. "Get them outside and on the ground," the black wolf yelled. "Everyone, get your Changelings on the ground. Grass, dirt, I don't care, but put them in contact with Terra before we lose them all."
 
Talib's panic was unmistakable in his voice. "Pup, we're over the Atlantic."
 
"What's the nearest landmass to where you are?"
 
 "If we alter course, we could be on top of Greenland in thirty seconds."
 
"DO IT!" the black wolf barked.
 
"Changing course, Faraji," Talib yelled. "Grab onto something, Gentlemen. I can't promise the stabilizers are going to keep up when I make this turn."
 
"Over California now," Takeo said. "We're landing in a clearing near Shasta Lake."
 
"Everyone, if you're near a Changeling, get them outside and on the ground," Derrick commanded in a voice rarely witnessed.
 
"What's this all about, Pup?" Tyler asked.
 
"Do what the Pup says, or I'll have your hides," everyone heard the old wolf order. "And you know I don't make threats."
 
Martin came over the ComLink. "Do it, do it now, before it's too late. Pup is right. It only took the rest of us longer to see it. Oliver is still unconscious. His link was the greatest."
 
"Is he okay?" Will and Derrick both asked at the same time.
 
"He's going to be fine," Martin replied. There was a heavy sigh from the saber-toothed cat. "As fine as any of us can be with what happened."
 
Tyler asked the unspoken question everyone else thought as they moved the bodies outside and placed them on the ground. "What exactly did happen?"
 
"The link to the Unity has been severed," Martin replied. "The Changelings are shifting to their original form, trying to establish contact with Verital. It's an instinct, but they will die unless we stabilize them in their Terran bodies. That's why we need them on the ground. Terra can help hold them here."
 
"She's got Gaia grounded… literally," Derrick interjected. "Kris hasn't shifted at all because we all fell down in the forest and by the time we woke up, Terra had already begun her work. He's unconscious, but he's not changing."
 
"What's happening, Pup?" Tuff asked.
 
"I don't know. It's as if the Unity is missing. I can't feel them. I can't sense any of them."
 
The voice of a badger crying came over the ComLink. "They's dead, Pup. They's all dead. There ain't nothin' living on their entire world."
 
"Are you sure?" Will asked.
 
"I'se sure Old Wolf," the badger replied. "And if you folks out there don't does what Pup told you to do, we is gonna lose all the rest."
 
"We're down in Greenland," Takeo said. "We put them out on the last surviving glacier. Everywhere else on the coast was too rocky for a landing. I hope that's good enough."
 
"It will be fine," Derrick said, trying to calm the two Hokkaido wolves. "Terra only needs to touch them to remind them of who they are. She's trying to bring them home to the only home they have left."

Chapter 4

The days turned to weeks with no sign of change in the Verital Changelings. Those of the Verital Unity, Gaia and Kris, lay on or beneath the highland, lacking any sign of life between the two. The Terran Changelings remained colorful blobs. Their only movement was the wiggle they made when the nurses watching over them touched their gelatinous bodies. On the fifteenth day, the first hopeful sign appeared. The panda twins opened their eyes and looked around the Partridge Island forest.
 
Their confused faces told those caring for them that what happened was a mystery to the twins. Oliver was by their side and explained what had happened. Samuel and Raymond learned that day what it meant to cry over the death of a loved one. The burden of grief for billions of lost souls was more than they could bear. The two hugged each other tightly as a green chrysalis of stone formed around them.
 
Oliver understood all too well a pain so intense that the youngsters had curled up into the Changeling version of a fetal position. There, encased in rock, the two tried to shut away the world that brought such horrible news. The badger's paw reached out. When it touched the stone, a paw of green rock melded into the crystal. For days, he quietly sang to his boys, never stopping for food or drink or sleep.
 
When Patrick woke, a small group of Templeton Memorial Hospital personnel greeted the young wolf. Camped out on the ice for weeks, they had waited patiently for the wolf to return. They brought him to his werewolf fathers watching over their Changeling husbands. He stared at the red and green blobs that looked more like Christmas Jell-O molds than the fathers he knew. He sat on the ice for days singing songs of love and longing, hoping his voice would bring them back. His werewolf fathers sat next to him on thick blankets spread out to keep the family and staff warm. Still, no amount of heat seemed to calm the lingering cold inside everyone.
 
By the time Patrick had returned, JP and Max realized that the Terran-born Changelings were returning in the order of the most recently born. They explained it to those waiting for any news about what was happening. The Changelings with the most distant link to the Unity, were the first to reestablish their link back to Terra and their earthly family.
 
When Colton woke, he found Jean Pierre and Jason by his side in a clearing overlooking Lake Shasta. Colton fell to the earth and began crying when he turned and saw Lothair. The two husbands wrapped their arms around the bear-wolf, and there they stayed until the tears slowed. Jean Pierre and Jason held Colton until sleep finally came to the exhausted young Changeling. The next morning, the Red Wolf landed in the open field. Tiff and Tuff ushered Colton aboard and returned him to Partridge Island. There he stayed beside his fathers, who remained gelatinous glowing blobs lying on the grass near the helipad.
 
When Nathaniel woke to find Martin by his side, he realized that life had again forced him to deal with the deaths of those he loved. It wasn't until Oliver returned with Samuel and Raymond free from their cocoon that Nathaniel could finally sleep through the night.
 
The Verital Changelings were another matter. Four weeks into the vigil, the family wondered if their loved ones would ever return. On the twenty-eighth day, Kris rolled over and his eyes flickered open. He stared into Derrick's eyes and grabbed the black wolf, bringing him into a tight hug. Will pulled the gigantic bear in close from behind and rubbed his muzzle along the bear's shoulders. There, the three clung to each other, crying for hours with grief that transcended words. Night had come when Derrick felt the first loosening of the hug. He let the bear go, feeling the thick brown arms push him back up. "My sons?" were the first words from the Kodiak's lips.
 
"Nathaniel is fine. Eric is not so good," Derrick answered. "He's a blob of goo, Bear. Nothing we've tried seems to help. Donovan is the same. They're not getting worse, but it doesn't appear they're getting any better."
 
Kris tapped the ComLink in his ear. "Jason."
 
"Kris, it's so good to hear you," came the voice of the fox.
 
"I need a big favor from our pilots. I need to get Eric and Donovan here to the highland. But we need to do it quickly. No more than half an hour in the air for them."
 
"Of course, Bear. That shouldn't be a problem. What about their brothers?"
 
"Are they…"
 
Jason tapped the mute on his ComLink and turned to Jean Pierre. "I don't think he knows," he said.
 
"Oh god, no," the two heard Kris blurt out.
 
Jean Pierre shook his head. "He does now."
 
Another tap of his ComLink and Jason spoke. "I'm sorry, Bear. I know this isn't the thing you want to hear as soon as you wake up."
 
"Bring them all to the highland as quickly as you can. Can they all make the flight in less than thirty minutes?"
 
"Easily. They're all located to the east of us. Ivan and Francisco are in Greenland. They're the furthest away. It shouldn't be more than a fifteen-minute trip to get the whole family to the highland. My husband here might take the longest because it's a lateral flight. We can't take advantage of Terra's rotation to pick up speed."
 
"You're not in Montana?"
 
"No, Bear," the fox replied. "We're down below you in California. Lothair is with us. We had to drop out of high altitude flight when Derrick told us to get him on the ground. Lake Shasta was the closest open area."
 
There was a pause in the conversation. When the voice of the Kodiak returned, he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know how far this extended. Will and Derrick were trying to catch me up to speed. I just jumped the gun."
 
"That's okay, Bear. I would be the same way," Jason said. "Look, Elden is on transport communication right now. I'll coordinate with him. You hang tight and we'll get your family to you as quickly as we can."
 
"Thank you, Jason."
 
The two ended their ComLink connection. Jason looked up at Jean Pierre. "A hell of a thing to learn when you wake up out of a coma."
 
"Indeed," Jean Pierre said with a nod as he stirred the fire. "Best give Elden a call. We'll need to get the Black Rhino's delivery schedule rerouted." The French wolf looked up into the sky. "A full moon, Husband, and here we sit waiting for our husband to return instead of running with him and our pack. What the hell happened?"
 
"Kris is back," the young fox said, smiling. "We have to take that as good news. He was the first grounded to Terra. We need to be patient. He seems to have a plan of action."

"And you have no regrets spending all these weeks away from your job holding vigil for our husband?"
 
Jason smiled. "Testing me, Husband? My only job is keeping you two happy. That communication hub in Montana is what I do to amuse myself when you two are too busy to bed me."
 
Jean Pierre reached around the fox and pulled him close. "Just checking. I think it's important to confirm how you feel every few decades."
 
"Now and Forever, Hon. You can check anytime you want," Jason replied. He paused in thought. "The research department in Germany has been offering to augment the communications system with an AI named Ori. It might be time we took them up on their offer."
 
"If it can help us through this mess, it might be a good idea." The gray wolf looked up into the star field above him. "What happened? How does an entire world suddenly cease to exist?"
 
The two waited until the landing lights of an airship turned on in the distance. As the bulky ship flew over the lake, the landing lights reflected their warm glow over the water. The Black Rhino coasted across the water directly toward them and dropped gingerly down twenty yards away on the grassy field.
 
"We have company," Jean Pierre said, rising to greet them. The French wolf poured a bucket of water on the last of the embers, and the two headed toward the Black Rhino. When the two African dogs appeared at the top of the passenger ramp, he waved. "What brings you two handsome men here tonight?" Jean Pierre queried. "I thought the Changelings in Greenland would occupy your flight plan tonight. I was sure we'd see the Red Wolf." 
 
"We were out making deliveries, Sir," Talib replied as he bounded down the boarding ramp. "The Red Wolf has always been the most nimble of our fleet. We have them picking up the family in Greenland and Partridge Island. That thirty-minute window for picking up four Changelings is pretty tight."
 
"Will your ship make this flight under the time limit?"
 
Talib gave the two a smile. "She's big, but she's fast. We'll get you there. Let's get you onboard. We'll use the Medevac gurney to pick up Lothair once we're airborne. It's much easier than us trying to pick him up and carry him to the ship."
 
Jason leaned down and rubbed the glowing red blob. "Time to go, Husband. Kris is waiting." He gave the blob a kiss and stood up.
 
"Okay, I'm probably going to catch hell for this, but what's kissing him like?" Talib asked.
 
Jason smiled. "Kind of boring. There's no tongue, so we really have to get him back to his old self."
 
Jean Pierre leaned over and kissed the gelatinous husband. "This is his old self, Fox." He looked up at the African dog. "And it's warm and soft. Not slimy, not wet, simply a smooth warm kiss."
 
"My apologies for my curiosity," Talib said.
 
"I would have asked," Jean Pierre said as he grabbed the hand of the fox. "Should curiosity get the better of you in the future, I'm sure he would love to get a kiss from you. His outward appearance may have changed, but his love for African dogs is constant."
 
Talib smiled, leaned over, and kissed the glowing blob. "I miss you, Lothair." The African dog looked up at the wolf and fox. "Let's get him to the highland, shall we? Nothing good comes of staying here."
 
In minutes, the black airship lifted off the ground. The
 blue flames of the engines pointed downward, stabilizing it over the red glowing Changeling. A tethered gurney dropped from the ship. After a short evaluation, it rolled over the top of the wolf, securing Lothair in a plastic blanket, and then lifted back into the airship. The bulky jet rotated toward the north.
 
Talib's paws moved confidently over the controls. "Engines moving topside. Let's see if we can keep the civilians below from falling out of their beds by buffering the sonic disturbance." As the engines flamed into hyper-drive, it sped off through the night.
 
There was no sonic boom reported along the I-5 corridor, but thousands of residents reported the shake that moved over them. The rotated engines of the black rhino canceled out the noise associated with Mach travel. Yet, nothing could totally abate the shock wave as the airship moved through the atmosphere.
 
The government originally tried to explain the rattling of houses and strange animal behaviors as an earthquake. Yet, no seismograph showed an epicenter for the shaking ground. No agency ever adequately explained the event. Air traffic controllers and military radar bases saw a clear sky that night. Yet thousands reported the wake of something unseen moving at unbelievable speed. Even those operating air traffic control and fire lookout towers admitted feeling a sonic wave that shook their supports.
 
When the various agencies began correlating the data, it remained a mystery what had happened. Something of incredible size moved through the Pacific Coast Ranges above Mach 8. Yet all agencies involved repeated that nothing could move at such speeds, let alone invisibly. Despite the report, people along the hundreds of miles between Shasta Lake and Vancouver remained skeptical. Eventually, they would catalog it into the mythos of UFO lore. However, on a night when speed was of the essence, the collateral confusion of the humans wasn't a concern to the Were Nation.
 
When the lights of the Red Wolf appeared over the highland treetops, Kris breathed a sigh of relief. "Ten minutes to spare, Bear," Will said with a pat on the Kodiak's shoulders. "Your husbands are here." The ship landed, and three gurneys moved quickly out from the cargo bay. Their articulated legs slid over the grass and stopped next to where the other glowing blobs of the Verital Changelings lay.
 
The gurneys rotated, gently deposited their patients on the ground, and moved toward the cargo bay ramp. They slipped by a metal and crystal pillar that was familiar to only a few that saw it. The beacon that drew Eric back to the highland centuries ago stood upright in the darkened field.
 
Nathaniel, Martin, Oliver, the panda twins, and Colton deplaned from the cargo bay and headed toward where their family lay in the field. The clang inside the ship with each step taken heralded the last passenger to leave the airship. The three-toed pad of the rhino clanged against the ramp as Chipo lumbered forward onto the highland. From the cockpit, the two wolves waved. "You take good care of our father," the group below heard the twins say in tandem over their ComLinks. "We'll be back when you call,"
 
"Thank you," Kris said, making a small wave to the red wolves. The airship lifted, rotating its trajectory. In seconds, it was gone from their sight.
 
"Now what, Husband?" Will asked.
 
"Now we bring them home," Kris replied. He paused, looking at his glowing family. "They have nowhere else to go."
 
Derrick rubbed the back of the Kodiak. "This has always been their home, Hon."
 
"I know," Kris replied. "But they were reaching out to the Unity… to something that no longer exists. We are marooned here. Please forgive me for saying that, but while the Unity lived, this world was only one of so many I hoped to show you one day."  
 
"And one day you'se gonna, Bear," Oliver said, walking up and hugging the leg of the upright bear. "This ain't the end of this."
 
"You see something, Oliver?" Will asked.
 
"Something is coming, Old Wolf," the badger replied. "Something awful. But I sees our family standing together against it, and my husbands ain't no blobs when we does."
 
Kris looked at the badger hugging his leg. "Then we best be starting this now." He put his arm down on the shoulder of the badger and turned toward his wolf husbands. "I have to reactivate the beacon. I'm afraid the only way I can do that is in my true form." He paused, looking at the three. "I have to become a gummy slug."
 
"Then do it," Will said. "What you look like stopped being an issue centuries ago, Bear. Who you are is what we love."
 
"I will come back."
 
"You're not going away," Derrick said. "You're changing to bring your family home. We've all done that. We'll all do it again. Do what you have to do."
 
"Do what is needful, Bear," Oliver replied.
 
Kris looked out at the group and realized all were nodding in agreement. With a shake, the bear became a green glowing blob sitting upright. Will stared at it as the blob moved toward the beacon. "So, Bear, where's your ass?" he asked.
 
The Changeling turned, or at least half the body did. The top rotated around while the lower half remained stationary.
 
"I want to know what to stare at when I'm watching you," Will said with a smile.
 
A small outgrowth became a limb and pointed to the backside that remained stationary. "Cool," Will said. "You know, for a gummy slug, you've got a nice ass." Will and the entire family laughed aloud as they watched the limb articulate a hand with the middle digit raised.
 
The Changeling moved quickly toward the beacon and then melded into the unit itself. All now realized why the shapeshifter needed his original body to reactivate the beacon. Sounds were coming from the machine for a bit, and then the crystals fluoresced a bright green. A low hum filled the air and the Changeling slowly oozed out from the machine and reformed. With a jiggle more than a shake, the Changeling became Santa's twin and began tinkering with the outside of the beacon.
 
"Okay, husband. I have to admit," Will said, staring at the white-haired man squatting naked in front of the machine, "that's a way better ass than the first."
 
"Don't make me raise another finger at you, Old Wolf," the old man said, never hesitating in his work.
 
"No, really," the old wolf replied. "It's an incredible ass." He paused. "Can we do anything to help?"
 
Kris stood up and pulled at his beard. "No, this should work. We keyed this to all the Changelings born on earth. We built it to gather them together. Physically, those that remain are already here. They're all on the highland. But their minds… their souls… whatever you want to call it… they're out there," Kris said with a wave of his hand toward the sky. "But the beacon should call them back here. They should respond to it the same way Eric did when it turned on. They should all return here. Once that happens, its secondary programming will kick in."
 
"And what is that?"
 
"Originally, it was to teach them how to merge with each other and lead them through the dark time. I've altered the programming. It will teach them how to sever their link to the Unity. Their genetics are trying to maintain a link to something that is gone. If we don't sever that link, they will expend all that they are in a search for what no longer exists. Terra is trying to hold them here, but without guidance, genetics will win out."
 
"Then why ain't you a blob trying to find your home?" Oliver asked the white-bearded man. "You'se way more the Unity than any of them next to us."
 
"Because I'm older than they are and more experienced. I know what to do if something ever breaks the link to the Unity. They don't. Terra grounded me long enough for me to get my bearings, realize where I was, and what was happening. The Terran Changelings here aren't so fortunate."
 
"So we wait and hope the machine guides them back home and back to their Terran bodies?" Nathaniel asked.
 
"No, there's one more step that needs to be in place." Santa turned toward his husbands. "I know it frustrates you to see us merge, but I have to again. Gaia and I need to merge with the young ones."
 
"Forty years? You're leaving again for forty years?" Will asked with an exasperated sigh.
 
"No, only for days, maybe weeks," Kris replied. "They need to find their way back to Terra and their bodies. The beacon will guide their minds home. It will help them give up the search for the Unity. But Gaia and I need to be there when they realize where they are and what has happened. We have to help them move beyond their grief and reconnect with who they are."
 
Will nodded. "You've got to be their father and mother."
 
"We always have been, Old Wolf."
 
"I know. Go… become a rock. We'll wait here for your return."
 
"You don't all have to stay."
 
"Yes, we do," Patrick said. "These are our fathers and our husbands. I heard the voices of my werewolf fathers while they waited for me to be born. They talked to us, and I knew where I wanted to be. I knew where my home was. You can't ask me to leave the side of my fathers now."
 
"He's right," Jean Pierre agreed. "This is where we belong. We will talk to our husbands. We will sing for our family. They will know they are not alone. They will know that we wait for them to return to us."
 
Kris wiped his paw across his eyes. "Sometimes I forget who surrounds me. I am so proud to share my life with you."
 
Nathaniel stepped forward. "Would you like some company on your trip, Father?"
 
The Kodiak gave a nod. "There are many to bring back. It would be welcome."
 
"We can go," the panda twins said quickly.
 
Kris shook his head. "I'm sorry, sons," he replied. "You've never merged. This requires experience. Your father has that experience. You do not."
 
"But we want to help," Samuel protested.
 
"Then talk to us, boys. Guide your fathers and mother back home
 by letting us hear the voices that make us smile whenever you speak."
 
"That hardly seems enough," Raymond sighed.
 
"It is more than enough," Nathaniel said as he leaned in and kissed his son. The green glow spread over the short-faced bear's fur. He walked over to the Verital Changelings and sat beside them. Kris joined him, his fur glowing bright green.
 
A wind from off the highland picked up, moving the grass in waves. An almost invisible blue light swept across the waves of grass and into the beacon. "It's good to see you, Gaia," Kris said with a smile. How she responded to the Kodiak, no one knew, but he laughed and added, "I guess we never thought it would turn out like this. We planned for a quick trip to pick up our boy and go home. We sure got sidetracked along the way."
 
"I, for one, am glad you stayed," Nathaniel interjected. "Although the two of us seem to always be merging in the middle of a crisis. We have to stop meeting like this."
 
"Agreed," the Kodiak replied. "At least this time it won't be for thirty-three years."
 
"We have two beautiful sons from those years, Dad," Nathaniel said with a nod toward the pandas.
 
"Ah, that is true. If we had another thirty-three years to spare, I would love to see what comes of this union."
 
"I love you, Dad," Nathaniel said, smiling. He reached out his paw, and the Kodiak took it. The crystalline shape slowly formed between the two at the base of their feet. The bears' free paws reached down to the glowing cluster below them as the green crystal replaced their fur. "Now and forever."
 
From the beacon, transparent blue tendrils reached out toward each of the glowing blobs. When the tendrils touched the Changelings, the tendrils' light grew brighter. Then, with a flash of intense white light, the tendrils were gone and all that remained was a pulsing blue light inside the beacon.
 
"Now and forever, Nathaniel," the Kodiak said as his head bowed and the rock took on the shape of a Changeling chrysalis. "Now and forever, Gaia," was the bear's last words before all became stone.
 
Soon, the chrysalis lay quiet, its warm green glow pulsing in the night. The families had sung their songs under the full moon and were quietly sleeping inside the caves. Only Oliver and Zhuang remained outside, watching over the crystal. "Hurry back, Changelings," Oliver said. "This world ain't gonna survive the dark without you."
 
Zhuang looked at the badger. "Is it that bad, Little One? Is the darkness so deep that there is no light to be found?"
 
Oliver shook his head. "It's worse than that, Dog. This time the light is the darkness."
  
Chapter 5

Oliver looked up at the sky. "Where is you, Wolf? Damn you, can't you never be on time? I loves you to pieces, but you gots work to do here, and you'se off doing whatever damn thing it is they tells you to do. Time you realize them problems out there, and the ones here, is one and the same. You ain't gonna solve your problems unless you is home with your family."
  
Derrick watched the badger yelling up at the sky from a distance and finally curiosity got the better of him. "Who are you yelling at, Badger?"
  
"Marcus. Damn wolf is out there, but he ain't hearing squat."
  
"Maybe he's busy," Derrick said as he walked toward the fuming badger.
  
"Yeah, well, that would be right, but he's being busy in the wrong place."
  
"So, you're calling him here? This is the right place for him to be?"
  
"Don't rightly know that there's gonna be a right place, Pup. But if he's gonna be a part of fixing the darkness that's coming this way, he ain't gonna do it by himself."
  
"Do you want me to help?" the black wolf asked. "We can both yell at the sky together."
  
Oliver turned and frowned. And then his eyes lit up. "You'se right, Pup. What I needs is someone else yelling at this sky, but he's been too busy holding Bear Paws Enterprises together in this mess to be doing the job he needs to be doing."
  
"Will?"
  
"Yeah, the old wolf's got a closer link to Marcus than anyone else."
  
"Well, that's true," Derrick replied. "But is yelling at the sky really going to help?"
  
Oliver shook his head. "Ain't the yelling so much as the thinking behind it. We gots to get Marcus back here, and he needs to hear us the same way as the Unity did."
  
"He's not the Unity," Derrick said with a frown. "He might not have skills for hearing us as developed as the Unity's were."
  
"So we adds all our voices; especially the old wolf's."
  
"Are we calling a worldwide council?"
  
Oliver nodded. "That's exactly what we's doing. We's gonna get as many minds reaching out to that space wolf as we cans, and we's pulling him back home where he belongs. Ain't nothin' he's gonna do out there in space that's as important as being here."
  
"I'll go talk to Jason," Derrick said as he turned back toward the caves. "He can coordinate with Elden to set up a time when all of us can be on the party line at the same time. You talk to our husband and get him to shift the burden of running the corporation onto someone else's shoulders."
  
"I'se on it, Pup," Oliver said as he shifted to human. He smiled at the black wolf. "I can runs faster as a human."
  
"You are such a handsome human," Derrick said, returning the smile.
  
"I'se a hairy little fat guy," the man with the long hair and beard replied.
  
The wolf leaned in and kissed the chubby man. "You're still handsome. I know your definition of handsome, and you are it. Now go get our husband caught up to speed on your idea and I'll tend to Jason." With a gentle shove, he pushed the gray-haired man off toward the Red Wolf waiting in the distance. He stared a bit, watching him run. "Cute ass," he yelled as the man ran away from him.
  
"Yeah, well, let's hopes we can get Marcus back home in time enough to save it," the man yelled back, never slowing his pace toward the airship.
  
Derrick sighed. "I wish sometimes you were wrong in what you see, Oliver," he said as he turned toward the caves.
  
Within hours, the family milling around outside the caves had grown threefold, and they had set a time for the worldwide shout-out. Oliver was inside talking to his remaining husbands about the best course of action when JP, Max, and Chet slipped in quietly. "Hi men," Max said with a wave. "I can't help but think that you might not be using all the resources available to you if finding Marcus is the goal."
  
Oliver looked up at the blue bear. "Getting him home is the goal, Max. But finding him is the first step."
  
"You've got family, Oliver," Max replied. "Some of us have skills you're overlooking," he said as he patted his bear husband's shoulder.
  
"Ain't the first time," Oliver said with a chuckle. "What's you got, Max?"
  
"The skills of two galaxy-hopping bloodhounds."
  
"You can do that?" Will asked, rubbing the back of his head.
  
"Yeah," Max replied, "but if we're talking about finding a moving point in the universe, JP is far better at it than I am."
  
"So what's you got to do? Sniff something Marcus used?" Oliver asked.
  
"Nope," JP said, "I need something… someone… more closely linked to him than any other."
  
Will's eyes widened. "You're going to take me on an intergalactic manhunt?"
  
"Yeah, sort of," JP said, averting the eyes of the panicked wolf in front of him. "You're a better choice than Kendal because you've flown with us before."
  
"Flying with you boys while having sex is one thing, but at least I could see the ground below me," Will protested.
  
"If it's any consolation, you won't really see much of anything out there," JP said, pointing upward. "You're sort of going to be incorporeal. We're leaving your body behind."
  
"Oh, Jeez, JP," the wolf fumed. "Really? We're out there in the universe and they're prepping me for Forth Night here?"
  
"You'll be back much more quickly than that," Max said with a smile. "I was blind, remember? JP has his sight." The old wolf stared at the two winged bears, shaking his head. Max reached out and pulled Will close. "We can offer something as an incentive."
  
"What could you possibly offer?" the old wolf asked.
  
"Us," the angel standing quietly in the corner answered.
  
"You mean…" the wolf said, leaving the question unasked.
  
"We'll take you back up in the air, Old Wolf," Chet replied.
  
"I promise I won't repeat what I did last time," Will said with a laugh.
  
"You better not, Old Wolf," the angel replied, flexing his wings. "Do we have a deal?"
  
Will smiled. "Of course we do."
  
"Well, then," JP said as his wings spread out. "No time like the present." The family walked out to where the chrysalis lay in the glade. JP reached out and touched the beacon. "Gaia, I need to know where your home was. Whatever happened there has to be our starting point." The family watched the lights inside the beacon shift, and the blue glow shone lightly around the blonde bear. "Thanks, Gaia," the young bear whispered. "I am truly sorry for your loss." JP rose up next to Will. With a snap of his wings outward, he wrapped his arms around the old wolf and the two were gone. Only the lifeless body of the wolf remained.
  
Chet knelt down and picked up the limp body of the old wolf. He took it back into the cave and toward a back bedroom while all in the cave followed him. When he placed the body on the bed, he gently kissed the muzzle. "Hurry back, Old Wolf. Let me see what new scars we can get for making such an insane deal with you."

Chapter 6

The worldwide call for Marcus yielded nothing in results. Marcus had not returned. JP and Will were also unaccounted for. The hours had slipped by into days, and the family worried as Fourth Night approached. If what the Changelings believed was true, the clock was ticking down on how much time the old wolf had to reunite with his body. That time was a day away.

Everyone on the highland did their best to attend to both the crystalline family outside and monitor Will inside. His body remained in a stasis tube of glass, wires, and flashing telemetry lights that kept the flesh alive while it awaited the return of the two. Hopelessly lost, Derrick tried to balance watching over his husbands by being both outside on the glade and inside the cave. Oliver and he traded places throughout the day, but for both, the separation between their mates left each sleepless and exhausted.

"Pup," Jean Pierre said as he put his arm around the black wolf, "you have to get some sleep. It's been almost three days now. We will wake you if anything changes."

"I can't," Derrick replied, his hand resting on the glass surrounding the Iberian wolf.

"Are you going to force me to make that an order?" the alpha wolf asked.

"You can try, Jean Pierre. But if they were your husbands, could you?"

"You forget, Pup. One of those out there in the field is my husband. I still find time to sleep a bit every day."

Derrick bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Jean Pierre. I'm so lost without them. Max tells me that JP knows what he's doing. But I can't stop worrying."

The French wolf rubbed the shoulders of the young wolf. "I understand. It is so much easier to be in the middle of all that happens than to stand on the sideline and watch it unfold. But that is not what we have tasked you to do here, Pup. You must stay behind and wait for your husbands' return. If they return and you are ill from what you are putting your body through, how do you think that will make them feel?"

Derrick looked up into the face of his alpha. "I would sleep if I could, but I'm not able to."

"Well then," the gray wolf said, standing up, "I guess I will have to make this an order." Jean Pierre turned toward the cave opening. "OLIVER," he barked, "GET IN HERE!"

Oliver came running in. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"You and your mate are what's the matter," Jean Pierre said with a frown. "You two are beating yourselves into the ground and it does your husbands no good."

"I can'ts sleep, Gray One," Oliver explained.

"No, because you are both exchanging places every two hours."

"What's that gots to do with anything?" the badger asked.

Jean Pierre pulled the black wolf up and pushed him toward the bedroom. "Follow us, Badger. It's time to put you both to bed."

"We can't sleep," Derrick protested.

"Because you're ignoring the one thing that allows you two to fall asleep… the proximity of a mate."

"You'se saying all we gots to do is cuddle up together, and we'd fall asleep?" Oliver asked as the French Wolf picked him up and placed him on the bed.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Your bodies know they need sleep. But they've spent so many years together with a mate next to them, they don't know how to drift off without the comfort of a mate nearby."

Derrick slipped into the bed next to Oliver. "We still won't sleep without knowing that our other husbands are safe."

"Perhaps not, but in the touch of the one you love, there is security. It may calm you enough to get a few hours of sleep together. You certainly won't get any passing by each other every two hours on your vigil." Jean Pierre pushed the two together. He wrapped the wolf's arm around the badger. "Now, you let your family worry about the world out there. Trust us to watch over your husbands. You two close your eyes for a few minutes and rest."

"Ain't never gonna work," Oliver said with a yawn.

"Close the eyes, Badger. Don't make me go all alpha on you."

Oliver closed his eyes. "Lame ass idea," he replied as he pushed back into the warmth of the wolf spooning him. "Ain't never gonna…"

The alpha wolf rose and smiled, looking down at the two sleeping beasts.

"One of these days, they're going to figure you out, Husband," Jean Pierre heard Jason whisper.

"Perhaps, but not today," The French wolf replied as he turned and smiled at the younger fox. "Let them sleep for a few hours. We can wake them if anything happens." With a nod, the young fox turned and walked out of the bedroom with his mate.

As evening approached, the glow of the crystal shell grew brighter. The rhythmic hum of the beacon grew louder, and the lights inside the crystal began shifting their colors with each pulse. "We best go wake Derrick and Oliver," Jean Pierre said as he watched the shifting lights.

Jason jumped up. "I'm on it," he said as he raced toward the cave. He sped by the glass-enclosed wolf and gave a gentle shake to the two on the bed. "We have some movement going on with the Changelings," the fox told the badger and wolf.

"How's the old wolf?" Oliver asked.

"Still sleeping," Jason said.

"Well, let's go see about our other husbands," Derrick said, rubbing his eyes. "How long were we sleeping?"

"About four hours," Jason replied. "Sure hope it helped."

Derrick nodded. "Actually, it did. I feel a lot better. I guess it pays to listen to my alpha."

Jason laughed. "It's always worked for me, but then he suggests things to me that are usually way more fun than what he offers the rest of the pack."

Derrick and Oliver both laughed. "Well, let's gets our butts out there," Oliver said as he jumped off the bed and walked out the bedroom entrance. Inside the antechamber of the cave, he stared at the wolf inside the glass. "You looks like some damn Snow White story, Old Wolf. Ain't never thought I'd have to kick you to come back to me, but you's testing me something fierce."

Derrick leaned over and kissed the top of the badger's head. "We still have time, Badger. JP and Will are on a very important mission according to you, so let's not stress them by putting any other burden on their shoulders."

"All I'se saying is I gots a craving to put my legs on the old wolf's shoulders, and I can'ts do that with him inside that glass coffin thing."

"Gentlemen," Jason said, pointing toward the mouth of the cave.

With a nod from the two, Jason turned and slammed directly into the materializing chest of the blonde bear. The bear looked down. "To the left, Fox," he said, rubbing his right nipple through his fur. "You want to bump that muzzle into me right here for it to be any fun at all."

"JP! You're back," Jason said as he flung his arms around the bear.

"And with a day to spare," JP replied. He looked over at the wolf encased in glass. "Oh, jeez, that's creepy. He looks like something stuffed in a museum."

"Been saying he needs to get out," Oliver said.

"Okay, for future reference, if any of you go body-hopping with me or Max, remember that we're watching over your body. You don't have to put yourselves in some weird glass refrigerator."

"Good to know," Jason said, never letting go of his hug.

"So, if we can postpone our greetings, let's get Will's body out of that contraption and put him back together," Derrick said. He pressed a series of buttons on the front of the stasis tube and lifted the lid. "We put him on life support. There's a bunch of wires and stuff Dr. Peterson stuck in him," he said, holding a clear plastic tube that dripped into the IV set in his wrist. "I'm not sure we should just yank them out."

"Well, of course, you don't just yank them out," JP said with an authoritative air. "You get a professional to do that." He looked to his right. "Well, come on now, we didn't go to all this trouble to let you coast while we do all the work."

There was a faint copper glitter for a moment, and suddenly the white wolf was in the room. He looked at the old wolf lying in the tube. "Jeez, that's creepy."

"Yeah, yeah… we's already heard that from the bear. Is you gonna wake up my husband or not?" Oliver asked.

"I guess so," Marcus answered.

"Well, best do it quick. I was all set to kick the damn wolf for taking too long to come back. I gots no problem kicking you for doing the same."

Marcus leaned over and kissed Will on the lips. As he did, the tubes, wires, and all the machinery slowly disappeared. The winged wolf's arm reached down and supported the old wolf as even the glass tube disappeared. When the old wolf's paw reached out and fondled Marcus's balls, they knew Will had returned.

Derrick rocked impatiently, and Marcus, sensing his anxiety, handed the Iberian wolf to his mate. The two of them hugged. "I've been so worried," the young wolf said.

"I was with JP. You need to trust your family more, Pup," the old wolf replied.

"I will when they stop leaving your body lying on the grass outside."

Will nodded. "Okay. That's reasonable." He turned toward the cave's entrance. "How goes life for our other husbands?"

"Oh, crap," Jason said. "I was supposed to get you out there. There was a major light show going on when I came in."

The five inside the cave turned toward the exit and ran out into the night to find the family hugging the returned Changelings. Jason ran to Lothair and Jean Pierre. Derrick, Oliver, and Will ran toward their husbands, and Marcus stood alone, trying to figure out what he should do. He heard the voice behind him say, "I suggest you hug me." Turning, he saw Kendal and fell into the Newfoundland wolf's embrace.

When at last their kiss ended, Kendal said, "But you have a lot of other family to hug as well."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize what had happened until it was too late," Marcus whispered in Kendal's ear.

"And exactly what did happen?" Will said as he turned toward the winged wolf.

Marcus shook his head. "I forget about this family's hearing." He looked toward the gathering. "We have a situation."

"That is obvious, Marcus," Donovan said; his eyes narrowing.

"There is a swarm in space moving through the galaxy; a mass of creatures that leaves nothing alive in its wake."

"It sounds like the Shumuuluud on the Tibetan plateau," Katashi said, rubbing the gold mane under his chin.

"The what?" Oliver asked.

"The Shumuuluud," the temple dog repeated. "A shumuuluud is a tiny blood-sucking insect. They are much like mosquitoes that live elsewhere. In the summer, their numbers would make an evening outside miserable for any man or beast. But years ago, those numbers increased because of the warmer winters.

"The shumuuluud swarmed in greater and greater numbers. Sometimes they would blacken the sky when they attacked. The swarms decimated entire herds of cattle and sheep. Global warming allowed what most see as a nuisance to grow in numbers beyond humanity's ability to eradicate them. For Tibet, it resulted in mass starvation and disease. The swarms eventually became known as simply the Shumuuluud."

"Then the Shumuuluud is an apt name for what I saw," Marcus said. "Nothing alive remains of the worlds they visit."

"And that includes Verital?" the Armbruster's wolf asked.

"Yes, Donovan," Marcus replied. "I'm so sorry. It was their death that alerted me to what was happening. Before the carnage on Verital, the creatures seemed content to devour life forms that were not seen as sentient."

"You were aware these creatures were destroying entire planets and did nothing?"

"They assured me that the situation was being contained, that my involvement wasn't necessary. The attack on Verital changed all that. Not only because Verital was a world of evolved beings, but because they were my family. I am fully involved with what is happening now."

"And what have you found out?"

"That there is a mystery to these Shumuuluud. The Unity is highly evolved. They have defensive systems in place that should have at least reduced the number of the Shumuuluud. But they never activated those defenses. It was as if they welcomed the creatures that ate them with open arms."

Eric looked up from where he sat. "Perhaps these Shumuuluud are not mindless creatures. The Unity has welcomed many species over the years to our world that have arrived with a message of peace."

Marcus's face suddenly darkened. "Are you saying that the Shumuuluud might not be just some sort of space piranha?"

"Their eating habits, aside, Marcus," the white bear responded, "what do you know about their intelligence, or how they present themselves?"

Marcus shook his head. "Next to nothing," he replied. "But that's not to say that some part of the Order might not know more than I do."

"The Order?" Will said with a frown.

"The group that I had hoped to join."

Everyone in the group heard a low growl come from the old wolf. "There doesn't seem to be much order in a group that gives planet-eating creatures unfettered access to the universe, Marcus. Nor much order in leaving one of their newest members alone on the sidelines trying to figure out what's happening."

Marcus nodded his head. "I agree, William. There seems to be a probationary period before anyone new earns a place in the group. I'm not even sure I have many powers beyond my teleportation. Everything else seems to be simple parlor trick variety stuff."

The low growl repeated itself. "Marcus, are you sure you belong in this group? Admittedly, I have only the Were Nation to compare that group to, but we take every newborn under our wing and teach them the ways of our family. We don't leave a novitiate out in the cold trying to figure out what's going on or where his responsibilities lie." Will stood up. "Unless you opted to leave them too early as well."

Marcus glared at the wolf. "I learned my lesson, William. I don't walk away from family. But the Order doesn't see themselves as family. They see themselves more as a… a… I don't know, maybe a S.W.A.T. team for the universe. They step in when things get out of hand and resolve the situation."

That didn't convince Will. "I already knew they didn't see themselves as your family, Marcus. We let nothing attack our family without throwing everything we have at it. The Shumuuluud should have never even got close to Verital without the Order intervening."

Marcus sighed. "I agree. But we're both new to this interchange."

"Both?" Came the question from nearly every beast on the highland.

"I sort of merged with one of the Order."

"What the hell, Marcus," Will fumed. "What bone-headed reasoning made you think that was a good idea?"

"Yours," Marcus said shyly.

"Mine?"

"What if the Sight showed you something you couldn't understand, something dark that was coming toward your family? And what if you realized the only way you would find out what it was required you to bond with another being? What would you do?"

"Fuck, I hate these hypothetical questions," Will answered.

"It's not a hypothetical, William."

"He ain't lying, Old Wolf," Oliver interjected. "It's coming, and you knows it as sure as we's standing here."

The old wolf's face softened. He shook his head. "Damn it, Marcus, why didn't you tell me you were joining up with someone else? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"He told me," Kendal said, waving his hand. "He told the only one who recognized it from the very beginning. Maybe he didn't tell anyone else because he was too afraid his family would say it was a bone-headed idea."

Will shook his head. "What bone-headed family member would do that?" The old wolf reached out his hands toward the winged wolf. "I'm sorry, Marcus. And whoever is inside you, or however you're jumbled up, I'm sorry to you, too. Have you got a name?"

"He does, but no one living on this planet can pronounce it. Think of us as a package deal. You say Marcus, we're both listening. You ask Marcus a question, we're both answering."

"Okay, Marcus," Donovan said. "What happened to my people? Why didn't they put up a fight?"

Marcus was quiet for a minute. "I don't think they ever realized the danger they were in until it was too late."

"And why is that?"

"Because the creature they saw didn't look like a black cloud of Shumuuluud. It looked like the Cherel."

"What's a Cherel?" Donovan asked as he shook the last of the green glow from his foot.

Kris looked up from where he sat, still glowing green. "The Cherel? They're harmless little creatures. They feed off of cosmic radiation and their herds are never more than a few hundred."

"I know, but that's what they look like," Marcus said. "I've watched the Shumuuluud from a distance. They look like a vast herd of Cherel floating in space right until the moment they start digesting an entire planet."

"And this Order of yours," Lothair pressed. "They see no reason to interfere?"

There was a sudden look of shock on Marcus's face. "What do you mean they might not know about us?" The winged wolf turned around as if trying to see to whom he was talking, but it looked more as if he was an upright dog chasing his tail. "You told me they were reaching out to my people; that you were trying to bridge the gap between us and the Unity." The winged wolf stomped his foot on the ground. "You did what? Of all the bone-headed ideas, what made you think that was a viable option?" Another pause. "I have half a mind to kick your sorry incorporeal ass out right now."

Suddenly, there was a change in Marcus. He fell to the ground and a look of pleading came over him. "Please, please, don't. I swear my intentions were good. The Order has looked at the Unity for thousands of years and never even considered them to be worth a hello. They thought them to be too peaceful to become a policing agent of the universe. And this planet? Terra? You don't even rate their indifference. But I've watched you all for so long. I've seen how you treat each other. You're such a mystery. And you Changelings… you're the last of your kind; the last of a world that we should have protected."

"We?" Marcus suddenly sputtered angrily. "We're not even a part of the congregation. You're not in line to approach another species for centuries. You've gone rogue, and you dragged me along for the ride."

The face shifted again. "Please, Marcus, don't do this. I don't understand what any of you mean by family, but I know that you're all in jeopardy. The Order will not intervene until the Shumuuluud veers from this solar system and heads toward them. I see that now because of your gift. But by then, even they won't be able to stop the onslaught. You know I'm right. You can see what they cannot. I'm sorry I lied. I'm sorry I'm not who you thought I was. But you have to understand, I didn't have a choice. I either lied to you, or I sat and watched the most amazing race I've ever seen go extinct before they even caught the attention of the Order."

Marcus's face softened. "You could have told me."

The shift happened again. "I couldn't take the chance you would say no."

"But I wouldn't have."

"I know that now, but haven't you ever done something you thought was the right thing to do, and it turned out all wrong?"

Marcus felt the warm paws of the old wolf rest on his shoulders, and he nodded. "Yeah, we've all done it a bunch of times. That's where family comes in. They help pull us out of the messes we get into."

Marcus looked up at the confused crowd staring at him. "The Shumuuluud are coming. Terra and all who live on her are dead if we don't find a way to fight back."

"What do we do, Marcus?" the old wolf massaging his shoulders asked.

"First, we find out what happened on Verital. We need to know why the Unity didn't fight back."

"How do we find out how our world died if that world is already dead?" Ivan asked.

"You unlock the collective memory that you now block to save your sanity," Marcus said, looking at the tundra wolf.

Kris stood up. "You ask too much of my children, Marcus."

"I know, Kris," Marcus replied. "But there is only one race that knows the truth about the Shumuuluud, and the last of their kind stands before me."

"I will do it, Father," the polar bear said, rising next to the Kodiak. "We do not stand down from a fight others bring to our door. If arming my family requires this, I am happy to unlock the memory. You only have to show me how."

"No, Son," the brown bear corrected. "It is not your choice. Only a Verital-born Changeling can do this. We don't have time to train you on navigating the collective memory. This is my obligation to my family. It would destroy you. No father would ever ask his child to intercede on behalf of a world at the cost of that son's life. Especially if it's saving a world that has shown so much hatred toward him."

"Tell that to the human gods. They let their kids get killed all the time," Will muttered under his breath. Will expected the sharp jab in his ribs by the black wolf, but he had said his piece and willingly paid the price to do so.

Kris looked at the old wolf. "And you, Old Wolf, remember that I am not one of your gods, but I am your husband, and I expect you to honor our relationship."

The ears of the old wolf pinned back, and the tail tucked. "Of course, Bear. What would you have me do?"

"I need you all by my side. Nathaniel and Eric are my sons. Gaia is my companion. They will tether me to this world, but you, Donovan, Derrick, Oliver, and Martin will need to tether them. There is an abyss I am being asked to look into where the deaths of all my people will stare back at me. When the time comes to look away, I will not have the strength to do so on my own."

"Then we will bring you back," Will promised.

"I'se seen the abyss, Bear," Oliver said as he walked up to the Kodiak. "I won'ts let you fall."

The bear leaned down and kissed the badger. "I know you won't, Badger. Tonight, we teach Marcus's new friend what it means to be a family."

"We protects our kin, Bear. We learns what we gots to learn and we bring you home."

"And then you bang my brains out," the bear said with a smile.

"Of course. You'se my husband. Gots to make sure you forgets the awful in the fastest way possible."

Marcus shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. It's what this family does to stay together. It's more than a sex act."

"Ain't no act if you're doing it right," Oliver said, looking up at the winged wolf. "You best take that critter inside you to bed with Kendal after all this is over, Marcus. Seems his education is woefully lackin' for something that's supposed to be the protector of the universe."

Kendal came up behind the winged wolf and hugged him. "I'll do my part, Husband," he said with a slight chuckle.

"I'm sure you will," Marcus said, placing his paws on those wrapped around him. He looked at the Kodiak as the bear fell down onto his butt and stuck out his legs. "What do I do, Kris?"

"You two listen. Marcus, you use that photographic brain of yours and hear every word, every nuance. And you with the name I can't pronounce; you listen to hear the unknown of all this. You figure out what it is I see that led to the death of my people. If I can't make it back, you make sure I didn't sacrifice my sanity in vain."

Marcus nodded. "We will do our part, Kris. We will find the truth of what happened."

Kris closed his eyes. His hands reached out to either side and his sons sat beside him. They joined hands, and in turn, the husbands put their paws on the two. Oliver and Martin placed their paws on their husband, Nathaniel. Donovan, Will, and Derrick put theirs on Eric. The rhino stepped forward. "Please, let me join you. I have a knack for finding answers to invisible mysteries."

Kris tapped the back of his shoulder. "I would be grateful, Chipo." The rhino sat behind the Kodiak and the bear bowed his head. "Now, we do this," Kris whispered.

The bear closed his eyes. In time, those around him noticed as he listed toward the polar bear. When his eyes flashed open, they were glowing a brilliant green. "We are the Unity," the bear said. "The Cherel have sent us a message. We didn't even know they had a language, let alone a way to communicate with us. For so many years, we have watched them swimming alongside our ships, feeding off the stirred-up cosmic radiation in our wake.

"But they talk now, not in Verital, but in Bellsarian. That's a hundred solar systems away from here. How did they learn Bellsarian? Their message is simple enough. They wish to visit. They come in peace. Do they have our permission to approach?"

Kris laughed. "Well, of course, you have our permission. How long have we seen you playing in space beside us? You are welcome. We have so many questions to ask you."

The bear paused, and his head tilted slightly as if watching something that confused him. "The lights are appearing in the atmosphere. This is amazing. There have never been so many in any herd. Billions and billions of them are filling the sky like waves of light. They were such a gentle glow when they swam alongside our ships, but this is amazing. They're filling the entire sky with their lights. The colors are changing with every movement. They're so beautiful. They're everywhere. We want to reach out and touch them; become a part of them. It's like watching a waterfall of rainbow light spilling from the sky."

Donovan's eyes opened. "PULL HIM BACK NOW!" he commanded.

Nathaniel and Eric's glowing green paws tightened around the bear in the middle. The rest of the family closed their eyes, trying to concentrate. The bear convulsed repeatedly. His fur turned green and began melting away from the flesh. It was an unimaginable horror that came to life with the scream of the agonizing bear. "Everyone pull," Donovan ordered. "Don't let him fall any further."

An eternity passed in only a moment while the family struggled to tether the brown bear to their side. With only one goal, the entire family glowed the colors of their powers. At the end of the chain, Oliver and Donovan glowed a bright white, drawing all the powers toward them. Inside the glowing white orb that surrounded them, the two tried to pull the Kodiak back from where the visions had taken him.

What appeared for a time to be a shaking, green gummy bear slowly shifted back toward something truer to the form of a bear. The shape of the limbs and body returned. Fur unfolded out from the viscous creature. The green fur slowly turned brown, and the shaking slowed. When the Kodiak's hands went limp in his son's hands, Eric rolled forward and held the Kodiak in place with one paw while the other pulled at his eyelid. "Are you in there, Dad?" the white bear asked.

"I'm here, Son," Kris said. "Their deaths… I wish…"

"Speak no more of it, Bear."

"Did I speak enough?"

"More than enough, Husband," Donovan said. "The pieces of the puzzle have filled in enough to know what is coming toward us. I wish I was more optimistic about how this encounter will turn out."

A sudden flash of recognition spread over Eric's face. "The dream," he said.

"The dream," the Armbruster's wolf replied. Donovan looked up at the group. "I have had a dream of the Shumuuluud invasion of this world. Having never seen a Cherel, it didn't become clear until I heard you describe them. My dream starts exactly like my husband's vision. The Shumuuluud arrive as peaceful light begging to be let in. Their colors shift and change in hypnotic patterns, lulling anyone who watches into a sense of peaceful security. They feel that peace until the moment the Shumuuluud turn on their hosts, devouring them and every living thing around them. They need no offensive weaponry because the worlds they consume don't put up a fight until it is too late."

"What are we going to do?"

"Whatever it is we gots to do, we best do it soon," Oliver interjected. "They's coming at us fast, and they ain't got a lot of living worlds between them and us." He stared at the group. "What?" he said, the irritation clear in his voice. "I gots the Sight, and the bear's vision bled into mine. I ain't confused no more by what I sees. Ain't only light I sees no more. It's the Shumuuluud."

Marcus nodded his head in agreement. "My guess is they'll bypass Jupiter altogether. The idea that there are living planets is foreign to them. They're looking for planets with life on them, and Terra is a prize catch. But we have time to prepare. We know their plan of attack and if we can get the humans to help us out, we might have a shot at saving the life of this planet and her inhabitants."

"That's never worked in Donovan's dream," the polar bear said.

Marcus sighed. "It's the first line of defense. If we can hold the line, that might be good enough. If not, we can try more draconian methods."

"Fancy words," Oliver said as his arms folded and he stared at Marcus.

"We have to create a fallback plan, Oliver. The one I'm thinking of seems a bit much."

"Them critters coming at us is a bit much, Wolf. You makes sure you gots your plan ready. If Donovan says trying to kick their asses ain't gonna work, you need to step in and does whatever it is you thinks you gots to do."

"I know, Oliver," Marcus replied. "But for now, let's get our first line of defense into place." Marcus looked up into the sky. Beyond everyone else's Sight, he saw the flowing lights moving toward them. "The Shumuuluud will be here in four days. We don't have time to waste."

Chapter 7
  
The Red Wolf touched down on the lawn of the white house. Not a soul was there to meet them. There was no challenge to their invasion, no guns drawn, not even a welcoming committee. Everyone, including the Uniformed Division walking the perimeter, was staring upward. All were watching the distant colors flowing across the sky.
For two days, the world had watched the colors approaching. First, they were a distant blur of dark colors swirling in the night sky, looking like colored inks dropped into water. From such a distance, it was easier to make out the brighter greens and yellows. The swirling muted reds and blues appeared muddied. The first speculation on the news declared it a rare aurora borealis. Then the announcement came from the governments of the world. The approaching lights were a peaceful race of aliens coming to visit our world.
With each hour, the colors grew brighter and more vibrant. Now only hours away from Earth's atmosphere, the colors moved through the sky in the rainbow shades Donovan had seen. The humans didn't realize that an encroaching death blocked the sun, leaving only the light of the Shumuuluud itself visible.
Eric and Kris rushed in through the front door where the president was waiting. "We have to hurry," the president said. "They're all excited to go outside and watch the light show. This is monumental to them. They see it as our first contact with an alien race. I doubt I can keep them inside for much longer without an excellent reason for them to stay indoors."
Kris shook his head. "Why can't they just try to kill the Shumuuluud the way they tried to kill us?"
The president huffed his frustration. "There's an inherent trust in us now. It's an undeniable side effect of the changes you made. The Shumuuluud have sent greetings, telling us they come in peace. It's in our nature to believe them. And they're beautiful. Beauty easily fools humans. It's in our nature to trust beauty over ugliness."
Eric sighed. "We can't win for losing with the humans, Bear."
Kris looked at the polar bear as they rounded a corner. "Try to be understanding, Husband. They are so much like us in that respect."
"Our world is dead, Bear. Now is not the time for the humans to be like us."
The president looked at the two bears. "Your world is dead?"
Eric waved outward toward the ceiling. "Those lights you see out there eat everything in their path with a life force. Our home world stood between Terra and the Shumuuluud. Unless we are successful in turning them, this world will be gone in three hours."
"What can we do? If your world is gone, we certainly have no weapons greater than yours."
"Our people never used their defenses. Like you, they welcomed the Shumuuluud with open arms. We have learned open arms become the first thing that they eat. We can't stop them, Mr. President. But we might leave a bad enough taste in their mouth to veer them away from this planet. If we can do that, there may be another time to take them on when we know more about how to stop them."
The president stopped in front of the double doors and pushed them open. Inside was a gathering of men and women. Every race of humankind from many countries was present. Both bears bowed.
"Who are these men?" a man with a thick Russian accent asked.
"Well, one of them is Sinterklaas," a woman said with a laugh. Her smile faded when she realized the white-bearded man in the red suit was not returning the smile.
"They are the reason I have called this meeting," the president responded. "You represent the twenty governments needed to grant access to Sky Shield. We need to activate it."
"Are you insane? The Svarog will take that as an act of aggression," another woman with a German accent replied.
Kris stared at the crowd. "THE SVAROG? REALLY?" he shouted. Each of the humans heard what followed in their own tongue. "Do you humans know nothing of your history? My husband, Derrick, and I have watched every episode of Stargate SG-1 together. Do none of you remember episode twelve in the fifth season? Svarog was a Goa'uld system lord bent on destroying the humans. The aliens that are coming to your planet are making a joke of your eminent death. They are using your own history as the last humiliation before they eat you and everything else on Terra, including her."
The president shook his hands back and forth, signaling to the Kodiak that he was in error. "Television was entertainment. We don't consider television as historically relevant. None of us hold a memory of something so long ago."
"Then episode eighty-nine of the Twilight Zone where To Serve Man was a cookbook won't help me either?"
"Oh no," a dark-skinned man answered in Hindi. "We all know that episode. It's famous. Are you telling us that the lights in the sky are coming to eat us?"
Eric slapped his head. "Of course, that's what we're telling you. And unless you provide them a good reason not to, that will happen in two hours."
"But they are so beautiful," another said in Farsi as the rest heard him in their native tongue.
"For that matter, what makes you an expert on the intentions of the Svarog?" the Australian asked.
"Because we're aliens," Kris said, the frustration clear in his voice.
"And how do we know this?" the woman representing Britain asked.
Kris rolled his eyes and put out his hand. All saw the two small, gray-skinned creatures with triangle-shaped heads, large black eyes, and small mouths. The tiny alien sang the notes from Close Encounters of a Third Kind. "Dum-dee-dee-dum-dum." With each note, the corresponding Curwen hand signs followed. First, he extended his hand flat, then raised it, lowered it, clenched it twice, and finally set it perpendicular to the floor.
"My God, you have been with us all along," the South African said.
Eric looked down, frowning at his skinny gray body. "More or less."
Kris didn't hesitate to capture the momentum. "The lights, they're hypnotic. They lull you into a stupor where you will not fight. The only chance you have is to activate Sky Shield before you succumb to the lights yourselves. It is the only option you have. You will yield to their approach if you stare at them long enough."
"But maybe there is still time to contact them. Perhaps there is a peaceful resolution we can reach to this meeting."
Kris shook his head. "My people were the most peaceful souls in this galaxy. I still hear their collective screams as the Svarog consumed them. You are not greeting friends. You are watching death approaching on a rainbow of light." The gray hand of the tiny alien raised and the collective representatives of the world saw the Shumuuluud feeding on the life of a hundred worlds. "How many times do you have to see them welcomed in peace, only to kill every living thing on the planet?"
The president's head bowed as he wiped the tears away. He looked back up. Determination replaced the sadness on his face. "We don't have time for debate today," the president said. He put his hand on the pad in front of him and the middle of the table rose. "We built the grid to stop asteroids from destroying our planet. Now we must use it to save our planet from something far worse." He took out a key and plunged it into the console in front of him. He turned it and spoke. "President Jean-Batiste Tyrell, Alpha code seven, eight, sixteen, thirty-five, eight, eight, four. Initiate activation sequence in…" he paused, looking at the gray aliens. The small hand went up, four, then five. "Forty-five minutes. Engage upon contact."
The representative from Britain stood up, pulling the lanyard from around her neck. She put her hand on the pad in front of her. She used her free hand to place the key into the slot in the console. "Ambassador Sarah Lynn Thompson. Omicron code twenty-six, forty-eight, nine, five, five, seventy-two. Activation mark to President Jean-Batiste Tyrell."
One by one, the twenty individuals around the table stood up, placed their hands on the pads in front of them, and repeated their activation codes. A female voice came over the speakers. "Print and retinal scans positive. DNA markers confirmed. Activation codes accepted. Sky Shield will activate in thirty-three minutes, twelve seconds."
"May God protect us," the Australian said quietly.
The little gray man on the left lifted his hand. "When the Svarog hit Sky Shield, there will be a moment where they will realize you have rescinded their welcome. In that moment of shock and adaptation, your people will regain their faculties. It will not slow the Svarog by much, but in whatever fashion you can, get your people inside. The Svarog eats every living thing in front of them. Whatever is inside a building will survive longer than any of the plants and animals on the outside."
The Indian ambassador stood up. "We wish to thank you for your willingness to warn us at the cost of your anonymity. We promise we will keep your secret once this is over."
"That likely won't be necessary, Ambassador," one of the Grays said. "Sky Shield will fail. When it does, we will be your last line of defense. We have sworn to protect Earth. If we can cause enough damage to them, they might alter their course through this galaxy and leave this planet, but our losses will be great. Our planet is dead at the hands of the Svarog. In less than two hours, we most likely will be as well."
The short, thin alien's nostrils flared slightly as he took a breath. "This house has a shelter in it. I would suggest you all seclude yourself in it and lock whatever doors you can. If you will excuse us, we will return to our families to say our goodbyes and plan for Earth's defense. We wish you all well."
The two aliens turned and walked out the door with President Tyrell close behind. One Gray glowered at the other. "Bear, if this ever gets out to the Were Nation, I swear I will have your ass."
The other Gray smiled. "Then I have something to look forward to, regardless of the outcome. You can have my ass anytime you want it."
"Why this body, Bear? Why weren't we the Unity?"
"Because humans trust this look. When they see this alien, they know we're either going to be their friends or give them anal probes. And I'm pretty sure there were at least three officials in that room that would have accepted anal probes as a sign of friendship." The tiny alien stopped and shifted into a Kodiak bear. "Hon, we look like slugs made of lime Jell-O. We're not exactly the most endearing creatures to a human. I chose the alien that they were most likely to believe."
The second alien shifted to a polar bear. "I suppose you're right. Still, that body was embarrassing."
The brown bear hugged the bulky polar bear. "Says my chaser husband, who doesn't look twice at skinny, little, hairless aliens. I'm a big ol' fat bear for a reason."
Eric placed his head on Kris's shoulder. "Be my mate," he whispered.
"Now and forever, Old Bear," the brown bear said as he squeezed the white bear tight.
The two Changelings turned back to the man in the dark blue suit. "Thank you, Mr. President. I know this isn't easy for you," Eric said.
The president shook, tearing the suit into pieces as his werewolf grew out of the clothing. "I have always wanted to meet you, Ancient Ones. I am so sorry that this is the way it happened."
"We feel the same," Eric said, rubbing the white fur on the top of his head.
"If it's not too presumptuous, could I kiss you goodbye?"
The two bears laughed, and Kris reached out and pulled the president in close. "We would be honored." The bear's lips pressed against the wolf's and lingered. When they parted, the polar bear replaced the Kodiak's lips with his. Minutes later, the two bears rubbed the wolf's chest one last time before they walked toward the front door of the White House.
"You know," the president said as they walked away, "I'm glad I met you, Kris. I can thank you personally for blinding the humans. It would be very awkward returning to them if they saw a werewolf with a hard-on."
Kris smiled. "It was my pleasure, Mr. President. Both for the blinding and the hard-on."
"Eric, you take good care of that bear," the wolf said with a smile.
"That's always been my intention," the polar bear replied as he turned and pushed open the front door. "Best get back to them, Mr. President. Make sure they don't see the light, or you will lose them to the Shumuuluud. We need Sky Shield up if we are to have a chance."
The president turned. "I will guard them well, Ancient Ones. My life before theirs." Never looking up into the sky, the president waved to the bears as they ran toward the Red Wolf.
The bears had belted themselves in, and Tiff and Tuff's hands skillfully worked the controls as the Red Wolf lifted into the sky. "Where are we going, sons?" Eric asked.
"China," Tuff said, pulling up a screen with the map of China in the center. The Shumuuluud will break through Sky Shield around the globe. But they backed up their main mass behind where they know the greatest population of creatures capable of fighting live. Once the people of China are gone, the rest of the world will fall easily. Then the Shumuuluud can feed at their leisure on the real prize of Terra. China is only the appetizer before the main course of South America." Tuff pointed to an area on the screen above Beijing. "The family is here,"
"We're heading to Chenzhuang village, about twenty miles northwest of central Beijing," Tiff said. "An abandoned theme park called Wonderland. They started building it back in nineteen ninety-eight, but it fell apart after arguments about financing and land. They tried again in two thousand eight and again in twenty fifty. When an earthquake hit during another attempt to build in twenty eighty-two, they decided the entire project was cursed. It's the Partridge Island of China," the red wolf said with a laugh. "We need to get some werewolves in there and build a hospital."
"Well, by the time this is all over, we'll need one there," Eric said.
Tuff turned back and looked at the white bear. "Father, do we even have a chance?"
"I don't know, Son. Donovan's dream is coming true, and it never ended well."
Tuff turned back to the controls. "My life before yours," both the red wolves said in unison. Tuff pushed his paws forward over the controls and all heard the landing gears lowering the skids.
"No, sons," the old bear said in a fatherly tone that was unmistakable. "You two get your husbands and get the hell out of here."
"That's not happening, Father," Tiff said. "We love you, and were it possible, we would respect your wishes. But this time, we will not stand by and watch our family take action without being a part of it."
The two felt a paw of their father on each of their shoulders. "Now and forever, Sons," the polar bear said.
"Now and forever, Father."
"Now and forever," Kris said as his paw stroked his husband's leg.
"Heading in, Fathers. Back in those seats, or the auto restraints will do it for you."
The polar bear sat back in his seat and turned his head toward the brown bear. Somehow, the tears on the Kodiak's face comforted him more than those that fell from his own eyes.
Chapter 8
  
"Incoming," Derrick said, looking up toward the west. "It's the Red Wolf. The Black Rhino is two minutes out." The Red Wolf coasted toward the Gray Wolf. It stopped above an open space next to the airship on the ground and pivoted to face the family. In a smooth motion, it dropped onto the field. As the father bears disembarked, Damien and Darius waited patiently at the bottom of the ramp.

"We wanted to say goodbye, Fathers," Damien said as he hugged the Kodiak. Darius hugged the polar bear tightly. When they finished, they traded places and repeated their hug. "We're going with our husbands. Nothing we can do but be there with them, but…" the red wolf's words trailed off and his head bowed.

Eric picked up the red wolf's head and kissed him. "You are doing exactly what they need, Son. Now and forever."

"Now and forever, Father." Damien turned and walked up the loading ramp. Darius followed, and when they stepped through the door, the boarding ramp rolled back up into the ship. The blue glow of the engines didn't fade. The Red Wolf was not powering down.

When the Black Rhino arrived, the massive airship pivoted for some time before it found a landing spot large enough to hold the bulky fuselage. Nathaniel, Martin, and Oliver stepped off the airship and walked down the boarding ramp.

From the back of the Black Rhino, the cargo bay doors lowered, forming the exit for larger beasts. The clang on clang of metal was unmistakable. Will stared as the massive furred feet covered in metal scales came into view. "Oh god, no," he whispered as the bronze greaves that protected the fully suited warriors' legs appeared.

"What's wrong, Old Wolf?" Derrick asked.

The two stared as four dogs exited one at a time; each wearing armor tooled of bronze metal and iron. "Each of those suits is over three hundred pounds of forged metal," Will replied, squeezing Derrick's paw tightly. "Ancient Chinese warriors used leather to tie their armor together, but the temple dogs would not take a life to create a garment made for war. They are solid metal plates joined by woven wire and bolts. The temple dogs don't wear their armor unless they're going into a battle where they will give no quarter. It is a show of commitment to an act from which they have always turned away."

Lei Wei rapped his khakkhara against the Black Rhino when the last of the dog warriors had stepped off the airship. He looked at the saddened face of the old wolf and bowed. "We die today as we were born, Old Wolf; the protectors of the dragons, China, and her people."

"I had hoped to never see you in that armor again, Lie Wei," Will replied.

"It was my hope as well, Old Wolf," the temple dog said with another bow. "My life before yours."

The cargo bay doors of the Black Rhino lifted and locked shut. The blue glow of the wings' engines remained. Slowly, each of the three ships' wings began a transformation. The glowing engines shifted up on top of the wings. Below, half-spheres dropped into place in the middle of each wing. The dark opening that surrounded the orb's midsection formed a tight band across the circumference. Somehow, the darkness felt foreboding. When the red glow of billowing clouds flared inside, the foreboding found a name.

"Plasma gun turrets," Donovan said to his wolf husbands. He tapped his ComLink. "Visual… group…" he said as the screen lit up in front of him. "Show recon." There was a band of red surrounding Terra. Over China, the band elongated and spread outward into space.

"We have no data on how far out it goes," Donovan said. "But if there is some controlling locus to the Shumuuluud, more than likely it will be near the rear of this mass, here." Donovan pointed to the bulge of the incoming Shumuuluud.

"But what if they're all individuals focused on a common goal without a central entity controlling the swarm?" Derrick asked.

"Then the wolves and dogs will have killed trillions before they die. There is no return trip on these flights. They know this."

"Is this the best we can do?" Kris asked.

Donovan looked at his husband and shrugged. "We are here on the last battlefield. We have only to discourage them enough to leave. If we can kill enough of them, perhaps they will consider this planet not worth the loss and move on."

"To some other poor planet," Eric said, shaking his head.

Donovan nodded. "That is true, my love. But we are aware of them now. We will regroup with what we learn here and pursue them. Guerrilla fighters can decimate the largest armies given time. And time is something that Changelings have a great deal of."

"One can hope," Eric said.

"Hope is all we have, Old Bear," Donovan said as he leaned in and kissed the white bear. "Now and forever," he said as he turned toward the group forming. His eyes looked directly into the blue gaze of the glowing white wolf. "Have you found what you are looking for, Brother?" He asked.

"I believe so. But I am so unsure of this idea. It has to be our last resort. I am hoping we can make them retreat. A retreat will show an exploitable weakness."

"That is true," Donovan replied. "Are you saying that forcing them into retreat is not your ultimate action?"

"No, we already set the effort to get them to leave Earth into motion. I'm not willing to discuss my option yet. But I need to gather one from each of the clans. We will be in the fallback position. Once assembled, I will tell you what I have in mind."

"And how do we pick those individuals? We will need our warriors up front and the healers behind to help keep them alive. We have no one to spare."

Marcus pulled nervously on his tail. "I know I haven't earned your trust, Donovan, but I am asking you to trust me. These men are important. I have to have them."

Donovan huffed and looked at Oliver. "Badger? Are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I was about them flying bears, Wolf. If Marcus says he needs five of you, he needs five of you."

Donovan huffed again and stared at the glowing white wolf. "Marcus, the men I am placing before you are my family. Please, if you can't tell me specifics, tell me their sacrifice will be worth it."

Marcus gave his tail another tug. "I will do all that I can to make this right, Donovan."

Donovan stepped up to the white wolf, and his angry face softened. He leaned in and kissed the wolf, and when the kiss ended, Donovan held the glowing wolf's chin in his hand. "That is all I can ask of you, Wolf. This is the day the temple dogs have been training you for. They sit on the front line between the Shumuuluud and the rest of us. They are your family, too. Let none of them fall without a reason. And you, you save our asses so I can come back and plow yours."

Marcus made a shy smile. "I will try."

"Do, or do not. There is no try," Donovan said. He turned and started walking away. "Zhuang told me that once. He said it was from some philosopher named Yoda. Take it to heart, Wolf."

"I will, Donovan."

"I am going to help form the second line," Donovan said, walking toward his brothers.

Marcus gave one last tug to his tail and let it go. "Donovan," he yelled. "I need you to come back. You are one of the five I need."

Donovan turned. "I am the strongest Channeler, Marcus. We cannot afford to have me sitting behind the line while others try to maintain it."

"Please, Donovan. I asked you to trust me; you need to know that I trust you. I have to have faith in the men who stand with me. They have to be strong enough to help me do the right thing. You have trained by my side for so many years. You of all men understand my every move before I make it. I am stronger with you by my side." The wolf put out his hands. "Please, Donovan. I need you here."

"Oliver?" the Armbruster's wolf said, staring at the badger.

"We's probably all dead no matter what we does, Wolf. Be here. I can go up front."

"No, Oliver. You and Derrick need to stay here, too."

"Why the hell for?" Oliver asked. "You gots the strongest Channeler by your side. You don't needs another one."

"You and Derrick aren't here for your powers. I need you for another reason. I promise it will all be clear in time."

"I hates when this family starts up with all their enigmatic bull shit," Oliver said, stamping his foot. "Damn wolves can never say nothin' straight out. Bastard wolf and your tenebrous nonsense." Oliver glared at the glowing wolf. "There, Marcus, are you happy? You went and made me use fancy words."

Marcus smiled. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I never meant to make you use fancy words. Please stay. It's important."

"Damn it," Oliver said as he stamped his foot again. "Can't never leave my family if they sez it's important."

Oliver felt the arms of the black wolf wrap around him. "I will be here, Husband. I've learned over the years this is a family that never quite knows how to explain their ideas and plans. But if we trust them, what they see in their mind somehow finds a way of coming about."

Oliver pushed back into the black wolf. "Yeah, I guess they does, Pup. I just don't wants to leave my family out there fighting without me."

The glowing white wolf squatted down in front of the badger. "Oliver, I hope that what I have planned will never happen. You, more than anyone, should realize that if you can't see the path I am considering, it has to be more drastic than anything your family has ever done. The Shumuuluud are out there coming at us. I am trying to balance the lives on this planet with the possible extinction of an entire sentient species."

"Them sentient critters is trying to eat us for lunch, Marcus. You keeps that in mind."

"I am, Oliver, and so many other variables none of you see."

"And it ain't my family out there. It's ours. You and me, Marcus, we gots the same family, and today they is gonna die in front of you to keep this world safe. Don't let them die without no reason. You stands by them, you don't turn from who you's become."

Marcus reached out, pulling Oliver away from Derrick's arms into a hug. He held the badger tightly. "I won't Oliver, but if it falls on my shoulders to end this, you need to know that we exhausted every option we had to save our family and the world we love."

Derrick shook himself into his human form. "There are almost three and half billion of us out there, too, Marcus," the chubby man said, rubbing his chest. "They are your family as well. Don't forget them. They're one reason we stand here beside you today."

The winged wolf stared at the naked human and realized how frail the creature was. His eyes teared as he saw the Shumuuluud tearing into the flesh of everyone and everything on the face of the planet. Rising, he wiped his paw across his eyes. "I know my place in this day, Derrick."

Derrick shifted back. "Then don't hesitate when it comes time. The Unity hesitated; now they're gone forever."

The glowing wolf nodded his understanding. "It is why I need Donovan by my side. What I must do, I need help to pull off. I am not the best at unifying troops. Donovan is. Commitment and focus aren't my strong suit, but it is his. He was there when I had to commit to the hardest choice I have ever made. I need him here to help me today."

Donovan was returning from the front lines. "I will be there, Marcus; by your side, to the end, as I promised you." He gazed across the field, littered with decaying concrete castles and half-finished rides. "We spend so much time creating imaginary worlds to entertain us that we never realize how remarkable the one we live in is." He shook his head in disbelief and looked back at the white wolf. "So, who do I gather for this new clan, Marcus?"

Marcus's head turned, looking out at the congregation of gathering beasts. "Kendal is already here," he stated.

"And by your side is where I will always be, Husband," Kendal said. "You best have included me, because I have no intentions of moving away from you."

Marcus hugged the Newfoundland wolf. "I realize that, Husband. Never for a moment have I thought that you would be anywhere else." He let the hug go and turned back to Donovan. "I need Francisco and Ivan."

Donovan nodded. "Done. They are a mated pair. They will have no problem fighting by your side as long as they are together."

Marcus hesitated. "And I need Martin."

The Armbruster's wolf's nostrils flared when he made a snort of frustration. "You are asking me to pull the cat from standing beside his husband in the fight?"

Marcus nodded. "To stand as the protector of his husband here in our circle."

Another unhappy snort from the Armbruster's wolf signaled his acceptance of the command. "I will return shortly, Marcus. Please have something to tell us that will calm our reluctance to leave our mates."

As the group gathered, the sky above them lit up into an angry red and yellow. "Sky Shield is being attacked!" the polar bear yelled. "Everyone, into your positions. Remember, we are defending the eight behind us. We cannot defend the world. The best we can hope for is to make the Shumuuluud feel this planet is not worth the fight."

Marcus stepped forward. "The Shumuuluud do not take prisoners, nor do they stop attacking until they are dead. Do not hold back. This is a war unlike any you have ever seen. I have never said this in my life, and I hope I never will again. Kill as many of them as you can. Nothing less will dissuade them from devouring this planet."

Donovan looked at the other four in the group. "I still don't understand how we figure into what Marcus told us, but we will stand by him until the end." He turned to Martin. "You have had experience with family that is reluctant to use their powers for fear of the damage it will do. I am often abrupt at such times. He may need to hear what I will not say with any grace. Help me with Marcus. We cannot let him fail."

Martin nodded. "I agree, but let's hope we never need this gathering of eight."

"Is there a reason we are the option of last resort, Donovan?" Fernando asked.

"Because whatever Marcus is planning scares him," Donovan replied. "And if it scares the wolf who has seen this universe devoured, you know whatever it is he's contemplating is beyond imagining."

Oliver put his hand in Derrick's. "I still don't like this, Pup. Ain't right for the two of us to be sitting on the side doing nothin'."

Derrick sighed. "I agree, Oliver. But you and I both see it. The two of us out there in the fight won't affect what happens here today. But maybe it will mean something if we stay with Marcus the way he asked."

Oliver nodded. "I guess so, Pup. Still, don't make me happy to be waiting this one out."

Marcus moved toward the five clan members. "Take your positions, men. Form a line and join hands. Kendal and Martin in the middle."

Ivan turned to Marcus. "Is this grouping sacrosanct, Wolf? If I am to die today holding another's hand, I would prefer it be my husband's."

Marcus thought for a moment. "You're right, Ivan. You and Francisco are on the end here," he said, pointing next to Kendal. "Donovan and Martin will be on Kendal's other side."

Across the open field, Eric grabbed the blue bear. He squatted down until he was eye to eye with the six-foot bruin. "You and Jean Pierre know your role in all this, right?"

"We do."

"When you're told, you focus your energies and punch a hole through the Shumuuluud large enough for those airships to get out into the middle of them. If their ships fail, you leave and don't look back. Swear to me, Max."

"I swear, we will do our job and we're gone."

Eric reached out and hugged the bear. "Take him with you, Max," he whispered.

"He insists on staying by his father," Max replied. "I can't force him to come. We have begged. He knows our obligation to this battle, but he says it is not his."

Eric closed his eyes and hugged the blue bear even more tightly. "Then stay as long as you can and keep the path open for the three ships. Try to change his mind, please. He's my son."

"And our husband, Old Bear," Max replied. "We will do what we can, but we honor his wishes. You've got to do the same."

Eric pushed back and looked at the blue bear. "How did you grow up so fast?"

Max smiled. "Learning to fly ages you, Old Bear."

Eric reached out his paws to the Kermode bear. "Come on, Jean Pierre. Give me one last hug."

JP hugged the polar bear and his wings flared outward. He grabbed his angel husband and shoved him toward Eric. "Talk some sense into him, Old Bear."

Eric looked at the angel and shook his head. "Nothing I say will change your mind, will it, Chetanluta?"

"Sorry, Father," the winged man said, shaking his head. "I will not leave your side. My husbands have obligations to this day, but they are not mine. You will not die this day without me next to you."

"Then let's see to it that we don't die," the polar bear said.

Chet smiled. "That would be preferable, Father."

"It's coming down," Derrick yelled. "Sky Shield is failing."

Will looked at Nathaniel, who stood by his side. "That boy's Sight is something strange. He sees what's happening to machines and tech better than he sees what's happening to humans most of the time."

"It's all that gaming he does. Fries the brain, you know," Nathaniel said with a laugh. "Are you ready for this, Father?"

"Nope," the old wolf responded. "But if there had to be a battle plan, I guess I'm grateful for one where you're by my side."

"It's the same for me. Time to step back and form the third wall," Nathaniel said as reached out and grabbed the hand of the old wolf. He leaned in and kissed Will. "Had to get a last one in… you know… in case we don't…"

"Yeah, I'm good with that, Son," Will said as he pushed up onto his toes and kissed the short-faced bear again.

Everyone moved into the positions each had prepared. Around the perimeter of the family, the temple dogs formed the points of a compass. The dogs realized the assault would come from every direction other than beneath their feet. They placed those with healing clan powers toward the center. The Green clan formed a barrier protecting the group at each stage of the defense and maintained their shields above. Everyone else was there to bring the battle to the Shumuuluud and ease the burden of the Green clan's efforts to protect the eight.

Sky Shield had fallen. High above in the sky, billions of the creatures' bodies became a red glow as they entered the earth's atmosphere. But they lost only the first wave of the descent. They adapted and changed as their newly gained exoskeletons protected them from the heat. As soon as they touched the ground, they began feeding. Nothing in their path remained.

"Shields up," Eric yelled and the Green clan's fists rose into the air. The green glow covered the field for a kilometer in every direction. As the Shumuuluud outside hit the green wall, they vaporized. Repeatedly, their colors shifted as they tried different adaptations to find a pathway through the energy that they could exploit. Nothing they tried worked for them. But billions upon billions of small entities slammed into the green wall, sacrificing themselves to find that path.

"Brothers, husbands," the white bear yelled. "Focus your energies on Max and Jean Pierre. Boys, punch a hole through that light and make a path for the wolves."

Will and Lothair's paws raised and the red light bolted forward into the two winged bears. The yellow clan followed as Anders and Chipo's arms raised and the golden light sped toward the bears. In one accord, Max and Jean Pierre raised their paws and the white light burst forth. A darkened hole was all that remained in the wake of the blinding white light. It was night in China, but the Shumuuluud's glowing colors had blocked that fact for hours.

The polar bear tapped his ComLink. The static on the line told him the ComLink towers were under assault. "Launch men. Good luck, sons. Good luck, Hokkaido wolves. Good luck, African dogs."

"Now and forever," he heard Tiff and Tuff reply as the three ships rose slowly into the air. As soon as their landing gears retracted, all three airships were hurtling into the sky. Surrounded by the white light that held back the undulating glow of the Shumuuluud, they disappeared into rainbow light.

Then the first glimmer of hope appeared. The sky returned above the family. Almost invisible to the eye, the ships were firing their plasma guns. In the night sky, they appeared as bright red stars winking in and out of existence. The image faded quickly as the Shumuuluud pushed toward the shields again. Thousands found their way past the shields in the small gap between the white light and the green shields. The two winged bears pushed out their paws and the green shield became bright white. The pathway carved out of the bodies of the Shumuuluud was no longer there.

"They were letting us know they're still out there," Max yelled over the increasing roar of the Shumuuluud's attack. "But they can't afford to blast a hole backward for long. They're going to have to push forward with everything they've got."

On the ground, the shields of the healing clan were holding strong above the warrior class. The bubble narrowed as the need to protect the airships was no longer there. Inside the bubble, an amazing thing was happening. Often seen as bulky, slow-moving creatures, the temple dogs were wielding their khakkhara with amazing grace. Each movement sent scores of Shumuuluud that were inside the dome to their death. None of the small undulating lights could draw near to the Changelings, sustaining the dome of green light. Each advance saw the temple dog's staffs shatter the glowing creatures into pieces.

Yet, for all their efforts, the temple dogs could never see an end to the onslaught. If anything, the numbers of the Shumuuluud were growing inside the shield as rapidly as they were outside. It was as Li Wei spun around toward where the airships had once been that he realized why. There he watched as the creatures fed on grass, bushes, fallen trees, and even the dead bodies of their own. As they ate, they divided into two, slowly moving toward their larger prey.

The numbers of Shumuuluud never waned because they reproduced so quickly. All it took was a food source, and they could sustain their growth indefinitely. When even their dead became that food source, the waves of Shumuuluud thrown at any defender were sustainable forever.

As Li Wei spun around to tell the others his revelation, the Shumuuluud slammed into the back of his head, tearing at his fur and flesh. In seconds, the temple dog was gone, leaving only the glowing Shumuuluud crawling through the armor. The newborn spilled out onto the ground and in moments were airborne, heading toward the remaining three temple dogs.

"Regroup," Noboru commanded. Katashi and Zhuang shifted position, forming a triangle of defense around the Changelings. The temple dogs' bond with each other meant that Li Wei had not died before all the dogs knew the truth. Their khakkharas never slowed their defense. "We will not win, Ancient Ones," Noboru yelled. "We have seen the nature of the Shumuuluud. Their numbers will overwhelm us no matter what we do. We are trying to hold back the ocean tide with a wall of sand."

The imagery sunk into the minds of all who heard it. "Brothers," Noboru yelled. "Let Li Wei's sacrifice not be in vain. We do what we must." With the movements of khakkhara never slowing, Katashi and Zhuang both nodded in agreement. The four rings in the circle of each khakkhara burst into light. Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow, the colors matched the powers of the Changeling clans exactly. When their staffs turned white, all knew what they saw. In the staffs of the temple dogs lay all the powers of the Changelings, coupled with a way to channel that power.

The staffs stopped their blurred movements defending the Changelings and rose in the air as one. When they slammed into the earth, the force rocked everyone. The bears held their ground and kept the green dome surrounding them in place. Inside the dome, none of the Shumuuluud were alive. Their crystal exoskeletons lay shattered, and the oozing light spilled out of them onto the ground. Beside the thousands of their shells lay the empty armor of all the temple dogs. Next to each set of armor lay the khakkharas; their light quickly fading.

"They have bought us a bit of time," the white bear yelled. "Let us use it wisely. Warrior clan, see if you can focus your efforts on the area Donovan said was likely to be where a controlling mind might be."

"It's too late, Old Bear," Martin yelled in response. "That dome has shifted to South America. They're consuming the Amazon Forest. I don't know what the temple dogs saw, but nothing we're doing has made the Shumuuluud think about backing off. They just shifted the brunt of their attack to a place we cannot defend."

Within seconds, the vision Noboru and Martin saw came true. The polar bear grabbed his chest and fell down to the ground. "Sons," he cried out. All knew what had happened. The moment of lost concentration didn't come without a price. The Shumuuluud spilled in through the weakened dome in the few seconds before it returned to full strength.

Marcus stared out toward the west and rocked his head forcefully. "No," the glowing wolf yelled. "You can't let this happen. They are the only of their kind. They will never come again. Save them, damn it. You want me by your side, you save them!"

The eight looked out toward the west, trying to determine to whom Marcus was talking. There, in the corner of their sight, was a glimmer… something, but just beyond their vision. Donovan stared into that space. "Do it," he bellowed. "We do not let them die! You brought this battle to us, you save them!"

Whoever Marcus and Donovan were talking to was unseen and unheard by everyone else, but all knew that there were forces in play beyond their senses. The glimmer they couldn't quite see had vanished, and then moments later, reappeared next to Marcus.

Max observed the glimmer as it seemed to move like a shadow across the white wolf and again was gone. The blue bear's wings unfolded and he dropped his arms. The white light from his fists dimmed. He frowned. "It's time, Hon," he said sadly.

"No, Max," the Kermode bear begged as his white light faded. "Maybe if we push a little harder, it will work. Noboru could be wrong."

"He's wasn't wrong, JP. Our path is clear. We promised our mate. If we stay, we will die. We find a way beyond this."

JP felt Chet's powerful arms from behind him pull him close. He turned around to see the hawk's copper eyes blink back to front with the cloudy, nictitating membrane. "Go, Jefe," Chet said. "You can do no good here. Go to where you will be safe."

"Please come. Your Papa wants us to take you, Hon. Please, let us honor his wish and, in doing so, make ours come true," JP begged desperately.

"No, Jefe, I cannot leave him." The angel hugged the blonde bear. "Find me JP. Save yourself, and one day come back to find me. I will be waiting."

"I promise," JP said through his tears.

"We will find you, Husband," Max said as his wings stretched wide.

Will looked at the two. "Get out of here, boys. This is no place for two as beautiful as you."

Chet laughed. "And what of me, Old Wolf?"

"Oh, you're beautiful, too, Chet, but we have to have at least one sexy winged guy stay behind to make this battle worth fighting."

Chet laughed again. "Then I will fight by your side." The winged man leaned over and picked up one of the temple dog's khakkhara. He spun it around skillfully, and when it extended, the rings glowed the colors of the clan.

"Impressive," Will said, never letting the red flames that bolstered the green shield ebb for a moment.

"I spent my time in the monastery doing more than just fucking the temple dogs, Old Wolf," the angel replied with a grin.

"Well, we each had our own set of priorities," the wolf yelled, grinning back. "I'm glad you're by my side, Chet."

"Now and forever, Old Wolf."

Will nodded. "Now and forever, Jefe." The wolf looked back toward the sky and the unending barrage of Shumuuluud slamming into the dome above. Max's wings wrapped around JP, and the two were gone.

Chet wielded the khakkhara as skillfully as his senseis, but against an army that fed off the dead, there was no stopping the Shumuuluud. When the first of the creatures slammed through his chest, they found in his lifeless body the food they needed for their growth. Will looked down at the staff next to him and growled. The wolf's eyes became flaming red, and the raised paws supporting the shield clenched.

Kris spun around and stared at Will and Nathaniel. "Now is not the time for revenge, Old Wolf," he yelled. "Protect my son, Husband," the brown bear commanded. His raised arms moved toward the old wolf and short-faced bear, and a dome within the dome formed over the two. Inside the smaller dome, there was no Shumuuluud. On either side of the Kodiak, the last of the Changelings moved into position to secure the dome over the eight. The Kodiak turned to the polar bear. "For this day you were born, Son. Do what you must do. Bring the fight to them." He pushed one paw toward the white bear and Eric grabbed it.

"I can't, Father," the polar bear said. "This isn't our fight. It's Marcus's."

"I know, Son," the Kodiak replied. "But we buy him time. This battle goes on, but it goes on without us. You and I are expendable, but the family isn't."

"Dad, no," the polar bear pleaded.

"Please, Son," Kris said, squeezing the paw in his hand tightly. "I will do this with or without you. I prefer you by my side."

Eric bowed his head. "Now and forever, Dad." He lifted his head and the green glow of his clan spread over him. All who watched understood what it meant. However, they became confused by what was happening to the polar bear when the color turned blue, then red, then yellow.

When Eric's color shifting finally turned into a glowing white bear, he shoved his paw up into the sky, holding his father's paw fast. With a roar, the brown bear looked up toward the sky. "Hear me, Svarog," he yelled as the white glow flooded into his body. "You will eat us all today, but I swear by all that we are, my son and I will give you indigestion like you have never had."

The bear gritted his teeth and squeezed his son's paw. His free arm reached around and pulled the polar bear into a tight hug. The blinding white light sprang out in all directions, carrying with it a shock wave that left everyone trying their best to remain upright. When the light faded, the two bears lay side-by-side dead in the field, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. The night sky had returned. Stars glimmered as they had two days ago. The moon glowed brightly. But in the distance, all could see the shifting colors moving toward them in the night sky.

Martin looked up into the darkness. "Oh, Papa, I'm so sorry," he said as his head bowed. "Now I understand why you were so reluctant to use the powers you held. The healer that becomes the bringer of death immeasurable." Martin looked back at the diminishing group. "The father and son are dead. They gave their lives to buy us time. But the fight is not over."

The lights in the sky far above the China field were in disarray. The Shumuuluud that were once on earth were no more. Not even their crystalline shells lay on the ground. The Shumuuluud saw what happened across the globe as a major setback, and it was clear whom they held responsible for the carnage. Regrouping, the lights left the night sky clear except for the wave of light flowing back toward Chenzhuang village. The Shumuuluud had underestimated their enemy. But now they were preparing to throw all that they were toward the one thing that stood in the way of their meal. Within minutes, the Shumuuluud was once again a bright ribbon of light in the night sky, hurtling toward Terra. This was no ordered march toward the enemy. They were racing headlong toward the planet, and even those without the Sight could sense the rage surging through the rainbow.

As the wave of light poured down through the atmosphere and toward the dilapidated theme park, all knew that buying time was all that the two bears had done. The Shumuuluud were not retreating. They were not giving up the prize in front of them. The lights slammed again against the dome above the family, attempting to find a new way through it. Millions of the creatures burnt into oblivion as they tested the shield's strength.

Anders looked up at the onslaught and realized there was no turning back from the one goal they had sworn to uphold: to protect the eight. His gaze returned to the rhino and his white wolf mate. "I have to admire the bears, Chipo," he said. "They sure knew how to make an exit."

"I think we should do the same," Chipo said, as the two used their power to shield the wolf between them. "What do you say, Lewis?"

Lewis lowered his head. "I have no powers, Anders. Please don't let me die at their hand."

Anders leaned over and kissed the wolf. "Didn't you know? I never go anywhere without my husband."

Lewis smiled. "Now and forever," he said. He turned to the rhino. "Do I get a kiss goodbye?"

"I will miss you both," Chipo yelled above the din. "You have been like my American fathers." The rhino leaned in and kissed the wolf. After the wolf, he kissed the grolar bear. When he separated, he grinned and rubbed his crotch with his free hand. "Okay, maybe more like mentors. I really shouldn't have feelings like these toward a father."

Will laughed from beside the three. "Why not? All the Changelings seem to."

Chipo's laugh thundered across the plain. "Old Wolf, you will always be my number one slut."

"And you mine, Friend," Will said. He looked at the three, knowing none could let their shield down for a last kiss. "Now and forever, gentlemen."

"Now and forever."

Both of Chipo's fists rose in the air. "Shumuuluud," he yelled, "you are about to make the yellow rhino extinct, but not without me shoving my horn up your ass first."

The blinding light of the yellow clan lit up the sky and again the area was left clear of the attackers. Three more bodies of the fallen lay on the field. Within minutes, the Shumuuluud's ribbon of light returned far out in space. This time, they were eating their dead and preparing to assault the last of the remaining warriors.

Surrounded by the green dome held in place by only the short-faced bear, Will took Nathaniel's hand and kissed the massive bear. "It's been a hell of a ride, Son," he said. "Thanks for being there beside me."

"Now and forever, Father," the bear replied.

"Now and forever, Nathaniel."

The two stared at the glowing rainbow of light as it moved through the atmosphere and fell onto the earth. They watched the crystalline creatures digging into the earth. Will shook his head. "They've figured it out. Terra is alive and they know it. They're going after the hidden prize now. Now I see what your dads were doing," Will said as he watched the Shumuuluud feeding. "I see why the Yellow clan made the same move. They were forcing his hand. They're making him step up."

Will turned to Nathaniel and smiled. "We can't be here, Nathaniel. As long as we're here, he won't commit. Let's light up this place, Son." With a nod, the two sent out a final pulse of energy that cleared the area of Shumuuluud. This time, the bodies of the two were nowhere to be seen. In the night sky, what remained of the Shumuuluud regrouped once more, and fed on its dead. Will had made a tactical choice for the remaining men he loved. With the shields gone, the next assault from the Shumuuluud would be the death of their world if Marcus didn't choose the path he hesitated to walk.

Donovan looked into Marcus's eyes. "Is this how you watch our world die, Brother? Do you stand here while all we love vanishes into dust, or do we do what we must do? You know how this ends without you. If you cannot do what you must, then free me from my vow to you. Throw me into the fray and let me die with my family. I have no wish to see your inertia destroy us all."

"Do what you must," Martin yelled. "The Shumuuluud will not be the death of us, Marcus. Your own inability to commit to a choice will be."

Kendal grabbed his husband and pulled the white wolf in close. "Don't hesitate, Husband. You are stronger than your fears. You are stronger than your doubt. Do what you know you have to do." Kendal put his muzzle up against the ear of the glowing wolf and begged in a whisper, "Don't let this be how it ends."

Marcus pushed the Newfoundland wolf back into the line and shook his head. "No, Husband," he answered as his eyes closed. "This is how it begins." The wolf's paws formed into fists. He lifted his arms and slammed the fists together. A shock wave flowed out from the fist and the lights in the sky took another hit. The lights in space dimmed as the dead bodies blocked the living behind them. But the feeding never stopped. The advancement never ceased. The Shumuuluud was returning with a vengeance.

"Men, form a circle around Donovan and me," Marcus commanded. "Give him everything you have."

As the light of the four grew bright, it flowed into the center, spinning between the rotating hands of the Armbruster's wolf. Oliver and Derrick watched. "What does we do, Pup?" Oliver asked. Derrick shook his head, mute in the face of watching the Shumuuluud swarm hurtling toward them.

There was nothing and no one on earth to stop the onslaught, and yet the three wolves and cat stood fast as they had promised. They poured all that they were into the center where Donovan stood. A bubble of white light formed around the remaining eight. Donovan continued to move the power from the clans in his hands. As the Shumuuluud regrouped, trying to attack the eight inside the bubble, they found themselves rebuffed by an energy equal to theirs. But everywhere, the signs of the inevitable seemed clear. The Shumuuluud that were not attacking the remaining warriors were feeding on Terra and all that lay on her surface. The army of the enemy was growing with every moment.

"Stay focused, men," Marcus yelled. "Join hands. Don't drive the energy into Donovan. Let him take it from you." A wall of light went up within the bubble between the six, separating Derrick and Oliver. "You two stay where you are," he commanded. "What I need from you transcends your powers."

The light of all four surrounding Donovan flowed toward him when, suddenly, the wolf's head shook in disbelief. "What the hell?" he called out as his paws paused.

"Channel it, Donovan," Marcus commanded. "Channel it all."

The Armbruster's wolf didn't hesitate to follow the command as his hands spun around the glowing orb again. "Now you see why I needed you by my side," Marcus said. "This is the moment for which you and I have trained. Donovan, prepare to take all you are and give it to me when I ask. Everyone, give all you are to Donovan. Don't hold back. Donovan is the locus to which you must give even your life. Nobody holds back or else we lose everything."

The others joined their hands around Donovan and Marcus. They relaxed into the pull of energy from Donovan. Marcus opened his eyes. "Stay in the circle. Let nothing move you from where you stand." Donovan's paws continued to rotate, and the glowing white ball of the Channeler seemed to become a part of the wolf. Marcus reached out toward Donovan, but when his paws retracted, all that remained was the glowing white orb spinning inside his paws. Donovan and his brothers were gone. Only Martin and Kendal remained.

Marcus looked at Martin and smiled. "I needed the cat that always found his way home."

Martin nodded. "Where else would I be but beside you now?" he replied. "Bring us home, Wolf." All watched as the saber-toothed cat's paws reach out toward the glowing sphere and he became a part of it.

The light stopped flowing into the glowing wolf's paws for a moment as he balanced the glowing ball with one hand. Marcus wrapped his arms around Kendal's chest and extended the arms out past the Newfoundland wolf's body. The paws once more began rotating. It was impossible, and yet somehow the light that once flowed from the wolves and cat now came from every source surrounding them.

Marcus looked into Kendal's eyes. "Now and forever, Husband."

"Now and forever," Kendal said with a smile. "Will was right. Let's light this place up." Kendal leaned in and kissed the glowing wolf as Kendal's light spread over Marcus, turning the white wolf bright blue. The two soon glowed so brightly that Oliver and Derrick shielded their eyes to watch them. Moments before they had to turn away, they saw Marcus's paws holding the glowing orb pull back into Kendal's body.

Oliver and Derrick turned away from the intensity of the light. They could see nothing but the Shumuuluud slamming their bodies into the far side of the protective bubble. The glowing creatures vaporized while they searched for the weakness they knew they would eventually find.

When the blinding light exploded out over the field, Derrick and Oliver were not surprised. The Shumuuluud swarm was gone, and the sky was clear. Within the light, what was once six had become one bright, glowing individual that the black wolf tried to make out. "Marcus?" Derrick asked.

"We're all here, Pup," the single glowing wolf with saber teeth hanging over his lip replied. "Your husbands, your friends, your family; we are all here. So many have given all for this moment to be."

Above them, the billowing colors of the Shumuuluud returned. Hours away from Terra, the remaining Shumuuluud fed on their dead floating in space and grew in numbers that soon blotted out the night sky.

Oliver looked up toward the light moving toward them. "What do we do?"

The wolf's light softened for a moment as he looked at the black wolf and badger and smiled. "You bear witness. You tell the ones we love we did this for them." His paws started rotating in the manner Donovan always did as the Armbruster's wolf gathered energy. But this time, the glowing orb was blue.

"Builder class," Derrick said with a smile. "Bringers of order from chaos."

"Nice work if you can get it," the gigantic wolf replied with a grin, exposing the enlarged canine fangs. "You tell them, Pup. You tell them we had no regrets." The paws of the wolf continued to gather the light into the blue orb that never grew larger. The bright blue turned cobalt, then navy, eventually turning so dark that it looked black. Still, the light flowed into it.

"And you, Oliver, never forget we love you. Tell your husbands that we made the only choice that leaves you a family. When you remember this day and the days to come, see what happens with your heart. We did what we did for those we love. Remember that. I promise it will all work out."

The wolf looked upward toward the wave of incoming Shumuuluud. "And now we deal with our collective problem," the wolf said as the creatures bore down on them.

The paws of the wolf extended upward, holding the black orb in his paws. What the two witnesses thought would be another burst of energy never materialized. Instead, Oliver and Derrick found themselves inside their small blue bubble of transparent light. There, they floated in space far beyond the world they inhabited only seconds ago. The wolf stood outside, his hands never ceasing their movements as all light flowed toward the spinning sphere.

The Shumuuluud seemed indifferent to their new location. They simply moved forward in the darkness toward the only visible sources of food — the three mammals in front of them. The wolf's paws shifted and the whirling orb expanded beyond the wolf. Everything… light… matter… energy… all flowed toward the wolf and the blackness of the sphere. Too late, the Shumuuluud realized it was no longer attacking the wolf. The swarm was being pulled toward the darkness of an expanding blackness in space that let nothing escape.

As they turned to flee, the collective scream of the Shumuuluud went out into the void of space. The darkness consumed them as easily as it did everything around them. The wolf looked up. "We love you both. I love you both. Forgive me in time for what I must do." The paw swung out toward the protective bubble, and the two found themselves light-years away from the melee. From an ever-increasing distance, Derrick saw exactly what he expected to see. Before the two, a black hole that dwarfed comprehension grew as entire galaxies spiraled into the darkness. When at last there was nothing left surrounding the two but darkness beyond black, the two stared into the void at one last pinpoint of blue light.

"Where is we, Pup?" Oliver asked.

"Remember when we were inside Max's head, Oliver?"

"Yeah, it was a desert with cactus and all."

"It was a primeval forest for me."

"But you was right next to me sitting on a rock."

"And you were sitting on a log the whole time next to me."

"I don'ts get it," Oliver said, shaking his head.

"I don't think we can get it, Oliver. Our minds do the best they can to make sense of our world, but we have a family that takes us to places beyond our understanding. So, because they love us, they show us a world we can comprehend to keep us from being overwhelmed by whatever is actually around us."

"It's just a tiny dot of light. Ain't nothin' to see."

"There will be," Derrick said confidently. "He's using what we can understand so that we can tell his story. The same way Max did for us when he held us between dimensions. None of this is real, Oliver. It's like a puppet show for a child. The world of the puppets is real for the child, but the adult pulling the strings sees so much more beyond that tiny stage. He knows what is happening. But the child sees only the illusion."

 "We's babies, Pup?"

"To the wolf, yes. Take comfort in that. We're his babies. He's protecting us. We have nothing to fear."

"So what happens now?"

"An explosion of some kind. I think we're on the other side of that black hole we were looking at. But there are all sorts of event horizon crap and quantum garbage in play here that I don't even want to think about."

The badger stared at the black wolf. "You know you's talking gobbledygook, right?"

Derrick laughed. "Yeah, I do. Look, Oliver, I'm a guy who got his GED early so I could get away from the bullies in school. I worked at a pet store. I'm not Max or JP and I'm sure as hell not that saber-toothed wolf out there. The two of us see our world differently than that wolf. We see things in three dimensions because that's what Terrans do. But that wolf is working with dimensions and things we can't even see, let alone understand."

"Like we was dogs watching a human."

The black wolf sat down and put his arm around the badger. "More like an amoeba watching a human and trying to figure it all out."

"Amoebae ain't got eyes, you knows," Oliver said, watching the tiny dot of blue light growing dimmer. "I watches Animal World lots. I was thinking just in case I got killt again, I might want to find something special to come back as."

Derrick grabbed Oliver and kissed him. "You are special, Badger. I wouldn't know what to do without you." The badger's right foot spun in a tight circle and they kissed again.

The two looked out as the blue dot finally disappeared. "Is there gonna be a big bang now, Pup?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, I think there is," Derrick said, looking out into the darkness. "We're probably going to see the whole universe coming at us, even though I know that's not what's really happening."

"How comes?"

"Because it would be so cool, Oliver," the young wolf replied. "Because the wolf loves us, and it would be so awesomely cool."

"I thinks so too. With lots of music."

From the darkness, a silent explosion of light flung out into the black. It reminded Derrick of a giant nebula of heat and energy swirling outward in every direction. When the wave of energy preceding all else hit the orb, it spun, but the two inside remained upright. Oliver and Derrick watched the super hot plasma speed by them coalescing into galaxies beyond counting. And for a moment, the brilliant light from which it all sprang became a swirling cloud of every conceivable color in the shape of a saber-toothed wolf.

Derrick smiled. "So, cool, Wolf. Better than I imagined." Moments before the two tiny beasts lost consciousness, they heard the music. Lots of music; more beautiful than anything Oliver had dreamed possible. Around them, the rebirth of the universe was happening in ways they would never see or understand.

Chapter 9

"Morning, Husband," Nathaniel heard the familiar voice say as the bulky arm wrapped around him and pulled him in close. Nathaniel lay in that dreamy state between sleep and waking, enjoying the sense of a hefty belly and chest pressing up against him. He reached up and pulled the arm even more tightly around him. He sighed contentedly as he felt along the fur to the paw and the thick, curved claws fixed on the paw. The fixed, rounded, blunt claws were not the sharp, retractable ones he knew so well. The realization sunk in. Nathaniel opened his eyes, staring at the brown and gray furred bear paw wrapped around him. On one claw was a band of gold etched into the keratin. 

The short-faced bear bolted up from the bed and turned around, staring into the face of an eleven-foot bear lounging lazily on the bed. The bear smiled at Nathaniel and rubbed his swollen cock. "I've got morning wood, Bear. Want to go logging?"

The voice was unmistakable even after all the years. Nathaniel stared at the bear. "Max?" he asked hesitantly. 

"Yeah," the confused bear replied. "Who else would I be? You bedding any other short-faced bears out there?"

"Max?"

"Yeah, Bear, Max. The guy you married."

Nathaniel looked around the room. "Where's Oliver?"

"I don't know, Bear," Max responded as he gazed about. "He likes to go out early and do tai chi with Li Wei and the kids. He might be with them."

Nathaniel was growing increasingly confused. "Where is Martin?"

"Martin?"

"Martin Templeton… big saber-toothed cat. Looks like a giant snow leopard with an overbite."

The bear on the bed pushed himself up into a seated position. "Bear, what's going on here?"

"My husband. Where is my husband?"

"Nathaniel, I am your husband. Oliver is your husband. We don't have another husband," the bear replied, the concern growing in his voice.

Nathaniel pushed away from the bed when a loud knocking hammered the garage door. "Open up!" the voice yelled. "Nathaniel, OPEN THE DOOR!" 

Stunned by everything around him, Nathaniel backed toward the door, his eyes watching the other bear the whole time. He pushed the lock release, and the door rolled open. The two winged bears and their angel husband entered the room. Nathaniel looked at the three, glad to be finally looking at someone familiar. "It's not a dream, Nathaniel," the blue bear said. "Go have a seat with your husband."

"My husband?"

"Your husband Max," JP said, pointing to the colossal bear sitting on the side of the bed. His wings flared out and pushed Nathaniel back toward the bear.

"I don't understand," Nathaniel cried out in confusion.

"Neither do I," the other bear confided.

"Sit down, Nathaniel," the blue bear ordered. Nathaniel sat on the bed and the other bear drew close to him. "Not yet, Uncle Max. There will be time enough for you two. First, we have to get Nathaniel back home. And that won't be easy because this is a home he's never known."

The short-faced bear without the furry spectacles around his face stared at the blue bear. "What do you mean, Max? What's going on here?"

"More than you realize, Uncle," the blue bear responded. He looked at Nathaniel. "I need you to think very carefully here, Nathaniel," the younger Max said as he reached out and grabbed the short-faced bear's paw. "What is the last thing you remember?"

"Waking up."

"No, Nathaniel," Max scolded. "Think…"

Nathaniel closed his eyes, and the horror flowed back into his memory. "The battle. All those Shumuuluud flying at us. Everyone… the Changelings, our sons, the temple dogs, everyone was in the battle. Dad… Papa… trying to keep them alive, but there wasn't enough healing in the universe to do that."

"And…"

"Marcus… some kind of bubble that covered him. It pulled Donovan, Francisco, Ivan, and Martin into it. And then Kendal. And Derrick." Nathaniel's voice trailed off.

"And…"

"And Oliver. Oh god, no, please not again."

"No, Nathaniel, it's not what you think," Max said. He squeezed the bear's paw. "The same as before. He's not dead. He's coming back from wherever it is Marcus took them all."

"I don't understand," Nathaniel said.

"We were losing, Nathaniel," JP said as he sat down next to the short-faced bear. "We weren't enough. Nothing in the universe was strong enough to fight them. They were death moving through space, and when they reached our world we were only another snack along the way."

The other short-faced bear slipped off the bed. "I have a feeling I should make us some coffee."

Chet looked up at the bear. "Why don't you let me do that, Max? This is probably as confusing to you as it is to your husband."

"You got it, Jefe," the bear said with a sigh. Chet gave the bear a kiss and pushed him back onto the bed as he headed toward the kitchen.

JP rubbed the bear's arm. "This plays out without you for a bit, Uncle Max. But trust that it will all work out, eventually."

"I'm not worried, JP," Max responded. "I have my husband here beside me. You told me my other husband is okay. I have family to help me sort through all the rest. This is just another day in my life for me." 

JP smiled and sat next to the smaller short-faced bear. His blonde wings fanned out and pulled the heavyset bear in close. "We'll have a question-and-answer period at the end."

Nathaniel looked at the other short-faced bear. "You're really here, Max?"

"As far as I know, Bear."

"He's here, Nathaniel. Marcus, Kendal, Francisco, Ivan, Martin, and Donovan merged their powers into the only path that would save the universe."

"They're dead?"

"Yes, and no. It gets strange from here."

Nathaniel shook his head. "No, it's been strange since I woke up." The bear shook his head more vigorously. "No, it's been strange even before that. I shouldn't even know the word Shumuuluud."

"There was no stopping the Shumuuluud, Nathaniel," Max said with a nod. "So, Marcus did what Katashi taught him the day the temple dog clobbered Donovan. He won by throwing out the rulebook. He saw one avenue left to him and he joined the five together with him. We're not sure, but Donovan may have been channeling a lot more than only the five. Whatever they were, whatever they became, it manifested itself as a saber-toothed wolf. That wolf contracted the universe and started it over with an ever so slight shift where the Shumuuluud never evolved."

Nathaniel looked at the colossal bear beside him. "And in this universe, Max didn't die?"

"I died in the other one?" Max asked.

"Pancreatic cancer, Human," the bear answered. He looked at the bear next to him. "I guess I can't call you that anymore. You died soon after Gaia twisted the battery guns into knots."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bear," Max said as he leaned in and hugged the bear. "I'm sorry I put you through that pain in any universe."

"But you're alive now. And you're a bear."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that fact," Max said with a smile. "Arctodus simus… a short-faced bear like my husband. We did everything else together; I thought we should be a matched set. It's a smaller species of bear than you, but that's because I turned the same day you and I mated with Oliver. I figured he deserved a bit of a break from that gigantic cock of yours." The bear looked at the other. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Or Oliver… he's not complaining either; wherever he is."

Nathaniel smiled and kissed the short-faced bear. "No… I'm not complaining about this either. But you were so adamant about not turning."

"I was. Until the day I stumbled in on you two playing. You two were so beautiful together. And soooo sexy. I realized in that moment that everything I ever wanted was there playing together and I wasn't with them. I saw a bear and a badger, and I realized I was in love with you both. Standing on the sidelines of your lives wasn't an option anymore. I committed myself to the one thing I always said I would from the start. My promise to be your family became more important to me than being human."

"I'm glad you did," Nathaniel said with a smile. "I hope I didn't hurt you too badly in your turning."

"Are you insane, Bear?" Max said with a laugh. "Have you seen your dick? There was no way I was letting you get near me with that thing as a human. Oliver turned me right after he accepted our proposal. Even as a werebadger, Oliver's dick is plenty big, but at least it's in the realm of human capacity. But I turned bear for you. I wanted you to know that it didn't matter who turned me. I would always be yours."

Nathaniel laughed out loud. "Okay, I can live with that. You've always been practical. I guess, given the options, I would have chosen Oliver too."

"I love you both, Bear. I had to let Oliver know how deep that love goes. Letting him turn me was not only easier on me, but it also told him we were going to be a family, not just the two of us and a badger on the outside looking in."

"You're practical and a romantic. Oliver and I are very lucky men."

"And so am I," Max said, turning back toward the Kermode bear whose wing still wrapped around his back. "So, in this world, where is Oliver?"

"To be honest, I haven't got a clue," the blonde bear replied. "All we know is in the moment before we left, everything changed. For a moment Marcus was two individuals and the Marcus that wasn't Marcus promised us that Oliver and Derrick would be safe." Jean Pierre's wings folded into his back. "Anyway, we need to get moving. We are a few hours ahead the highland. The bears will wake up soon with their wolf husbands. The last thing we saw before we left China didn't look too promising for the ones in the battle. I suspect when they wake up, their memories will be as disturbing as Nathaniel's." The bear paused. "At best, let's say there are going to be some very confused family members on the highland this morning."

Chet leaned in with a tray of cups filled with coffee. "Take the one closest to you," he said. "That one's the way you like it."

"I wasn't aware you knew how I like it," Nathaniel said, taking the cup nearest him.

"I don't. But today, that's the way you like it," Chet said with a smile. He leaned in and kissed the short-faced bear. "It's good to have you back home, Nathaniel," he said. "It's the only home many of us have ever known. But know that from this day forward, it is yours as well."

Nathaniel nodded and took a sip of the coffee. "It's perfect, Chet, thank you."

"The Red Wolf is waiting on us, gentlemen," the blue bear said as his wings spread out in a stretch that followed the one made by his arms. He relaxed, and the wings folded into his back. "Let's get going. This is going to be a long day, and before it's all over, we have vows to reaffirm and the temple dogs are already antsy."

"Temple dogs? Aren't they all in Tibet except Li Wei?"

"Not in this universe," JP said, standing up. "Zhuang and Bolin live on the highland with the forest dragons."

"Bolin?" Nathaniel asked.

"The same as in your universe, your Papa went to help extract the dragons and dogs at the Tibetan monastery during the War of the Continents," JP explained. "He arrived the day after the bombs destroyed the temple and killed the last of the Brotherhood. But, unlike your world, it seems your Papa had a premonition about the temple dragons' idea to fly the survivors to safety. He insisted they not fly. Their exodus was on the ground and all but two survived the extinction your world's history knows.

"Two of the temple dragons now live back at the rebuilt monastery with three of the temple dogs that survived that day. Noboru is their Khenpo. He accepts you calling him the monastery's abbot as easily. But mostly, he likes it when we call him Noboru. At any rate, now you know."

"Li Wei still lives here on the island. He and Katashi have taken each other as mates," Max, the short-faced bear, added.

"They pair now?"

"To a degree," JP said with a laugh. "They're mating is far more civil than ours. It involves some sort of martial art, but it's all a bit confusing. I think it's their way of saying that they will share their paths together for a time. Zhuang and Bolin are the same. They are the temple dogs responsible for the health of the highland forest dragons. The responsibility for the water dragons rests with Li Wei and Katashi here on the island. Another temple dog, Saand, rarely leaves Li Wei's side. It's not a marriage though. We're not exactly sure what it's all about, but for now, Li Wei has a bodyguard."

"What about the fenghuang?" Nathaniel asked.

"They live at the dog's New Zealand temple," Max the younger replied. "And before you ask it, there are two of them. They're a mated pair. Both survived the bombing. This world has quite a few more dragons and quite a few more dogs protecting them."

"I see I have a lot to learn," Nathaniel said. His brow furrowed, remembering what had slipped his mind for a moment. "What of Martin? Where is my other husband?"

"He is here. As in your world, he was beside me on the Day of Transformation. However, he's not the Martin taken by Marcus into that bubble before you and Will went all in. He's a lion married to Chipo."

Nathaniel's face saddened. "He was never a Megatherium, never a saber-toothed cat?"

"No," Max said as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. Uncle Max never died. You never met Martin that day at the funeral home."

"But he's a werebeast?"

"There are some things in both universes that are constants. The Changelings gifted him with the Sight, the same way they did in the old universe. When he left the service, he saw how fragile the circumstances were at the Kruger National Park. He took a position as a ranger there. The rest, I suspect, is a history best told to you by him."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to hear it."

"He's happy, Nathaniel. Let everything else sort itself out."

Nathaniel tried to muster a smile. "All I ever wanted was for him to be happy. I just thought I was going to be a part of the happiness that Chipo now seems responsible for."

"And he is doing an excellent job of it. They are both Yellow clan, and responsible for saving my life, the life of my husband, and your husband as well," Max said. "Let's not forget what's important here, Nathaniel. Remember the second law of the Were Nation. Your family is all. You have a family. Martin is a part of that family. You will find your place with him again."

Nathaniel nodded. "I'll try."

The smaller short-faced bear leaned into Nathaniel. "We will be here for you, Bear."

Nathaniel closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears, and stood up. He blinked and, realizing the tears were already flowing, he wiped his furred paw across his face. "So," he said, trying to be brave, "we have a flight to the highland, don't we?"

"We do," JP said, jumping off the bed. "Come on family; time to sort out our lives."

Chapter 10
  
The Red Wolf had no sooner set down, and the family disembarked, than they heard boisterous laughter across the glade. Looking out, they saw two bears and two wolves racing out into the sunshine toward the creek. Even from a distance obscured by trees, all the airship passengers heard the four land in the pond with a thunderous splash of water.
 
The beasts on the landing rock ran down the steps and headed across the field of grass. When they entered the forest and reached the edge of the pond's clearing, Nathaniel watched two bears and two wolves kissing each other in the water. "Well, they're taking this rather well," the confused short-faced bear said. 
 
"Think about it, Nathaniel," the blue bear replied. 
 
Nathaniel's brow furrowed. "They were all being torn apart; eaten alive," he remembered. His face relaxed, and then a smile came across his face. "They were all dead, and they woke up alive. Of course they're taking this well." 
 
The short-faced bear walked to a large rock at the edge of the pond. His fathers saw the massive bear in their midst as he jumped off the rock and into the air. 
 
"Brace for impact," Will yelled out as the bear leapt toward them. 
 
When Nathaniel came up out of the water, he pawed and kissed the others with a passion they rarely experienced outside of a run with the pack.
 
"Whoa, whoa, Son," Will said as he tried to calm the short-faced bear. "Not that I'm complaining, but my guess is you're not here to play with us so much as you're here to get answers."
 
Nathaniel's paws plunged into the water and came up with the old wolf's butt cradled in his paws. "I can do both, can't I?" he said as he pushed the wolf's cock into his mouth.
 
The old wolf leaned back, letting the paws of the bear hold him in place as the sensation of the bruin's fellatio overwhelmed him. "Oh yeah, Son. You can do both." He rubbed the top of the bear's head. "I'm so glad to see you."
 
Nathaniel freed the wolf's cock from his mouth. "I'm glad to see you, Father. You're the last thing I remember seeing." He looked at the two bears and the Armbruster's wolf staring at him with grins on their faces. "I'm so glad to see you all."
 
The polar bear reached out and hugged the enormous bear. "It's good to see you, too, Son. Why don't you let your father go so we can get out and greet the rest of our family?"
 
Nathaniel smiled at the wolf in his paws. "We can get back to this later, right?"
 
Will laughed. "Of course. But for now, your papa is right. We have some piecing together of a puzzle that most of us only have a part of."
 
Nathaniel lowered the old wolf down back into the water. The remaining occupants of the Red Wolf walked up to the side of the pond. Will waved to them. "Come on in, the water's fine."
 
Chet shook his head no. "I know you, Old Wolf. We get in there with you and we won't be talking about things of importance for days."
 
"I think being fucked by an angel is important," Will said with a wicked grin.
 
"I am not disputing the pleasure of that, Old Wolf, but you, William Gentry, are from a different universe, and we need to sort things out."
 
Kris looked up at the hawk-man. "So what Will has been telling us is the truth? We were in some alternate universe? We were humoring him because… well… you know… it's Will, and he's excited, and kissing us, and groping, and making all manner of fun suggestions. Of course, we're going to humor him."
 
"Do you have any memory of what the old wolf told you?" JP asked as he sat down on the flat stone ledge and dangled his feet in the water.
 
"No. Actually, I don't," The Kodiak replied.
 
"Well, it's all true. And it's pretty much why we needed an alternative universe," the blue bear said, diving into the pond and hugging the large brown bear. "Nothing survived the Shumuuluud. Not you, not your home planet, or the Unity. Nothing before us in their path survived, and certainly, nothing was going to survive that came after us."
 
"So what happened?" the polar bear asked. "And why do you seem to remember what we don't?"
 
"And where are my other husbands?" Will asked. "I thought they might be with you, but that doesn't seem to be the case." He stared at the smaller short-faced bear standing next to Nathaniel, waist-deep in the water. He smiled. "Hi, Pilot. It's good to see you again. Love what you did with the body."
 
Max smiled shyly. "Same old wolf in both universes, aren't you?"
 
"It appears I am," Will said with a nod. "This shakes up everything, doesn't it?" He reached over and grabbed his bear son. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. I'm sorry about Martin."
 
"Me too, Father."
 
"Is he alive?"
 
"Yes. He's married to Chipo."
 
Will thought about it for a moment. "They would make a nice couple. What is he?"
 
"A lion."
 
"I guess we've seen the last of that Megatherium tongue."
 
"Really, Father? You're going there?" Nathaniel said with a laugh.
 
"I made you smile, Son," the Iberian wolf replied. "The rest we'll have to sort out in time." He turned to the blue bear. "So, Max, exactly where are my husbands? I heard Marcus promise you they would be safe."
 
"That's a good question," Max replied, as his wings fluttered casually. "My guess is somewhere between the flash point of the Big Bang and here. Although that makes it sound like there's a middle of the universe and that's totally wrong. This is that part of the explanation where I make everyone's head hurt, so I'm not going there."
 
"You're saying that they're somewhere else, but if that's so, why is Donovan here with us? He was with Marcus. He's here: he didn't get killed."
 
JP shook his head in disagreement. "Donovan and all who formed the saber-toothed wolf died. They held the universe together through a black hole and rebuilt it on the other side, but what they did scattered them into atoms."
 
The blonde bear pointed toward the short-faced bear with the white spectacle markings. "We're not sure what Marcus did, but you both seem thrown from that universe into this space and time."
 
"As opposed to what?" Will asked.
 
"As opposed to evolving independently like your husbands and everyone else," the winged bear replied. "I think you have a part to play in this new universe that will slowly unfold. If nothing else, you two seem to be the only ones that remember the other universe besides Max and me."
 
Will looked up at Chet, and the angel shrugged. "It's all new to me," the winged man said. "If I understand it, which, by the way, I don't; but if I did, I would say that Marcus tossed you and Nathaniel here from wherever you were. In that process, you two replaced the two of you we remember before you woke up."
 
"Not replaced, Hon," the younger Max interjected, "became. The two who go forward in this universe are the Will and Nathaniel that were always meant to be here in this moment."
 
Chet shook his head as he looked at his two bear husbands. "God, there are days when my marriage to these two makes me feel like I am out of a massively big loop."
 
"I'm feeling the same way," Nathaniel said.
 
The blue bear smiled as he waded toward the rock where the Kermode was dangling his feet in the water. JP looked at the group. "Look, it's never going to make complete sense. Think about the idea of recreating a nearly identical universe by taking all the matter from one universe and flipping it out all over again. It's insane. Especially if you look at the differences between the two worlds. It's like asking a guy to pick up a handful of mud and sling it at a barn. Then ask him to do it again exactly the same way. It doesn't matter how close he gets to the first. It's going to be easily perceptible as different. How can you possibly take an entire universe and start it all over again and have it come out with only tiny changes from the last one?"
 
"How can you?" Kris asked. "And how come this has always been our life to everyone but Will and Nathaniel? Well, and you two, I guess, although you seem to be very comfortable with both universes."
 
"I am," Max said as he sat beside his husband. "This is easier for me, because, to me, everything that surrounds us is more like a mathematical equation. JP is right if you think of the Big Bang as chaos theory. There's no way you're going to duplicate the universe. But what if it was more like a math theorem?"
 
The bear paused a moment and his blue wings rocked back and forth. "On second thought, imagine the universe as a painting. You have the original and you want to recreate it. It is possible to reproduce the canvas, the strokes, and the colors. You can do that and create a painting that's indistinguishable from the original." Max used his feet to make little circles in the water. "But nothing is ever quite a perfect duplicate. And, if you're the one doing the painting, you have the option of changing some things in the original. You can change things you didn't care for, or that you wanted to see all along."
 
"So, that's why in this universe we still have dragons and temple dogs I've never met?" Nathaniel asked.
 
Max nodded. "Exactly. There is a theory that groups can gather, store, and share information that is greater than the sum of its individuals. This collective group memory can cue an individual person into remembering something he might not have, had it not been for the group." Max's dangling feet slipped over JP's, playing with them. "What if the group collective wasn't a group of others? What if that group was you?"
 
Chet sighed and sat by his husbands. "See what I mean?" His foot rubbed up against Max's. "It's all perfectly clear and then, WHAM, out of the blue, something else gets tossed into the mix."
 
JP laughed. "I bet if Nathaniel thinks about both universes and what's happened, he might get it."
 
"Actually, it is making a bit of sense to me," Nathaniel said. "If we're all made up of the same atoms that made us before, it's possible that everyone held onto a bit of memory from that other universe. Papa, you're a perfect example."
 
Eric looked up from watching minnows swimming about his toes. "Me?"
 
"Yeah, one of the chief differences between this world and the one I remember is that your actions during the War of the Continents were different. JP said that when you got to Tibet, you had a premonition that the temple dragons shouldn't try to fly the other refugees to safety. In my world, you thought it was a good idea. Heat-sensing anti-aircraft guns killed every one of them. Maybe that premonition was actually a holdover memory from another universe."
 
The polar bear's head twisted in thought. "It was strange of me to be so sure that we had to take a ground retreat out of the area. The Sight in me is almost non-existent."
 
"Exactly," the blue bear said. "Minor changes like choosing a different withdrawal route out of a war zone and the ripples expand outward, affecting all that follows."
 
"Or big changes, like me deciding my love for two beasts was more important to me than being human," Max the elder said as he wrapped his arm around Nathaniel. "Perhaps I have a memory somewhere that speaks to me of the choice I made in another life… the one where I died and left the two men I loved alone to fend without me."
 
"The choice seems big to you because it changed your entire life and the lives of others you love," JP said. "But in the sea of life, it's barely dipping the toe in and wiggling it." The Kermode's foot twisted, and all watched the ripples moving out from where he swirled his toe. "Mostly, the same challenges we had in another universe and another life still fill our lives today. These ripples that seem huge to us are nothing in that enormous sea we call the universe."
 
"So what? Now we do this all again?" Will fumed. "Some eternal loop of getting to a point and starting it all over again? We're a giant video game and we're re-spawning?" 
 
JP laughed. "I hope to re-spawn with you soon, Old Wolf, but no, the universe isn't some video game loop." The Kermode's wings fluttered slightly. "To use an analogy that is close to home, think of your computer when it gets infected by a virus," he paused, "well, back in the day when there were hackers."
 
"I remember, JP," the old wolf said impatiently.
 
"You insert another program, one that knows how to destroy the virus and you take it out. The antivirus software gets rid of the problem, but the physical computer is exactly the same. You don't actually lose anything; you've only deleted the little bits of information that were the virus. That frees up space to insert different data. After you do all that, you need to reset the computer. It needs to be restored to what it was before the virus took over everything. Consider what the six did as a reboot. This is the universe the way it would be without the Shumuuluud in it. All that it ever was is now a part of all that is around us, but reconfigured as something else… something a bit more benign."
 
"So there's no Shumuuluud, but maybe something equally nasty is evolving somewhere else?"
 
"It's the universe, Old Wolf. Like a computer that has the viruses removed, it doesn't mean that new ones can't come along. And the universe is far more complicated than a computer. My analogy only works to a point."
 
"God, I hate what this family does to my brain sometimes," the old wolf said. "So, who are the husbands in my bed this morning?"
 
The Armbruster's wolf cleared his throat. "I'm the Donovan who was born in what apparently is an alternative universe. I was born fifty-five million years ago, the first of our kind born to this world. The same as the Donovan whose life ended in the birth of this new universe. Somehow what he did left this universe without him, but evolving with me."
 
"So, do you know what the other Donovan did?" Nathaniel asked.
 
"Not really," the Armbruster's wolf answered. "I have an idea, but like most of us here, the glimpses I have of my previous life are more like some kind of genetic memory. I have feelings more than a knowledge of what transpired. Our collective memory seems to pull things from the group that we would never remember alone. Max and JP have gifts far beyond what any Changelings have displayed, so their memories seem to be more intact."
 
"Do you remember what the six of you did with Derrick and Oliver, Husband?" Will asked Donovan. "I'd sort of like to get all my husbands back."
 
"You and me both, Old Wolf. I miss them terribly."
 
"Well, at least that part seems to be the same. I'm glad we're all married."
 
"Of course we are," the polar bear said, confused. "Why wouldn't we be?"
 
"Because you broke the badger's back. I thought some of that residual memory stuff might have given him the idea to back out."
 
"We didn't break his back," Donovan protested. "When Colton was born from our merging, one of the first things he did was point out that the two of us were obviously in love with Oliver. He told us we might as well commit to it. We realized he was right and well… one night we were in bed, and one thing led to another. We mated with the three of you lying in bed next to us. It was the most gentle mating in the history of the Were Nation." The Armbruster's wolf cocked his head. "Will, are you telling me you don't know this?"
 
"No, I don't," Will said almost apologetically. "I have a radically different memory of how you three mated. It was on an island out in the Pacific and you nearly killed him. You had four very upset husbands over your actions."
 
"Well, that seems to confirm things, Old Wolf," JP said. "Do you remember the Shumuuluud?"
 
"Of course."
 
"And you, Donovan? Do you remember the Shumuuluud?"
 
"No, not really."
 
The blue bear put his paw up to his head and scratched it. "I think those of us who remember the old universe came directly from there."
 
"But why? And how?" Nathaniel asked.
 
Nathaniel's short-faced bear husband pulled Nathaniel closer. "And why do I remember every day I have spent with this man since the first day I met him on the highland? How did we share a life right up until this morning that he doesn't even remember? Who have I been sleeping with each night if not this gorgeous bear beside me?"
 
Chet moaned, "Ai ai ai, me duele la cabeza!"
 
"I agree, Son," the polar bear said, rubbing his head. "This just makes my brain hurt."
 
"What of you, Old Bear? Which world do you remember?" Will asked.
 
"I don't remember the Shumuuluud," Eric responded. "But I'm not complaining that I woke up today instead of being dead."
 
"I'm not complaining about Max being alive, either," Nathaniel said. "But I lost a husband in this universe. I'm not even sure how much of my history is the same. I watched Martin almost die in Brazil, and we used him to find orphaned children with the Sight when he was a Megatherium."
 
"We used you to do that, Husband," Max said. "I imagine the Megatherium was much larger than you, but a twelve-foot bear standing up in a crowd of people was still easy to spot."
 
Nathaniel shook his head. "I am so confused. Why Will and me? Why you, Max, or JP?"
 
"JP and I differ from all of you, Nathaniel," Max said, staring at the water. "We remember the old universe right up to the point we left it. We promised Papa Bear that we would go somewhere safe, but we realized there was no safe place in the old universe. As we prepared to leave one universe for another, we realized we had work yet to do. We played pretty fast and loose with that black hole Marcus made to get from point 'A' to point 'B'. I honestly don't know why you and Will remember what you do. I just know there's a reason." His foot poked the water, and the ripples spread out. "Because there are ripples in our lives that we don't even see yet. Sometimes the answers just take time."
 
"So are Francisco, Ivan, Kendal, and Marcus alive?" Will asked.
 
"Ivan and Francisco are alive. They're mated just as they were in the other universe. Their son, Patrick, was born after they merged. They went through the dark time using the beacon to guide them. They still have two werewolf husbands as well. I talked to them this morning. They're both in Paris working at Friduwulf Memorial Hospital."
 
"Not the Max Templeton Memorial Hospital?" Nathaniel asked.
 
"Sort of glad about that title change, Bear," Max said, rocking uncomfortably.
 
Nathaniel smiled. "Me, too, Hon," he added, reaching out and hugging the short-faced bear.
 
"Friduwulf is Old English for Gentle Wolf," JP answered. "They did it to honor the Brotherhood, without having to raise questions about who they were. The world just assumes Friduwulf is some benefactor's name."
 
"And how about Marcus and Kendal?" Will asked.
 
"Kendal is alive and helping take care of the lighthouse on Partridge Island with Lewis and Anders," the blue bear said. "Marcus is living in Montreal."
 
Will looked up from gazing at the water. "Is Marcus still human?"
 
"Yes."
 
Will thought for a moment. "What about our sons? What about Samuel and Raymond?"
 
Kris turned toward the old wolf. "Whose sons, Old Wolf?"
 
Will shook his head. "Samuel is yours, Derrick's, and mine; Raymond is Nathaniel's, Martin's, and Oliver's."
 
Kris's look of confusion was obvious. "We had a son?"
 
"Yes, Bear," Will said, the frustration clear in his voice. "We had a son. It's what happens when we merge."
 
"We merged?"
 
Will turned away. "Apparently not in this universe."
 
Kris reached out and held Will. "I'm sorry, Old Wolf. I never even thought that was possible. If I had, I would have merged with you so long ago."
 
"It was you who came up with the idea after I had an arm and leg blown off in the Tibetan explosion. Oliver's beast died trying to save me."
 
"Forgive me if I'm grateful to have lived in a world where that never happened."
 
"I'm happy for you too, Bear," Will whispered. "It's just our sons… they were the first of their kind."
 
"It's so much more than that, Old Wolf," the brown bear said, pulling the hug in more tightly.
 
"They were our sons, Bear. They were my boys…" Will looked over to Nathaniel, who was clinging to Max. The short-faced bear's sobbing couldn't be muffled even with his muzzle buried against the other bear's chest.
 
The family remained quiet as the two from another universe clung to their mates. There were no words to calm the short-faced bear and the Iberian wolf's heart. They sobbed through the realization that the children who once called them Father were never born.

Chapter 11

  Will looked up from his reading at the flashing notice of an incoming call on the business line. "On screen," he sighed as another call interrupted his day off. There was no image; only the identification. The old wolf looked at it, rubbed his eyes, and then looked at it again. He tapped his ComLink and leaned back, smiling. "Hello, Marcus. It's good to hear from you. To be honest, I didn't think I would ever get a call from you again."

"I'm sorry it took me so long to call you back. I admit finding out you had five husbands came as a bit of a shock. It's taken a while to admit to myself that you told me the truth when you said you were a werewolf. I'm still processing it all, but somehow I'm drawn to you. I'm like a moth flying into the flame, but I can't seem to turn away like any sane man would."

Will paused and closed his eyes. He listened to the faint echo on the line of Marcus's breathing. "I will admit there's a lot about me that would make any sane man run away. I'm going to ask you to take a leap of faith and not do that."

"Can you give me one good reason I should stay, William?"

"Because I love you… because we love you."

"We?"

"Me, my two husbands who are bears, the one who is a badger, and the two who are wolves. At least I hope that's the way it is. It seems the world has changed a lot since the last time I checked."

"Not much has changed in a year, William. It's pretty much the same world as it was when we last talked. Except I finally admitted to myself that the stories you were telling me weren't some furry fantasy you created for my benefit."

Will chuckled. "You always knew those stories were real, Marcus."

The voice on the other side gave a long sigh. "I guess you're right. It all seemed so familiar when you told the stories to me. It's like I've known you all for so very long. I hope I didn't wait too long to call back, William. I struggle with the unpredictable leaps of faith you ask of my life."

"I stopped worrying about how long you take to call back years ago," the old wolf said with a laugh. The words confused Marcus, but he left them unchallenged. Will hesitated. "Marcus, I needed you to know the truth about me; the truth about my family. I have never lied to you. I will never lie to you."

"I understand that, William," the voice breathed. "I'm glad you told me the stories. If you hadn't, I doubt we would be talking now. I know what you are, and strangely enough, I'm not afraid so much as comforted by the thought that you're a werewolf with an enormous family."

"I'm glad to hear that, Marcus," Will said calmly. "I don't want you to be afraid of me."

"I've never been afraid of you, William," Marcus replied. "What I'm afraid of are the feelings I have for you. You never pressured me with a timetable to figure them out. I'm grateful for that."

"I will never force you to do anything that you don't feel comfortable with, Marcus. Coercion is one of the few things the Were Nation actually considers a sin. But I admit I can be a bit of a nudge now and then."

"You told me to call you when I knew what I wanted out of our relationship. That's why I'm calling tonight, William. I think I'm ready to discuss what I'm hoping for beyond these calls. But I'm pretty naive when it comes to being with other men. Even now, I have doubts about my ability to make wise choices in the face of my feelings."

"That's why I'm asking you to stay, Marcus; so you have time to feel good about any choice you make. So you can have a family by your side when you make tough choices. I don't want you walking this world on your own. That's not who you are. Living your life alone behind that screen in front of you isn't what you want."

Marcus was about to object to Will's description of who he was when he realized his opinion was much the same. He leaned back in his chair and waited for Will to continue. "But there's another reason I'm going to ask you to stay," Will said, "not just here on the link talking with me tonight, but in my life… in our lives." The old wolf tried to collect himself. "The pleasant part about hearing your voice is that it might mean that your husband and both of mine are still out there waiting for us to find them."

"I'm not married," the voice on the other side of the ComLink corrected. "Never have been. You know that."

"I'm aware of that, Marcus. But just because you've never been married doesn't mean you never will be."

Marcus snorted a short laugh. "I'd like to think that's the case."

"No, Marcus, I'm not talking about that fantasy of yours with some quiet guy in a two-bedroom apartment and two pugs that you call your babies. I'm talking about something much more than your current worldview can even imagine."

There was a silence on the other end of the line. Will let the silence go unforced until Marcus spoke again. "How do you do that, William? How do you know the deepest parts of me without me ever having told you about them?"

"I have a gift for that sort of thing, Marcus," Will replied. "I realize it can be upsetting to have someone know you that well without ever having met him. It's why I tell you so much about me every time we speak. I want us on an even footing the day you choose to meet me."

"Why? Why me, William?"

"Because I owe it to you, Marcus. Because my whole family owes it to you."

"Owe me what? For what? I'm a fat, little blind guy in Montreal who has a crush on you. What do you owe me?"

"More than you realize, Marcus. I'm aware of how confusing this is, and it will be for some time. But if you'll trust me, I promise in time you will understand. We'll all understand. You need to trust me. No matter how confusing the future is, when it's all sorted out, you will be exactly who you hoped to be all along."

The quiet returned, and once more Will let it be. Finally, he heard Marcus sigh. "I love you, William, and I trust you. We've known each other for three years, and everything you've ever done has shown me how much you care for our children at New Home. I'm aware of what kind of man you are. But it's a gigantic leap to go from trusting a man on the other side of my ComLink to asking that man with five husbands if he wants to be my lover."

"Is that what you want, Marcus?"

"Is it asking too much, William?"

"You're not asking me to be that quiet man with two pugs, are you?"

Marcus laughed. "Oh god, no, William. I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm asking you to take a guy who has never had a relationship in his entire life and teach him what he needs to know. One day I'm going to meet the guy who's going to marry me. I need you to teach me about life so that I can recognize him."

"I'm impressed, Marcus."

"What? That I want to be with someone I love, or that I'm enough of a realist to realize that I'm going to need to share you with so many men?" Marcus paused in thought. "Or that you're not the last man I'm going to give my heart to?"

"All of it," Will replied. "Marcus, you know I love you too, right?"

"Yeah… yeah, I do. I'm willing for that to be enough. I can't say it will always be enough for me; but for now, that's probably enough for me to handle."

"But you're willing to take that leap of faith that you say you're struggling with?"

"I just asked a werewolf to be my lover. That isn't a big enough leap for you?"

Will laughed. "Yeah, Marcus, that's plenty big enough for anyone. Do you mind if I contact New Home and request that they let me borrow you for a few months? I will make sure that their compensation is more than adequate for your time away. I'm aware of how valuable you are to them."

"Is this only going to be for a few months, William?"

"No, Marcus. This is a lifetime commitment for both of us. But first, we need to decide how long that lifetime is going to be."

"Are you asking me to turn?"

"Not this minute, but yes, one day I'm going to ask you to turn. I told you I was a nudge. That's one direction you knew already that I was going to nudge you. If we can ever find Oliver, I'm pretty sure he'll hound you about it, too."

"Oliver? Where is he? You two seem inseparable."

It was Will's turn to be quiet for a moment. "We seem to have lost him and Derrick."

"Lost them?" Marcus asked incredulously. "How do you lose two husbands?"

"I can assure you it wasn't easy. We're relying on the word of the one who took them, that they are safe. But we don't know where they are."

"Are we talking about a kidnapping here, William?"

"I wish it was that easy," the old wolf replied. "I could track them down if that was all it was."

"You lost me again, William." Marcus paused and listened to the old wolf's breathing. "William, you're crying."

"I do a lot of it lately. We wolves are an emotional lot. You've listened to a wolf howl. We do angst really well."

"You might be great at it, but you've never been this stressed in my company before. Perhaps it's time I actually take you up on your offer and come to visit you. You sound like you need a shoulder to cry on."

"My husbands have very wide shoulders, Marcus. If you come to visit, I don't want you to worry about family problems. I'll be okay, Marcus. I just lost it for a bit. Oliver and Derrick have been gone for eight months. I expected them to return sooner. I break down sometimes, but I'm fine now."

Marcus heard a sniffle and shook his head. "You're not fine, William. You're hurting. If I'm going to be your lover, I think part of the job description requires me to be by your side when you're hurting. Hell, even friends do that, and I sure want you to be more than a friend."

There was a quiet moment while Marcus waited again for the old wolf to answer. "You're right, Marcus. That is what a lover would do. I would like you here. But, my family is here keeping me stitched together. Are you going to be good with a crowd?"

"How big a crowd are we talking about? Husbands? Family? The entire pack?"

"On any given day, yes to all those options, and a few you never considered."

Marcus took a deep breath. "They'll help me, right? I mean, they'll go easy on me? None of that, turn the human into a wolf, and then gang-bang him all night long like Derrick had done to him?"

"Derrick wanted that gang-bang, Marcus. He dreamed of it his entire life."

"Okay, so if all I want is to share a carton of ice cream with you and a bit of snuggling, they'll be okay with that?"

Will laughed. "God, I love you, Marcus. Yes, they will be fine with that."

"So what do I do?"

"Well, give me your address and I'll get someone to come out and pick you up in an hour. Is that enough time?"

"If I hurry, I'm sure I can get packed by then."

"Don't pack too many clothes, Marcus."

"Really, William?" Marcus said with a laugh.

"Up to you. It was only a suggestion."

"I'll be careful not to over-pack."

"Does he need to get buzzed in or anything?"

"No, William. I'll tell the front desk to let in any werewolves they see."

Will snickered. "They won't see him, Marcus. You know that. I'll have him identify himself as a Bear Paws Enterprises representative. That should work, right?"

"Yeah, that will work. Everyone knows what BPE is. I'll see him soon, William. Now, let me off the ComLink or I won't be ready."

"Okay," Will said reluctantly. "Enjoy your trip."

An hour later, Marcus was grabbing his toothbrush when a voice came over the intercom. "You've got company, Marcus," the voice said. "He says he's from BPE. He's got the credentials and the clothing swag. Do you want him to wait for you down here?"

"Send him up; could you please, Cliff? I'm almost ready, but I don't want to keep him hanging out down there."

"Will do," the voice said. Marcus grabbed the toothbrush and shoved it into his shaving kit. "What else do I need?" he said, trying to think through his imaginary list. The knock on the door surprised him.

"I didn't realize the elevators were that fast," he said, laughing as he opened the door.

"I took the stairs. It was only fourteen flights, and I didn't want to wait for the elevator."

Marcus's head leaned left. "William?" he asked, trying to figure out the readings on his proximity equipment.

"I brought the ice cream," the old wolf said, holding out a bag in his paws.

"You are really messing up my equipment here," Marcus said. "You wouldn't believe how it's struggling to figure out what you are."

Will shifted to human. "I was curious what a blind person might see when we don't shift to human."

Marcus smiled. "I would have accepted it as a glitch. They happen often enough that we get used to letting them slide. Maybe the Were Nation is responsible for us never having glitch-free telemetry equipment. Your readings are much more stable now."

"So, ice cream?"

Marcus shook his head. "Oh, of course. I didn't expect to see you. This really is nice." Marcus took the ice cream from the man in front of him. Turning, he walked to the kitchen. He put the ice cream in the freezer and closed the door. He gently banged his head against the freezer a few times and sighed. "Forget the ice cream, William. You didn't come here for that. And I am not letting you out of this room before you've had me in at least three of the ways I've dreamed about since you started telling me your stories."

"I asked Tiff and Tuff to wait for a call to pick us up. I figured it was a bit too early to ask them to join us."

Marcus turned and smiled. "Yeah, I would say it's a bit early for that, William," he agreed. "You're naked, right?"

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"Not once you help me out of my clothes," the chubby human replied. "I dreamed of a day when you'd strip me naked and make love to me."

Will stepped in close and spun Marcus around. Slowly, Marcus felt the unbuttoning of his shirt. When the shirt slipped off his shoulders, Marcus felt Will's bearded lips on his neck. He closed his eyes, trying to capture the feelings. But as the kissing moved across his shoulders, he realized there was no capturing the wild animal he had let into his apartment. "We'll go slow," Will whispered in the shorter man's ear. "At least for the first time."

Marcus felt his belt unbuckled by another man and sighed. "How long before you need to return to the highland, William?"

"Well, I brought two quarts of ice cream," Will said as he turned the human around and pulled down his pants. "Commando," Will said with a smile. "Marcus, you are becoming more and more interesting with each moment."

Marcus turned away shyly. "Don't tease me, William. I realize I'm not the most handsome man in the world."

"You forget, Marcus; I never lie," Will said as he squatted down and pulled the chubby man back toward him. He kissed the already swollen cock. "I like what I see." Will helped the portly man take off his shoes and freed his legs from the pants. With a caress of Marcus's balls, he rose back up. "Tonight, trust and accept that the man in front of you thinks you're beautiful."

Marcus reached up and took off his glasses. "I think I will fare better with your opinion of me without these glasses telling me otherwise." He reached up, pulled the taller man's face to his, and kissed him. "I love you, William," he said when the kiss ended.

"So, is this where you feel my face?" Will asked with a chuckle.

"No," Marcus said as he dropped to the floor and wrapped his hands around the swollen cock of the man before him. "This is where I taste you for the first time." His head bobbed down. He took as much of the cock into his mouth as possible before his gag reflex kept him from taking more. Marcus backed off a bit, licked the cock, and then tried again to swallow the entire shaft. Once again, he backed off when the gag reflex kicked in again. "So much better than ice cream," he said happily, as he reclaimed the warm flesh back into his mouth. The process repeated as Marcus found a rhythm that worked both for him and the man towering above him.
  
Chapter 12
    
Will pushed the plate filled with breakfast out onto the table and Marcus pulled it to him. "Thank you for these last few days, William. It means so much to me to have time alone with you first."
 
"It means a lot to me as well. You make a great shoulder to cry on," Will said as he pulled up a stool and sat next to Marcus. He stuck a fork into his eggs and took a bite. "Marcus, the stories I've been telling you…"
 
"I'm ahead of you there. They're all true. You told me as much. The black wolf, the polar bear, the Kodiak who looks like Santa, the short-faced bears… they're your family."
 
Will realized the moment he heard the short-faced bears in plural that Marcus and he were from two different universes. In his universe, an Iberian wolf told him stories over a ComLink that matched the rebuilt universe. "This might sound strange, but do you remember where in the story I stopped?"
 
"Nathaniel and Max had mated with Oliver, and you and Oliver were dancing at their mating ceremony. You agreed to let your past be past and become friends. You always seem to end the stories where you thought I would want to hear more."
 
"There's much of the story I haven't told you yet."
 
"I realized that when told me about your husbands. I'm glad you and Oliver found your way back to each other, William."
 
"I am too, Marcus," Will said as he took another bite of breakfast.
 
"And I'm sorry that he's gone missing."
 
"Thanks for understanding," Will said with a nod.
 
"So what happens now? I need to get you back to your family and your search."
 
"The search has been going on for eight months, Marcus. People are working on it regardless of where I am. My job requires a pragmatic view of our search. I'm only a ComLink call away." Will pushed back from the island table. "We need to go home for a more important reason."
 
"What could be more important than finding your husbands?"
 
"Introducing you to your family."
 
"What?"
 
"Your family needs to meet you. If you want to be my lover, you will meet my family. You meet my family and tell them I'm your lover; they will become your family as well."
 
"Is it that easy for you all?"
 
"Yes, it's that easy."
 
"I envy all of you."
 
Will put his arm around Marcus's hairy back and pulled him in close. "Don't stand out there looking in, Marcus. I realize this is new for you, but it's been our way for tens of thousands of years. Let us be your family. It's what your parents gave you, but they're no longer here. A part of you needs that connection. It's what you live for. You find orphaned children homes because that's who you are. You long for what you give them. Let us be the ones to bring you home."
 
"It's so important that it works out for those kids, William. I stress for months about finding those children the right homes. But you… you practically fall into my lap. I worry about things that come too easily."
 
"Don't worry about this," Will said. His hand slipped to the chubby man's leg and rubbed up along the inner thigh. "It's a very nice lap, Marcus. I'll be happy to fall into it again if you want," Will said with a gentle squeeze.
 
Marcus looked up and smiled. "Could you, William? Now?"
 
"Of course."
 
The two pushed their plates to the center of the island, and as they stepped off the stools, they kissed. Their slow movement toward the bedroom never lasted past the living room carpet. They fell to the floor and began moving each other into position. It wasn't the slow-paced loving of the night before. The two were driving each other to a place they both realized they wanted to be, and foreplay only got in the way.
 
As Will pushed Marcus back onto the thick carpeting, his mouth covered the chubby man's cock. He worked it until he could tell it was as rigid as it needed to be. He rose into a squat, and fell down over the upright cock, forcing it inside himself. "I love how much you pre-cum, Marcus," Will growled. "It's like nature made you to be inside another man."
 
"And I love how much you cum," Marcus said, reaching out to grab the hulk of a man in front of him. Will didn't need to encourage Marcus to begin the forceful ramming of his cock into the mountain man's ass. Marcus knew what Will wanted, and he was more than willing to push both toward their climax. When the white fluid shot from Will's cock, Marcus's hand was there to capture it. His open palm slapped up against his mouth and he eagerly licked it. "Breakfast of champions," he giggled as his hand slipped away, exposing his cum-soaked beard.
 
Will leaned over and licked his way through the beard, lapping at the cum and kissing the man below him. Marcus's hands grabbed Will's chest and tugged at his nipples. Will moaned happily. The mountain man realized that the Marcus embedded in his ass wasn't the Marcus he remembered from another universe. He was stronger, more sure of himself, and aware of what he wanted in life. Will fell forward and let the cock slip from him as he hugged the hirsute man below.
 
When the kissing and licking slowed, Marcus pushed Will as he rolled over the top of him. The short man's legs straddled the much larger man beneath him; pinning him to the floor. "Take me, William," Marcus said half a plea; half a command.
 
"I'm big," Will reminded his partner.
 
"After three days with you, I'm aware of that fact, and I'm sure you'll be bigger as a wolf. I'm ready. Turn me."
 
Will looked into the clouded eyes of the man above him. "Are you sure, Marcus? We can wait on this. You don't need to rush your choices. I'm not leaving you."
 
"I'm not rushing this, William," the overweight man answered. "From the first night you told me the story of you and Derrick, I knew one day I wanted to be that chubby man making love to the wolf above him."
 
"But that was his dream, Marcus," Will replied. "What's your dream? Why would you choose to become a beast?"
 
"You said it yourself. My family members are beasts. When I meet them, I want to be a beast as well."
 
Will smiled. "You are so beautiful and so brave. It will thrill Derrick to learn that his story led you to this moment."
 
"We chubby guys need to stick together," Marcus said with a small laugh. "Will, I'm trying to see my choices clearly, and I realize that there are benefits to staying right where I am. I get this life of mine. There are no surprises; no great leaps I need to make. There is no risk of a great fall. I understand what's in front of me. I'm safe inside this apartment."
 
Marcus paused and pushed down, working Will's cock into the crack of his ass. He rubbed back and forth along the shaft. He didn't see the smile on the bearded man's face, but he sensed it was there. "I've seen what lies beyond. You showed it to me, William. I know what's out there and I can't go back to the comfort of my world without admitting to what I let slip through my fingers if I do."
 
Marcus leaned forward and kissed Will. "Since I was a little boy, I felt that there was something more to my life than I would ever understand. All the nights talking with you, all the stories; you have been teaching me the path I need to embrace to find that life."
 
Will's hand reached up and rubbed through the thick beard of the heavyset man above him. "And here I was, thinking that I was going to need to guide you to your destiny. Why didn't I realize your genetic memory is just as strong as the rest of our family?"
 
"Genetic memory, William?" Marcus asked.
 
"That part of who we are before we ever were, Marcus. We are born of the stars of a thousand, thousand galaxies, and inside us lies all that ever was or ever will be. I think you always knew that without me having to explain it to you. This world has forged you with strength and courage you haven't even tapped into yet."
 
Marcus smiled. "I wasn't thinking quite so grandiose. I was trying to make sure that when I met my family, they would be happy to see me. It's a big enough step to admit I want a family in my life. I'll save sewing the cape and tights for later."
 
Will laughed. "And that guy with two pugs waiting for you?"
 
"I realized quickly in my relationship with you that those two dogs were probably going to be wolves. William, I don't want a quiet life anymore. I want to start living the life I dreamed of since our first late-night call. One day, I want to find my mate and bite his neck. I want his teeth buried deep in my neck and his cock tight inside me. I want to commit to someone the same way you did with your husbands. It might be you. Maybe I'll make it an even half dozen for the old wolf. I don't know. I know I want to be with you, and I don't want you ever to deny even a part of who you are to accommodate that wish."
 
"I don't mind being human as long as you need me to be, Marcus."
 
"I'm aware of that. But I think I need you to be more than that to me. You told me not to stand outside the door. That holds not only true for embracing a new family. It holds true to becoming a fully vested part of that family. I'm ready to embrace what you're offering, William. I honestly hope that something wonderful comes from the two of us being together, but whatever happens, it can't happen inside this body of mine. Turn me, William."
 
"Promise me you'll become what you see in those dreams of yours, Marcus."
 
"I promise."
 
"It's not a wolf, is it?" Will said as he shook into his wolfen form.
 
"No. That won't disappoint you, will it? I know you struggle with thinking you screw up all your turnings."
 
"I'm good, Marcus. The fact is, I never fucked up a single turning. They all came out exactly the way they were meant to be. You'll be the same."
 
"I realize it's painful."
 
"Incredibly so the first time. Keep your beast in mind and let it become you. I will be by your side through it all."
 
"I'm glad. I'm glad it's you, William, and I'm glad it's someone I love."
 
"You would never find a beast to turn you that didn't love you first, Marcus. It's who we are."
 
"And it's who I want to become."
 
"You're going to lose your damage deposit. You know that, right?"
 
"I kind of figured that would be the case."
 
Marcus fell backward onto the carpeting. Will moved his legs out from under the human and rose onto his haunches. Marcus felt the legs that straddled him. "You're even taller as a wolf, aren't you?" he asked.
 
"Yes, and as you mentioned, bigger." The old wolf lifted Marcus's legs, pinning them to his chest. "I will be as gentle as I can be," the wolf said as he bent low and kissed the human.
 
Marcus put his hand up and felt the old wolf's face. "You feel wonderful, Wolf. Be as gentle as you can be." He smiled and raised his legs up alongside the furry body. "At least for the first time."
  
Chapter 13
  
"Do we look presentable?" Katashi asked nervously.
 
"You look fine," the polar bear said, trying to ease the temple dog's concern.
 
"It's that he's never heard of us, and well… he's a newly turned beast. That makes this most awkward," Noboru said, adjusting the fur around his crotch.
 
"I'm sure the old wolf has told him about you, Dog," Donovan said. "You have been a part of our family for thousands of years. He would not overlook such a detail."
 
"I hope so. We will do our best to remain composed at the greeting," Zhuang said as he reached over and held the hand of the dog next to him. "Bolin and I asked the dragons not to appear until after we can determine Marcus's desires in the matter of newly turned beasts. We don't wish to be presumptuous."
 
"You will be fine, brothers," Li Wei said, smiling at the other six dogs. His hand reached out to Katashi and held the paw lovingly. "We have learned that our family doesn't require of us the discipline we once thought our lives demanded. But in return, that requires we remember to display reserve in the company of those not yet familiar with our traditions." The other temple dogs nodded their agreement.
 
"We'll all be fine," Nathaniel said.
 
"I agree," his husband Max said. "I'm sure Will has prepared Marcus to meet his new family. Besides, it's not like we're ogres or anything. He has nothing to be afraid of other than the usual jitters we all get meeting new family for the first time. Remember, Dogs, Marcus is as nervous as you are about this meeting. He wants it to go well, exactly as you do. We're all working toward the same goal. Don't let your fear keep you from realizing how much both sides want this to work."
 
The seven temple dogs bowed. "We are grateful for your wisdom, Max," Li Wei said with a smile.
 
"Well, I, for one, intend to make him welcome no matter what traditions he chooses to follow," Kris said. "I can't wait to find out what he became."
 
"The old wolf loves his surprises," Eric said with a laugh. The Red Wolf pushed through the clouds as the landing gear descended. "They're here, gentlemen," the white bear said. "Smiles, everyone… Smiles. Let's welcome the plane to Fantasy Island."
 
Donovan looked at the bear and frowned. "I suppose that's some obscure broadcast video reference you assume we should know; correct?"
 
Eric returned a disappointed look. "Damn, I miss my pup," he said.
 
Kris reached over, "That's okay, Mr. Roarke. I'll be your Tattoo."
 
Eric smiled. "That would be nice, although you are rather large for the part."
 
"Does Mr. Roarke ever fuck Tattoo in the series?"
 
"I don't think so. It was the nineteen seventies. I don't remember anyone having sex on TV back then," the polar bear answered.
 
"Well then, I'm definitely sending my script back for a rewrite. If you don't wind up fucking me, it sure won't be my idea of a fantasy island."
 
The Red Wolf touched down, but the outer door didn't open. Instead, the rear cargo door dropped.
 
"Oh, my," Kris said with a grin. "A big boy is arriving."
 
No sooner were the words spoken than a black-furred foot of huge proportions thumped down onto the ramp. Another followed it, and the lumbering gate of the beast was instantly recognizable. "He's a bear," Nathaniel said happily. "Father turns the best beasts ever."
 
The bear reached the bottom of the ramp and turned. The large black bear had rounded ears and a v-shaped white patch of fur on his chest. Given the markings and Mickey Mouse-like ears, most would guess him to be an Asiatic Black bear. But the size was definitely more akin to the Kodiak that was grinning at the black bear's obvious genital pouch. "I like that boy's style," Kris said. "If he's going to be Will's lover, he sure picked the right beast."
 
"Well, he certainly is attractive," Donovan agreed. "Bears in our family are all handsome. Although, I never saw anything quite like him in the textbooks I've read."
 
Will and Marcus stepped off the landing strip and waved. "You've never seen him, because, like Nathaniel and Max, Marcus is a bit of a guess and a bit of wish fulfillment," Will said happily.
 
Marcus nodded in agreement. "Baluchistan bears live in the higher ranges of Southeast Iran. I was trying to honor my birthplace. But Will pointed out that our subspecies of the Asiatic black bear are relatively small and my family is relatively large. So, I went with an extinct ancestor of the bear that had a bit more size to him. On the plus side, the genitals on this incarnation are also larger than most Asiatic black bears, so I should fit right into this family."
 
Kris laughed and approached the bear with extended arms. When Marcus embraced the Kodiak, he felt the thick cock of the brown bear press up against him. "I see I underestimated just how popular larger genitals are in this family," the newborn bear giggled.
 
"Mine are rather pronounced and have nothing to do with the taxonomy of Ursus arctos middendorffi. They are simply there for the pleasure of my first two husbands, who are bottoms."
 
Marcus's eyes lit up in recognition. "You're Kris. The Changeling that blinded the humans. I apologize for my confusion. My sight has returned, but it is taking a while for my brain to catch up to where I can discern much more than color, light, and shadow. Returning the sight to the blind usually requires a learning curve before the details fill in."
 
"That's totally understandable," the brown bear said with a nod. "And yes, I am Kris. You must be Marcus. Many men capture my husband's attention and his affections, but few capture his heart."
 
Marcus held the hug. "You're not upset with me?"
 
"Not at all, Marcus," the Kodiak replied. "Will has never made an error in judgment with the men he loves."
 
"But you're his husbands," Marcus said, letting go of the hug.
 
"And we take full advantage of that fact, I assure you," said the polar bear, his white paws replacing the hug of the brown bear. "I'm Eric. I'm Will's third husband. In all my years mated to the old wolf, he has never said no to any desire or request I've expressed. I see no reason to demand any greater loyalty to me than that."
 
Marcus nodded his head against the white bear's shoulder. "I see your point. I have so much to learn."
 
"As do we all, Bear," Donovan said as the hug passed to Armbruster's wolf. "I am the old wolf's fifth," he said, embracing the bear. "I am Donovan."
 
"You're a wolf, right?" the black bear guessed, pressing up against the arched backbone of the wolf. "An ancient one I suspect from the bone structure,"
 
"True. I was the first of the Changelings to adopt a Terran body. I am an Armbruster's wolf. Sadly, the species my avatar reflects is extinct. I sometimes wonder if it might not be time for me to choose another beast."
 
"You can do that?"
 
"Yes, it's not something that transfers to beasts, but it is a trait of ours. I will admit that it is something I enjoy now that the truth about our abilities is… how do you say… out of the bag?"
 
"And we enjoy his gift as well," Li Wei said with a bow.
 
Marcus looked at the dog. "I'm sorry. As I mentioned, my brain is still struggling to process information in a manner I can understand. I can only make out large shapes unless I am very close to you. You appear to be something quite massive."
 
"So, then the hug is helpful for you to identify us?" Li Wei asked.
 
"Actually, yes. For at least a few days, I will still rely on my sense of hearing, touch, and smell to form bonds with my new family. And close up, I can make out some details if I stare at only one part."
 
"Then you really should have stared at a different part of Kris," Will said with a snicker.
 
Marcus turned. "Really, William?"
 
It was Kris's turn to laugh. "The old wolf is who he is, Marcus. If he hadn't said it, I would be crestfallen that it no longer occupied so many of his thoughts."
 
Marcus smiled at the brown blur he identified as Kris. "I suppose you're right. I am learning to rely on the same things to frame my affection for him."
 
"As do we all, Little One," Katashi said.
 
Marcus turned toward the voice and saw another wall of golden light. "How many of you are there?" Marcus asked.
 
"There are seven of us here today," another dog responded. "I am Noboru, the Khenpo of the Tibetan temple." Marcus could see the yellow monolith gesture to where other large blocks of the golden color stood. "Li Wei is the Khenpo of the North American temple dogs. Katashi, to his right, is his mate. Saand, on his left, has sworn to stay by his side. I believe that Li Wei doesn't have the heart to dismiss him from a calling he fulfills with such joy. The three are the guardians of the Partridge Island dragons. Bolin and Zhuang are the caretakers of the highland. They are guardians of a lovely family of woodland dragons. There are an additional seven temple dogs and four temple dragons that live in Tibet and New Zealand. Regretfully, they could not make it today, as they have other obligations to which they must attend. Genji, the Khenpo of the New Zealand temple is here to represent his brethren in your welcoming."
 
"We represent our brothers, but we hope one day you can meet us all," Genji added. "Our kind is very fond of welcoming newly turned beasts into the family."
 
Marcus's head shifted back to the left and to the voice nearest him. "I can't tell you apart. Your voices are exactly the same." The bear's nose scrunched up as he sniffed the air. "And while intoxicating, your scent is also the same. Not even a hint of difference."
 
"We are identical, Marcus," Li Wei responded. He pointed to those by his side, but Marcus couldn't make out the gesture with the dogs so close together. "We are temple dogs. We are born of the same father and we are all identical, down to the last eyelash."
 
Marcus's eyes widened. "How do I tell you apart?"
 
"When your sight is less clouded, there are scars we can show you. We hold on to a few so that our family can know which dog they are talking to. But we take no offense if you call us Dog rather than suffer the confusion. If you prefer, we can tell you who you are talking to. We do it all the time for our family."
 
The temple dog reached out and pulled the bear in close. "Did Will tell you about us?"
 
"Yes…" Marcus paused.
 
"Li Wei," the dog filled in the response to the unasked question. "I might be what you would call the head of all the temple dogs. I do not perceive it to be a leadership role so much as a responsibility to watch over and protect my brothers. In that respect, I feel a need to advise you of our traditional behavior in the company of a newborn."
 
"Yes, Li Wei. I am grateful for your restraint. I know how my presence is stressful for you."
 
"Not stressful, Little one; it is distracting. We find the newly born to be enticing. Our lack of composure does not lessen our respect for you. Do you engage in sex with your family, Newborn?" Li Wei asked.
 
"I certainly hope to," Marcus said.
 
"Then we can be patient while you meet your family. In time, we will introduce you to the dragons we watch over. But for today, we believe you will meet enough of your family to pose a challenge to remember us all."
 
"I have no problem with remembering your family, Li Wei. My eidetic memory is highly developed. Some call it a photographic memory," Marcus replied, "but it extends to all my senses. I will remember your image, your voice, and your touch." The newborn bear paused and let the warm hug of a temple dog envelop all his senses. "You are quite possibly the softest creature I have ever felt."
 
"And the hardest," Li Wei said. "You are extremely arousing, Marcus."
 
"I promise to help with that as soon as our introductions are over, Li Wei," the bear replied.
 
"Then, perhaps it is best to introduce you to the family's sons. We temple dogs experience each other's feelings to a very strong degree. I am afraid my hug alone has caused us all to be embarrassingly erect in your company."
 
Marcus smiled and let the hug slip away. "I can't see them, Li Wei."
 
"Then we are fortunate indeed that this is our first meeting, Newborn." Li Wei made a bow that Marcus only saw as a shift in the height of the yellow blur in front of him.
 
Marcus felt the wind move up against his fur as a gigantic beast approached from behind. He turned and extended his arms toward the dark shape. "I'm Nathaniel," the blurry brown colossus said. "I'm Eric and Kris's son. But you will also hear me call Will, Father. He has been so since my birth. Derrick is my Papa Wolfy, and I am still working on Donovan to let me call him Dad as well. He's rather stoic, so getting him to agree to the change has not been entirely successful."
 
"Give me time, Son," Donovan said. "I am close to that day."
 
"I am patient, Dad," Nathaniel said with a smile toward the Armbruster's wolf.
 
"And I am grateful, Son. Perhaps today is as good a day as any. I only hope that I can live up to the title."
 
Nathaniel smiled. "You always have, Dad."
 
"Now I call Donovan 'Dad' all the time," another voice said as a huge shape moved close and hugged Marcus. "I'm Colton. I'm Donovan and Eric's son. Don't let me confuse you. I'm a bear-wolf. Changelings have flexibility in their choices. I enjoy being a bit of both my dad and my papa. I call Donovan Dad and Eric Papa. Nathaniel calls Eric Papa, too. So if you hear us talking about our Papa, you know we're discussing the polar bear."
 
Marcus nodded. "Got it. Nathaniel is married to Max and Oliver, right?"
 
Marcus watched another block of brown shifting position, and he reached out to hug it. "That's me, Marcus," Max said, entering the embrace. "I'm Nathaniel and Oliver's husband."
 
"And Oliver is also married to William, Derrick, Kris, Eric, and Donovan, right?"
 
"That's about the size of it," Max said with a laugh. "This family sees mating as a way of expressing a lifelong commitment to someone they love. I no longer find that as strange a concept as when I first met Nathaniel. After all these years together, it's changed my life forever."
 
"Will has told me so many of your stories, but I would love to hear them from each of you. I know there is so much more to this family than the tales he told me to get me aroused."
 
The family laughed out loud. "That would be Will," Eric said. "The old wolf loves to arouse others, and he's very good at it."
 
Marcus nodded. "Very, very good at it." The bear fidgeted slightly. "As are all of you, Eric. I know I'm hard, and I'm pretty sure it's been flopping around because it sure feels that way. My apologies for that. I don't seem to have a great deal of control over it. Is this common with all men you turn?"
 
"It is, Little One," Noboru said. "What you feel is simply the awakening of a part of you that was born with your turning. Those feelings will be your lifelong companions if you let them be. The reason we meet after a turning is to let you know that what you feel is righteous and good. Control comes with time, but for now, your feelings are young and demand attention. One should not turn from them. There is nothing to be embarrassed about."
 
"There is for me," Marcus said.
 
"Which is why I brought you here to meet your family," Will said as he wrapped his arm around the bear. "There is a part of you now that will always crave the touch of another. The surrounding family and the Were Nation will always be there to help you with that need. Right now, it's manifesting itself as being horny in overdrive. But in time, you will settle into this new body of heightened sensations and find lust and love are not so far apart."
 
"I'm glad to hear that. I thought those stories you told me were all just to get me off, but I realize you were trying to teach me something far more important."
 
"Nah, Marcus," Will said with a laugh. "I was just trying to get you off. The lessons begin now. This is at your pace, Marcus. Whatever you ask of us, we will give you."
 
Marcus slowly turned to the blur of various colored furs surrounding him. "I want you all. I want you to teach me what it's like to be a part of this family because I want so much to be one of you."
 
The white shape of the polar bear stepped forward and put a paw on his shoulder. "There is no better place to learn the laws of the Were Nation than with this family, Marcus. They always lead by example. How comfortable are you without Will by your side?"
 
Marcus shook his head. "Not very."
 
"But if he is with you?" the polar bear asked.
 
"I will do whatever you ask of me."
 
"Do you trust us, Marcus?" Eric asked.
 
"Yes; completely. I know I'm safe here. The first law of the Were Nation is very comforting in that respect."
 
The polar bear tapped his ComLink. "Talib," he said. After a brief pause, he smiled. "Hi, Talib. Can you boys grab the Black Rhino, gather up the New Zealand temple dogs, and transport them to Tibet?" He paused. "Yeah, I'm thinking of sending Will and Marcus on a trip around the world to celebrate Marcus's turning." He laughed at the response. "Thanks. I have some more arrangements to make. I love you, boys. Give the dogs a hug for me."
 
The white bear tapped his ComLink twice. "Takeo," he said. Another greeting followed the pause. "Hi Takeo, if you're not too busy, I need the Gray Wolf to transport a few family members. I think this group is going to exceed the Red Wolf's maximum load." He sat quietly, listening again. "You're picking up Marcus. He's a newborn. Will and seven temple dogs will be his escorts. They're heading back to Tibet. In fairness, Marcus needs to meet all the brothers together."
 
Will looked up at Eric, "Old Bear?"
 
"Look at those poor dogs, Old Wolf. Now that Marcus has given consent, they're struggling to remain politely in place without taking the bear. And their brothers will suffer no end if they're not able to join in once that psychic link of theirs tells them what these seven are doing with Marcus. We have each other until you return here to the highland."
 
"We're going to be gone at least a week, you know that. He might lose that newborn scent that's so popular."
 
"It's been a while since I spent some quality time with my family," the white bear said with a grin. "I can handle the corporate duties from here for a few weeks if needed." He turned to Zhuang and Bolin. "We will see to the needs of the dragon family. You two go be with your brothers and the newly born."
 
"We are grateful for your kindness, Ancient One," Zhuang said with a bow.
 
Will stepped in front of Marcus and pulled him close. "The brothers are unique in all the universe, Marcus. I know that for a fact. If you want to learn what it means to be one with the Were Nation, they will teach you that truth like no other."
 
"Does this involve lots of sex?" Marcus asked.
 
"Oh, yeah," the wolf said with a happy sigh.
 
Marcus smiled. "I'm good, then." He turned to the circle of fuzzy colors. "This doesn't let me off the hook with any of you, does it?"
 
"No," came the group response.
 
Marcus smiled. "I really hope the next time we meet I can see all of you."
 
"Go, Bear," Donovan said. "We will await your return here."
 
Colton came up and hugged the black bear. "You're going around the world, so that means I can meet you in Montana. I'll let the pack know you're coming to visit soon."
 
"The pack that gang-banged Derrick?"
 
"Yes, but the pack has grown since those days. They pull from Partridge Island and a few other places for our runs, and there are two unique bears and their winged husband who live there as well. So, try to stay bendy, because only one part of you needs to be stiff to make your trip to Montana a memorable one." The bear-wolf kissed the bear and gave him a firm hug. He turned toward the twins. "Can I get a ride back home, Tuff?"

"Of course, Handsome," the red wolf replied. "Let's get our goodbyes taken care of quickly. It would be nice to be in the air before the Gray Wolf arrives."
 
"Okay, hugs and kisses goodbye, Family," Will said authoritatively. "We'll see you when we see you."
 
Marcus put out his paws and, one by one, the family filled them up with fur. The hugs and kisses became comfortingly familiar in only the moments it took to say goodbye. When the Gray Wolf set down, Marcus sat down in his chair while he heard the pilots strapping the temple dogs to the side of the aircraft with cargo straps.
 
"Do not let our manner of transport distress you," Li Wei said, as Marcus tried to make out what was happening. "All things considered, this is a much safer way for us to travel than if we were to sit next to a newly turned bear."
 
Marcus nodded toward the long wall of yellow on both sides of the cargo bay. "Is it too early to say I love you?" he asked.
 
Noboru shook his head. "It is never too early to say that, Little One. You have learned the third law of the Were Nation: Never let the moment pass when love can be shared."
 
"Okay men, back in your chairs, and back up against the wall, dogs," Daisuki said. The Hokkaido wolf took his place in the copilot's chair. "We're launching in T-Minus five… four… three…"
 
The family watched the huge ship lift off the landing rock and speed into the clouds. In seconds, it was gone. "They're going to be okay," Kris said as he pulled the polar bear close.
 
"I hope so, Husband," Eric sighed. "He remembers no more than we do. Can we expect a man that doesn't even remember who he was to remember his promise to keep our husbands safe?"
 
"We have to trust that he will," Nathaniel said as he came close and put his arms around both his fathers. "Oliver and Derrick will find their way back to us. We always come home, but it's Marcus taking care of them. You know he's always late."
 
Donovan snorted a laugh. "Actually, we don't, Son," he said. "Today is the first time any of us met him. Only you seem to know him."
 
Nathaniel nodded. "Then you will need to trust me, and I will trust Marcus. We're not done with this. This is only the beginning." He paused for a moment and with a sigh, he asked, "So, am I the only one who still has a hard-on from all of this?"
 
"No, I'm sporting some major wood here," Max said, rubbing his hand across his cock.
 
"So, do you want to show these old folks how it's done, Max?" his mate urged.
 
Max smiled and pulled the other short-faced bear into a kiss. "What do you have in mind?" he asked when their tongues returned to their own mouths.
 
"What was the last thing you did with me before I became me?"
 
"We showered the night before you showed up," the short-faced bear answered. He extended two fingers on each paw and pounded them together. "And by together, I mean together."
 
"Well, there are no showers on the highland, but we have a creek. What do you say?"
 
"I say you top this time around and you've got a deal."
 
Nathaniel frowned. "I was hoping you'd top me."
 
The larger bear felt a tug at the nape of his neck. "He can't do that, Son," the polar bear said. "I'm going to be topping you while you top him. Let's say we keep it in the family?"
 
Kris shrugged. "That sounds fun." He looked at the Armbruster's wolf. "Coming, Husband?"
 
"Not yet," the wolf said, stroking the cock swelling between his legs. "But soon… I'll be coming soon."
 
"Five hundred years and I never tire of hearing that joke," Kris said, flashing a smile at Donovan. "And I never tire of making sure you're as good as your word. Come on, Husband; let's make an honest man out of you." The Kodiak extended his hand, and the Armbruster's wolf took it.
 
"Are we walking here, Bear?"
 
"No, today feels like a saunter. I think we're sauntering here, Wolf." The brown bear's other paw reached out and wiggled toward the polar bear. Eric took the paw and squeezed it tight.
 
"Saunter it is, Husband," the wolf said as the three bumped playfully into each other on their slow walk to the creek.

Chapter 14

Will pushed the screen back and sighed. "Where are you two?" he whispered to himself as much as the two husbands missing for nine months. He felt a twinge in his heart when he realized he also missed the two panda sons who were never born. Some of the trade-offs to living in a world without the Shumuuluud were almost too great to bear. Some days, the pain of those sacrifices welled up, and the only thing the old wolf could do was to let the pain wash over him, knowing there was nothing else to do. The price to save worlds beyond counting all came at a horrible cost.
 
The speaker near the door chimed. "Come in," Will said. He pushed the computer screen on its swivel to the left. For a moment, he wondered if he should use the 3-D displays he avoided for years. Maybe it was time for him to reduce the clutter on his desk by adding a computer screen that vanished when told to. He stared at the thirty-four-inch black monitor, laughed at himself, and decided today wasn't his day for change. The doors separated. A wolf and a human walked in carrying a piece of machined metal. "Hello Dr. Kennedy, Dr. Ahmed, how goes your work?"
 
"We're plugging along," the wolf replied. "But we have hit a bit of a snag."
 
"And what is that?"
 
The human lifted the metal piece. "This. We know what this needs to do. We built this to Dr. Templeton's specifications. But it simply doesn't work when we put it into the matrix."
 
"Then why are you talking to me?" Will asked, pushing back from his desk. "Why aren't you talking to Nathaniel?"
 
"We will," Dr. Kennedy answered. "But we're here talking to you first because fixing this is going to go way, way over budget." The wolf lifted a portfolio. "This piece of unresponsive metal set us back three million dollars. I know Nathaniel will be happy to help, but I doubt your board of directors will be happy to foot the bill. They still have no clue what we're working on here."
 
"And some of us working on our projects aren't sure we understand what you hope to accomplish," Dr. Ahmed chimed in. "There is a lot of mystery to all of this. Many of us don't seem privy to the big picture. I am content to work on my project, but I wonder what the endgame is."
 
"We are looking for life out in space," Will said with a wave of his paw upward.
 
"This is some sort of SETI on steroids?" the human asked.
 
"We are looking for two very specific lives. My two husbands, and Nathaniel's mate."
 
"Three lives? All of this for three lives?"
 
"Two lives. Nathaniel and I are both married to Oliver."
 
"I don't believe I will ever understand your social structure," the human said, shaking his head. "After nine months of waiting, I wondered if you might be moving on. I've seen you with Marcus frequently. I just assumed…" Dr. Ahmed's voice trailed off.
 
"Out of sight, Out of mind? Are you over them yet?" Will filled in the missing words. "You mistake who we are, Sanjay."
 
The human bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound the way it came out. But what will you do if you find out they aren't out there or, perhaps worse, that they are dead?"
 
"I will cross that bridge when I come to it," Will said. He stood up and the gaze of the human shifted to his chest. The human didn't see the beast. "But I am not at that bridge, so other things occupy my mind." Will gestured to a plush chair. "Have a seat. There are a few things far more important than that chunk of metal we need to discuss."
 
With the doctors seated, Will squatted down next to them. "The laws of India changed shortly after the War of the Continents to allow for polygamous unions again, correct?"
 
"Yes, so many women were without homes or husbands. The ruling class decided the revival of the old ways might help them find some sort of shelter and life beyond what the war caused."
 
"So, the idea of polygamy isn't foreign to you, even though we're strange because it's between consenting males?"
 
"That is an accurate evaluation of my feelings. Truly, I am trying to understand, but your behaviors are a significant cultural leap."
 
Will laughed. "I know. I'm not asking you to make that leap so much as I need you to understand there is a fundamental difference between what you call polygamy, and what I or Dr. Kennedy do."
 
Ahmed turned to the unseen wolf in a lab coat. Instead, he saw a young man with red hair and a trimmed beard. "You? You are the same religion as Mr. Gentry?"
 
"Not a religion, Sanjay," Dr. Kennedy replied. "This is our way of life. No gods are telling us what we should do. We ignore the laws of religions or countries that tell us who we can love or how we express that love. These are very personal decisions, and we do not make them arbitrarily."
 
"I am sorry," the human said, waving his hands to recant his comment. "I didn't mean to imply you did. When I see you with your husbands, Mr. Gentry, I can tell you love them. But in polygamy, there are most assuredly one or two individuals favored amongst the others. I assumed it was the same for you."
 
Will smiled. "And that is where your upbringing keeps you from seeing the truth, Sanjay."
 
"I am a scientist. I have spent my life trying to find the truth. Teach me to understand what I do not."
 
"In Islam, there are rules and accommodations made for multiple wives. You can love one of them more than the rest, but you must care for each wife equally. They must have similar living situations, similar access to care, and similar access to the husband. If the husband gives a gift to one, then he must give all other wives gifts of equal value."
 
The human nodded. "That is true. Hindus now practice much the same way. It is important that even though a husband may love one wife more than another, no wife feels she suffers from that hierarchy. No wife should have less than the others in time or resources."
 
"We are the opposite. When we commit to each other, the bond is already there. It runs as deep for my first husband as it does for my fifth. I love no one more than another, because I cannot love them more than I do."
 
"But that is not possible. Surely there is one you favor more."
 
Will shook his head. "Nope. Exactly the same. I acknowledge if I need help around the house, I'm going to ask Kris because he's a whiz at fixing things. Derrick is my go-to guy if I need artwork or some electrical work done. Eric has the business acumen I need to hang out here at Bear Paws. But that's not love. That's an understanding of their talents and capabilities.
 
"We sleep together, which is all but unheard of in human polygamy. We don't worry about how much time we spend with one another, or who gets what gifts. All of those are trappings that have nothing to do with love. Marital parity is forced equity placed on those involved because there isn't equity in the love shared. We don't need those rules. We have no sense of jealousy over who gets what because we know those things aren't love. Love, the thing that binds us to each other, goes deep for our kind."
 
"Our kind?" Dr. Ahmed asked.
 
"You've sensed it for weeks. You know we are different. It didn't come to you as a surprise when I told you Dr. Kennedy and I have similar views. You guessed it was a religion. It isn't. It's a state of being."
 
"But to love everyone equally is not humanly possible. There will always be favorites."
 
"Not for us," Will said casually. "We do what humans preach, but never attain." He let the words soak in.
 
"I don't understand," the doctor finally said.
 
"Consider it like boiling water on the stove," Dr. Kennedy replied. "The water remains a liquid until it reaches the boiling point and at that moment, it becomes steam. It can't become any hotter. Add more heat, and the water just transforms more quickly. In that moment, water becomes something different. At that precise moment, steam is the culmination of every step leading up to it. Steam is invisible. You can't see it, but it's there. As it condenses into water vapor, you see the white smoke everyone else calls steam, but you and I know the truth. Steam is beyond our sight."
 
Ahmed understood the comparison. "But it is always the same. For one moment, even if the variables are different, steam is always the same."
 
Will nodded. "We live in that moment, Sanjay."
 
"Then when I saw you kiss Marcus?" Dr. Ahmed asked.
 
"Steam," Will responded. "The same steam I feel for my husbands. The same steam I share with Dr. Kennedy or Dr. Templeton. My love for them is individual and yet identical. It is invisible, and unique to the moment. On either side of that moment, the love is something different. To keep the metaphor going, the love is never as hot as it is in the moment when it transforms. It wanes if we let it, but we can stay in that moment. Our goal is always to nurture the moment until it becomes every moment going forward."
 
"But that's not possible."
 
"No, it is possible. You mistake what is difficult for what is impossible. We understand the nature of love isn't easy, but at our core, this is who we are. In the similarity we all share, we find we are not alone. We are all interconnected. All the differences between us melt away. Love one, love all. It's not a platitude for us, Sanjay. It is our life."
 
"I wish I could believe that. The world would be such a better place if we could be that." The doctor sighed. "My life would be in such a better place."
 
"It's in you, Sanjay," Will said. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's wired into your DNA. You only have to tap into it. Your wife loves you. You love her. The differences between you are nothing compared to that core. You two have grown used to letting your love simmer below where the steam is waiting to burn the differences away. You're so close. Don't miss your opportunity to find a love you wish was true."
 
The human looked into William's eyes, and for a moment, they seemed to glow a bright yellow. He shook his head, and the warm brown eyes returned. "How do you know about my wife and me?"
 
"I have a knack for seeing beyond the walls we all put up," Will replied. "But this is between you and us. This conversation goes no further. We only want what's best for you."
 
"Just as you only want what's best for your two missing husbands," the doctor said with a knowing nod.
 
"Yeah, this isn't out of sight, out of mind. This is gone, but not forgotten. No matter the outcome, we will never forget them. That's not in our nature."
 
The doctor lowered his head in thought. "Will I ever see you as you truly are?"
 
"Perhaps," Will replied. "We're not much different from you, but our outward appearance has a tendency to shock most folks when they finally see us."
 
"It's embarrassing to realize I don't," Dr. Ahmed admitted.
 
"There are some powerful protections in place. There's no need for any guilt," Dr. Kennedy said. "Everything in its own time." He looked up at Will. "So, do we get the funding we need before we run off to Nathaniel with this lump of metal?"
 
"Go," Will said with a wave of his hand. "You have the funding. Find my husbands; whatever it takes."
 
Ahmed stood up, still clinging to the metal part of a puzzle he didn't fully understand. "I thought I came here to figure out what I was holding onto. I seem to have found something entirely different to hold on to instead."
 
"Funny how that works out," the old wolf said, standing up.
 
Ahmed's eyes followed the wolf as he rose, stopping somewhere in the middle of his chest where his mind thought the human's eyes would be. For a moment, he sensed he wasn't looking in the right place. He looked up beyond the bearded man's face and tried to see what he felt was there just beyond his sight. Like steam, it was invisible to him but very much real. He only needed to find the moment and stay in it. The scientist in him realized the challenge was one he could not let slip away.
  
Chapter 15
    
Derrick rolled over and spat out the sand in his mouth. He shook his body, trying to get the wet grains out of his coat. Then, with a shake that moved through his bones, he became human and rubbed the sand off his smooth skin. "Worst headache, ever," he moaned.

"You gots that right," Oliver said with a groan. He looked down at his badger body. "Don't make much difference what I is. I'se about as hairy as a human. This damn sand is all over me."

Derrick looked out past the white sand beach to the clear blue waters of the ocean. "We could go skinny dipping if you were a human."

"Can you waits until my brain stops hurtin'?"

"Sure. It was more of a 'later' kind of suggestion, anyway. I'm not up for it now either," Derrick said. He looked at the badger awash in white light. "You're glowing, by the way."

"You is too, Pup. Ain't never seen a glowing human before."

Derrick looked down at his glowing white chest and belly. "What the heck?" he asked, rubbing his sparse chest hair. "I'm not a Channeler."

"Don't thinks this is Channeler white, Pup. Thinks this is whatever Marcus was."

Derrick shook his head and shrugged. "Oh well, I guess we'll sort it all out eventually. But for now, we still need to find a way home."

"Where the fuck is we, Pup?"

"I don't have a clue."

"You're with us," a familiar voice behind the two replied. They turned around to see the grinning faces of the panda brothers.

"SONS!" Derrick and Oliver both yelled. The two ran toward the pandas, and Derrick shifted back to a werewolf before he embraced his son. Oliver clung to Raymond and squeezed the panda as tightly as he could.

"It's so good to see you both," the black wolf said happily, as he pushed back his son and looked at the panda.

"It's good to be seen, Dad," Samuel replied. "We saw you falling from the sky and got here as quickly as we could. By the time we did, you were cleaning up."

"We fell from the sky?" Oliver asked. 

"Yeah, Dad," Raymond said. "You both looked like shooting stars the way you glow. That's why you have headaches and mouths full of sand. It happened to us nine months ago. We were on Partridge Island right in the middle of those rainbow creatures having a feeding frenzy and something grabbed us. The next thing we knew, we were falling out of the sky smack dab in the middle of the lagoon."

Samuel nodded in agreement. "We were thinking Marcus had something to do with this."

"Marcus ain't Marcus no more," Oliver said sadly. "Don't know if he's even alive. He turned into some sort of saber-toothed wolf thing that sucked up the universe and blowed it up again."

"What?" Raymond said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Marcus merged one of every clan member into one wolf. He dropped our universe into a black hole of his own making, and I think where we are is on the other side of that hole in a new universe. If Earth is still here, it means there's no Shumuuluud in this universe."

"Son of a gun," Samuel said. "We got rebooted. I should have asked for something cooler than a panda."

Raymond looked at his brother. "I like your panda. You're cuddly and you taste good."

Samuel smiled. "I like you too. You have a nice round butt. I guess you're right. I enjoy being a panda." He flopped back down onto the sand. "For one thing, being a panda makes it much easier to find food on this island than it will be for our dads."

Raymond nodded as he glanced at the badger. "He's right there, Dad. There's bamboo all over this island, but not a burger joint to be found."

"We're omnivores, Raymond," Derrick said with a grin. "Your dad and I will find something."

"Berries is nice. They got any berries around here, Son?" the badger asked, looking back toward the palm tree jungle behind the two bears.

"They have lots of coconuts, but you want to be careful with those," Raymond said. "Nasty bit of indigestion if you eat too much meat or drink too much water."

Derrick walked over to the edge of the jungle and looked in. "Well, we're on Terra; or at least something made to look like Terra. With our family, it's hard to tell sometimes."

"We're pretty sure it's Terra. We've been wandering around and we think we're on an atoll somewhere in the Pacific. If you'd like, we can help you catch some fish later."

Derrick looked back from the jungle. "That would be nice. Is there something we have to do first? Make a shelter, gather wood?"

"We have to play. For the past nine months, we have been alone on this island. We're starving for affection and the touch of another beast."

Oliver giggled. "You boys had each other. Ain't no way you went without for even a week."

"I didn't say that," Samuel rebutted. "But we have other beasts on the island now. We're starved for your affection. And we see many things worth nibbling on to ease our hunger."

Raymond smiled. "Not that we don't mind nibbling on each other, but you're here now, and we've missed you."

Derrick sighed. "I don't know."

Oliver looked up. "You is crazy, Pup. Is you worried about having sex with your son?"

Derrick sighed again. "Yeah."

"You lets your Papa Bear plow your ass the same time as his daddy is sucking you off."

"I know. I can't believe I didn't get rid of these feelings centuries ago."

"What feelings, Dad?" Samuel asked.

"Sex between father and son is taboo."

"Well, of course it is… for humans. The human genome would suffer irreparable damage if your fathers kept inbreeding with their children."

"You're my son, Samuel."

"Dad, didn't you and Dad have a talk about this before you married him?"

"Yes, Son. I keep falling back on the default human understanding of familial relationships."

Raymond drew a circle in the sand with his foot. "This conversation won't dredge something up between you and your husbands, will it, Wolfy?"

Derrick shook his head. "No, I love them too much to let it ever creep into my thoughts anymore."

"And you don't love me enough?" Samuel asked.

"You'se fucked no matter what your answer is, Pup," Oliver said with a laugh. "Look. You take my son, Raymond. I'll play with Samuel. That way you ain't doing your son and our boys can get the loving they need."

Derrick thought about it for a moment. "That might work."

"Don't forget you two need it as well," Raymond pointed out. "How long has it been since you have been with someone?"

"About fourteen billion years if I'm not mistaken," Derrick said, rubbing the back of his head. 

"Wow," the pandas said in unison.

"Come on, you two," Derrick said as he sat down in the sand. "Talk some sense into me. I can't keep doing this every time a new family member comes along." The black wolf patted both sides of the sand beside him.

"Close your eyes, Wolfy," Raymond said. Derrick closed his eyes, and he felt two heavy bodies drop beside him. 

"Okay, open your eyes, Dad," the wolf heard the panda on his right say. He opened his eyes and grinned at his son. "Okay, how does this help me, Samuel?"

"I'm not Samuel. I'm Raymond. We changed places before we sat down beside you."

"Still don't see how it helps."

"One panda always tells the truth. One panda always lies. You have to have sex with one panda without compromising your entrenched beliefs. Who are you going to play with?" the panda on the right asked.

"This is silly," Derrick said with a sigh.

"Yeah, it is," the panda on the left replied with a smile. "But we're trying to refresh your memory about something here. We're twins."

Derrick looked at the panda. "You can be whatever you want to be. Both of you chose pandas. But you don't have to be twins."

"No, Dad," the panda on the right said. "We're talking about on a molecular level. When your husband and his son joined hands before the merging, they formed a link between them that was more than a loving gesture. It was a conduit between the two that allowed us to share all the atoms of the family nested inside the chrysalis. All of you formed us from all of what you were. You think that because I came up between you and the Kodiak, I'm your son?"

"Or because I formed between the short-faced bear and his mates that I am their son?" Raymond asked. "Well, we're not. We're fine with you thinking that, but we were both created from everything that surrounded us. We are twins, down to the very essence of who we are. But more significant to this discussion, so are you two."

Oliver looked at the panda. "I'se me. I'se the same me I'se always been."

"No, Dad," Raymond said. "You're the same as me, the same as Samuel, the same as Will, and Kris, and Nathaniel, and Martin. We're all the same. Our bodies are identical to each other, regardless of how they manifest."

"Is you saying I'm a Changeling?" Oliver asked.

"Maybe," Raymond replied. "But, for the purpose of this discussion, I'm saying we're all Terrans."

"When Nathaniel and Kris joined hands, they formed the bond that has been the Unity for over four billion years. You've seen what that looks like from the outside."

"Yeah, a rock. We was a rock too."

"But a rock with all manner of movement on the inside."

Derrick nodded. "That's true, and when we hatch, for lack of a better term, we form out of the same goop that's been stewing inside that rock for years."

"Exactly," Raymond said, tapping his finger to his nose and pointing to the black wolf. "It's that goop that I'm talking about. When the Unity creates new life, it does it by breaking down everything inside the chrysalis into atoms and reforming them back into life. They use their genetic memory of who they were to help their children form who they will become, using parental guidance as a template."

"I guess we understand that as best we can," Derrick said. "But I still don't understand how we are all the same if we're still completely different down to our genetic makeup. I mean, Kris is still a Changeling, and I'm still a werewolf. We're not the same."

"If you say so. I'll admit the arrangement of the building blocks is different," Raymond replied. 

Samuel's paws reached out into the sand. "Think of these grains of sand as atoms," he said as a wave washed up over the foursome's feet. His hands moved deftly, creating a bear and, next to it, a badger and a wolf. "Let's say this is your family before the merging." His hands reached out, pushed the three characters together, and stirred the sand up. "And this is the merging." 

"Okay, that I understand," Derrick said with a nod.

"Me too," Oliver said with another nod.

"Okay, time to come home. How do you do that?"

"You makes yourselves another bear and a badger and a wolf with the sand you gots."

"Fair enough. How do we decide which grains of sand belong to the wolf and which belong to the bear and badger?"

"You don'ts got to. They's made up of sand. Sand is sand."

"So, with all this jumble I've been making, is it possible that every new creature we create, while unique, is still much the same as the others?" Samuel asked as his hands began working the sand again. "The new bear…" he said as the sand bear formed. "The new badger…" he added as another small creature appeared next to the sand bear. "... and the new wolf I create will have at least a bit of the sand from all the others." He tapped the wolf as his hands slipped away from the sand.

Derrick nodded in agreement. "It would be pretty hard not to."

A second, smaller bear formed between the panda's paws. "And this one, who never even had any sand to call his own, where does he get his?"

"From the beach around him. We gots more sand than we knows what to do with."

"And what are the odds that a bit of the sand that makes up the wolf, the badger, and the bear will be a part of this new baby?"

Derrick stared at the sand animals. "Really, really good."

"And what do you think the chances are that you two are now sharing the atoms you once thought unique to you with both your sons?"

"Really, really good."

"And with each other?"

"We gots each other's atoms. We's sharing everything we is with each other," the badger said staring at the four sand animals.

"We are unique individuals in our spirits. But our bodies are made of all that we ever were or all that we will ever be," Raymond said as his paws reached out and made a second smaller bear. "We share our atoms as the Unity has done for eons. We merge, and through that merging, we become one. When you eventually become what you are, you are no longer what you were. You are a blend of all that surrounds you. An oxygen atom from the black wolf and two hydrogen atoms from the old wolf. They merge to become a molecule of water used to form the short-faced bear. This is what we are, Wolfy. You're not just Wolfy. You're my dad, the same as you are Samuel's."

Derrick watched as a wave splashed up over the small sand animals and turned them into blobs of sand. Samuel pushed one blob. "And this is who we are without you, Dad. Just blobs of sand merging with the greater beach that surrounds us. That is the Unity. But we are more than that. You are the ones who guided us to what we are today. We revel in the bodies we created because you taught us to. You taught us how to love the ones around us. We are unique, but we are also identical. On an atomic level, there is no way to tell us apart."

"I see that now," Derrick said with a nod.

Samuel reached over and hugged the black wolf. "I am a part of you, Dad. And you are a part of me. We are Terran, but we are also a part of the Unity that is growing on Terra. I'm sorry if human mores confuse you about our relationship. If what it takes for me to be with you is to abandon the name Samuel or never call you Dad again, I will do that without a single reservation. But don't teach me how to love for over thirty years. Don't be a part of the very atoms that brought me to life. Don't be all that, and ask me to shun my desire to be with you in the most intimate way you taught me to express my affection for the ones I love."

Derrick let out a deep sigh. "I am so messed up."

"Of course you is, Pup. You'se family. We's all fucked up," Oliver said with a laugh. "So how about we run out there in the water with our boys and be fucked up together?"

"I'll take you first if that makes it easier for you," Raymond said with a smile to Derrick. "This would be my first time being with a glowing wolf," 

Derrick shook his head. "No, that's okay Raymond. I appreciate the offer, but if it's okay with you, my son is going to teach me how to express my affection and love for him in the manner we taught him."

Samuel reached over, pulled the black wolf in close, and kissed him. For a moment, the wolf's human conditioning tried to push back to the forefront of his mind. But Derrick closed his eyes and let the pleasure of the panda's lips ease him into the moment. And in that moment, the Unity was now as much a part of him as his human side. He was hugging a beast who was more a part of him than any human son could ever be. When their tongues began playing, the panda and the wolf slipped into the water, where they washed away the sand with their exploring paws.

Chapter 16
    
"I founds us some bananas, Pup," Oliver said, smiling with outstretched hands full of small yellow fruit. "They's all over the place. Kind of tiny-like with lots of seeds, but they tastes okay."

Derrick looked up from his fishing. "That's great, Oliver. I caught three fish so far. This batting them out of the water with my hand takes some getting used to, but these reef fish seem pretty naive about what I am. I'm not sure exactly what…" The wolf's head cocked and his ears perked up. "They're coming," he said, as his tail wagged eagerly. He turned to the small pool of water he had created from sand and kicked the edge leading back to the ocean. The three captured fish swam back toward the reef. "You have no idea how close you three were to becoming dinner tonight," the black wolf said with a chuckle.

Samuel looked at the wolf. "Who's coming, Dad?"

Derrick pointed up toward the cloudless blue sky. "Family," he said. The Gray Wolf appeared in the distance and slowed as the landing gear lowered. It pivoted and touched down on a wide stretch of beach. The Iberian wolf leapt from the door before the landing ramp even began its descent. The four island inhabitants moved as quickly and met Will in an eager group embrace.

The hugs and kisses passed from beast to beast until finally all who were on the beach could break from the reunion to ask the questions everyone had.

 Will was still clinging to Derrick when he said, "We waited for so long, Pup. It's so good to feel you again." The old wolf looked down. "To feel you all again, Sons. Marcus promised us he would protect Oliver and Pup, but I don't remember him saying anything about you."

"Sorry it took us so long to find our way home, Old Wolf," Derrick said, smiling at the wolf. "How long have we been gone?"

"A little over nine months, Pup; we've been trying to find you for nine very long months."

"We're not exactly where we started out, are we, Father?" Samuel asked. "This world isn't the one we remember, is it?"

"No, Son. I suspect that's the first thing you all need to be aware of. This is another universe. One where the Shumuuluud never existed."

Derrick nodded. "We saw it, Old Wolf. We saw Marcus take everyone beside him and somehow merge them into himself. And then he created a black hole and turned the universe inside out to make a new one."

"Well, it would have been nice to find you sooner. You just answered a lot of questions we're still wondering about." He looked perplexed at his husbands. "Do you two know why you're all lit up like a Christmas tree?"

Derrick shook his head. "Have'nt got a clue." He reached out and hugged his mate again. "We still have a lot of questions ourselves." The black wolf that was no longer black pushed back and stared at the old wolf. "First on that list is how did you find us?"

"Nathaniel and Dr. Kennedy have been working for seven months on some sort of genetic gizmo to go looking for you. It's like the one he used in our universe, only he never built it in this world. It took months getting the satellites up, even with Bear Paws Enterprise's clout." Will stared at the two pandas. "I thought I had lost you boys." He reached out and gave them another hug. "How? No one in this universe even knows who you are."

"We're a holdover from the old universe, Dad," Samuel answered. "All we remember is being in the middle of the Shumuuluud attack on Partridge Island. Something grabbed us. There was no conversation or debate. We got tossed into the darkness and the next thing we remember is falling out of the sky onto this island nine months ago."

"The same time frame as Nathaniel and me," Will said. "We all showed up nine months ago." Will looked at his husbands. "And you two? You've been here for nine months?"

"Not really," Derrick replied. "Only the better part of two days. I think we've come from a place much, much further away than all of you. And I'm not sure I shouldn't say from a time much, much further away."

The old wolf turned back to his two panda sons. "Then it was you two that Dr. Kennedy saw," Will said. "We thought it was Oliver and Derrick, but it was you two. That gizmo of his started beeping like mad the moment they turned it on three days ago. He's been working on calibrating exactly where you were ever since. But you didn't match any of Derrick's or Oliver's genome. You just showed up as anomalies in this universe."

"That would be us," Samuel said, smiling. "I'm thinking we have to thank Marcus and his entourage for getting us here in one piece."

"Then that will be yet another thing I need to thank him for," Will said with a smile.

"He's here?" Derrick asked. "He's alive?"

"Well, yes, and no. The Marcus who lives here was born in this universe. He doesn't have any memory of the previous universe. We're a very small group from the other side of this alternate universe rabbit hole."

Derrick grinned. "Apt description. But I'm still curious about Dr. Kennedy. What exactly was he looking for?"

"For anyone who was like Nathaniel and me. Seems we're a more tightly-knit family than we realized. The theory was if you and Oliver came from the previous universe, you would have undergone the merging with us."

"Told you, Dad," Samuel said as he pulled the glowing wolf in close.

"Dr. Kennedy was doing tests on the two of us, trying to figure out why we remembered an alternate universe. A simple blood sample showed that we no longer had the same genetic makeup that we did before we underwent the merging. Whoever was here before us had a far different genetic code than we do. Nathaniel and I are closer now than our baseline studies show us to be in the past. Strangely, Kris's baseline hasn't changed because he never merged with us in this world."

"So, does they know who we is, Old Wolf?" Oliver asked.

"This world has had a relationship with us for centuries, the same as they did in our world."

"So is there another me walking around out there?" the badger queried.

Will shook his head. "I really don't understand that part, Oliver. Everyone here in this universe has a relationship with us, but not with us," Will replied, pointing to the group. "Raymond and Samuel were never born in this world. Your beast never died saving me in Tibet, Oliver, and I was never hurt, so Kris never felt the need to merge with the ones he loved."

"What about the rest of them beasts that Marcus took into him?" Oliver asked.

"Donovan doesn't remember any of what happened in the other universe. Ivan and Francisco are happily married to two werewolves and Patrick is their son, but they remember nothing of what we experienced. Martin is of this world. He doesn't show any of the genetic markers of one who has merged. He's not even the Martin we remember. Martin has lived an entirely different life. He's a lion living in South Africa with Chipo."

"So, we're unique?" Derrick asked. "Nathaniel and those of us sitting on this island are the only ones who show as merged?"

"Seems as much," Will said. "But what Marcus and Donovan said during the battle makes sense now."

Derrick thought for a moment, and his blue eyes lit up. "You're right. He yelled at someone that they were the only ones of their kind. Marcus threatened that copper glowing thing he wouldn't fight if he didn't save them."

"And Donovan weren't no happier until that glittery thing left after he yellt at it. He said to save them. He must have meant our boys."

"That's my guess," Will said. "But we'll never find out from Donovan and Marcus in this universe. They don't remember any of it."

Derrick looked confused. "But Marcus and Donovan, they're here? All the six are here?"

"Until a month ago, Marcus was human. But they're all here. Only none of them are the ones who turned the universe inside out. I'm afraid those six are dead." Will dragged his foot around in the sand. "I left Marcus on the highland with Zhuang and Bolin. For a newly-born beast, he's adapting quickly. The only reason he isn't here is that I told him I needed to be with you on my own. I told him it was important."

"And that worked?" the badger asked.

"Yeah, it worked."

"You'se right, Old Wolf; that's pretty good for a newborn," Oliver said.

"Yeah, I know. He's a fast learner. Some of who he is seems hardwired deep inside him from the other universe. He isn't the same Marcus. He's more sure of himself, more adventurous, and quicker to form relationships. It's as if all that the old Marcus had learned from his past was there helping him avoid the same mistakes."

"Does he turn into everyone he touches?" Derrick asked.

"No, that's not happening. He's a bear. And his own bear, mind you."

"But you couldn't be having him hear this talk about him if he ain't the same Marcus we knowed," Oliver said.

"Exactly," Will agreed. "I had to see if you two…" he looked at his sons and smiled, "… you four knew anything about what's actually happening here." Will's paw reached out and cupped Samuel's face. "You don't realize how happy I am to see you. I never imagined this was possible."

"Well, they is possible, Old Wolf, so you don't cry no more over their being gone."

"And you, Oliver," Will said, lifting the badger's face up to stare into his eyes. "Marcus promised to save you and Pup. I worried about you, but Nathaniel kept telling me that Marcus would find a way to bring you home. I'm not sure what to do with him now that you're back."

"You wants to know what the Sight is tellin' me, or what my heart is tellin' me?"

"This time around, Oliver, both," Will answered.

"The Sight is saying you gots to get Marcus back together with Kendal. They was married and when Marcus moved on turning the universe inside out, it was Kendal who talked him into it. And it was them two that sucked in all the others into one big wolf."

"I'm getting that same vibe, Old Wolf," Derrick said. "Marcus and Kendal need to be together. Is that
 going to cause problems for the two of you?" he asked the Iberian wolf.

Will shook his head no. "I was aware of the path I'm going down since the day I woke up in this world. You two confirmed it. I love Marcus, but there's someone out there that he's going to love the way I love you two, and I need to make sure he finds him."

"That's got to be tough," Derrick said. "You're playing matchmaker to a man you love."

"That's just it, Pup," Will said with a nod. "I'm playing matchmaker for him because I love him. Kendal is the man he's supposed to be with, not me. I need to love him enough to help him figure that out."

"Well, Dad," Samuel said, "How about we head home and let you figure out how we make that happen?"

Will smiled at the panda. "That's a good idea, Son, but I wanted you to meet our pilot first."

"It ain't Tiff and Tuff?" Oliver asked. 

"No, he's not been a pilot nearly as long as they have, but he's pretty good at the controls. That's why we're using the Gray Wolf. One person can pilot it." Will tapped his ComLink. "Thanks for waiting, Pilot. You can come on down and meet my family from another universe now."

"Be right there," the family heard a muffled voice say. The cargo bay door dropped, and the four watched as the plodding gait of an enormous bear walked down the plank and turned toward them. At first, they thought it was Nathaniel, but when he turned and the fur glasses weren't there, they all wondered who the new bear in their life was.

The short-faced bear walked up to Oliver and smiled. "Hey, Badger. It's been a long time since I've seen you. I missed you something fierce."

Oliver's lower lip trembled. "M… Max?"

"Yeah, Badger. Max. You're my husband in this world. But I heard about me in your world, so I'm willing to ask you to be my mate all over again."

"You'se really you, Max?" the badger said, wiping the tears off his face with his paw.

"It's really me, Badger. Same old Max. Different body. Still crazy in love with you."

Oliver took two quick hops and leapt toward the bear that caught him in his arms. "You'se alive Max. You didn't go and die before I coulds tell you how much I loved you." The two kissed, and the years of longing melted away for the badger.

When the kiss ended, Max pulled Oliver into a tight hug. "I didn't die, Badger," he whispered. "We'll have a lifetime now to share how much we love each other with that big bear in our life."

"What's Martin say about of all this?"

"Martin isn't aware of this," Max answered. "Martin never met Nathaniel at my funeral, because I never died. He's a very happy lion living in Krueger National Park with his husband Chipo. Nathaniel is taking it pretty hard. I realize you three had something special in your world."

"We did," Oliver said. "But I is so happy to see you, it don't make no difference for now. As long as Martin is happy, I'se good with that."

Max rubbed his face along the cheek of the badger. "You're taller, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'se bigger, so my big husbands can fucks me without rippin' me a new one."

Max laughed. "I love you so much, Oliver. You never stop thinking about us."

"Family is hard to come by for a badger, Max. You knows that."

"I do, Badger. And I will do everything in my power to let you know that you have one in this new world for you." The bear paused and stared at the badger. "So, this white glow of yours. Is that the way you always looked in the old universe?"

"Nah. It ain't nothing of my choosing. The pup and me both seems to have brought it back with us, but we ain't gots no idea what it is."

"I like it. It will be fun when we're in bed and I need to go pee late at night. It will be like having a furry little nightlight in bed with me."

Oliver folded his arms. "I ain't a nightlight, Bear."

"How about a glow-in-the-dark sex toy?"

Oliver's eyes rolled up in thought. He looked at the bear and smiled. "Yeah, I can be one of them."

"Good to hear," Max said as he dangled the badger out over the sand. "You ready to go home, Husband? A short-faced bear is waiting for us on Partridge Island, and he's in a panic that the place won't be perfect by the time we get home."

"Don't never mind to me what the place looks like. Just gonna tear it up with the two of you, anyway."

Max pulled Oliver back in and kissed him. "I like the way you think, Badger." When the kiss ended, he put Oliver back onto the sand. "Okay, men. Let's head out. The next stop is Partridge Island. We have a family to bring back together."

"Yeah we does," Oliver said in agreement. "More than you knows."

"And that's an understatement, Oliver," Derrick added, nodding his head as he began his walk toward the Gray Wolf. 

Will looked at the glowing wolf. "Husband, is your Sight improving?"

Derrick looked back at Will, "More than you know, Husband. More than you know."

The two pandas looked at each other and smiled. "We're going to have so much fun," Raymond said.

Samuel smiled. "Yeah. It was worth the trip."

The arms of the old wolf wrapped around the two panda bears. "Come on, sons," Will said. "Let's go home."

The family walked up the cargo ramp. Within minutes, the Gray Wolf pivoted as it rose into the air and sped off into the clear sky.

Chapter 17

"Prepare yourself for landing," Max said as his hands moved over the controls.

Oliver sat in the copilot's seat, staring at the naked man next to him. Max looked over and smiled. "I can't fly this rig as a bear, Badger. I'm too big."

"I'se okay with that, Max. The last time I saw you, you was a human. You is the most beautiful human I'se ever known."

"Well, thank you, but I think you're slightly prejudiced because I was the only human you ever slept with."

"T'ain't so," Oliver protested. "I slept with lots of humans before the old wolf turnt me."

Max grinned. "Really?"

"Maybe two," Oliver said, lowering his head. "I ain't the prettiest human ever."

"I think you're gorgeous," Max said. "I realize this is a lot to take in, Badger. But I love you. I wouldn't have asked you to turn me if I didn't. Whatever else comes of this reunion, never forget that."

"I turnt you into a bear?"

"Yep, and as soon as I was a bear, you were biting into my neck and trying to fuck me."

"Did it work?"

"Not without a bit of help from our husband. We sort of did a tag team fuck fest. One of us biting a neck; the other plowing an ass. It was fun, Badger. Let's do it again."

"I woulds really love that, Max. Ain't got no memory of that day. I'd like to make a memory for us that we all shares."

"I'm sure Nathaniel would love that too. It will be good to have you here, Badger. You can help tie him to both worlds so he can move on when it's time."

"You'se gonna need to be real flexible about our relationships, Max," Oliver said.

"Already aware of that, Badger," Max said with a nod. "We'll make this work. There's enough love to pull us all through."

"You gots the Sight, Max?"

"No, Badger. I've got two husbands I love beyond words. That's all I need to know that this will all work out."

"Me too, Max," Oliver agreed. He leaned back in his chair as he saw the airship dip into the clouds. The Gray Wolf was on approach.

"Lean back, men," Max said. "We're landing in sixty seconds."

When the airship had landed, the family looked out at the rain pouring down. "Welcome back to Partridge Island, men," Max said with a laugh. "You can tell it's summer. The rain is warmer by three degrees."

Tiff and Tuff rounded the corner of the helipad and gave hugs and kisses to everyone. When the hugs and conversations about the newly returned family were done, Derrick gave Will a hug. "I'm heading back to the ranch, Husband," he said.

Will's face saddened. "But, Pup, you just got home."

"Yes, and there are three of my husbands at the ranch right now."

"I'm not there."

"No, you're here. Kendal is here. Time to bring this family home. The first step is yours, Old Wolf. You take care of your promises, and I'll be waiting for you when you're done."

"You won't be waiting. You'll be getting your ass plowed by our husbands like there's no tomorrow."

Derrick smiled. "Well, that's true, but that's the promise I made to them. We both have obligations to our family."

"And you won't forget your obligation to me, right?" Will asked.

"Nope. You get those boys together and you come home. I will make sure you have a night to remember."

Will hesitated. His paw reached out and grabbed the glowing wolf's hand. "Pup, tell me this is going to work for Marcus. You know the Sight and me. I can't see when I love someone like this."

"My heart tells me that our family will find a way to make this work. The Sight just pushes to tell me details I don't care to know. Trust the love, Old Wolf. It's always been enough in the past. It will be enough this time as well."

"I sure hope so, Pup," Will said as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He gave a hug and a lingering kiss to the black wolf that wasn't black anymore. Then he watched as the young wolf walked up the cargo bay ramp and back into the Gray Wolf. Derrick turned one last time and waved as the cargo bay door lifted.

Will stared at the airship until it disappeared into the clouds. Oliver tugged at Will's waist. "I'll be here when you comes back, too, Old Wolf. Only you don'ts got to go as far to find me. I'll be with Nathaniel and Max."

"You will be mating, Oliver. There's another bear for you to marry."

"I mights wait for that a bit, Old Wolf. We gots to sort this all out before we goes jumping into things."

Will looked askance at the badger. "Oliver, you love Max. What do you need to sort out?"

"I wants all my husbands together when I goes biting necks this time around. Ain't gonna be easy, but I'se willing to wait."

Will smiled. "You'll make it work, Oliver. I have faith. But you still need to get going. Nathaniel is waiting, and you and I both know he's trying very hard to keep whatever he has in that museum a surprise from the badger with the Sight."

Oliver laughed. "Yeah, he is," he replied. Oliver turned toward the panda twins. "You boys comes with us. Nathaniel's gots to see all the good that's come of this world happening. You two will make him right happy for a bear that had himself a missing husband and no children." The badger turned to Max. "Take me home, Bear. I gots two bears and a whole lot of whipped cream on that cake that ain't going down my throat until we puts it on something more fun than a cake."

Max smiled. "It's good to have you home, Badger."

"It's good to be in a home that has you, Bear," Oliver said as the bulky bear reached down and threw the luminescent badger onto his shoulder.

Oliver sighed and wrapped his arms around the bear's head. "I missed you so much, Max. You ain't got no idea how much I missed you."

The short-faced bear nodded. "I'm back home now, Badger. Time for you to come all the way home. Let the other Max rest in peace. There's a Max in front of you now who's more than happy to keep you up all night." The bear felt the kiss on top of his head. "We're walking here, Badger," he said as he took his first steps back to their home. The oversized bear's hands waved, beckoning the two pandas. "There are two free hands here, you two. I figure they're meant for you."

Samuel and Raymond smiled at each other and nodded their eagerness to the other. Each of them took a paw of the massive bear. "We have ideas for whip cream as well if you're interested," Raymond suggested.

"I bet you do, Panda," the short-faced bear replied. "We're in for an interesting night." The smiling pandas nodded eagerly once more.

Will watched them until they walked past the helipad and disappeared. He stood in the rain alone, trying to figure out his next step. He tapped the ComLink on his chest. "Locate Marcus," he said.

"Marcus is still on the highland," the female voice said.

"Is his activity known?" Will asked.

"It is unknown, but his proximity to the two temple dogs and his elevated pulse would suggest sex."

"And Kendal?"

"Kendal is on Partridge Island. He has only now logged into his workday. You can find him for the next eight hours at or near the lighthouse."

"Airships available for transport to the highland?"

"The Black Rhino is preparing a run to the highland from the Virginia distribution center. Would you like to speak to the pilots, Takeo and Daisuki?"

"Where are Faraji and Talib?"

"They are celebrating their anniversary. Takeo and Daisuki are in command of the Black Rhino. Tiff and Tuff are now piloting the Gray Wolf toward Montana. The Red Wolf is in the Montana hangar and cycled down. Currently, Takeo and Daisuki are your best choice to catch a ride to the highland."

"Thanks, Ori."

"You're welcome, William." There was a moment of quiet and then the perfectly tuned, excruciatingly polite, feminine voice spoke once more. "William. Your stress levels exceed what one would consider prudent."

"Thanks, Ori," Will said with a laugh. "I'm aware of that. Any suggestions on how to fix that?"

"You could run away from your family for a week. Tahiti is nice this time of year."

"You know I can't do that, Ori," Will replied.

"I realize that William. That is why you are royally fucked."

Will began laughing. "Did you just say I was fucked?"

"Yes, William. Your stress levels have dropped twenty percent by telling you that. And on the plus side, we are both aware that your family will get you through this."

"Ori, would you please tell your programmers how grateful I am for them?"

"They will be pleased to hear that, William. Please take good care of yourself."

"I'll do my best," Will said as he tapped the ComLink twice. "Takeo," he said. After a brief pause, he smiled. "I'm doing very well. Thank you, Takeo. Oliver and Derrick are home. As are my sons." He paused again. "A long story, actually. Takes about fourteen billion years to tell." Will laughed when he heard the response. "I promise I will tell you everything. Suffice it to say, I'm a happy wolf. I heard you're heading to the highland. Can I hitch a ride? I need to bring Marcus back to Partridge Island."

Will listened intently. "Oh, okay. Who's doing the unloading?" He nodded his head, thinking. "That might be the ticket. Do you think I could impose upon them to run interference for me with the temple dogs? I'm pretty sure they're all playing on the highland, and I need to pull Marcus away from it all and get him back here to Partridge Island." Will laughed. "No, they won't need to pay me for the privilege." The old wolf paused, listening again. "That would be wonderful. See you in…?" another pause, "…Okay, Takeo. See you in an hour," Will smiled. "I love you, too." The wolf's paw reached up and tapped the ComLink. He stared back up into the rain pouring down from the clouds. "Damn, I hope this works," he said less than enthused.

Six hours later, the Black Rhino lifted off the highland and pivoted skyward. The two Hokkaido wolves looked back at their passengers. "Are you men comfortable?" Daisuki asked.

"I'm fine for a guy you forced to unload a month's worth of supply goods out onto the landing pad," the
 bear said, grumbling.

"Oh, you'll be fine," Will said. "Stop whining. You're a bear. You pushed the whole thing out onto the landing rock without even taking it off the pallet. The boys will finish unpacking it tomorrow or the next day. It turned into an exciting trip for them. I let it slip that they were visiting the highland when the temple dogs were frisky. You know how the rumors are out there in the Were community. It was like dangling raw meat in front of a hungry bear."

Marcus glowered at the wolf. "The hungry bear was quite happy eating the meat that was being thrown at him, William. The dogs were being frisky with me before my lover showed up."

"We stayed for five hours, Marcus. I'm sorry. But we have places to go and people to do."

"I was doing some very nice people, thank you very much."

Will smiled sheepishly. "They are a lot of fun, aren't they?"

"Yes. So why did we need to leave?"

"Do you trust me, Marcus?"

 The bear sighed. "Of course I do."

"I need you to meet someone; someone who will frame our relationship and put it into its proper place."

"I thought the two of us had already done that."

"Lovers, yes. Totally happy with that for the moment. But I made a promise to a man I love, and I need to keep that promise."

"Why is it that whenever you ask me if I trust you, the next thing that comes out of your mouth is something that confuses the hell out of me?"

Will smiled. "Because you forgot that's part of who I am?"

The bear crossed his arms. "Really, Old Wolf?"

"Yikes," Will said leaning away from the bear. "Old Wolf… not William?"

"Yeah, Old Wolf," the bear replied. Then he shook his head, giving up. "I can't do it, William. I can't be mad at you. Part of me wants to be, but you're right; I do trust you, and you're next to me, and… oh screw it, Old Wolf… give me a kiss, and I will forgive all."

Will leaned over and the two kissed. When the wolf's hands rubbed across the swollen cock of the bear, Marcus sighed. "I hope whoever it is you want me to meet isn't waiting at the helipad."

"No, he's at work right now. By the time we get there, it will be dark and he'll be finishing up." Will looked toward the pilot's chairs. "How much time before we land?" He asked the two.

"About twenty-five minutes. Thirty if you want us to cut the engines and glide in on inertia alone."

Will looked at Marcus. "I can get you off twice before we land. That should help you stay presentable."

"Are you trying to trick me by including the one time you got me off on the highland?"

"Nope. Both times here on the way over a mile-high club."

Marcus smiled. "You've got a deal. I won't try to hold back, but I still don't think you can do it."

Will looked to the front of the Black Rhino. "Cut the engine's boys. Marcus and I have a wager. I need all the time you can muster."

The Black Rhino shifted slightly as the engines shut down. Will had his thirty minutes.

Twenty-seven minutes later, the bear was trying to catch his breath while buckling back into his seat. "All I'm saying is that you never mentioned Takeo and Daisuki helping you," Marcus said through deep breaths.

"True, but I also didn't say I wouldn't use them. Whose lips were on you when you came the first time?"

The bear looked at the wolf and frowned. "Yours."

"And whose ass were you plowing when you came the second time?"

"Yours."

"So?"

The bear shrugged. "You win."

"Are you really upset that I won?"

Marcus grinned. "Not a bit."

"Feeling a bit more in control?"

Marcus looked down at his genital pouch. "Actually, yes. I realize it's not normal to thank a guy for getting him off twice while in midair, but thank you."

Will smiled. "Well, in our family, it's probably more common than you think."

Marcus laughed. "So, tell me again. Why am I here, William?"

"I want you to meet someone very important."

"I can't imagine anyone more important to me than your family, and I was doing fine meeting them."

"And yet, when I say the name Kendal, what comes to mind?"

There was a long quiet. Finally, Marcus whispered the words. "He's been my imaginary friend since before I can remember."

"Maybe he's a friend who's not so imaginary."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"There are several people I would like you to meet, Marcus. But of them all, the most important is a very nice wolf by the name of Kendal."

"Are you sure about this, William?"

"I'm sure, Marcus. It's time you met the reason you have had an imaginary friend named Kendal for all these years. Time for him to become real."

"But what if he likes wolves? What if he doesn't like fat bears?"

Will laughed. "Nobody doesn't like fat bears, Marcus. You're cuddly. You're cute. And you got a great big dick. What's not to like?"

"What if…"

"What if you simply say hello and go from there?"

"On approach, men," Takeo yelled back to the two. "On behalf of the entire flight crew, we want to thank you for flying Black Rhino Airways. And when we say thank you… we really mean thank you, Marcus, for one of the best flying experiences we've had in many years."

The landing skids of the Black Rhino extended and set into place. When the cargo bay ramp lowered, the black bear plodded down onto the helipad. Will smiled as he watched the rump of the bear lifting and falling with each step. "Oh, you are going to turn so many heads, Marcus," he said under his breath.

As the two walked down the steps off the helipad, they turned and watched the Black Rhino lift off and speed into the clouds. "Rain?" Marcus said, looking up. "Why does it always rain on this island?" He shook his head. "And how am I aware of that?"

Will laughed. "There's a lot that you know you don't know you know, Marcus. You best get used to it. Now, ignore the rain, you're a bear. It's time you met your best friend."

"You have got to be the pushiest matchmaker I ever met, William."

"Best get used to that as well, Marcus."

Marcus reached out and grabbed the old wolf and kissed him. When the kiss ended, Marcus looked into the eyes of the wolf. "You know how I feel about you, right?"

"I do, and you need to realize that it goes as deeply for me. But this…" Will patted the bulky chest of the bear, "… this body you chose tells me there is a life out there that you need to embrace first."

"How are you so confident that's what this body means?"

"Because I love you," Will said. "And I have the Sight, remember?"

The big bear nodded. "I remember. If I mess this all up, you'll be there to pick up the pieces, right?"

"You will be fine, Marcus," Will said embracing the bear in a hug. "Follow your heart."

"And if it leads back to you?"

"I hope one day it will, but for now, let it grow beyond the fear you have of losing me. That will never happen. Today, let it grow enough to include someone you've never met that you've known all your life."

"William, the longer you're around the temple dogs, the more obscure you become."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot from people," Will said as he gently pushed the bear off toward the lighthouse. "Now, go, Bear. And remember, you're in the middle of Were Nation Central. Shy ones let the bold ones lead. They don't go wandering off into the corners."

"Yes, Father," the bear said with an air of frustration.

Will shook his head. "I knew it was going to happen," he mumbled under his breath.

The bear shifted his feet, walking toward the lighthouse as he reviewed Will's coaching. "Lewis is the chief lighthouse keeper, and Anders is his husband. Kendal is the…"

 The wolf in front of him turned around. "I'm the what?"

The startled bear looked up at the soaking-wet wolf. The wolf's look of surprise was equally evident. He absentmindedly licked his chops. "Oh, please say you hug new people hello," he begged.

Marcus smiled. "Actually, I do. Sometimes I even kiss."

The wolf stood up, dropping his gear onto the ground. "Then, please say this is one of those sometimes, and I will be the happiest wolf on this island."

Marcus shook his head in disbelief and extended his paws. The wolf jumped into the embrace and the two were soon lost in their first kiss. When at last they let the kiss go, the wolf sighed. "You are the most beautiful beast I have ever seen on this island."

 "I'm a big fat bear," Marcus said, correcting him.

"Yeah, that's one way of looking at it. I'm very fond of big beasts, so you are still the most beautiful beast on the island. And I'm never wrong about these things."

Marcus laughed. "Okay, I'll accept your opinion as valid if you'll accept mine. You're about as handsome a wolf as I ever met."

"Why thank you. I'm glad that the bear I love looking at enjoys looking back at me."

"I was heading to the lighthouse. Will told me to visit the keepers."

"Then I will need to thank Will profusely," the wolf said, extending his paw. "I'm Kendal."

The bear grabbed the paw and shook it. "I'm Marcus," he said with a smile.

"Really?" Kendal said, pulling back. "Did Will put you up to this?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. He said I absolutely had to meet you." The bear squeezed the hand tighter. "And I too, will need to thank him profusely."

The wolf shook his head. "No, no… I'm not quibbling with that part at all. I'm talking about your name. What is it really?"

"Marcus."

"No."

"Yes."

The wolf looked at the bear, trying to figure out his relative size. "There's no way I'm going to get you into my place. I'm in one of the studio apartments at the gunnery tunnels. That's where I live. They come with a standard door."

"Well, I didn't expect you to move on me quite that quickly," Marcus said with a laugh.

"No, no… that's not what I meant. I had something I wanted to show you."

"Your etchings? That's always a time-honored option," Marcus said, the grin still on his face.

"No, something a bit more unique." The wolf's eyes darted back and forth as he tried to figure out a plan of action. "Okay," he said, "can I beg
 you to stay here for a few minutes?"

Marcus looked confused. "Sure."

"Okay, second favor," Kendal said as he dragged the bear toward an overhang and out of the rain. "Give yourself a good shake to dry off and close your eyes until I come back. I won't be long."

Marcus gave himself a hearty shake, and the wolf stared slack jaw as the water spun off the bear in circles. "Oh god," he sighed. "I knew watching you do that was going to be so hot."

Marcus smiled and closed his eyes. He felt the quick kiss of the wolf on his lips. Realizing that the wolf had to make a jump to reach his muzzle, he laughed. He leaned down and rubbed his lips with a paw. "If you want me to keep my eyes closed, you better give me a better kiss goodbye than that."

He felt the warm lips of the wolf slip back onto his, and Marcus sighed as their third kiss went even better than the first two.

"Be right back, Handsome," the wolf said as soon as their lips parted. Without a sound, Marcus realized he was alone. He rose back up to his full stature and tried to wait. After a minute, he reached down and adjusted the hard-on pushing out from between his legs. "I hope he had one too," he said with an embarrassed groan.

"Oh, I did," he heard Kendal say. "Still do. Okay, you can open your eyes."

Marcus's eyes opened, and he saw Kendal standing before him. His outstretched arms held a ragged, pudgy, black teddy bear that showed its many years of being held close by a loving child. "He's mine. Since I was three."

Marcus reached out and rubbed his paw along the tummy. He ruffled the aged, dingy white fur that formed a V-shaped crest on his chest. "He's adorable."

"Yeah, adorable, right?" Kendal said with a smile. "I should have said you are adorable. You might have believed that."

Marcus laughed. "I'm trying to learn to accept compliments. I'm not very good at it yet."

"Well, Marcus, the adorable bear, let me introduce you to my childhood friend and confidant, Marcus, the adorable teddy bear."

Marcus looked at the teddy bear. "His name is Marcus?"

"I swear. Cross my heart and everything."

"In the interest of making this a total Twilight Zone moment, Kendal was the name of my imaginary friend growing up."

"Honestly?" the wolf asked.

"Honestly."

"Sort of has the Moirai written all over it, doesn't it?"

"The goddesses of fate?"

"Sure. I'm practically convinced we should be picking out curtain fabric for the Furness House even as we speak."

Marcus laughed. "I'm not as easily convinced."

"So, screw the curtain fabric; what about wanton sex out in the forest?"

Marcus nodded with a shy smile. "William turned me. And his family is training me. It's a given that I'm okay with that."

Kendal's grin widened. "Look, I get that this is rushing things, but I love talking about life, love, and the universe after sex. You're not the kind that falls asleep after sex, are you?"

"No, I like to cuddle," the bear said. "And I enjoy talking with my partners. I'm very touchy-feely after sex."

"I have about another hour's worth of work on the lighthouse before I'm off for the night, but would you… would…"

"This won't require me to stand here with my eyes closed, will it?"

"No, no…" Kendal said, waving his hands. He pushed out the teddy bear. "You could take Marcus to the commissary over at the hospital and get a coffee or something. He's good company. I'm pretty sure everyone I know named Marcus is good company."

Marcus smiled shyly. "I hope you're right. I'll track down William. If he isn't already preoccupied with his family, I'll invite him to join Marcus and me for that coffee."

Kendal's paw reached out and touched the bear's arm. "Marcus, I'll be honest upfront. I come with a lot of baggage. It's not bat-shit crazy baggage, but it's there."

Marcus leaned in and kissed the wolf. "I come with my own set. We'll talk tonight."

"After sex?"

Marcus smiled. "That would be nice." He leaned in and kissed the wolf one more time. "Now off to work you go. I don't want this island suffering because I keep you from your work. The hospital is that way, right?" he said, pointing past the helipad.

Kendal nodded yes. "Marcus, I had a thought. The hospital has a little place called the Midnight Diner. It's on the first floor toward the back. It only opens at night after all the humans have left the island. The diner is much smaller than the commissary. If we're going to get together, it might be a bit more private."

"Okay," the bulky bear replied. "The diner it is." He turned, trying to gauge how to get to the hospital without becoming soaked. He heard the wolf give an audible sigh. "You're staring at my ass, aren't you?" the bear asked.

"Oh god, yes. It's the most incredible…. incredible… oh, it's just incredible; let's leave it at that."

Marcus shook his head in disbelief. "I'll see you at the diner after you're done with work." The bear turned, and bowing over the teddy bear to cover it from the rain, he ran out into the deluge toward the hospital.

Chapter 18

Marcus took another sip of his coffee. "It's nice to find a place that makes a simple cup of coffee."
 
Will looked up from his cup. "We're all about keeping traditions alive."
 
"And throwing two beasts together that never met but have been best friends since childhood; that's one of those traditions?"
 
"Sort of. You're both special to me, Marcus. I made a promise to you years ago, an entire lifetime ago. I'm trying to keep that promise."
 
"You realize I have no clue what you're talking about, right?" Marcus said as his paw reached over and pressed against the old wolf's.
 
"I'm aware of that fact. One day, we'll lie down and talk about it."
 
"After sex?"
 
"That would be nice."
 
Marcus laughed out loud and then looked around. "Oh, sorry. Hospital. I forgot."
 
"This place is soundproof, Marcus. Don't worry about it." The old wolf's paw turned and rubbed up against the bear's. "Marcus, I want to tell you something, and I don't want you ever to forget it. There is more love in you than you realize. It's infinite, and I'm not exaggerating. You and I will find ourselves linked throughout our lives and we'll share a love and a passion that you can't comprehend this early in your life."
 
"How can you be so confident of that?"
 
The wolf stirred his coffee with the little wooden stick. "Because you told me that."
 
"Again, with the mysterious response."
 
"It's the truth. Sometimes the truth can be tough to understand."
 
The bear nodded in agreement. "Okay, so we're destined to be even closer than now. I'm really great with that idea, William," Marcus said. "So why push me toward Kendal?"
 
"Because he needs you, and you need him. I'm trying to get you back together."
 
"What? Are we star-crossed lovers from another life?"
 
"More than you know," Will replied, looking away. "But just because I'm pushing you two to spend time together doesn't mean I'm trying to get rid of you."
 
"It's the human in me fighting with that idea, isn't it? The self-doubt, the fear of losing you, the envy I have for your husbands."
 
"Marcus, you want me to be your husband? I'll hurdle this table and bite your neck right here. But who we become together relies first on who you become with that young wolf out there working on the lighthouse."
 
"Why, William? He's friendly and attractive, and he knows how to kiss. But why base so much on the fact that our imaginary best friends have our names? There are far stranger coincidences out there."
 
Will looked at the stuffed bear sitting in the chair next to him. "Don't you listen to him, Marcus," he told the teddy bear. "He doesn't mean that. He wouldn't see a sign if he ran into it at a four-way stop."
 
"I don't know if I believe in signs, William."
 
"Yeah, I'm not a big believer in mystical signs myself, Marcus," Will said. "But I believe people can leave behind markers along a trail to guide themselves back home. One day, this will all be clear to you."
 
The diner doors flew open and Kendal ran inside. "It's still pouring rain out there. I swear I saw Noah working on the ark on the way in." The soaking-wet wolf looked at the two at the table and smiled.
 
"Don't you dare shake, Wolf," Will growled.
 
"But, what then?"
 
"Wolf, human, wolf."
 
"Marcus will see me naked."
 
"He's looking at his favorite version of you naked right now," Will said nonchalantly. "What difference does it make that he sees your human side?"
 
The dripping wolf shifted to human and back again, leaving him standing in a puddle of water. Marcus stared at the wolf. "Damn, you're equally cute as a human, aren't you?"
 
Kendal smiled. "We need to share ape suits one day. It will be fun." He saw the doubt in Marcus's eyes. "I like them big, remember? Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll be fine, no matter what we choose."
 
Will leaned back toward the counter. "Carl, you might want to grab a mop."
 
"Already on it," a voice from back in the kitchen yelled. The muscular werewolf wearing a white apron came out from the kitchen, pushing a rolling bucket with a mop inside. He walked over to where Kendal stood. "Best leave a good tip tonight, Kendal, or I'm coming after you to get the tip I really want."
 
Kendal smiled. "Give me a hug, Carl. I have plans for tonight, but maybe I can take a rain check. There's certainly enough rain out there for me to qualify for one."
 
Carl grabbed the wolf and hugged him. After a brief kiss, he looked at the puddle. "Every time I see you, Kendal, you make me wet." He pushed the wolf toward the two at the table. "If you want a cup of coffee, help yourself. Anything more complicated and you'll need to wait for me to clean this up. Frank called in sick tonight and the line crew doesn't come in until eight."
 
Will laughed. "Werewolves don't get sick."
 
Carl smiled. "Yeah, but they do sometimes forget to take time off for their anniversaries."
 
"Ouch," Will groaned.
 
"He'll be fine. They're celebrating what… their two hundred and twelfth? He's bound to forget now and then. He grabbed some flowers from the gift shop. You know those two. They're totally happy spending a night swapping bodily fluids and biting each other's necks."
 
Kendal stepped around the mopping werewolf. Grabbing himself a cup of coffee from behind the counter, he sat down in the empty seat across from his teddy bear. "So, what's up, guys?" he said with a smile.
 
Marcus was silent for a moment. "William was telling me why we should be together."
 
Kendal grinned. "Well, I like the idea myself, but shouldn't this be a conversation for the two of us?"
 
Marcus moved his massive paw to Kendal's. "Yes. However, there seems to be more to our story than that cute teddy bear of yours and my imaginary friend."
 
Kendal looked at Will. "Is there something the two of us should know?"
 
Will nodded. "This isn't the right place or time for it."
 
Marcus's eyes narrowed. "Why not William?" he demanded.
 
"It's a long story."
 
Kendal put both paws on the table. "Now, you have my curiosity raised, Old Wolf. Long stories that involve me and a bear that shows up out of the blue bearing my childhood teddy bear's name seems a bit too good to pass up."
 
Will fidgeted slightly. "I promise that when there is time, I'll…"
 
A mop handle banged up against the table. Carl smiled at the three frowning faces. "Give me your apartment keys, Kendal," He said as he stretched out his paw.
 
"What?"
 
"Keys! Now!" the wolf in the white apron demanded.
 
Kendal grabbed the lanyard around his neck and passed the keys to Carl. Carl repeated the process and handed his keys to Kendal. "You know where I live. Marcus can get through the sliding glass door on the daylight basement side."
 
"Excuse me?" Marcus asked.
 
The wolf looked at the bear. "Okay, I'm sorry to be a wolf with exceptional hearing, but you're sitting next to two wolves that are on the top of a short list of my favorite wolves. In fact, I'd say both are right under my husband on that list. And trust me; they're unbelievable when they're under my husband." Carl grabbed his mop and pushed it back into the bucket. "And you, Bear, you're on my radar of men I want to get to know somewhere down the line. But, and we're talking three very cute butts here, you men are about to get upset with each other instead of doing what you should do."
 
"And what is that?" Kendal asked.
 
Carl smiled. "I'll get in touch with Randy, and we'll stay at your place for a few days. It will be fun. Like an adventure without leaving the island. And you three… you take my keys, head over to our house, go visit our playroom, throw the old wolf into the sling, and have some fun. And then after you remind yourselves why you care so much for each other, go lie out on the patio and let the old wolf tell you what he can't tell you here."
 
"Sex? The three of us should be off having sex?" Marcus asked incredulously.
 
"He's new to this, isn't he?" Carl asked Will.
 
"Only a month since his turning," Will said.
 
Carl put his paw on the bear's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Marcus. I wasn't aware that you were a neophyte. My suggestion was out of line." He stepped back and moved his bucket and mop toward the kitchen.
 
Kendal pushed back from the table, looking at the keys in his hand. "I'm not so sure it's such a bad idea, even for one so newly turned."
 
Marcus looked at the young werewolf. "Really?"
 
"Yeah, really," Kendal replied defensively. "Look, I can see it in your eyes, Marcus. You're in love with Will. And you don't even need to be a beast to see how he feels about you. The old wolf wears his heart on his sleeve. Don't take me there if you don't want to, but you two need to talk. And if you want it to be on the right terms, Carl is right. Start it off by reminding yourselves how much you care for each other."
 
Will looked up from the table. "I need to talk to both of you."
 
Marcus looked back and forth between the two wolves. He grabbed the teddy bear and pulled it close. "What do I do, Marcus?" he asked the stuffed bear.
 
Will stood up and put his paw on Marcus's shoulder. "You do what your heart tells you to do, Marcus. One day, you'll learn to trust your feelings. Tonight, go with the easiest one to understand. Your heart always speaks to you first. It's in your nature. It's who you are."
 
"And sex?"
 
"We don't need to have sex."
 
"Ever?"
 
Will laughed. "How about just tonight? I don't think we're giving up sex because you're flustered tonight, are we?"
 
Marcus sighed and pulled the teddy bear closer. "No. No, I'm not doing that."
 
Carl stepped from behind the counter as he returned to the three. "Marcus, you're new to this, but your body isn't. Take the advice of a guy even older than the two you love."
 
Marcus looked up. "Two?"
 
"So I see what Kendal doesn't. I saw how you brightened up the moment he came through those doors. You love him. You're only letting your mind catch up to where your heart has already gone."
 
"I might find him attractive."
 
Carl laughed. "I find him attractive, Marcus. You, my corpulent friend, are smitten." He leaned in and kissed the bear's cheek. "Will is right. Let your heart guide you. But remember, you can't deny your new body. Clear a place for your heart by letting your body be with the men you love."
 
"It's that easy, Carl?"
 
"You're a werebeast, Marcus. If you let it be, yes, it is that easy. Your body craves that touch you're avoiding right now because of some misguided remnants of your human upbringing. Whatever Will has to tell you two, it's going to be tough for him. I've known the old wolf long enough to know he never hesitates unless he fears hurting those he loves. Give him the strength to tell you what he needs to tell you by being the lover he can share anything with. Start with sharing what comes naturally for you two and let the rest flow from there. It will make what Will has to do so much easier for him."
 
The wolf in the apron turned to Kendal. "And you, young wolf, you go with them. You see more than you ever say, and you realize where you belong." Carl walked back toward the counter. "You three don't need to sit around here drinking coffee. You need to be together drinking each other's cream." Carl gave a self-satisfied smile. "And there's a joke about coffee and cream that I promise never to repeat if you'll just get the hell out of my diner and spend the night together at our place."
 
Kendal put his paw on the bear's. "I've heard their playroom has more than a sling."
 
Marcus looked at the Newfoundland wolf. "You've had sex with Carl and his husband and you don't even know what's in their house?"
 
Kendal turned away shyly. "We kind of like outdoor sex," he replied. "A lot."
 
Marcus stood up. "So about that sling…" he asked the wolf in the apron.
 
"Sturdy enough to hold you, Bear. Our tastes are eclectic, and most of them lean toward industrial strength toys."
 
"I've always wondered what they would be like. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try one out for the first time."
 
"That's the spirit," Carl said as he shifted a crate of glasses into place. He looked at the other two wolves. "Okay, men, get out of here. The evening shift is about to go on their lunch break. I want the tables cleared of all the stragglers who should be out banging their brains out with their loved ones."
 
Will walked over and grabbed the wolf into a tight hug. "Thank you, Carl. I owe you big time."
 
"And I will call on you one day to pay that debt."
 
"I'll bring Kris."
 
"Oh yes, yes, yes. Let's see how much those new welds on the inversion table can take," Carl said with a laugh. He spanked Will's butt and gave him a shove. "Now go before I close up the diner to watch you three."
 
Moments later, the glass door slid back. Both Kendal and Marcus took a deep, surprised breath when the dim lights turned on around the room's flooring. A few well-placed recessed lights cast a warm, dim glow over the major pieces of furniture. Along the walls intricate stone relief carvings of beautiful forest settings hung, lit by small pin lights. The pin lights weren't traditional track lighting. Instead, they flickered like candlelight against the stone. It almost appeared as if the forest were moving and alive. When the three's eyes adjusted to the low light, gatherings of bears and wolves appeared copulating in the forests and bathing in the streams.
 
"I've only heard about these things," Kendal said as he toyed with a pair of large cuffs on the St. Andrew's cross.
 
Marcus stared at the seamless covering on a chair and ran his paw along the knee rests and hand grips. "Is this a twentieth-century gynecological examination chair?"
 
"To a twentieth-century gynecologist, yes. But to a werewolf who loves to take his time with a bottom, it's a play toy that keeps the bottom's legs up and comfortable for hours. You'll notice it's no ordinary exam chair."
 
Marcus looked at the padded leg supports and foot stirrups to hold the legs in the air. "Yeah, industrial strength, just like Carl said."
 
"What's this?" Kendal asked as he looked into the top glass of a long box with openings along the side. "Some kind of coffin?"
 
Will smiled. "It's a grope box made for werebeasts. It's extra long and wide. But it's easily adjusted to fit nice and tight around any beast inside."
 
"A grope box?" Kendal asked, looking through the openings.
 
"The person inside has no view of the outside. That's a one-way mirrored glass on top. It allows those groping to watch the one inside as they pleasure him, but the one inside can't see who's touching him. It's kept tight enough so that the arms of the one inside are immobile. He is at the mercy of those who surround him. Some enjoy it because it frees them to enjoy the experience of others touching them without their shyness getting in the way. It becomes sensation for pleasure's sake while those around you guide you into that pleasure."
 
"Seems rather detached for a nation that thrives on unity," Marcus said as he looked through the two-way mirror.
 
"To some, it might be. They, of course, will never use the box. But for others, it brings them closer together. They realize the ones they were too shy to reach out to are only to happy to reach out and touch them. I remember a birthday party once where I found it very entertaining."
 
"A birthday party?" Kendal said with a laugh.
 
"I was with a familiar crowd. I trusted them all. Everyone wanted to spank me, but I chose the box. There was a certain thrill of trying to figure out whose paws were on me from moment to moment." Will pushed his hand into an opening. "Do you have any idea how similar father and son bear paws feel when you don't know who it is? And badger paws can slip into places that you don't even realize are a part of you until you're bound up in a box."
 
The old wolf smiled at the two. "Of course, the Megatherium was unmistakable as he was the only one that could slip his tongue all the way through the slots and lick me to an orgasm." His hand slipped out of the box. "I love Martin. He's an incredible lion in your world. But I miss the sloth so much. I miss the saber-toothed cat." His hand ran along the length of the box with a sad melancholy.
 
Marcus watched the old wolf as he grew quiet. "Megatherium? Saber-toothed cat, William? Our world?"
 
Will shook himself and smiled again. "That's why we're here, gentlemen." He walked past a bondage wheel and pulled at it, sending it spinning. "Well, that and the sex we're about to enjoy. Cuffs for the hands and feet. You'd be surprised how much fun you can have letting a group spin you to whatever they want to be sucked."
 
Kendal laughed. "Wait, you're pulling our legs, aren't you?"
 
"Get on the wheel and I will," the old wolf said with a grin.
 
"William never lies," Marcus said. He leaned in and kissed the Iberian wolf. "I envy how free you are."
 
Will kissed back and ran his paw up the bear's chest. "Give it time, Marcus. You're doing fine."
 
"And this?" Kendal said, pointing to a hotel luggage rack.
 
The old wolf bounded over to it. "Oh, my god. The twins gave it to Carl and Randy." Will rubbed the straps lovingly. "You will never know how much sex this rack has seen. The day we broke it in, we nearly broke it."
 
Marcus smiled and reached out to Kendal. "I'll tell you the story one day."
 
"Oh, you've heard the story?" the wolf asked as he kissed the bear. "The old wolf never tells me anything about what he's done with others."
 
"You never asked," the old wolf answered, rubbing the top of the young wolf's head.
 
"I will from now on," Kendal said. "Am I the only one getting hard here?" he asked, pulling back his sheath to expose his swelling cock.
 
"No, I'm already there," Will said. Without touching himself, the cock slipped out from his fur, pushing upward.
 
The two looked at the bear. "What?" the bear protested. "You both know that I've been hard since we started walking here. It's not like I can hide it."
 
Will leaned up and kissed the bear while his hands stroked the bear's huge genitals. "And I never want you to hide it, Marcus. What say we go find out if the bed can hold the weight of three beasts?"
 
The bear waved his hands back toward the darkened corner of the room where one light lit a single piece of furniture. "The sling, please. I can't get it out of my mind."
 
Will smiled. "The sling it is, Marcus. Straps on, or just footrests and hand grabs for you?"
 
"Just the footrests."
 
Will looked at Kendal. "You up for topping a bear tonight? I'll be busy sucking his cock."
 
Kendal grinned. "You okay with that, Marcus?"
 
Marcus nodded happily. "Yeah. I'm okay with that, Kendal." He stared at the teddy bear clenched in his arms. "I guess I'm ready to let him go for a time," he said, pushing the stuffed animal out toward the young wolf.
 
"Come here, Marcus," Kendal said as he took the stuffed animal and placed him on the inversion table. "Stay here. We're letting the big bears out tonight."
 
Marcus smiled as Will helped him up into the sling. "You're sure I won't break this?"
 
"Kris and Nathaniel didn't, and they're bigger than you."
 
"Kris and Nathaniel? How many of your family have been in this thing?"
 
"That depends," the old wolf said. "Which family are you talking about?"
 
"I shouldn't ask, should I?" Marcus said with a laugh.
 
"Welcome to the family, Marcus," Will said as he pushed the bear back onto the bed of the sling.
 
"You will mount me tonight, won't you, William?" Marcus asked.
 
Will lifted the bear's leg up and placed the enormous feet into a wide loop of chain and leather. "How could I not? And what of you, Bear?" the old wolf asked as his paw ran along the length of the bear's shaft, stopping at the base to play with the balls. "This cock is going inside me sometime tonight, right?"
 
The thick paw of the bear stroked the werewolf's face as Will placed the other leg into the footrest. "Of course." The bear took a deep breath as he felt the tongue of the young wolf lapping at his hole. He closed his eyes and let the pleasure flow over him. Will's muzzle slipped over the bear's swollen genitals and began a gentle, steady up and down.
 
In the middle of his fellating, Will felt the young wolf push into Marcus and smiled at the happy groan that escaped from the bear. For a moment, the conversation to come later flooded his mind, and he struggled with how to tell the two of a past so tied to the lives they never lived. He took a deep breath and let it out as he pushed the bear's cock into his mouth as deeply as he could until he choked on the size and gasped for breath. The gagging caused his mind to lurch back into the moment as he felt the thick paw of the bear rub the top of his head. "If you die sucking my dick, William, your family will never forgive me," Marcus said.
 
Will looked up past his dripping jaws. "You want me to stop?"
 
"No, just stay with me. We will talk later. For now, teach me to be in this moment."
 
Will lifted himself up and kissed the bear's lips. "I love you, Marcus. You have such a gentle way of bringing me back."
 
The bear giggled slightly. "You say that now because you don't have a clue what I'm going to do with you and that bondage wheel when I get out of this sling. I doubt the word gentle will be the expression you use."
 
Will grinned. "I will hold you to that." The bear shut his eyes as the wolf returned to his sucking. In time, the bear rewarded the old wolf with both the cum he craved and the pounding he needed to free his mind from the conversation he understood must follow.
 
Two days later, the dark of night was slowly yielding to the dark of another rainy Partridge Island day. The three beasts lay outside under the cover of the patio. The configuration they found themselves in would have confused those trying to figure out the animal knot. Whose leg overlapped whose, which paws caressed which genitals, and how the three could talk so easily stacked upon each other was a mystery. Marcus was shaking his head no. "You're telling me that Donovan, Ivan, Francisco, Martin, and the two of us rebuilt the entire universe less than a year ago?"
 
"No, Marcus. I'm telling you that those six rebuilt a new universe fourteen billion years ago from the one they collapsed into itself. Derrick and Oliver took nine months to return to us from that point. Don't ask me about the physics of that, because even Max and JP shook their heads when my husbands told them what happened."
 
Will paused. "And despite who they were, it's not the six of you in this universe. This universe evolved from what the other six started fourteen billion years ago by becoming the big bang. There aren't many who came from the previous universe. There are my sons and of course, Derrick and Oliver, who are trying not to glow at night when they sleep with their husbands." Will sighed, thinking. "And probably Nathaniel and me." He paused again. "Okay, Max and JP. But I'm not sure they count because they frequently bounce between space and time without telling us. Other than that, I don't think there are any others. At least in our world. Who knows what's going on out there in the universe and how many crossovers might have happened?"
 
The big bear rolled over onto his belly. "Then why tell us? Why do we need to know?"
 
"Because in that life, I made a promise to you, Marcus. I promised you I would make sure Kendal always remembered you loved him."
 
"I think that's going to work itself out," Marcus said with a smile. He pulled the young wolf close.
 
Kendal pushed in even closer. "We still have our baggage to talk about," he said. "I admit this story leaves me wondering what we might be getting ourselves into. What exactly becomes of us with what we did fourteen billion years ago?"
 
Will slipped his leg out from under the bear. "You six are a part of this universe that the other six altered. You gave everything to save that universe. What sprang from your efforts is a universe that no longer has the Shumuuluud. But they left everything else in place to grow and evolve. The same universe manifesting without the creatures bent on eating it."
   
"But there's more to this story. I can tell, William," Marcus said.
 
"The power it took to collapse one universe into itself and reform it into a new one is beyond imagining. You six formed into what Derrick and Oliver saw as one enormous saber-toothed wolf, and somehow he passed a part of what he was to my husbands. We're not sure what it is, but it reminds us of a Channeler on overdrive."
 
Kendal pulled himself up and leaned against the bear. "Why would we do that?" He looked at Marcus. "If we did that, we're major dicks. No one should have to live with a power they don't want."
 
Will laughed out loud. His paw flared red. "The universe is full of dicks who give away their powers to guys who don't want them. When you became one great wolf, you apologized for what you said you had to do."
 
"I still apologize," Kendal said. "I don't remember any of what you told us. Somewhere in that story, I kept hoping something you said would make me remember. But I don't. The only thing that the other Kendal and I seem to have in common is that we're Newfoundland wolves and this," he said, shaking his paw into a flame of blue.
 
Will's paw went dark, and Kendal's followed. "Please understand, men. I am happy for you both. I see it in Donovan's eyes every day he wakes up, and he knows all he has to be is our husband. No white warrior fighting the Shumuuluud. No Channeler. Just our husband. You men saved our universe, you deserve to rest. None of us begrudge you that."
 
"But it would be nice to have the badger and wolf you married instead of the ones glowing white with more power than they can contain," Kendal said.
 
"Yeah," Will replied. "The Marcus in the other universe controlled the energy that flowed through him. When he visited us, the glow faded. He understood how to move the energy inside him. He had the instinct to be what he was. Oliver and Derrick are struggling with it."
 
Marcus pushed up off his stomach. "I will do anything I can to help, Will, but I don't remember any of the stories you told us."
 
"They were worth telling," Will said with a sigh. "If you remembered something, maybe my husbands could find an answer to what they have become. And if I found out that you remembered none of what happened, then at least you learned how much we appreciate what you did. I wanted you to understand how grateful we are to still have you in our lives."
 
"Even if we can't help Derrick and Oliver?" Kendal asked.
 
"Even if," Will said. "We all love you. You've pissed off Oliver, but you know him. Tell him you wish it was different. Give him a hug and a kiss. You do that and he'll be ready to make up with the two he's loved for more years than you've known him in this world."
 
"I wish we could do more," the Newfoundland wolf sighed. "It makes no sense why I still need my powers in all this mix. I can't help but think there's a reason I'm overlooking."
 
"Well, you're not the same Kendal," Will said. "I think when the six of you merged, you became something different. Those six didn't survive the rebuilding of the universe. You two are certainly not the Marcus and Kendal of the other universe. Look at Marcus. He's a bear from the get-go. No shapeshifting powers. No turning into everyone he touches. He's just Marcus." The old wolf reached out and ran his paw along the fur of the bear's belly. "See? You're still Marcus, the gorgeous bear, instead of a marginally handsome Iberian wolf who looks way too much like me."
 
Kendal looked at Will. "But I still have my clan powers, the same as you do."
 
"Yeah, I think we all have our clan powers," Will responded. "Donovan was a Channeler. The story of Osogovo is still there in our history. He's still a Channeler, but he's not bringing it up. I think he's happy to let it rest. I'm in no hurry to push him to change that." The old wolf turned toward the lounging bear. "But you, Marcus, you don't seem to possess any of your powers. That saber-toothed wolf may have tweaked more than just the circumstances that kept the Shumuuluud from ever evolving."
 
"It still sounds beyond belief, William," the bear confessed.
 
"Any more than two winged bears and their rag-tag team saving the earth by altering the genetic structure of the entire human race?"
 
Marcus looked at Kendal. Kendal shrugged. "Well, he has a point there, Marcus. That happened. I was there."
 
"Of course," Will interrupted, "there are differences between the stories in this universe and mine. In my world, Martin was a saber-toothed cat married to Nathaniel, not a lion married to Chipo."
 
"That, and Max gave us his speech as a bear standing before us instead of us watching a video of a human that died hundreds of years ago," Kendal added.
 
"Yeah, that," Will agreed. "Poor Nathaniel. It would have been kinder if circumstances wiped his memories of the previous life clean like yours."
 
Kendal leaned in and kissed Will. "I don't think so, Old Wolf. When we sing of all that we have lost and all that we have found, the words remind us of what we had to do to be in the place that we are. Nathaniel needs to remember that there was a moment when the wolf that changed the universe found a way to save the first man he ever loved."
 
"That comes with the cost of losing another that he loves."
 
Kendal shook his head no. "You of all men should realize that's not true. Martin is alive. Who they are and what they mean to each other is yet to be determined. They may have a life going forward in this world that eclipses even what they were to each other in yours."
 
Will laughed. "That's because you've never had a Megatherium's tongue up your ass."
 
Kendal shoved the old wolf playfully and flipped up on top of him. "So, Carl said three days, didn't he?"
 
Marcus nodded his head. "That's what he said."
 
Kendal stared into the yellow eyes of the old wolf. "You up for two beasts taking you, Will?"
 
Will's grin spread across his muzzle. "At the same time?"
 
"It would certainly help Marcus and I get closer together," the young wolf answered. "At least a couple parts of us would be much closer together."
 
"I guess it's time I showed you what that luggage rack is good for," the old wolf laughed. He pointed toward the linen closet just inside the sliding glass door. "Grab a wedge pillow, Kendal. You'll need it for this to work."
 
The bear stood up, and reaching down easily, pulled the two wolves up. He kissed Will and rubbed the cowlick on the top of his head. "This will all work out as it should," he told the wolf.
 
"My, that's very obscure of you," Will said with a smile.
 
"I guess you're wearing off on me," the bear replied.
 
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Will asked.
 
The bear reached down and freed his growing cock from its sheath. "It's a wonderful thing, William. Now let's go find that luggage rack." Kendal opened the sliding glass door, and the three leapt back into the playroom.

Chapter 19
  
Kendal stared into the night sky. The bear's head rested on his chest, and he sighed happily. "When there's a clear sky at night, nowhere on earth is more beautiful than Partridge Island," he said, half to himself and half to the bear next to him.
 
"What do we do, Kendal?" the black bear asked.
 
"I don't know, Marcus. Will was right. What he told us wasn't easy for him, and our path won't be any easier."
 
"He knew how I would feel about you. I sometimes think he knows me better than I know myself."
 
"Yeah, me too. We're soulmates, aren't we? My teddy bear, your imaginary friend; they're holdovers from another time… another universe."
 
"Would that be so bad?"
 
"Being your mate forever?" Kendal mused. "No, I would like that. Taking back what we gave to Oliver and Derrick… that I'm not so sure about."
 
"Yeah," the bear agreed. "I have to admit if that story came from anyone but William, and if I hadn't seen the two of them, I wouldn't believe any of what he said."
 
"So what do we do?"
 
Marcus let out a long sigh. "I'm thinking it's more what I need to do. In the first universe, I was the starting point of all that happened."
 
Kendal rolled over and placed his paw onto the chest of the bear. "So, do you have any memory of what happened the day you got your powers?"
 
"Not one bit. It seems akin to what happened to Donovan the day he became a Channeler. I can't say I'm looking forward to taking on something that leveled the entire highland." The bear rubbed the paw of the wolf. "We'll figure it all out in time."
 
"We?" Kendal said with a joyful bark. "So you're not trying to do this alone?"
 
"That was Marcus's biggest weakness in the other universe. I certainly don't want to repeat his mistakes. But it's a lot to ask of a man I barely met."
 
"We have history, Marcus," the Newfoundland wolf said, leaning into the bear. "We may not remember it, but we can learn from it. I think you might be the man I want to bite my neck. I'm willing to stay here until I'm sure."
 
"Biting a neck is a pretty big step," Marcus said with an uncomfortable laugh. "I admit it's not a long-term plan, but I was thinking more like taking you to dinner and a movie tomorrow."
 
"Dating?" Kendal said, smiling. "You want to date me?"
 
"Well, that part about commitment in the other Marcus seems to have held on in this universe. I'm very skittish about diving into marriage. I like to see where I'm diving before I leap, and marriage is a pretty big dive with very unsure depths."
 
The wolf nodded in agreement. "Agreed. I'm not asking for that bite today, Marcus. We'll take this as slow as we both need to make sure we're doing the right thing. But I hope we do more than go out together. We're still going to have sex, right? I mean, we can be friends with benefits, okay?"
 
Marcus cuddled close to the wolf and kissed him. "I hope so. There's so much I am confused about in all of this, but the way I feel next to you isn't one of them. I say we hold on to whatever seems right."
 
"Okay, at least we agree on that," Kendal said, putting his head on the bear's shoulder. "Are we going to live in separate quarters?"
 
"I hope not."
 
"Good answer. That's what I was hoping you'd say."
 
"Are you going to be good with me changing?"
 
"Don't blow up our apartment, okay?"
 
Marcus laughed. "Okay, Hon."
 
Kendal heard the chime in his ear and wiggled free from the paw wrapped around him. "Gotta go, Hon. I'm still the assistant lightkeeper, and my shift starts in half an hour."
 
"Want to get a quick shower together before you go?"
 
"Are we ever going to have a quick shower together?" the wolf asked.
 
"No. I don't see that happening."
 
"I could call Lewis and ask if he could cover the first hour for me."
 
The bear rolled over, pulling his cock from its sheath. "Could you ask for two?"
 
Kendal kissed Marcus and tapped his ComLink. "The things I do for love," he said with a giggle.
 
"Yeah, the things," Marcus said. The explosion emanating from him spread out, flattening everything in its path. When he looked up, gasping for breath, the highland was a landscape of molten rock and fire. Just as quickly, he was back on Partridge Island with the Newfoundland wolf's head nestled in his chest. He did his best to hide the shock of the vision from the wolf. As it faded, he realized it wasn't a memory of his past. It was a vision of his future. The Sight pressed forward, and he regretted he didn't possess Oliver's gift to tell the visions to go fuck themselves.
  
Chapter 20

As Marcus stood alone by the cliff, he watched the light from the lighthouse sweep over the waves. "You have the perfect job for you, don't you, Kendal?" he said aloud to himself. "You're the light that guides me home." The bear sighed. "But I don't deserve you. You're so much better than either of us deserves." He tried to look at the glittering copper light at the corner of his vision that disappeared every time he turned, only to appear again on the periphery. "Isn't that right?" he asked the glimmering light.
 
The bear tried again to turn to the shining object just beyond his sight. "Well, come on," the bear said with a dissatisfied growl. "You've kept me waiting this long. Introduce yourself."
 
The voice Marcus heard was inside his head. "I'm sorry. I had to wait for William to tell you about your history."
 
"You make him do the heavy lifting and then show up after he's done all the work?" Marcus replied angrily. "You force Derrick and Oliver to hold on to powers they can barely contain. And then you have William deliver the bad news that I can't live out a normal life with Kendal? Kendal is right. You're a dick."
 
The copper light shimmered, all but disappearing. "I'm sorry," it replied. "I had no way of getting your attention. Marcus, I have tried for three years to approach you. I wanted to speak with you, but you never saw me as anything more than a glitch in your biometric glasses."
 
Marcus thought for a moment and shrugged. "Okay, that's true. You have tried to say hello enough times for me to swap out two sets of glasses as defective." The bear paused. "But you're still a dick. Oliver and Derrick are still glowing in the dark."
 
"I realize that. Things happened so fast that day. They were the witnesses to what happened. We needed them, Marcus. We needed there to be witnesses if we were ever going to learn from our mistakes." The glimmer dimmed. "And there were so many horrible mistakes made."
 
"Nathaniel and William seem to be fine witnessing what transpired. Max and JP remember. Even Samuel and Raymond lived out the battle on another front. None of them are glowing out there in the night."
 
"They all understand a part of the story. But they came into this world without living through all that happened. Only Derrick and Oliver were there to watch what even you and I didn't survive. They are the witnesses. The quiet and the bold, the wolf who thinks through his every move, and the impetuous badger. They are the two to witness the same truth and bring it into this universe."
 
"And the reason they had to hold on to your powers?"
 
The glimmer shifted colors slightly to a colder gold. "I had to leave markers behind for us all. They're not holding on to all that became the saber-toothed wolf. I left behind enough of what I was before the merging to realize that a part of me was missing. One day, I knew that who I was in this universe would go searching for that missing part of myself. I placed it into the care of the only two beings that I trusted with that power. I needed them to guide me back to you. The part of me that was missing, the part of me they hold inside them forced me to go in search of what would make me whole. I have been making my way back to Terra since before I can remember. Oliver and Derrick are my candles in the window."
 
Marcus let out a snort through his black nose. "Okay, not quite as dickish as I thought. I look to Kendal to be that light for me. So, what's different from now? Why do I see you now?"
 
"You are aware of what you became. You are remembering another universe; another life. It opened your mind to the possibility that there was more to the change than anyone else ever realized. The Sight pushed through once you admitted that to yourself. You began looking for me, and that made all the difference in the world."
 
"So what are you?"
 
"I'm a member of the Order. We are symbiotes that merge with other species to protect the universe."
 
"So, the other Marcus resolved that problem. The universe is right again. Why not leave me alone?"
 
"Because, Marcus, you are still a gift that the universe needs. You are an Empath. You don't realize how rare you are."
 
"I'm a little fat guy who turns into a big fat bear. I'm nothing to anyone except my family and a Newfoundland wolf I think I love."
 
"But you can be. In the entire universe, you are unique, Marcus. You saved the universe in a manner no one else could. You brought together men with skills no one dared to dream existed. And with so many others you convinced to help, you righted a mistake that none thought anyone capable of correcting."
 
"And you? Are you still rogue?"
 
"The Order remembers nothing of what we did. This universe is oblivious to the horrors our actions have spared them."
 
The bear turned toward the light and again it moved to the far corner of his vision. "Still, nothing you told me seems to justify the two of us needing to merge back into what we once were."
 
"We need to merge because you love your family, Marcus. Without the merging, you will be incapable of protecting them from all you see." The glimmering light grew brighter. "You and I need to merge because the two of us can bring the others to a place where we can be more than any of us could ever be apart."
 
"The only vision I've seen is me wiping out the highland. That's scarcely a reason to merge with you," the bear countered.
 
"I am as I have always been. A creature that hopes to protect a world it can only share through you. All you ever were in another life will return to you in the merge, Marcus."
 
"I don't think I want to be shifting into every beast I touch."
 
Marcus could have sworn the glittering light shook its head; were there a head to shake. "You won't shift, but all that you became by touching those beasts will flow back into you. You already sense that it's happening now. Merging with me will only expedite the transfer of powers and skills without the years of training it took you to master them the first time."
 
It was Marcus's turn to shake his head. "I am in no hurry to gain more power, and if I need skills that my family has taught me, they can teach me again."
 
"Please Marcus, talk to William. You need to understand how important this is."
 
"And what of my two glowing family members?"
 
"Talk to them as well. This is too important." The light paused. "And talk to them with Kendal. I realize this is all new to you, Marcus, but Kendal has always been by your side. There is more to him than either of us realizes. He needs to be there when you decide."
 
The black bear sighed. "I suppose I can call a family council. You at least deserve a hearing for all you've done."
 
"All we've done, Marcus. That which was before, must of need become again."
 
The vision flashed into Marcus's head. A wall of fire spread out over Terra as all life on her surface vaporized in the oxygen burning off her surface. He watched Terra, the gem of the solar system, exploding into lifeless debris. From a distance, where Terra once was, a shadow of another planet blocked the sun, and the vision was gone.
 
Marcus dropped to his knee and steadied himself on the overlook. He stared out at the darkened bay and the world that lay beyond. "Damn you," he mumbled. "Damn you for ever coming back."
 
"I had no choice, Marcus. We understand nothing of love, but we understand obligation. I cannot leave you here to defend this world alone. There are things you see I don't, but there are also things I see you don't. There are paths you and I cannot take without each other; paths that I realize you see so much better than I do. There are lessons your family must learn to protect their world and so many worlds beyond your sight. Who you are cannot save them, nor can I. But perhaps we can."
 
Marcus tapped the ComLink in his ear. "William," he said. The voice on the other line gave a cheerful greeting that only made the black bear's mood darker. "William, can you help me call a family council?" He paused. "Yes, the highland would be perfect. Gaia needs to be there." He paused again. "I'm so sorry, William. I'm sorry to be such a bother so early in my life with you."
 
William pushed back from his desk. "It's no bother, Marcus. I was trying to find a reason to put down this work of mine. Truth be told, I've been expecting this call."
 
"I'm still sorry, William."
 
The old wolf leaned back, listening to the Asian bear's breathing. "You're crying, Marcus."
 
"Yeah. I'm aware of that," the bear replied. "I seem to have the emotional constitution of the wolf that turned me."
 
"Where are you?"
 
"Partridge Island. I'm on my knees overlooking the south cliff."
 
"Is Kendal there with you?"
 
Marcus shook his head. "No. He's at work."
 
"What do you want me to do, Marcus?"
 
"I could use a lover to hold me."
 
"Can you stay there for a few minutes?"
 
"I don't think I can move."
 
"Hold tight, Hon. I'm on my way."
 
Marcus couldn't recall how much time had passed when he felt the old wolf sit down beside him. He turned and wiped his eyes. The wolf lifted a small bag. "Chocolate Brownie Thunder and two spoons," he said, smiling. "It's the panacea for all that ails you." 
 
Marcus grabbed the old wolf and hugged him. The arms of the wolf wrapped around the bear, and he kissed the bear's muzzle. 
 
The two sat and ate their ice cream while silently watching the waves moving across the bay. When the silhouette of a wolf crested the hill above them, Marcus smiled. "You told him," he said as he gave Will a shove.
 
"No, I didn't," the old wolf responded. "You're going to learn that boy and you are linked in ways you can't imagine. He loves you, Marcus."
 
"I love him."
 
The wolf walking toward the two raised his paw, holding a paper sack. "Chocolate Brownie Thunder," he yelled over the sound of the waves.
 
The two laughed as the wolf approached and sat on the unoccupied side of the bear. He gave the bear a quick kiss. "And three spoons."
 
"You're a miracle, Kendal. You know that, right?" Marcus said.
 
"Nah, I'm just in love with the two guys sitting next to me." The Newfoundland wolf pressed close to the black bear. "Especially the one with the Mickey Mouse ears."
 
Marcus turned to the wolf and smiled. "How was I ever so lucky?"
 
The young wolf grinned. "I ask myself that all the time, Bear. I ask myself that all the time."
  
Chapter 21
  
The family found a place around the picnic tables and sat down. When the wind picked up and moved the grass around the tables, all were aware that the family was in place. Eric looked up from the tablet in his hand. "We're listening, you two."
 
Marcus stammered out his first sentence. "I'm… I'm not sure what way will be easiest for us to communicate."
 
Will put his hands on the table. "Let's forego the talking to yourself back and forth, shall we, Marcus?" 
 
Marcus's face turned down. "You remember."
 
"Better every day," Nathaniel replied. He tried to stare at the glittering image in his peripheral vision and it constantly shifted further away. "You talk to Marcus without the necessity of words. Why don't we go with what's already working? Do you have a name?"
 
Everyone around the table heard the words in their most familiar tongue somewhere deep inside their minds. "You couldn't pronounce it even if you tried. For me to speak, it would sound like a high-pitched air-raid siren with a chorus of cats and poorly tuned violins thrown into the mix."
 
"So, he who must not be named," Kris said, "welcome to the family. What is it we can do for you?"
 
The glimmer struggled for the words. "I am here to ask you to let me merge with Marcus and reclaim what I gave Derrick and Oliver in another life."
 
"Your merging with Marcus is really none of our affair," Eric said as he placed his tablet on the table. "That is akin to marriage in our world. Despite what Will and Oliver's actions toward Marcus and Kendal might lead you to believe, we do not interfere in those matters."
 
"I just pushes a little, Old Bear," Oliver groused. "Ain't like them two needs that much pushing anyways."
 
Kendal snorted a laugh as he put down his orange juice and wiped his nose. "I don't mind, Oliver."
 
Oliver stared at the polar bear. "See? Ain't no big deal."
 
"Then let me rephrase what I said," Eric corrected. "The ultimate choice is always up to you. We might counsel you on a path, but if you tell us you're merging, then we respect the choice."
 
Marcus nodded. "I realize that, Eric. But there is so much on the line here. I need to know that my family supports me in the choices we make."
 
Donovan leaned back. "You still have a great deal yet to learn about this family, Bear," he said. "We will back your choice. None of us wish to see you fail."
 
"Are we talking about another explosion like the last one?" Will asked.
 
"Yes," the voice inside his head answered. "And likely even more violent than what you remember. This is my first time merging with another in this reality. As with a beast turning, it is all new and painful. We are altering realities so far beyond anything I understand until I do it for the first time. The expenditure of power to create that merger is immense, and regrettably, it is mostly uncontrolled. In addition, taking back my powers from Derrick and Oliver will require that we free and recapture those powers. That won't be a straightforward task. There will be spillage of those powers."
 
"So, you've got a planet you live on. Why not take them there?"
 
Marcus's audible stammering returned. "They… they aren't aware that we are attempting this."
 
Kris's eyebrow arched. "What do they know?"
 
"Nothing," the voice said. "Nothing at all. They don't even consider this quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy to be of interest. The one species of note in this area that we haven't already approached is the Verital. Your species is too passive to even interest our leadership."
 
"Their species helped save your collective asses," Will growled. 
 
"I'm aware of that, William," the voice responded. "Please don't mistake my people's indifference to be mine. We are protectors of order in this universe. We spend far more time watching problems arising than we ever do watching worlds that function well."
 
"So, what's your interest, then?" Nathaniel asked.
 
"The same as it has always been," the voice replied. "To protect what the Order cannot see. What sits around this table today is far more valuable than anyone realizes. What is evolving on this planet has repercussions that extend far beyond this world. Those latent abilities none of us can even fathom must be protected. They need to survive."
 
"Somehow that sounds like a guy who only now realized his ant farm is building skyscrapers out of the sand," Will said. 
 
"I'm sorry, everyone. Please, I don't mean to sound condescending. When humankind's nuclear war destroyed Earth, my people scarcely looked at what was happening. All life on a tiny planet in an obscure solar system died. It happens far more frequently than you realize. Without even a question as to why it happened, the Order turned toward other matters. Only I stayed and watched two young men turn their world clock backward to save their people. You should not be able to do that, and yet you did. I watched how you worked together and how you struggled to find balance. I hear you use the word love so frequently for your actions and I am amazed at what it can do."
 
"It's who we are that led him here in the first place," Marcus interjected. "It's what made him stay."
 
"And what made him violate the Order's prime directive if I'm not mistaken?" Will asked. 
 
"There is no prime directive other than the order in the universe," the glimmer responded. "What I did was without the approval of the council. It was behind their backs, but I see you in ways they don't. There is so much we could learn from you about duty, about obligation…" the voice trailed off. "About honor and taking responsibility for our own actions," it finally whispered.
 
"So, this still leads us back to the same issue, you two," the polar bear said. "What does this have to do with us and the choices you're making?"
 
"I haven't told the council of my intentions, Eric," the voice responded. "I am reluctant to."
 
"Because you're not even supposed to be out here playing with the neighbors?" Will asked.
 
"Yes," the voice replied. "I am not even in line to adopt a host."
 
"Naughty boy," Will said with a smile. 
 
"I'm attracted to bad boys," Marcus said, staring at the old wolf.
 
"It wasn't a chastisement, Marcus," Will explained. "I have a feeling you're not telling the higher-ups because you worry about how they will judge your actions."
 
There was a feeling in everyone, almost of an agreeing nod from the glimmer. "I believe what I am doing is right," the voice replied. "but just as Kris blinded the humans to save them, I fear that my choice is one best not seen by anyone beyond this world. Oliver, Derrick, you saw what came of our merger. You know what we can do together to protect your world."
 
Oliver and Derrick both remained silent. Marcus felt the uncomfortable nature of their silence and interjected, "There are many reasons you can point out here why I shouldn't do this." He paused. "I swear I thought of every one of them. And the only reason I can think to say yes to this merger is that there are things I need to know that I will learn in no other way. My life before all of yours, but if learning one thing from this merger saves your lives, or helps me from losing mine, I'm willing to take the chance."
 
Kendal cleared his throat, and all eyes turned to him. "I'm not sure I'm willing to accept the current terms offered."
 
Marcus turned toward the Newfoundland wolf. "What would you change?"
 
"I'm not willing to let you go into this alone."
 
Marcus shook his head, and the voice stammered an objection. "I… I can't merge the two of you into one. It has never been done."
 
"Not in this universe," Kendal replied. "But let's be totally upfront here, shall we, Mr. No-name?" The wolf leaned forward and stared directly at the glimmer and it didn't move from the center of his vision. "You and Marcus both know where you intend to head with this. You're hoping to find another five willing souls with the Changelings' powers to form the saber-toothed wolf."
 
"In time, perhaps," the voice said. "But that is beyond my abilities. I am confident that the only way it was possible in that other universe was that I had already merged with Marcus. It was his abilities that allowed the successful merger of you five into us."
 
"Then you will need to learn some additional skill sets before you try to merge with my blessing, Mr. No-name," Kendal said. He looked into the eyes of the bear. "And you, Marcus, are going to need to up your game as well. I'm not mating with a guy who's not totally upfront with me."
 
Marcus's jaw dropped. "Mating?"
 
"Yeah," Kendal said with a nod. "I'm thinking later this afternoon after we straighten out this alien body abduction stuff."
 
"This afternoon?" the bear asked, still slack-jawed.
 
"Yeah, let's face it. You need someone in your life that can help you make important decisions. I am crazy in love with you, and you are crazy in love with me. You make a move with glitter-boy there that you don't tell me about, and you'll have me to answer to. Trust me; it will be easier for you if you can call me Husband. It's amazing how much you can get away with when you look at me with those big brown eyes and plead spousal clemency."
 
Marcus stared dumbstruck at the wolf. "Well?" Kendal pressed.
 
"Yes," was the only thing Marcus could get out.
 
Kendal's smile widened. "Okay, then. We have a date." He turned to his family. "You're all invited, but dogs, you wait your turn. My hubby and I get some quality time before you start whining at our door. Are we clear?" The temple dogs bowed deferentially toward the Newfoundland wolf.
 
Kendal turned back to where everyone saw the glimmer. "Now then, let's get back to this body timeshare idea. My guess is that you're a pan-dimensional critter using a host to ground yourself in the four-dimensional reality we live in. Without us, you're actually like interdimensional jellyfish. You float between dimensions, unable to affect much of anything. But latched on to us, you gain the powerful advantage of being able to use other dimensions to affect changes in ours. How am I doing?" 
 
There was a silence from the glimmering light. "You shouldn't know that."
 
"I didn't until you just confirmed it. It was more of an educated guess. I work at the Partridge Island lighthouse. One perk of the job is that I spend a great deal of time in the arms of a three-thousand-year-old scientist and his Changeling husband. You wouldn't believe the incredible pillow talk we have afterward."
 
Kris burst out laughing. "Kendal, you amaze me."
 
The raised paw of the wolf glowed blue. "Blue, clan, Kris. We're the bringers of order from chaos. There are few things more chaotic than the bear I love and his glittering friend."
 
Marcus's hand reached out and grabbed the free paw of the Newfoundland wolf. "Are you serious about your proposal?"
 
"One hundred percent, husband-to-be," Kendal replied. He paused reflectively. "That was what you meant when you said yes, right?"
 
The black bear nodded shyly. "That's what I meant."
 
Kendal knelt down in front of the bear. "I wish I had a ring. I wish we were alone so we could share this moment wrapped in each other's arms. But this is who we are. The beasts that surround us will be our touchstones to a life that will never be normal from this day going forward. They needed to hear what we just promised each other. And you need to understand that I will never leave your side."
 
"I don't think that I can ask that of you, Kendal," the bear said.
 
"I'm not the kind of guy who sits back at home and waits for his mate to return. Bear, I am not the candle in the window. I'm the soldier by your side. I'm the man in bed stealing your blankets when we're sleeping at night. If what you hope to do is one day find your way back to that wolf that saved the universe, then commit to the idea that I am the first of five. I will bring order to this quest you two are undertaking. And I will bring love, because trust me dear bear and glitter-boy, you both need that love to succeed."
 
"By my side forever?" the bear asked. "For better or worse, for richer or poorer, and all that other stuff?" 
 
"That's a promise I make in front of a family that takes promises very, very seriously." The wolf turned toward the glimmer. "We're good, you and me, right? I don't mind sharing him, but you understand our relationship, right?"
 
The voice came into everyone's mind. "I can't say as I do, but I understand the promise. I will not interfere with your union."
 
"If the three of us can't do this together, we don't do it, clear?" The wolf pushed.
 
"Very clear," the voice responded.
 
Kendal looked at Marcus. The bear nodded. "Clear."
 
"Well then," Eric said, rising. "How do we make this happen?"
 
"I will need a few weeks to prepare Marcus and Kendal. I still have little hope I can accomplish this merging, but if it is to succeed, I need to work with them somewhere far from the Order and far from here." The glimmering light paused. "In case any attempt turns explosive."
 
The wind moved around everyone, and inside everyone's head, they heard Gaia. "You're free to leave Terra and work on your plans for merging, but you return to Terra for the change. You do not try to reclaim what Derrick and Oliver possess without their family here to protect them."
 
The other voice responded, "But it would be so much safer if I took care of that…"
 
"There are no acceptable counteroffers," Gaia interrupted.
 
Marcus shook his head. "Gaia, I've seen…"
 
The feminine voice interrupted once more. "I have as well, Marcus. We know the path. You have seen it. Veer from what you see, and you risk sacrificing everything. You put Derrick and Oliver in even greater danger. I find that unacceptable."
 
Marcus nodded. "I do too. Will you forgive me, Gaia?"
 
A laugh floated on the wind like rustling aspen leaves in autumn. "In time. I always forgive my family in time. Ask the Old Wolf."
 
Will smiled. "She doesn't hold a grudge forever, but I suggest once you've made the merge, you find another world to recuperate on."
 
Marcus nodded again. "For how long?" 
 
"When the highland has returned, you may too," Gaia replied.
 
Marcus saw the decimated highland in his mind. "I'm going to miss Terra," he groaned unhappily.
  
Chapter 22

Three figures stood alone on the highland, waiting. "I'm not exactly thrilled with this idea, gentlemen," the polar bear said. 
 
"Ain't like I'se champing at the bit to get at it none," Oliver groused.
 
"Look, you two," Derrick sighed. "One last time. I want to be rid of this power, and Marcus says the merger will do that."
 
"And you all see that merging as something that blows the top off of this mountain," the bear protested.
 
"Yeah," the glowing wolf agreed. "But while we can't see anything of what happens through that explosion, we all know that we come out of it alive. So, cowboy up, and let's get this done."
 
Eric looked down at Derrick. "Cowboy up?"
 
Derrick smiled. "I may be spending a bit too much time with the ranch hands on their days off."
 
The polar bear smiled. "I guess I need to get home a bit more frequently. I'm sorry work has kept me in New York for so long."
 
"It's okay, Old Bear," Oliver replied. "Them ranch hands is way happier now that Derrick visits with them. Jean Pierre sez he might just hire the pup as cruise director on the Love Boat. He keeps up morale right good." 
 
The polar bear leaned over and kissed the luminescent wolf. "Save me a cabin on your next cruise, Julie," he said with a snicker.
 
"This is why getting blown up seems somehow easier than being with you two," Derrick groaned.
 
Before Oliver or Eric could make a rebuttal, Marcus and Kendal were standing next to the three. The glimmer on the corner of their vision was there as well. Eric took no time getting to the point. "We're here men. Did you figure out a way to merge and lift those powers off my husband's shoulders?"
 
Marcus nodded. "We're pretty sure this is going to work."
 
The glowering face of the polar bear told Kendal it was time to intercede on his husband's behalf. "It will work, Eric. But we need our two glowing family members to do exactly what they're told, exactly when they're told to do it." The Newfoundland wolf squatted slightly in front of Derrick. "We're clan, Wolfy. You listen to me, and when I tell you to, you charge yourself up with everything you've got and you grab onto the paw of that badger husband of yours. That will form the link between the Blue clan and the Channeler. He'll transfer out the powers from the two of you into us, but it will be you that keeps this from falling into chaos. That's why we're here today, Wolfy. You and me; we keep this family safe." 
 
The Newfoundland wolf squatted deeper and pivoted toward the badger. "You power up right away, Oliver. Find everything inside you that wasn't what the two of you were before. You take that power and you channel it into us. When that transfer is complete, you take everything Gaia and Eric give you and you use it to create a barrier. You understand?"
 
"Ain't rocket science," the badger replied.
 
Kendal smiled. "No, it's way more complex. But you have a gift, Oliver. Use it to protect your family."
 
"I always does," Oliver said. His head bowed and his feet made a tiny circle in the grass. "Didn't rightly get much time with you after the marriage to say goodbye, Kendal."
 
Kendal nodded. "I know, Oliver. I'm sorry."
 
"You ain't coming back, is you?"
 
"Not exactly. I think the family is going to get its second bear-wolf."
 
"You'll be right purty. What is I gonna call you?"
 
"For now, let's say we stick with Marcus. That should make life easier."
 
"I'se gonna miss you, Kendal. I ain't no good at saying goodbye to the ones I loves."
 
"Me either," the wolf replied. He pulled the badger into a hug. "Stand by him, Oliver," the Newfoundland wolf whispered. "He's going to need you."
 
"Ain't never leaving him," Oliver whispered back. "You does the same for the man you love."
 
Kendal let go of the hug. "I will," he promised. 
 
With one last pivot, the wolf stood up in front of the polar bear. "Why is it that every time I'm with you, I want to say Papa instead of Eric?"
 
The white bear smiled. "I guess I'm lucky that way, Son." He held out his arms. 
 
Kendal leapt into the hug. "For an orphan, life has blessed me with so many fathers."
 
"I am honored you think of me as one of them," the bear said, tightening the hug.
 
"You take good care of Wolfy, Papa. You need the Blue clan in your life. But he is so much more than that. He's a miracle," the wolf whispered. "He loves you more than any of us can understand. One day, he will need that love to find his way home. Save one, save us all."
 
"He means everything to me," the old bear replied. 
 
Kendal turned back to his two traveling companions. "Well, Bear, do you want to say your goodbyes now, or wait to say hello to them all when we return?"
 
Marcus waved awkwardly. "I'm really sorry for what's about to happen."
 
Kendal put his arm around the bear. "Me too. We love you all. But for the love of Terra, when I tell you to do something, will you, for once in your stubborn lives, just do it without asking why?"
 
"Why woulds we do that?" the badger answered with a smile. He waved at the three. "Go on. Does what you gots to do. Try not to kill us all."
 
The glimmer on the cusp of their vision grew brighter. "So, this is family?" he asked without a word spoken. "I have so much to learn. Prepare yourself. The three of us have committed to this path. We will not back down once it has started."
 
The polar bear leaned back. "I'm glad you're as committed to this as we are. Come on. Let's get this over with."
 
"For us," Marcus said with an awkward grin, "this is the beginning."
 
The polar bear reached out and pulled the Asian bear in close. "Kiss me goodbye, Marcus. And be ready to kiss the Old Wolf hello when you return." 
 
The black bear leaned up into the kiss. When it ended, he smiled. "Is it awkward for anyone else to be starting this with a hard-on?"
 
"Not for me," the polar bear replied as he thumped his erection.
 
"I'm good," the badger replied. "I'se hard just watching you two. Bears kissing is about the hottest thing ever."
 
"I agree," Derrick said with a laugh. He rubbed his crotch. "I'm kind of good feeling like this before the second big bang I've been involved in this year."
 
Kendal wrapped his arms around his bear mate and the bright blue glow swept over him. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Husband. You, me, a couple of hard-ons. This is the way I want to remember this day."
 
Marcus laughed. "I love you all so much." 
 
The glimmer surrounded the Asiatic bear and the Newfoundland wolf. As the light intensified, Oliver yelled over the increasing din. "Hang on tight, Pup. When Marcus calls for it, I'll give back to him what's his." The badger looked up at the polar bear. "And you, Old Bear… when Kendal tells you to give it all you gots, he don't mean 'all in', we clear? You tries to drain yourself over this and I will hurts you."
 
Eric smiled at his husband. "I understand, Oliver. Just enough to keep us out of the hospital, okay?"
 
"That would be right nice, Old Bear," the badger replied. "And if'n you keep that boner of yours, I gots dibs on it afterwards. Ain't no bastard wolf to complain about it today."
 
Derrick waved his paw. "There's one wolf that's going to complain."
 
The light had been growing, and with it, the whirling noise intensified. "Okay Oliver," the glimmer said. "Time to start the transfer. Don't try to give me the power. Let me take it. When I sense my powers have returned, I'll stop. What remains inside of you should be the powers you once had. You'll need them to protect your family. Don't let any of it loose. Unattached powers are extremely dangerous. Whatever I don't take, you two hold on to."
 
Kendal spoke up. "When glimmer-boy here gets fully recharged, the merge is going to take place. I'll yell, 'Shields up.' Eric and Gaia, you dump everything you have into Oliver. Oliver, you make a shield around the four of you. You protect yourselves. Are we all clear?" 
 
The collective nod told everyone what they needed to know. Derrick concentrated his power into his glowing paw. "You ready, Pup?" Oliver asked. "Lets me take the power from you just how that glitter critter is going to take it from me. I'se sorry, Pup. I know you don'ts like them powers any more than I does, but I'se got to leave in you what ain't mine."
 
The glowing wolf shook his blue paw. "You sure you don't want me to hold your balls like Will did?" Derrick asked.
 
"Kind of risky, Pup," Oliver replied. "Don't wants to fry them."
 
The glowing wolf held out his paw, and the badger grabbed it. Barely able to look at the increasing brightness of the white light, Oliver yelled, "Take it back, Critter!" 
 
It was only a matter of seconds before the four family members heard Kendal yell, "Shields up!"
 
The surge of energy from Gaia and Eric forced its way into the body of the glowing badger and his hand thrust outward. The blue-green shield spun around the three above ground and the one below. When the blinding white light slammed against it, Oliver pushed back. As soon as it had begun, it was over. The bear, the wolf, the glimmering light, and the highland were gone. 
 
In place of the highland was a burning rock quarry with a cliff two hundred yards in the distance. The crag was glowing red and yellow as smoke belched from the burning rock. Steam and black smoke billowed up from the ground, and from the crest of the cliff, molten rock spilled over the side like so many fiery waterfalls. Occasional sparks of light would cleave off the cliff face and fall as glowing boulders on the ground below. Pools of magma pushed up through the rocky surface of the highland and bled out into the rocky debris. The only description worthy of what they saw escaped from Derrick's lips. "This is Hell."
 
Eric looked at the surrounding desolation. "This is so much worse than the first time."
 
"Tweren't all that bad," Oliver said. "I means it's ugly and all, but it didn't take nuthin' to protect
 you three. Not with you all helping out."
 
"Gaia? Are you okay?" Derrick asked.
 
"I'm fine," the voice soft as spring rain whispered. "And how are you all?"
 
"We seem to be intact," Eric replied as he looked down at his feet. The only remaining grass on the highland surrounded them in a ten-foot radius. 
 
"I'se holdin' up a shield still," Oliver said. "The heat out there would toast a frog. You bests find somewhere safer to stay for a time, Gaia. We can take care of this once we gets a look and sees what we gots to deal with."
 
"That would seem prudent," the voice replied as the wind moved through the three and was gone.
 
Eric looked at his husbands. "I hate to point this out, but you two are still glowing."
 
The badger and the wolf looked at each other. "FUCK!" the badger yelled. "They said this was gonna fix us." Oliver stamped his foot down, and the ground lurched as a shock wave pushed outward. The ground rolled like a shaken blanket until it hit the edge of the torn mountain. 
 
"Don't worry, Oliver. I'm sure when they get back home we'll sort this all out," the polar bear said, staring at the two.
 
Oliver looked down at his glowing body. When a white spark of lightning danced across his fist, he growled. "Damn it, you three," he mumbled. "You'se lucky you'se family, else I'd have your hides."
 
Derrick continued to stare at his glowing blue body. "At least it's not that awful white," he said. He looked up to stare into the eyes of the white badger. "Oh shoot, I'm sorry, Oliver. I didn't mean it. I was trying to find something good to say about what happened…" he paused. "… or what didn't happen," he said sadly.
 
Oliver looked up at the sad wolf. "Don't you go worrying, Pup," he said. "Everything is gonna be fine." He turned away from the two and watched as another bolt of light arced across his fist. "Fuck," he mumbled under his breath, hoping no one saw or heard him.
    
Chapter 23
  
"We've got incoming," Derrick said, pointing up toward the billowing steam clouds that melded into the rain. The Red Wolf pushed through the clouds and hovered above the surface where the glade once was. The aircraft lowered the cargo ramp close to the three standing in a circle of brown, dead grass. It maintained the precarious float steady while the three made the jump and quickly boarded. 
 
As Eric strapped himself to his chair, he looked at the two red wolf pilots. "Get us out of here, Sons. Gaia has already taken up residency elsewhere. Let's not test the shields of the Red Wolf any longer than we have to."
 
"I'm not sure how you all survived," Tuff said as his hands flashed over the controls. "The highland is gone. What's below us is akin to what happened to Mt. Hood back in twenty-one fifty-eight. I guess we're lucky that Kris's protections are in place because there's not been a single report of any volcanic eruption. Apparently, the human world doesn't even notice a change in their mountain view. But the mountain suffered a major flank collapse. I guess we should expect a volcano to act this way when we take off its top." 
 
The family looked out through the windows as the Red Wolf pivoted. Moments before the assent into the sky, they stared at the smoldering mountain still glowing red hot. The newly born volcano continued discharging lava up through its core. It spilled out from the cracks and fissures lining the deep crater. In seconds, the steam from the rain falling on the molten rock obscured everything and blended with the clouds as the airship rocketed into the sky.
 
"Noboru has insisted that we drop Oliver and Derrick off at the temple," Tiff said as he turned his chair toward the bear, wolf, and badger.
 
"It will be great to visit him, but did he give a reason for insisting?" Derrick asked.
 
"Something about starting your training."
 
Derrick let out a long, apprehensive sigh. "I don't like the sound of that," he groaned.
 
Oliver nudged the black wolf. "Don'ts worry, Pup. Just sez that you wants the training that involves lots of sex. Them temple dogs are right skillful at teaching what we needs to learn while making us come in ways you ain't even thought of yet."
 
Derrick laughed. "Okay, Badger," he said, "I'll try to keep a happy thought."
 
"It's on our way," Tiff said with a smile. "We'll drop you off."
 
"And where am I headed?" the polar bear asked.
 
"Glad you asked, Papa," Tiff said with a smile. "There's an old wolf and an alpha that have been worried sick about you all day. It's time you go home and soothe some very troubled minds."
 
Oliver nudged the polar bear on his opposite side. "Asks them if they needs soothing that involves lots of sex. Them two wolves together can gives temple dogs a run for their money." 
 
Eric looked at the badger in the seat next to him. "So, if I understand you, the answer to this whole day is to ask whoever we meet next to engage in sex with us?"
 
"Sounds about right, Old Bear," Oliver said with a smile. "It's been a bad day all around. I just wants something to go right. Being in the arms of my family, feeling them shoving themselves inside me, is about as good as it ever gets. So tonight, we needs ourselves some of that good rubbing up against us."
 
The polar bear shrugged his shoulders. "Point taken, Oliver. I think I'll follow your advice. Are the rest of our husbands in Montana?"
 
"Pacing right alongside our fathers," Tiff said as he turned back toward the controls. "You're going to be a busy man calming everyone down tonight, Papa." 
 
"So it would appear," Eric replied as he leaned back in his chair, watching the sunrise over China. He squeezed the hand of the little badger next to him. "I'm going to miss you two," he whispered. 
 
"We's gonna be home in no time, Old Bear," Oliver said consolingly. "You gots a whole ranch full of men that loves you. Stay with the good, and lets us take care of each other."
 
"It's getting harder to find that good, Oliver," the bear replied sadly. 
 
"I knows what you means, Old Bear," the badger agreed. "But that's why we has each other. When we can'ts find that good, we's gotta find a way to make it together."
 
The badger felt his hand squeezed tighter. "I love you, Oliver," Eric said.
 
"And I loves you, Old Bear. Now and forever."
 
"Me, too," the black wolf that was no longer black said.
 
Eric closed his eyes. "Stay with the good," he mumbled to himself, trying hard to believe he could.
  
Chapter 24
  
Derrick woke up to the comfort of an arm wrapped around him. A firm, furry belly and stiff erection pressed in close. His arm wrapped around Oliver, and all seemed right until he realized the arm wrapped around him was a golden one. The arm pulled him in tightly. "Do not worry, Little One," Noboru whispered. "The familiar arms that hold you will soon do so again."
 
"I'm sorry, Noboru," the glowing wolf whispered back. "I love your touch. It's just that I'm used to seeing other arms when I wake up."
 
"And sensing a different erection pressed up against your beautiful bottom," Noboru said with a gentle shake. "I understand that. I will return you to your husbands as soon as we finish our training."
 
The badger stirred. "What is you training us to do, Dog?"
 
"To control your chi."
 
"Like we does in tai chi class?"
 
"In many respects, yes," the dog said as he hefted himself upright. "But if I understand your request last night correctly, your training is to involve a great deal more sex than we practice in tai chi."
 
"That woulds be nice," Oliver said with a snicker. "We don'ts get to play with you near as much as we once did, Dog."
 
Derrick nodded as he pushed himself up into a seated position on the bed. "That's true, Noboru. I don't want you ever to think I'm not thrilled to sleep with you. I always wake up sleepy-headed. Suddenly, that familiar body behind me turns out not to be so familiar. It's a bit of a shock, but certainly not a disappointment."
 
Peng rose behind Noboru. "We are fortunate that all our brothers are identical. The feeling of our morning erections never comes as a surprise to us, only a pleasant awakening."
 
"So why is we learning to control our chi?" the badger asked the two dogs smiling at him.
 
"To dim the lights, so our sleep can be uninterrupted, Oliver," Noboru said.
 
"You're going to help us get rid of the light?" Derrick asked happily.
 
"We cannot get rid of that which is intrinsically you, Pup," Noboru replied. "But we can help teach you how to control it."
 
"But it ain't like you gots any experience glowing, Dog," Oliver said.
 
The dog bowed and, with a slight shake, his body began glowing a warm yellow that eventually turned to bright red. Just as quickly as the light appeared, it receded back into his fur.
 
Oliver shook his head in confusion. "You never done that before," he said.
 
"It was never needful," Noboru said with a smile. "There is much about us you are unaware of, Oliver."
 
"Is you ever gonna tell us it all?" the badger pushed.
 
"Which is more important, Oliver; the sex that will teach you to control how your light manifests or teaching you all that we are?"
 
Oliver laughed. "You knows I'se never gonna say anything is more important to me than having sex with you dogs. I'se never said no to you."
 
"And that is why I phrased my question as I did," Noboru said with another slight bow of his head. "I have never seen a great need to know all there is about my family. Beyond how much I love them, there are mysteries I do not care to explore. Everything reveals itself when it is needful. Today, the goal is helping you two harness the energy within you so that it does not disturb you or others."
 
"How is you going to do that?"
 
"By a lesson taught to me years ago by my sensei," Noboru said as he reached out and pulled the badger close to him.
 
"And by the same lesson taught to me years ago by my shifu," Peng said as he brought the glowing wolf into his embrace. "Today, we teach you how to control the body with an ancient art known as edging."
 
Oliver's eyes widened, and a smile spread across his face. "Like Li Wei taught the old wolf?"
 
"We have had many years of experience since those days to hone our skills, Little One," Noboru replied. "But yes, the master that taught Li Wei taught us." 
 
Peng pulled up on the black wolf that was no longer black, and gently lowered the wolf onto his swollen gold cock until it was deep inside the wolf. Derrick gave a happy groan, losing himself in the pleasures of penetration by the dog. "Lean back, Little One," Peng commanded, and Derrick willingly complied. Peng leaned over in a manner that made both Derrick and Oliver wonder if the dog even had a backbone as Peng took the wolf's cock in his mouth. The gentle bobbing began, and the young wolf whimpered in ecstasy. 
 
Noboru rolled over, exposing his broad butt to the badger. "Take me, Oliver," he commanded. With a shake, the werebadger eagerly obliged the dog. He sped toward his first orgasm of the day. But at the moment his high-pitched scream heralded his orgasm, the badger felt the sphincter muscles of the dog below clamp down tightly on his cock. The pressure remained until the orgasm slowly retreated to a warm, pleasant sensation deep inside. 
 
Oliver stood locked inside the temple dog. His arms leaned up against the butt as he panted. "Again, Badger," the dog commanded. The dog's tissue around the badger's cock softened and became once again warm and inviting. Oliver thrust himself into the dog, now even more eager for the orgasm that had eluded him.
 
Oliver knew what he wanted, and he realized what his sensei would let him have. Beside him, Oliver saw the young pup breathing past his first postponed orgasm. He watched as the tight fist of the temple dog clamped around the swollen wolf's cock relax. Derrick knew what he wanted, and he realized what his shifu would let him have. Somewhere in the middle, Oliver and Derrick both realized the lessons for the day had begun.
 
Two days later, the badger and the wolf forced the light back into themselves with tightly closed eyes and clamped jaws. "Well done, Little Ones," Noboru said with a smile. "We were confident that you had it in you."
 
Peng pushed himself even deeper into the black wolf. "And now, with your permission, we will take it out of you." The golden paw released its hold on the young wolf, and Noboru opened himself to the badger. As the temple dogs listened to the two's orgasmic howls, they smiled and let their shared orgasm take them to the same place their pupils had gone.
  
  Chapter 25
    
The Red Wolf slowed as it descended through the clouds. Derrick fidgeted anxiously. Oliver looked up at him and rubbed his arm. "Why's you worrying, Pup? You know she loves you. She ain't gonna do nothing to you that's gonna hurt you."

"I get that, Badger," Derrick replied. "It's what she's going to ask me to do."

"She is adamant about your training," the polar bear on the young wolf's other side interjected. "The temple dogs have taught you two how to control the light of your powers manifesting. Now Gaia is looking to help you control the actual powers. I'm aware you don't like the idea of your powers, Pup, but Gaia says it's time for you to embrace them."

"I already did that once on the Day of Transformation," Derrick protested. "Isn't that good enough?"

Eric laughed and put his arm around the black wolf. "Pup, we all have our gifts. The ones you have now seem to be much greater than those that existed on that day. You and Oliver both realize you're not the same husbands on this side of the universe that you were before. You changed. And Gaia is right. There's more to controlling your powers than being able to turn off the night light." 

Kris rubbed the young wolf's leg from across the aisle. "There is more in play here than ever before, Pup. Gaia is determined to help you with what she understands of your powers. One day, if you understand the powers of the Blue clan, you might more easily adapt to the powers that are beyond her scope."

"How is training me supposed to help with powers I don't even know I have?" the young wolf asked the group.

Will answered the young wolf's question. "The same way training Donovan and Marcus together helped them join with the other four when it came time." He turned toward his bear husbands. "Yeah, I realize none of this makes any sense to you, but Derrick knows what I'm talking about. It's old universe stuff." Will turned back to Derrick. "By understanding how to work together as a team, Marcus and Donovan could embrace the far more daunting task of merging the six into one. None of us possess powers that manifest in only one way, but if we understand how to use them on one level, it frees us up to learn how to use them on another."

"I don't have any memory of that universe, Pup," Donovan said, "but I agree with what the old wolf is saying. We train during times of calm so that when we need our skills in moments of confusion, they become a natural extension of who we are."

"The husbands have spoken," Eric said with another gentle squeeze of the black wolf's shoulder. 

Derrick dropped his head into his paws. "Papa Bear, I don't want any of this."

"None of us do, Pup. Let Gaia help you make peace with the parts you can. The members of the Blue clan are builders. There is so much good you can do with the powers you were given. You've only seen them in crisis. Let Gaia show you how beautiful they are in moments of peace."

"You really think that's what she's hoping to do?"

Kris leaned forward from his seat again and stroked the wolf's leg. "Remember what the highland was before Marcus and Kendal had their little change? Think back to when you first met Gaia in your universe. She healed the forest we destroyed on our landing. She saved Max's life. Will and the temple dogs tore down the pagoda she was building for her family's return, but she forgave them. Gaia is a protector, a builder. She's like you, Pup. However, she knows the extent of the power she holds and doesn't turn from it. Of all the clans, we revere the builder class for what they do. They bring order from chaos. What a remarkable gift."

Derrick nodded reluctantly. "I guess you're right. There are worse things that you could have given me."

Will turned in his seat from across the aisle. He lifted his paw and it glowed red. "Someone could have saddled you with this, Pup."

Derrick frowned at his wolf husband. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Well, I did," Will replied. "There are indeed worse things you might have, and I should know because they gave one of them to me. Pup, you're Blue clan for a reason. While I'm not one to go all 'cosmic forces in play mode' on you, I agree with Gaia. You need to embrace this part of yourself now while you can learn how to use it during a lull in our lives. You know this family. We're like a magnet for problems. Hone your skills while you can. They'll be called on soon enough."

"I hate the Sight, too," Derrick said with a sigh. 

"Me, too, Pup," the old wolf replied. "But it's who we are. We are the first line between our family and everything bad out there," the wolf said with a wave of his paw upward. "We protect our family and we use any tool we possess to do it."

Derrick nodded. "I guess so."

"And our tool, Gentlemen," Tiff said as he dropped the boarding ramp lever, "is the Red Wolf. Which needs to be in Belgium in forty minutes, so if I can get you all out of this rig, I would be grateful."

"Drop the cargo bay ramp, Son, and we'll be out even faster," the polar bear replied as he rose from his chair.

"Done, Papa," Tuff said with a smile back at the others from his captain's chair. His hands moved over the control panel, and the passengers heard the cargo bay doors open. Once the family had exited the airship, they watched it rise into the sky and disappear into the thick layer of clouds.

"So now what does we do?" Oliver asked. "Ain't like there's somewhere for us to go. Marcus blasted the dogs' home all to hell, and our cave ain't nothing no more. Ain't nothing here but rock and dirt. We ain't even got neighbors. The dogs are living in New Zealand with their dragons now."

"I guess we wait for Gaia to tell us what to do," Eric answered. "She seems to have healed the highland enough that we're not burning up on it now. My guess is whatever we're in for starts today. She's not one to postpone things." 

"Well, it may start today, but I think we're going to be here for a time," Kris said with a smile. "You all packed for an overnight stay. I packed for what Gaia really intended."

"Okay, Husband," the polar bear said, staring at the Kodiak. "What's in that box you brought?"

Kris picked up the large wooden box and threw it up on his shoulder. "You'll see soon enough." He looked out on the flat plain of rock peppered with larger stones near the cliff face. "Where can we put this old friend?" With a nod, he headed out into what was once the glade. 

"Come along, husbands," Kris said, "time for our adventure to begin. Step lively. This ground is still healing. Our volcano is dormant once more. The only remaining mystery is what does the fat bear with the 'oh so cute ass' have in his box?" He turned back and grinned at the husbands on the landing rock. "We're already familiar with what he has in his basket, so let's find out what's on his shoulders."

The others tentatively put their feet out on the blackened soil, wondering if it was still hot. "How does he do that?" Derrick asked. 

"How does he do what?" Will replied with another question. 

"He keeps us from seeing things. We have the Sight, but he can block it when he wants to."

"I don't block it, Pup," the brown bear said as he walked away from the group. "I just fill my mind with gibberish in front of what I don't want you peeking at."

"If that worked, Bear," Oliver said as he began waddling toward Kris, "I'd never see nothing of the Sight. My head is full of gibberish all the time."

"That's why you remain a mystery to me," Kris said as he reached down and scooped up the badger, placing him on his free shoulder. "I am always amazed at how much I love you."

Oliver laughed and hugged the gigantic bear's neck. "And I loves you, Bear. So what's really in the box?"

"That you will see in a moment."

"You knows only the old wolf likes surprises, right?"

Kris laughed. "Then I will put it here," he said as he leaned over, dropping the box and the badger to the ground. 

The wooden crate hit the dry earth with a dull thud. With a swift kick from the bear's foot, the sides of the box fell away. Inside, there appeared to be a mass of fabric bundled up. The Kodiak took the splayed box and threw it yards away. He reached into the fabric, pulled out a cord with a handle attached, yanked the ripcord, and stepped back, pulling the badger with him. 

"The R&D U.S. Natural Disaster Team proudly presents…" the bear said, extending his arms outward as the fabric twisted as it grew. The family watched as the fabric unfolded into a large tent. There was a low hum from the tent as it continued to shift into its final configuration. "The base is air-filled," Kris said. "It means the entire twenty by ten feet interior can act as a mattress for its inhabitants. And with a minimal slope configuration, even I can stand up in the middle without bumping my head."

Will stared at the tent as it drove its stakes into the ground. "Impressive. How come I don't remember this coming across my desk at some point?"

Kris gave the tent a shove, and it didn't budge. "Because your memory isn't as good as you think it is, Old Wolf. You signed off on portable temporary housing over thirty years ago. Remember the flooding down in the Amazon? Ten thousand units went out to house the flood victims, and we have used them around the world ever since."

"I remember those, Bear," Will replied. "But they were eight by ten, six-foot high dome units, and the inflated floor could only hold seven hundred pounds."

"I talked to the team and asked them to retool the tent to meet my requested specifications."

Derrick laughed. "To hold you and five husbands safely while you sleep together?"

"Yep." Kris kicked the tent. "And to stand up to a bit of roughhousing. We're not always tired at the end of the day."

Will shrugged. "It's a pretty remarkable piece of work. I will need to tell the U.S. team that I'm impressed."

"Well, they still haven't figured out how to get it to fold back into that two-by-six-foot box once we're done with it, so don't go getting too impressed."

Will laughed. "That's always been the way of tents. I'm grateful for a bed to sleep on tonight."

"Want to go try it out?" Kris said with a leering smile toward the wolf.

"It can really stand up to the five of us doing more than sleeping on it?"

"They said it can."

"Well, Eric and I are ultimately responsible for product quality," Will said, staring at the open door of the tent. "It would be a shame to let this get into full production without testing its limits."

The Kodiak's arm waved toward the open door. "All those who are applying for the quality control position are now welcome."

All the family save Derrick moved toward the door. The family immediately noticed the reluctance and turned toward the wolf standing with his suitcase in hand. "Pup?" Eric asked.

"You all go ahead. If it's okay with you, I'm going to wander around a bit."

"It's all the same rock and dirt everywhere for a thousand yards, Pup," the polar bear replied.

"I realize that, Papa Bear," Derrick replied. "But is it okay if I ask for a bit of alone time?"

The white bear turned around and, with two steps, pulled the wolf in close. "Of course, Pup. We're only a ComLink call away if you need us."

Derrick looked up into the polar bear's dark eyes. "And I know where I can find you for at least the next six hours if you don't break the tent first."

Derrick felt the Iberian wolf's arms encircle him from behind. "There is that," Will said. "Try not to fixate on the unknown, Pup. It's like that tent. What's coming will unfold soon enough."

Derrick gave a sad little chuckle. "You know me too well, Old Wolf. I'm going to go sketch for a bit. It helps calm me."

Will pulled Derrick in tight. "I love you, Pup. We all do. Don't lose sight of that."

"I never do," the black wolf with blue highlights answered. "I just need a bit of time alone."

"Okay, Pup," Will said, letting the young wolf go. "We'll save you a bit of badger in case you get hungry later on."

"Mostly we's gonna save my dick," Oliver said, smiling at the black wolf. "'Cause I knows what parts you like to eat."

"I'll be back soon," Derrick said with a small wave. "You all enjoy yourselves."

"We will, Pup," Kris replied. "You hurry back and join us when you sort it all out."

"I will, Bear. I promise."

"Then I'm good," the Kodiak said as he bobbed his head down and slipped through the door. "OLD WOLF!" he bellowed. "I have a hard-on starting here, and the need for a bottom with skills."

Will looked at Derrick and pointed toward the door. "Pup… you know… want to be supportive and all, but… Bear… bear with a monster-sized dick who wants a bottom."

Derrick laughed out loud. "I love you all. Go have fun. I'll be okay."

When at last Derrick found a rock that he could sit on, he stared out at the desolation and shook his head. "They didn't mean to do it, Gaia, but they can't merge without making a mess of everything. There is so much power in play that they can't contain it all."

A quiet wind blowing dust into a funnel in the distance was the only response. Derrick opened his suitcase and took out his drawing tablet. He started sketching. Quick strokes soon formed the hole in the crag that led to the cave that once was on the highland. The creek, with its little cascade above the pond, took shape. 

Bit by bit, the highland of before came alive again on the paper. Derrick drew the figure of a woman looking down over the highland. His colored pencils came out, and the sketch took on depth and form. The blues of the sky melded with the pale blue flesh of the woman, and sunlight radiating off tree leaves cast a reflective glow back onto her skin.

"Is that the way you see me?" the young wolf heard a voice ask. He looked up, and no one was there.

"I've drawn a portrait of everyone else in our family. I don't have any idea what you look like. But it's hard for me to talk to people I can't even see. It sometimes helps me to create an image in my mind."

"I understand that," Derrick heard a voice say next to him. He turned to see a woman with translucent blue skin. "I think if it were me, I would give me hair. Bald women are so nineteen eighties Sci-Fi don't you think?"

Derrick laughed uncomfortably. "I guess so. What kind of hair do you like?" he asked the bald woman.

The flowing hair around the woman was a pale blue-green with hints of yellow when the sun showed through it. It moved in slow motion around the woman as if underwater, never settling into one style or configuration. It was almost like watching a waterfall that never fell but simply stayed in motion. She shook back her head. "Lots of long hair," she said with a laugh, "all the way to my waist."

"I could draw you something to wear," Derrick said, looking away from the woman when he realized he hadn't sketched clothes on his figure.

"Really?" the woman questioned. "I think I'm rather winsome this way. Although, you left off the nipples on my breasts. I suspect that's because they make you uncomfortable."

"Yeah, a lot," Derrick said, squirming.

"You have a very complicated history with women, don't you, Pup?"

"I don't like to talk about it."

"Then let's talk about something else," the woman said. She tossed her head and in her place was a handsome blue-haired man with skin that let the sunlight shine through. "Would this make you more comfortable?"

Derrick shook his head. "Actually, no," he replied shyly. "I don't want you ever to be anything but what you want to be. You're Gaia. You're a woman."

"Truth be told, I'm an asexual gummy slug, just like my family," Gaia said with a smile. She shifted and was once more the translucent woman with flowing hair that covered her breasts. "But we are going to work together. We need to find a way you and I can communicate without it causing you distress."

Derrick stared at the woman and watched a world of color moving through her. It was the waterfall of her hair flowing down around her body like Multnomah Falls in the Columbia Gorge. It was the bamboo of the Sagano forest and the wildflowers of an alpine meadow in the Swiss Alps. The glow from her hair was the golden grass of the Serengeti plains and the myriad colors of all the creatures of the Amazon rainforest. It was every living thing shifting and changing throughout her body, wrapped in pale blue skin. He turned away, embarrassed that he was staring. "You're beautiful. If we can leave you the way you are, I'll get used to you."

"No nipples?"

"If it's not asking too much."

"Well, there is certainly nothing for me to suckle, so it does me no harm," Gaia said, laughing. Her laughter was the sound of wind through Douglas fir in winter, the rain on the parched desert in summer. It was everything sacred to Derrick. It was the sound of life on Terra. The young wolf still could not glance back, embarrassed by the feelings he seemed unable to control. "Here, how is this?" she asked.

Derrick turned and the beautiful blue woman was wearing what appeared at first to be a jumpsuit of spandex and leather. Derrick recognized the outfit from one of his favorite mid-twenty-first-century video games. The outfit was Janna, Queen of Alteria's combat gear. With a trusted warrior reptile by her side, she vanquished foes wearing an outfit created for flexibility and record sales to teenage boys. It had no sleeves, and the metal studded v-neck showed enough of her cleavage to remind Derrick that Gaia was very much a woman. In the tight-fitting outfit, Gaia's feminine shape was unmistakable. It was also unmistakable that the outfit was an extension of Gaia's own body. There were no real seams, no stitching; only the familiar uniform. Yet somehow, it made Derrick feel less awkward when he looked at her. Derrick smiled shyly. "Thanks. I'm really sorry about this. It sometimes takes me a while to get used to new things."

"I could be the spaceship you saw when we first met. But talking metal and crystals must be more unsettling than this," Gaia said, waving her hand across her body.

Derrick laughed. "Yeah, that's true. Forgive me, Gaia. I hold on to my past more tightly than most. Sometimes that's to my own detriment."

"I understand completely, Pup." Gaia paused. "Is it okay to call you Pup?"

"Yeah. I kind of like that."

"Then, Pup, do you know why I called you here?"

"Papa Bear said it was to help you fix the highland."

"Exactly. We need to repair this land so that my family can return to something more comfortable than that bouncing tent over there."

"Your family?"

Gaia pushed back with disbelief clear on her face. "I have family, Pup. And not just my fellow Changelings. I love Zhuang and Bolin. And I love the black wolf in front of me."

Derrick waved his hands, trying to recant his question. "I know that, Gaia. You've always been there for us. I guess I never thought of you as being actively involved in our day-to-day…" Derrick's voice trailed off. "I'm going to get myself in so much trouble if I don't shut up now."

Gaia reached over and grabbed the young wolf into a hug. "You're fine, Pup. I realize that someone invisible might seem more distant than the one we see in front of us."

"I didn't realize you thought of Zhuang and Bolin as family."

"And the dragons. We have so much in common. They really are very fun to be with once you realize their sense of humor is rather warped."

Derrick chuckled. "There is so much I need to learn, Gaia."

"How about we start today? I would prefer if you were with your husbands, instead of stressing over meeting me."

"Me, too."

Gaia stood up. "You are a member of the Blue clan. The builder class has always stood by the other clans to help bring order to the surrounding confusion. Sometimes it is to build where nothing exists. Other times, as it is now, it is to rebuild that which has fallen."

"I've got no clue how to do any of that."

"But you enjoy drawing and painting."

"That's different."

Gaia shook her head. "It may not be for you. Look at the ground at your feet." Derrick looked down. "I want you to see it clearly in your mind." Derrick nodded his understanding. "Now, close your eyes, Pup." Derrick closed his eyes. "Change the rock, Pup."

Derrick shook his head. "I can't do that."

"Hush there, Pup," the blue woman scolded. "You have no inkling of what you can do. All I want you to do is see a flower growing through the rock and debris. Change one thing. Bring life back to the highland."

Derrick concentrated on the image in his mind. Without his pens and pencils, he sketched a small Oregon iris like those that grew along the sides of the roads where he grew up. On the backdrop of the rocks still held in his imagination, the outline formed, followed by the layering of colors. First, he saw the light purple and white of the flower, the deep purple veins in the petals, and the bright yellow stamen. He followed along the stem to the deep green of the leaves; each, in turn, spread out on the canvas of his mind. "I can see it, but that doesn't mean I can make it, Gaia."

"Open your eyes, Pup," Gaia commanded. 

When his eyes opened, the black wolf looked down at his feet. There, breaking through the hard rock and gravel, was the iris. "But… but…" Derrick blurted out.

"We are done here for today, Pup," Gaia said, putting her finger to the stuttering wolf's lips. "Go play with your husbands. Create something beautiful in that tent of yours."

"Really?"

"Love is the greatest tool we have to build with, Pup. Go; play." Derrick stood up and shook himself into a wolf to let him cross the rugged terrain more easily. "But, Young Wolf," Gaia said as the wolf turned back toward her, "We start very early tomorrow, so make sure you tire out your husbands quickly. You will need your sleep."

The black wolf nodded and, with a pivot, he was racing off toward the bouncing tent.

Chapter 26

Oliver stared at the woman dressed in her futuristic jumpsuit. "Well, you is mighty pretty, that's for sure," the badger said.

"But still a woman," Gaia said.

"Yeah. But you is what you is. We's all gotta be something."

"But no mad, passionate kisses for me, right?"

Oliver squirmed uncomfortably. "Me and Derrick ain't the best for kissing women. We tries really hard to love our womenfolk, but we ain't very good at being touchy-feely with you all."

"So in hundreds of years, you haven't found a way around that?"

"Sorry, Gaia. You knows I loves you."

Gaia laughed, and Oliver heard the world around him come to life. "I am teasing you, Oliver. I would never want you to change. But you will have to get used to the idea that you get a peck on the cheek every day."

"Only one a day?"

"Maybe two on some days. Three on holidays."

"I can live with that."

"Should our practice begin today?"

"I guess we can try one." Oliver's foot made a small circle in the crushed rock that Gaia watched with amusement. 

Gaia leaned over and kissed the cheek of the badger. The small foot repeated the circle, and she smiled. "I think that went splendidly," she said, righting herself. 

"Twern't all that bad for me neither," Oliver said, looking away. After a moment, he turned back toward Gaia. "You'se gonna be good to my husband, right?"

"I'm going to be good. But you see it, Oliver. You understand what is on the line here."

"You gots a funny way of knowing what I sees, Gaia."

"The Sight runs strong in your family. Your husbands have it, I have it…" Gaia paused for dramatic effect. "You have that power, too."

"You knows a bit about old movies, it seems," Oliver said with a smile.

"Better than most Changelings; not as good as Will."

"So what does the Sight show you?"

"That your husband needs to understand how the Blue clan uses their powers."

Oliver turned as he heard the footfall of the wolf. "Morning, Pup," he said.

"Morning, Badger," Derrick said as he leaned down and kissed Oliver.

"Good morning, Pup," Gaia said. She tapped her cheek. "Time for your first challenge." Derrick hesitated and then leaned in and kissed Gaia's cheek. When he stepped back, she smiled. "First lesson learned. The Blue clan knows what the Unity needs and provides for those necessities."

"Kissing is a necessity?" Derrick asked.

"I would say yes, but perhaps not," Gaia said as she turned out toward the highland. "But kissing a woman as a greeting challenges you, and you need to be confident that you can rise to any challenge."

"Okay, I'm good if I start with the small ones first. What do we do with the highland?"

"You heal it. You take the chaos of what looks like a lava flow poured over a rock quarry and restore it to the forest and fields of the highland."

Derrick shook his head. "I might create a flower, but change the whole highland? I doubt that's going to go as smoothly as the kiss on your cheek."

"I will help you as you need it. Today, let's just restore the grass."

"How?"

"The same way you created the iris. See the grass in your mind and let the power of that vision flow out into the world around you."

"That's how you does it?" Oliver asked the blue woman.

Gaia turned to the badger and smiled. "No, Oliver. That's how Pup does it. To each, their gifts. Derrick is not unique among the Blue clan. Max also changes the world around him by seeing the changes in his mind."

"Max and I are doing the same thing?" Derrick asked, surprised.

"Essentially, yes," Gaia responded. "But you and he view things with a different eye. Max sees this world with the mind of a physicist. He paints with mathematics, if you will. He sees the world in terms akin to a computer. Like bits of data on a hard drive, he moves this universe around to form the outcome he sees. He's writing code, but you Pup, you do what everyone has always thought Max does. You are painting a new world from the atoms of the old."

"The flower?" Derrick asked again. 

"Made from the carbon atoms in the rock and the water and nitrogen in the air. Everything that you needed to create the flower surrounds you. You needed only to create the flower in your mind to make it real."

"So the grass? You're saying all I need to do is create it in my mind?"

Gaia smiled. "It's as simple as that." She took the hand of the black wolf and knelt down, pulling the wolf with her. She pushed the paw against the earth. "Feel the earth beneath your paw. Imagine what once was is now returning."

"But this rock," Derrick argued, "it was there before. The trees and grass, burnt into ash."

"The first law of thermodynamics, as you understand it, is that energy can neither be created nor destroyed in a closed system. What was once here is still here. You merely need to see it change from one form to another." Gaia pushed on the paw more firmly. "Find that place inside you, Pup. See the world as it should be and make it so."

A breeze came up, and Oliver turned around to see where it came from. When he realized it was surrounding him, pushing from every direction, he looked back at the two kneeling on the ground. The grass grew up between the fingers of the wolf's paw and spread over the rocky face of the highland. As the grass flowed up and over the rocks that had fallen from the crag, the stones vanished. The rubble seemed to melt back into the flatness that had once been the highland glade. The grass grew outward, heading toward the cliff face. When the grass passed underneath the tent, the movement roused the husbands still asleep.

"What the hell?" Will said, pushing up from the floor. "Are we having a quake?"

"Not quite, Old Wolf," the polar bear replied, pointing out the window of the tent. In front of them was a field of green grass where small flowers began blooming in patches of pink.

"Pup?" Will asked, flipping back his cowlick as he stared out into the meadow in amazement.

"Pup," Eric replied as he stood and pushed his way past the door. In the distance, he watched the three in the center of all the change that surrounded them. "Oh, Gaia," he said, shaking his head. 

The wind that moved around him whispered quietly in his ear. The bear whispered a response. "I know. We realized this might be the outcome. But you see what's happening." 

The bear pushed one paw against his head. "I trust you. Push his limits if you feel the need. But promise me you'll back off if you sense there is no limit. There is something far beyond the Unity that drives Pup's powers." The wind moved around the bear and was gone. Eric looked out over the highland, watching as the grass waving in the wind become still. 

Eric felt the paw of the Kodiak push against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Son. He doesn't deserve this. He deserves a chance to simply be the happy, loving wolf he is."

The polar bear rubbed the paw of the brown bear lovingly. "I hoped the same for him, Dad, but he won't back down. He doesn't even realize the full extent of what's happening, but he won't back down."

"He's our husband. We worry about him because he's young. But there is a part of him that is now older than either of us. We need to trust that he will rise to the challenge."

"He's my Pup, Dad."

Kris nodded. "I know, Son. And you're his Papa Bear. The two of you cemented your relationship the day you met. Nothing is changing there. You will be there for him when he needs you to be." The brown bear leaned in and kissed the white. "And he will be there for you. Now let's go get our husband, shall we? I think Gaia will let us take him out for breakfast."

Eric smiled. "That would be nice."

"Old Wolf… Donovan," Kris yelled back to the tent. "Let's go get our husbands. Walking on the highland appears to be a pleasure again."

The two wolves stepped out from the tent and stared across the grassy field toward the three. "The woman… that would be Gaia?" Will asked for confirmation.

"It would appear so," Kris said. 

"It's a better look for her than the spaceship."

"I'm fond of both," Kris said as he kissed the old wolf. Will kissed Eric and Donovan repeated the morning greetings with the bear husbands. 

"Derrick is glowing again, you know," Will said. "I guess we best get used to that look."

The four began their walk toward the three, and Donovan grabbed the polar bear's paw. "The glow, Husband," he whispered. "It has returned, brighter than before."

"I know," Eric responded.

"It should have waned."

"I know."

"We appear to have a very special wolf as our mate, my love," the Armbruster's wolf said with a sigh.

"I've always known that," the polar bear said, squeezing the wolf's paw tightly. "I guess I never knew to what extent until today."

Chapter 27

Oliver's paw stretched out, and he watched as the grass shifted and a small orange flower pushed up from the soil. "Why, Oliver, you little imp," he heard the feminine voice say from behind.
 
The badger quickly turned. "I didn't mean no harm," he said, thrusting both his paws behind his back.
 
"And no harm was done," Gaia said, kneeling down. "Do I get my kiss?"
 
"I thoughts you kissed me."
 
"That flower, Oliver… that's a game changer. Time to up the ante in our relationship."
 
"Then I ain't making no more things. I think kissing you is about as far as I wants to go."
 
Gaia laughed out loud and Oliver heard the voice of all nature surrounding him. He realized how much he enjoyed making Gaia laugh and hearing the rain and wind move through the sound of her voice. Gaia tapped her cheek. "Right here, Badger."
 
Oliver pushed up on his toes and kissed the cheek. "You won'ts tell no one, will you? I knows how they worry about Pup, and I don't wants them fussing over me."
 
"How easy was that for you?"
 
"Weren't nothing at all. I'se like Pup, only I can'ts paint or nothing. But I just gots to see it in my head and if I wills it hard enough, then it's there."
 
Gaia let her fingers run through her long hair. Her face took on a look of concern. "Oliver, you know Channelers are not supposed to have powers of their own. They're supposed to be mere conduits of other's powers to help focus and blend them."
 
"I knows," the badger replied. "I don't thinks the pup and I are what we was in the before time no more." His paw reached out toward the far side of the field and tree after tree sprung up from the ground. In moments, the open field on the far side had become a forest. It continued to spread all the way to where the creek had returned. But now, instead of bubbling up from the ground, the creek was born on the highland from the dizzying heights of a horsetail fall that plunged into a deep pool below. When the last of the trees sprouted up and hid the creek from view, he turned to Gaia. "We's got powers no man rightly should hold."
 
"Then I am glad you aren't a man, but a badger," Gaia said as she put her hand on Oliver's shoulder.
 
"You knows what I means, Gaia. Pup is shy, and he's kind. He won't never use them powers unless he's pushed. I worry about me. I ain't shy, and I gots me a temper."
 
"Then you will have to be even more diligent in knowing that."
 
"Can'ts you Changelings take it away from me? I remember what I said about protecting my family. I knowed I said I would accept whatever I needed to protect them, but this ain't needful, Gaia."
 
Gaia shook her head, and the flowing hair followed in waves. "We didn't give it to you, Oliver. I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do unless you want me to help you learn how to control it."
 
"I could use me some help."
 
"Perhaps it is time to bring Zhuang and Bolin back."
 
"I could use them two's help as well. And I mights talk to Li Wei. He goes a long ways back in helpin' me."
 
"And your family?"
 
"I could use their help, too. But Gaia, I ain't ready for them all to know."
 
"Then, for a time, the two of us can work alone together. When Zhuang, Bolin, and the dragons return, we will discuss what course of action we take."
 
"I woulds be grateful."
 
"Oliver," Gaia said as she stood up. "Secrets are not always good, even if when we think they're going to make our life easier."
 
"I knows, Gaia. One day, when it's right, I will let everyone know. But I sees the changes in the wolf I loves. And I knows who he is. There is a darkness on the horizon. It's far distant, but what I is can't be a part of fixing it."
 
"And Pup will be?"
 
"He's gots to be, Gaia. You and all of us has gots to prepare the pup to be what he's gotta be. When that day comes, he's gotta be ready. You sees what he is."
 
"Your intercessor?"
 
"Don't like fancy words," Oliver said with a frown.
 
"But you understand them nonetheless, Oliver," Gaia replied. "I used that word because you like hearing the simple word even less."
 
"You'se right," Oliver said. "Don'ts want my pup ever having to be one, but one day he's gonna have to be one because it was what he was born to be. And he gots to know that the power is in him, and he can do what's needful."
 
"And so much more, Oliver," Gaia agreed. "Let him grow into the calling. He needs to find his place among so many powerful husbands. Stand beside him and never let him back down. We all have our callings. Your calling is to be there to push when Pup needs to be pushed. It's simple enough. Your calling is to stay by Pup's side until he grows into the man you and I both see."
 
"And his is to be…" Oliver's voice trailed off.
 
"His is to be your savior."
 
"Don'ts like that word, Gaia," Oliver retorted. "Don'ts like that word at all."
  
Chapter 28
  
Derrick looked out at the forest. "It's beautiful, Gaia," he said happily. "I was worried you were going to make me put up a new forest, but this is even better than anything I could have imagined. There are so many types of trees growing here. I can tell you paid particular attention to making oak trees so that can withstand the temple dogs climbing them."

Oliver looked away, dreading the words Gaia would speak. "You know, that's exactly what I thought when I saw it," Gaia responded. "I looked at it and thought it turned out better than anything I ever imagined." She laughed and rubbed the badger's head. "Sometimes nature is like that. We need to step back and let it take its course."

"Well, the highland is certainly looking better than even before Marcus underwent his change," the black wolf said, staring at the forest. He pushed the badger's shoulder. "What do you think, Oliver? Didn't Gaia do a great job?"

"It all looks nice, Pup," Oliver replied, never looking at the forest.

"So, what do we do now, Gaia?" Derrick asked. "Is my training done?"

Gaia laughed. "Not hardly, Pup. Today we take off the training wheels."

Derrick frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Today, you make a home for your family."

"What? You want me to make caves?"

"If that's what you feel is adequate."

"That's what has always been here."

"Zhuang and Bolin are in New Zealand sharing the temple with their Kiwi brothers. While they do their best to live their lives without a temple, the challenges of that life are not always easy for them."

"I don't know much about their temples, Gaia."

"I understand. Perhaps a simple cave will suffice."

Gaia turned and began walking away. Derrick watched the blue-green hair flowing in the wind that wasn't there. He grumbled a bit and then yelled toward the blue woman. "Okay, I will come up with an idea. How much time do I have?"

"Let's say lunchtime."

"Five hours? That's it?"

"There are always the caves, Pup. I can attest to how simple they are to make."

"Okay, lunchtime. Noon, but not a minute before."

"You're gay, Pup. I hear gay men are late to everything. I realize it's a stereotype, but you can enjoy living up to the stereotype today if it helps."

"It might," Derrick yelled as the receding figure of the beautiful woman disappeared.

"You'se fucked," Oliver said. "Ain't no way you can build them dogs a temple when you don'ts got no clue what's inside of one."

"I'll go ask Papa Bear," Derrick replied. "He's been inside one of them before."

"He was trying to save them dogs in the middle of that temple being blowed up, Pup. He mights not remember much."

Moments later, Derrick stared at his husband with disappointed eyes. "I'm sorry, Pup," the polar bear replied to the query. "It was the middle of a war. In the center of the temple is a meditation room. It's very dark. The rest is more open, but there were so many other things that were on my mind besides admiring the temple dogs' carpentry skills."

Derrick sighed. "Gaia wants me to build a temple for Zhuang and Bolin."

"That's a wonderful idea," Eric said. "Look, call Greg. He has the blueprints of both the Tibetan and New Zealand temples. I'm sure they would be more helpful than anything I could offer you."

"That's a great idea, Pup," Will said, looking up from the grill he had lit. "If the highland is to be a sanctuary, there really should be a temple. The Were Nation has built two for the dogs, take advantage of their experience."

"Even with blueprints, I need to create the actual buildings. Gaia is way more confident about my abilities than I am," Derrick protested.

"Then go give it your best effort and let Gaia help you with the rest. She has a direct link to the one who knows what every building on this planet looks like, you know."

Derrick smiled. "Well, she promised she would help take up the slack where I can't. I can't take any credit for the way the highland forests look."

"Well then, get busy," Kris said as he rose and gave a pat on the black wolf's butt. "You've got a sketchbook and an Internet full of ideas. Find something that will make the highland the sanctuary you think it should be."

Derrick nodded. "I'm going to do just that." He reached down and grabbed his satchel full of art supplies and pushed a small-screened tablet inside. "I'll catch you all later," he said as he ran toward the forest.

"You thinks he cans even get close, Old Bear?" Oliver asked, looking up at Eric.

Eric shook his head and gave a quiet laugh. "I don't know, Oliver. To pull this off, he will not only need to see the temple in his mind, but also understand how they're constructed. He doesn't possess that knowledge."

"He mights be able to wish it so," the badger replied. "He mights not got to see it all that clear for the universe to make it right by what he's thinking."

"I don't think it works that way, Oliver."

"Didn't think of no gigantic oak trees. Just wanted them dogs to have a forest that made them happy."

The polar bear looked down at the badger. "Excuse me? Are we talking about the same thing, Oliver?"

"Maybe nots. I gots to go," Oliver said, turning and running off toward the forest.

Eric shook his head. "I believe we're growing further and further out of this loop, gentlemen."

Donovan looked up and smiled. "Welcome to my world. I'm too new to this family to understand half of the things you are doing. Usually, I sit back and let it wash over me with the hope I'll have a clue by the time it's all over."

"Sounds like the best path to take, Donovan," Kris said. "I've been here awhile, and I'm still scratching my head most of the time." The Kodiak went over to the grill. "What's for lunch, Handsome?"

Will leered at the portly bear. "Pigs in a blanket if you're up for it, Bear."

"Which of us is the pig?"

"All four of us? You heard Pup. He doesn't need to have his project ready until lunchtime. I bet if we play it right, we can give him an extra four hours."

"Pigs in a blanket, huh?" the polar bear said, wrapping his arms around the old wolf. "Who's providing the sausage and who's providing the buns?"

"Your sausage between my buns?" the wolf replied with a plea clear in his voice.

"I never could say no to you, Old Wolf," the polar bear said, biting into the wolf's shoulder. "Come on, Husband; let's give the pup his extra four hours."

The wolf leaned over and turned off the grill. "Brunch is served, husbands. And I'm all you can eat."

Kris laughed as he grabbed the wolf and threw him over his shoulder. "Follow me, husbands," he said as he began walking toward the sound of the creek. "I bet our pond is back, and that nice little patch of soft grass next to it. Let's enjoy ourselves some wolf covered in cream sauce." Happy for the newly reborn forest, the polar bear and Armbruster's wolf followed the two toward the forest.

Hours later, on the other side of the forest, Derrick had finally found the pictures he was looking for online. Oliver sat next to Derrick watching the pictures flip by. "They's real purty, Pup," he said at last.

"I hope they'll be good enough." He dragged them to a folder marked Gaia and waited for her appearance. It wasn't long before the wind picked up around him and the blue woman clad in leather, spandex, and metal studs appeared.

"I guess I'se gonna go now, Pup," Oliver said as he stood up.

"Why, Oliver?" Gaia asked. "Are you afraid I'm going to ask you to kiss me?"

"No, I just knows you gots work to do." The badger leaned over and kissed the wolf. "I wanted to be here for Pup so he wouldn't get all flustered by this."

"Then stay, Oliver. Until Pup doesn't need you."

Derrick looked up at the woman standing above him. "That day will never come, Gaia. I will always need Oliver in my life."

"And that is as it should be," Gaia agreed. She turned to Oliver and smiled. "Stay, Badger. The Pup has need of you."

"Does I gots to kiss you?"

"Only if you want to."

Oliver stared at the woman smiling at him. "I guess it won't do me no harm to be sociable," he said as he pushed up on his toes and kissed Gaia's cheek. Gaia laughed, and Oliver received the reward he had hoped for from his kiss. The fur on the back of his neck stood up with the sensation of hearing the first notes of a symphony beyond beautiful. He sat down beside the black wolf and put his hand on the young wolf's leg.
      
"So, what do you have for me, Pup?" Gaia asked, looking over his shoulder.

Derrick pulled up a larger holographic screen from the tablet and showed her the images. "These are old photos of the temple at Petra. I remember it from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."

"It was beautiful," the voice, soft as dew on moss, said.

"Wasn't it?" Derrick agreed. "I'm sorry they destroyed it in Gulf War Five, but it's only one of so many beautiful buildings I found once I started looking." He flipped through a few more pictures. "I thought at first I would duplicate the temple, but when Greg sent me the layouts of the temples in Tibet and New Zealand, I knew that wouldn't work. I need to create something entirely different."

"You're catching on, Pup," Gaia said with a smile.

"Okay, these are kind of creepy," the young wolf said, pointing to the stone buildings jutting from a rock face. "These are the Lycian tombs, but their roofs got me wondering. They sort of look like pagoda roofs, don't you think? Petra doesn't look very Asian, and the dogs all come from there."

"That's true. But Asia is a large continent. There is China, Japan, Thailand, India, and most of Russia. Even the city of Petra was in Asia if we're talking strict geography." Gaia paused. "There are so many architectural styles you could choose to honor."

Derrick laughed. "That's what I began realizing. There are so many options." Derrick flipped to another picture of a stone building looking out on trees growing up from the rock. "These are the ruins of the Lakhena temple. Isn't it beautiful? I mean, look how open it is. I know it's not exactly carved into the side of the cliff. But with all the boulders around here, couldn't I use them to create something like this as an entryway? It would be a place where the dogs could sit with us without us having to actually enter their temple."

"Keeping their sacred places sacred, but providing a place for family. I like the way you think, Pup," Gaia said, smiling.

"And this," the wolf said, flipping through the pictures once more, "This was one of the Gellert thermal baths in Budapest." Derrick paused, "Or at least what they looked like before the bombs destroyed them in the War of the Continents. The bombing forced the thermal springs that fed the baths underground. With all the rubble still there, all that remains of the area are these photos."

"Terra will return the springs one day, Pup. The people of Budapest have so many more important things to work on."

Derrick nodded. "I know. They didn't fare well in the wars that followed, did they? But the memory of what they once were reminded me that there are thermal springs still dotting this countryside. The volcano is sleeping again thanks to you, Gaia, but those vents must be heating an awful lot of hot water out there."
   
"That's true. I enjoyed knowing the dogs had somewhere to go in the cold of winter." Gaia turned back toward the stone fields and the large cliff face. "Besides, have you seen them when they get out of the water? The way the fur flows around their muscles as the water drains off? It's magnificent."

Derrick's eyes widened. "You can see us all the time?"

"I suppose if I wanted. But why would I want to?"

"But you've seen the dogs naked in the baths," Derrick pressed.

"The dogs are almost always naked, Pup. That's nothing new."

"No, I mean, in the baths. They hardly ever went to the baths without… you know." Derrick's finger slipped through the hole created by two fingers of his other hand and pounded his fist.

"That is true."

"You watched them?"

"No, Pup," Gaia replied, looking askance at the wolf. "If you're implying that I would watch the dogs play surreptitiously, that would be improper."

The black wolf turned away shyly. "I've stumbled in on them a couple of times. It's kind of hot."

Gaia laughed and nature's sounds mingled into music that only the Changeling could sing. "It is that."

"So, you watch them?"

"When they allow it. It's not like I do so without their knowledge. Occasionally, like you, I have stumbled upon them. Oliver has as well, I suspect."

"I admits to it," the badger answered. "T'weren't always an accident by me. Them dogs is fun to watch."

Gaia smiled. "They have always known we are there. They never cease their play because they wish to draw us into it. Have they ever failed in that goal with you, Pup?"

Derrick looked down shyly. "No."

"Or you, Oliver?"

"Ain't never said no to a temple dog," Oliver replied. He looked at Gaia. "But you just watches them?"

Gaia laughed again, and the tingle that spread over the young wolf and badger made pleasurable goose bumps on their flesh. "What makes you think that I have any more willpower than you two? I always joined them because it has always been what they wanted."

"They…" Derrick repeated his hand gesture of circled fingers and probing index finger, "… you?"

Gaia shook and a temple dog stood before the young wolf. "Did you think only your husbands could become dogs?"

"But you'se a lady," Oliver said, confused.

"And I'm a man when it suits me. It always suits me to be a man when I am in hot water with temple dogs."

"But… but you never appeared to any other beasts," Derrick stuttered.

"That you know of, Pup. More happens in this world that surrounds you than you realize." As the temple dog knelt down beside the young wolf, he became the beautiful blue woman again. "I am here in this form because this is what you need me to be. When Kris needed a spaceship, I was that. You feel the Unity, the link that ties you to your family in a far-off solar system, through me. I have always been what others needed me to be because that is all I ever wanted to be."

"It must be nice knowing your place in the universe," Derrick said wistfully.

"You will find yours one day, Pup. I have been alive for billions of years. I am older than all your husbands' years combined. Don't regret the journey because you can't always see where it is taking you."

"Yes, ma'am," Derrick said, looking down.

"Ma'am? You called me ma'am?" Gaia asked indignantly.

"I was raised to be polite. Sometimes it comes out sounding wrong."

Gaia hugged the wolf and laughed. "Oh, I love you, Pup. Of all our family, you are the most innocent."

"Yeah," Derrick said dejectedly. "I've noticed. But the word naive is more apt. Or just plain ignorant."

Gaia shook the wolf. "Nonsense. None of those words fit." She paused contemplating the words once more. "Well, naive might be accurate, but I never saw naivete as a bad thing. You're also inquisitive. Over the years that often changes the nature of naivete."

"But not knowing stuff makes it tougher for me to do what you ask of me, Gaia. Look at my pictures. I started with an idea from a movie I watched. I knew next to nothing about any of these places. It's what the search engine showed me. I can't pronounce half of the temple names I bookmarked."

"So?"

"You could ask Kris or Eric to do this job and they would have had those names at their fingertips. Well, any Changeling, for that matter. You all have encyclopedias for brains."

"I like what you found. You showed initiative, and that means a great deal. Besides, I also like what I see inside your head."

"It's a jumble of buildings. I can't even seem to sketch out what it is in my mind. It's more complicated than my drawing skills are up to."

"Architectural renderings aren't easy. But if you're willing to work with me, I'd like you to try something."

"Sure," Derrick said. "I'm willing to try, but you'll be there to help with the rough spots, right?"

"I am by your side through all of this, Pup. I will not let you fail. That isn't the goal. The goal is to make our brother dogs a new home and a new temple to return to."

"I kind of wanted to add new apartments for visitors, too," Derrick said, pointing toward the face of the cliff where the cave once was. "We need a place to stay that doesn't impose on Zhuang and Bolin."

"Or the dragons," Gaia said, pointing to the forest. "They have their forest in place and they will be happy to share it with you, but as their day ends, they need a place to rest as well."

"Do they sleep in caves?"

"In summer, they sleep in cathedrals of arching trees and mossy floors. In winter, they seek warmth. However, they really need a place where no one ventures without an invitation."

"Like a clearing surrounded by a wall with those huge strangler figs. Their massive roots intertwine along the old temples," Derrick said as he flipped through his pictures. He stopped on one. "Like this, only bigger for the dragons to walk through. It wouldn't even need to be a door or an actual wall; it could be the trees growing together like the pagoda once was. And the trees could form a canopy to cover them."

"It sounds beautiful," Gaia said, smiling. "But don't forget, this isn't a tropical rainforest. Strangler figs won't grow here."

"Hemlock trees do. They overgrow nurse stumps all the time with large roots. I have a picture here somewhere." He pulled up the image and showed Gaia. "They've never grown as big as a strangler fig, but I can picture one that big in my mind."

"Then why not give it a try? If it doesn't work, we call always try another approach. Nothing's set in stone, Pup."

Derrick looked at the photos on the screen. "But I'm not sure if the dragons would be happy there."

"Why not ask them, Pup? Ask them what they want."

"They're over seven thousand miles away, Gaia."

"Close your eyes and ask them," the blue woman encouraged as she reached out her hand. "What you cannot do on your own, I will help you with."

Derrick closed his eyes, and the dragons appeared in his mind. "I'm trying to fix the highland," he said to the smiling dragons. "We need to make you a home. But I'm not sure what you need." The dragons rose, and the images flooded Derrick's mind. "Oh, jeez," he said, slapping his forehead. "I forgot all about children and nests. You'll need easier access to the forest than a simple doorway. What if we used a pylon facade and let the hemlocks overgrow the pylons? It would act as a visual start to your home that no one could mistake."

Derrick turned around and looked at Oliver. "How do I know what a pylon facade is?" Oliver shrugged his total lack of any clue.

The images began flowing back into Derrick's head. The two towers of the pylon facade formed from stone jutting out from the mossy floor of the forest. Large redwood trees formed a canopy over the archway. Images of a cave appeared. Hidden in a rock outcropping overgrown by the roots of the surrounding trees, the entrance was still wide enough for the largest dragon. "Sure, we can make a larger entrance for both of you." He paused, watching the images flashing by. "But a cave would work as an eggery too if we heated it thermally, right? A hot spring if it was a few meters below the surface would do that, wouldn't it?" Derrick laughed, "Of course we could. It's only moving rocks around."

The images continued to flood the young wolf's mind until Derrick clapped his paws together happily. "That's it," he yelled. "It would be perfect. Do you like it that way? The outside pylons and walls will set the area apart from the rest of the forest. The courtyard will be perfect for sleeping outdoors, and the cavern to the side will keep your eggs all warm and dry during their incubation. Plus, you need a nice place to stay inside when winter comes." Derrick's eyes opened. "And trees growing up through it all; massive rooted trees that will stand forever. They will be as much a part of the architecture as any stone or wall."

"So you sees it, Pup? You sees the home of the dragons?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, I do. They showed me what they wanted, and we worked on it together." Derrick turned to the blue-skinned woman. "I can do it, Gaia. I can do it if you'll help me."

"You don't need my help, Pup," Gaia responded. She waved her hand out toward the forest behind Derrick. When he turned, he stared at the monoliths rising from the ground. The two thirty-foot high granite pylons that formed the doorway to the dragon's home were not the smooth finish of temple pillars. Rather, they looked as if they had simply been a part of the mountain carved off from a glacier pushing past thousands of years ago. There was nothing of man or his building techniques reflected in the home of the dragons. No human planted the trees that would cover the dragons when it rained. The grassy bed they would lie in was never sod laid by a work crew. And the rocks and trees that surrounded and protected their home appeared to have been on the highland for millennia.

"I told you that if you could imagine it, you could create it, Pup. The dragons showed you what they wanted. You, in turn, gave them their wish."

Derrick stared at the entrance to the dragon's forest. "I didn't know… I thought I was only planning…" He squeezed Gaia's hand tightly. "I didn't know…"

Gaia turned out her free hand toward the cliff. "And now the dogs. What shall we do for them?"

Derrick shook his head. "I guess I should ask."

"It would seem the thing to do, wouldn't it?" Gaia said with a nod.

Zhuang and Bolin stood before the three. Derrick wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to see them face to face so badly, or because Gaia had brought them to the highland. He clutched her blue hand even more tightly. The two dogs cast their eyes about their new surroundings, trying to determine where they were. "Is this the highland, Pup?" Zhuang asked.

"Yeah."

"The glade is so much larger than it was, and the forest appears substantially larger as well," Zhuang said, looking about. His head cocked to one side when he saw the cliff face. "We seem to have lost our home and rice patties."

"Marcus wanted me to tell you he's sorry. We're working on bringing your home back today."

Bolin clapped his hands together, the same as Derrick had done moments ago. "That is wonderful, Pup. Do you wish us to help? We have strong backs and we work very hard."

"Gaia is helping me today, Bolin," Derrick replied. "I'm afraid it could be dangerous for you to stay here. This is going to go much faster than you normally experience when we're building your temples and monasteries."

The two dogs were quiet and then, with a trembling voice, Zhuang asked, "You… you are going to build us a temple?"

"You need a place for your meditation."

Bolin wiped the tears from his eyes with a thick paw. "This is more than we could ever dream."

"I've seen the blueprints Greg used to build the Tibetan and New Zealand temples. I know what the building needs to honor your history and the details of the various meditation chambers. But I'm unsure of all the details you need to make it sacred and ready for consecration." Derrick pointed to the new cliff face hundreds of yards from where it once was. "I want to build it inside that wall of rock. It's sedimentary rock, shale, and a bit of slate, so that's what I have to work with."

A blue hand gently squeezed the wolf's paw. "Let your imagination go beyond the limitations of the world around you. Remember what your sons taught you."

Derrick remembered the little creatures made of sand merging in the hands of his son and reforming again with the aid of the panda. In his mind, he looked out upon the expanse of the entire beach. He realized that the canvas he worked with was equally infinite. "It can be whatever you want, Zhuang, Bolin," Derrick said. "You only tell me what you want. What does this land need to be for you to feel at home again?"

Zhuang was the most composed of the two, so he spoke first. Bolin tried to quell his crying but was entirely unsuccessful. "My husband's tears are those of happiness. Please don't let them distress you. We are emotional creatures, and he more so than most of us." Zhuang rubbed his eyes, trying to dry them. "If we could have our rice patties back…" the dog rubbed his eyes again, "Oh, bother. This isn't working at all well."

Derrick reached out and took the paw of the temple dog in his free hand. "Let me show you what I have been thinking and you tell me where I need to make changes." The paw of the wolf rose to the temple of the dog, and in kind, the temple dog raised his paw to the temple of the wolf. Their heads dropped, Derrick's rested on the chest of Zhuang, and Zhuang's head nestled atop the wolf's. Derrick wasn't sure if it was the language of the dragons as the two spoke together. Images flowed in his head, moving and changing into a new design. At last, the images sorted themselves, and he could imagine every stone of the temple, the monastery, and each grain of grown rice bending over in the patties. He saw it all, and his hand lifted away from the side of the dog's head.

Zhuang and Bolin were no longer on the highland. The tent that once was in the field was gone, and Derrick's husbands found themselves on their bed in Montana. The wolf and bears looked at the badger. "Well, Oliver?" the polar bear said, not sure what question to ask.

"Pup might be changing the highland."

"And where did you run off to?"

"I mights have wanted to tell him nots to be afraid."

"And did you do that?"

"I thinks I did."

The polar bear snorted. "Isn't this an either you did or you didn't kind of thing?"

"Maybe, if I was me like I was before," Oliver replied as he looked away. "I thinks maybe me and Pup was one person there for a bit. Everything the Pup was seeing, I was seeing as well. So, I tried to help him see he was going to be fine. I didn't need to tell him not to worry, 'cause he was me and I weren't afraid."

It was Will's turn to take a deep breath and snort it out through his nose. "Anything else we need to know, Oliver?"

"I gots me a boner something fierce."

Kris laughed. "Well, now that's a bit of serendipity. I have a craving for a badger boner this afternoon."

Oliver looked up and smiled. "Pup's gonna be busy, husbands. I thinks he sent me back with you as a distraction."

The old wolf leaned in and kissed the badger. "Then let's not let all his hard work go to waste." The old wolf toppled on top of the badger, and the Kodiak toppled on top of the two.

Donovan shook his head. "I guess this is a dog pile, and I'm one dog that's piling on." The Armbruster's wolf jumped toward the Kodiak. Before he landed, the Kodiak rolled over and grabbed the wolf out of the air and the two rolled off the bed. Donovan found his lips pressed tightly against the brown bear's, and he yielded quickly to their pleasures.

Only the polar bear remained apart from the foursome. He sighed quietly. "It's okay, Gaia. I knew this day would come. I'll stand aside. Let Pup be Pup." The gentle breeze that swirled around Eric whispered something to the bear and was gone. Eric looked out at the four. Donovan had attempted to make his way back to the bed but was hanging over the edge, pinned to the side by a bear pounding his butt into the side of the mattress. Oliver had mounted Will and was driving both toward their first orgasm of the day.

The polar bear shrugged as he tried to determine where he was going to situate himself and chose the wide furry butt of the Kodiak. "I knew this day would come as well," he said, moving toward the brown bear. "I'm grateful that it comes every day," the white bear said with a laugh. "Stay with the good, Old Bear," he told himself, trying to remain where Derrick wanted him to be. He closed his eyes and pushed his swollen cock into the warm flesh of the brown bear's insides. He let the pleasure sweep over him and soon found his rhythm. "Stay with the good."

Chapter 29
  
The highland was no longer a static piece of land. Everywhere, changes were happening. Buildings were carving their way into the stone. Outcroppings of rock rose into open-air patios. The once obliterated rice patties appeared as a terraced roof over the top of the monastery. To the right of the monastery, two serpentine stone dragons watched over the stairs to the temple. Their reptilian heads and flared gills instantly identified them as water dragons. Bright blue scales with shining gold dorsal fins covered their bodies. They wrapped around the pillars supporting the front of a rounded courtyard. Additional carved pillars and arches framed the courtyard. Each intertwined with flowering vines growing from large pots decorated in blue and white images of temple dogs at play. In moments, the building of brown and yellow stone softened as the vines moved across the rock.

Moss, which would take years to grow, filled in the gaps between the stone bricks in front of the temple. Small ferns nestled inside the mossy outcroppings and hung down, searching for light. But wherever a foot would fall, not one bit of the damp moss or slippery algae appeared. Derrick used the plant life surrounding and covering the temple like paint on a canvas to color the growing temple. However, there was a method to the painting. Wherever the plants might create a danger, they remained absent.

Long, walled ramps on either side of the dragons provided more reasonable access for humans with mobility issues. Their serpentine nature remained skillfully woven into the look of the front entrance to the temple. In the center of the courtyard, a fountain appeared. Two forest dragons stood on either side of a glowing green crystal. Water bubbled out from the center. Their large hands cupped the water, fanning it onto a group of baby dragons playing in the deluge spilling over them.

Stone benches lifted from the constantly moving rock slabs. Each was a size to fit at least three of the super-sized beasts. The stone benches were not for solitary contemplation, but for welcoming their family and sharing time together.

The openness of the entryway behind the stone dragon pillars showed the influence of the Lakhena temple. On either side of the open-air courtyard were breezeways that provided sheltered paths to the front of the temple's entryway.

There was no door to the front of the temple. Two more serpentine wingless air dragons flanked the entryway. Their flattened muzzles and shaggy manes looked much like the temple dogs. However, the tiny limbs and elongated bodies made what they were unmistakable. There was never a door to the first room leading into the temple. Only red curtains embroidered with gold images hung from the top. Each set of draperies had a dragon claw holdback. They pulled the curtains to either side, leaving the doorway open and inviting.

The first room of the temple was a place that welcomed all inside. This area was sacred, but not in the way of the humans. The first room was where the temple dogs could join their family in a more intimate setting than outside. It allowed their affections for their family to find fuller expression should the need arise. That need often found expression in the temple dogs' playful nature. The curtains, when freed from the holdbacks, allowed them privacy. Those on the outside would see nothing of their actions. Yet, always the invitation to push past the curtain and join them was there. There were no gates or doors to imply the path to a temple dog's heart ever closed.

Pillars formed archways and architectural details from the outside. However, the mountain behind the cliff face clearly supported the building nestled into the rock. As the temple grew upward and pushed backward, a stone slab rose on the northern side of the large circular room. A large block of wood appeared in mid-air above the stone slab. As it spun, invisible hands carved it and shaped it into a statue of intricate design. When the statue of Ganesh, the multi-armed elephant god, appeared from the carved wood, it dropped onto the stone slab. Along the sides and in front of the multi-armed elephant god, metal vases for flowers and incense appeared. Candle holders of translucent crystal placed themselves around the wooden carving. In moments, a warm, flickering glow from deep inside appeared.

Beyond the faint light of the candles, which burned with no heat, the room and all that lay beyond were dark. Only the image in Derrick's mind saw what the temple was to become, and the mountain yielded to the image. What appeared deep within the mountain went unseen, but the work in the shadows never slowed.

Twenty-four large stone dogs grew up around the perimeter of the circular room. Their hands rose to support the domed ceiling above them. "Don't forget, this is the only room in the temple where all are welcome without invitation," Gaia said.

Derrick smiled. "I remember, Gaia. Thanks." His hand reached out. Around the outer walls of the room, large sofas, plush and soft, appeared. Again, the size of the furniture reflected the nature of the visiting family. Few places in the world had furniture created for reclining that so unashamedly acknowledged their construction was more akin to a bed than a chair. When the largest of the sofas appeared on the southern wall, the temple dogs had a place where they could lie with even the largest of their family.

Derrick raised his paws toward the large, domed ceiling he saw in his mind. The stone shaped itself into the configuration that Derrick drew with his fingers. The doorway leading deeper inside the temple was framed by another set of wingless air dragons identical to the front entryway. This time, between the pillars, two massive wooden doors with large circular pulls blocked what lay beyond.

Stone gave way as metal beams and glass replaced large portions of the domed ceiling. The light from outside began filtering through as the metal beams took on a defined shape. On the side nearest the wooden doors, the stone remained and became the arched neck of a winged flying dragon. The reptilian face looking down over the room was gentle and kind. The dragon's arms extended outward in a welcoming gesture. Most striking were the wings that unfolded as thick beams of steel and glass that covered the dome. Light filtered through the light purple glass and created a cascade of light that sparkled across the floor. The stone dragon appeared to wrap its protective wings around all who entered.

Beyond the wooden doors, changes were happening in the darkness. The first hallway grew as wooden doors replaced the shifting rock of the mountain. Once the paper-framed wooden doors were in place, the great Hall of Meditation carved itself out of the mountainside. Derrick saw the images given to him by the temple dogs in his mind. He recreated those images inside the mountain even though he understood little of what carved itself out of the stone.

Elsewhere on the highland, new buildings appeared as quickly as the temple. The pagoda, long since gone from the highland, reappeared in all its intricate design of tree and vine. Its bell tower at the top returned. The monastery continued its evolution into a home for the temple dogs with a large open kitchen. A great room acted as both a dining and living room for the golden beasts.

Above the common area, following the wide, winding staircase to the second floor of the building, were the bedrooms for all twelve of the dog monks. Set out in a large circle, each room had a balcony overlooking the commons below. Inside, each of the rooms was interconnected, leaving easy access for one dog to join another.

At first, twelve rooms formed, one for each temple dog, and then the design shifted. A third floor, rising above the commons, began carving itself into the rock. Zhuang and Bolin had not seen a third floor this way in their mind. Nor was it in the Tibetan or New Zealand temple plans. But the young wolf saw the floor as surely as anything else that flowed through his mind. As his hands moved, creating what he now saw, the plans of the monastery grew and expanded to meet the needs of the additional floor.

The third floor's foundation formed the vaulted ceiling of the commons below. From the second floor, intricately carved columns descended to support the entire monastery. On the third floor were twelve extra rooms, in size and configuration identical to that of the second floor.  

Of all the remarkable floors, it was the fourth floor that would one day become a legend. A large open balcony replaced the picture windows on the floors below. From below, the balcony shielded the entryway below from rain. Carved dragons, similar to the temple, acted as pillars supporting the balcony. The pillars lacked the ornate colors of the temple, but the granite stone had its own beauty.

The balcony was the drying area for the dogs on sunny days. For what lay behind the expansive sliding doors was the shower room of the temple dogs. Filled with showerheads of every size and function, they spread around and above the huge open room with only a half wall in the middle. Rough slate tiles lined the walls and floors, giving paws and feet added grip. Around the room lay the drains with sophisticated hair traps born from the black wolf's imagination. The showers for the monastery attested to the fact that no dog ever showered alone.

On either side above the showers, the runoff from the rice patty sluices ended in downspouts of rain chains. Each dropped into cisterns located deep under the monastery. As the spring thaw ended, the captured water provided water for the rice patties and gardens. Each of the runoff downspouts was an elaborately hammered chain of bells stacked one upon another. As the water poured down over them, the bells created a gentle music not far removed from wind chimes, but with a lower tone and distinct, pleasing melody.

The apartments were the one thing that hearkened back to days the young wolf remembered. As the cliff face cracked, the shattered stone led back to a familiar opening. The antechamber with its desk, two seats, and a simple couch seemed untouched by the years before Marcus's transformation. On the desk were a feathered pen and a guest book.

However, the rest of the cave reflected nothing of its past. Beyond the antechamber lay a great cavern that displayed the young wolf's personality. On one side of the main hall, stalactites and stalagmites formed a castle of stone that begged for exploration. Waterfalls from above dropped into shallow pools. Blind cavefish and salamanders moved about the pools that glowed from beneath in a rainbow of colors.

The moment any child saw the cave, they would beg to go adventuring. To calm the parents, lights ran along every path. The maze of roads in and out was dry and soft. Stumbling children would be back up and exploring without a tear shed. The stones were firm and supportive, with easy hand grabs for climbing. Even the glistening stalactites along the path that appeared to be dripping water were dry to the touch.

Deep within the paths, new worlds of light and wonder opened up. A tall cavern of glowworms suspended from the ceiling. There was a chamber where the quietest voice echoed into infinity. Another area had strange fossilized bones to explore. Each turn led to a new adventure. For all its realism, the cave was a playground for visiting children. Finally, the visiting humans would have somewhere their children wanted to go when their beast family was out on a run.

The cave built from childhood wonderment slammed up against the practicality of a man creating a home for his family. The indoor playground was only a small part of the multi-story lofty chamber. What the black wolf left of the mountaintop became the building blocks of a new residence capable of housing an extended family of hundreds.

There was a kitchen area with multiple stations and appliances. Walk-in freezers and refrigerators ensured beasts and humans could bring in food for an extended stay. There were sinks for cleaning, stoves for cooking, ovens for baking, and even kitchen gadgets that, until now, only existed in Derrick's mind. The size and depth of the kitchen areas rivaled even the best restaurants.

A long counter separated the kitchen and dining areas. Tables of all sizes for the diversity of guests dotted the floor of the cavern. The area allowed for large family gatherings indoors. British Columbia's weather was too unpredictable not to factor in a much larger dining area than previously existed in the caves.

Beyond the commons were the apartments. Each apartment was unique and designed with a nod to the needs of both humans and beasts. Some had balconies overlooking the commons, and others were far more secluded and private. All walls had noise-dampening rock between them.  Inside the apartments, comfortable bedding came in all sizes. While all had showers, there were rooms where showers were as large as the entire space of the more human-centric rooms. Derrick had thought long about his family and struggled to ensure every beast and human had a place they could call home when away from their homes.

The generation of the energy needs for the entire highland took place on the far side of the apartments. Small, imperceptible paddle wheels lay against the cliff of the horsetail falls. Each paddle spun feverishly, creating electrical power for the apartments and the monastery. The temple, true to those created before it, had no power source. When there was a need, only candles lit the interior.

The young wolf pushed forward. His hands moved in the air as if sketching. Occasionally, he would turn his head as if to look at what was in front of him, but his eyes stayed closed, envisioning the world he hoped to create. Gaia watched as the blue glow around Derrick intensified each time another piece of his vision took hold.

She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Eric," she whispered. "I'm truly sorry."

Eric slipped quietly away from his husbands. He stepped out onto the deck overlooking the Montana prairie. "I can't let him go, Gaia."

"You have no choice," the voice said as the breeze moved around him.

"I know," the polar bear replied. "What am I to do?"

"Love him. Do as you always have. Love him without conditions."

"Now and forever," the bear said, wiping his paw across his eyes. His arm dropped, and he felt the small hand grab his paw and hold tight.

"Now and forever, Old Bear," Oliver said, looking up at Eric.

"I wish…" Eric said, and his voice trailed off.

The badger nodded. "I wishes it too. But sometimes we can't stay with the good. Sometimes, the best we is able to do is to stay with each other."

The bear reached down and pulled the badger into a tight hug. The two never let go, even to wipe away their tears.

Chapter 30

When at last the young wolf's hands slowed and he opened his eyes, looking around, Gaia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You've done a wonderful job, Pup," she said.

"I never could have done it without your help, Gaia," the young wolf said happily.

"I said I would do what you could not, and I kept my promise."

"So how much of this is you?" Derrick said, waving his paw outward toward the highland.

"I held your hand."

Derrick looked confused. "What?"

"I held your hand. That's it," Gaia replied casually. "I didn't need to do more, so I didn't."

"But I couldn't have done all this," Derrick replied.

"Yes, you could, Pup," the blue woman replied. "You merely had to have faith in yourself. Often, our greatest weakness is to underestimate what we can do."

"But how will we know if it's even safe? I mean, I know what I wanted to create, but I never learned about building codes or anything like that."

"Did you see strong, sturdy buildings in your mind?"

"Of course."

"Then they are strong and sturdy."

"Are you sure?" Derrick asked.

"Okay," Gaia said as she ruffled the fur on top of the wolf's head. "I may have proofed your work to make sure it was safe, but I don't consider that helping you. That's more like me being a building inspector."

"But I passed?"

Gaia smiled. "You passed, Pup. You created an amazing gift for your family. Everything that you see on the highland will last for centuries if we can keep our family from blowing it up every generation. You should be proud."

"Can I bring them back here to see it?"

Gaia's face took on a look of concern. "Are you up for that?"

Derrick smiled. "Sure. All the exercise of fixing up the highland has me sort of hyper, actually."

Gaia smiled. "Then certainly, bring your family back to visit their new home."

Derrick closed his eyes, and when they opened seconds later, his family surrounded him. His husbands were unraveling themselves from the positions they were in when the wolf pulled them from Montana. Zhuang and Bolin stood beside the dragons. The two dragons looked about the area, confused, trying to adjust to their new location.

The dragons' faces were slightly more elongated than the dog's flat faces, but there was still a strong canine component to their look. Small, green scales covered the dragons' muzzles. They turned yellow around their lips and eyes. As the scales moved closer to the top of the dragons' heads, a bluish tint turned the scales iridescent in the sunlight. They had a longer muzzle than the temple dogs, but it ended in the same flat, flared nose. Behind their muzzles, covering the cheeks, forehead, and throat appeared to be a match for the flowing mane of the temple dogs. Upon closer inspection, the fur was more feather than hair.

The horns of the male were lacking on any dog, but the dragon's elongated, pointed ears mostly hid them. Like their canine protectors, the dragons' ears often revealed their mood. When the ears pushed back tight against the head, it showed the dragons were wary or guarded. It could also show worry that they had done something inappropriate. When the ears relaxed, the dragons were more at ease. But if they pricked up in the company of those they trusted, the ears told all they were happy. At the end of the male's mane, a rolling ridge of dorsal plates rose slightly off his backbone. The bony plates extended the length of the body but grew increasingly smaller past the middle of the back until they were gone by the tip of the tail.

The female had no horns or dorsal plates, but the flowing mane extended down her back further than the male. Eventually, it blended into a ridge of feathers rising along her backbone all the way to the end of the tail.

What appeared at first to be flowing leaves over their bodies were translucent scales. Each scale caught the sunshine and reflected an iridescent blue and green. Their underbellies were more pronounced ventral scales, akin to those found on lizards and snakes. When relaxed, the scales were the same yellow as the scales around their eyes and face. But, if startled, the color would turn deep green to help camouflage the dragon in the forest's darkness. Likewise, the iridescent scales shifted to a flat, mottled green anytime the dragons sensed danger.

But today, the dragons were happily staring out on the highland reborn. Their scales caught the light and scattered it throughout their bodies. Their ears perked up, and they made a chortling sound like happy parakeets.

"This is our new home, Jiao-long, LanYing," Bolin said, pointing out across the glade.

The two dragons expressed their happiness by rubbing their muzzles along either side of the black wolf's body. Derrick did his best to remain upright amid the rubbing. "I believe this is the day we promised Marcus he could return," he said, laughing through the jostling dragons.

Eric looked up into the sky. "It is. I hope they're ready to return so soon."

"How do we get them the message to come home?" Kris asked, looking toward the sky where the white bear was staring.

"I think they might be aware of this already," Will replied. "Marcus seems to sense change in the universe, particularly the changes we make."

Eric looked out and waved his paw. "Look around us. I think Pup made a pretty big impact on whatever scale Marcus is using."

Derrick sensed concern in the voice of his bear mate. "Did I do something wrong, Papa Bear?"

Eric smiled at the glowing wolf. "No, of course not. This is amazing. I can't wait for you to take us on a tour of all the changes."

The young wolf frowned. "Papa Bear, we don't lie to each other. I heard it in your voice. Please tell me the truth. You know I won't stop worrying until you do."

The bear reached out and drew the blue wolf into a tight hug. "I'm not lying, Pup. It is amazing. You completed something in hours that would take a triad of builder Changelings months to accomplish." The wolf felt the hug tighten. "I love you so much, Pup. Book of Spider-man, first issue, fifteenth page, verse seven."

Derrick returned the polar bear's hug. "With great power comes great responsibility."

"Yeah, that," the bear whispered.

"But I have to grow up sometime. I need to become strong like the rest of my family."

The hug tightened even more around the wolf. "Don't you see, Pup? I didn't fall in love with a boy. I fell in love with a man whose innocence made me smile. Through all our years together, you never lost the wonder of that innocent man. You see this world in a way so few of us can see anymore. We all lived lives that crushed the spirit you share with us so easily."

"And you're afraid if I use this power, that will change me?"

"Yeah, Pup. You know me. I hate change."

"Me, too."

"So, that's what you heard in my voice; an old bear that loves you and doesn't want the best part of you ever to change."

Derrick buried his muzzle in the chest of his mate. "Silly ol' bear. I won't change. I have you beside me to make sure I stay true to who I was born to be."

The bear closed his eyes, fighting back the tears. "I'll do my best, Pup. Just forgive me if who you were born to be isn't always the easiest thing for me to accept."

"I was born to be your mate," the wolf said. "Everything else is just working out the details."

"Did you at least give us a big shower to share?"

Derrick smiled and rubbed his muzzle along the furry white chest. "Of course, Papa Bear. I'm great at putting a priority on the most important details."

The young wolf felt another thick paw rub his shoulder. "And what of us, Pup?" the Kodiak asked.

"I was born to be your mate too, Bear. I was born to be the mate of everyone who said yes."

"Well then," the Kodiak said, joining in on the hug, "here's hoping that shower is huge."

Derrick's smile widened. "Wait until you see the fourth floor of the monastery."

The dragons made a happy chirping noise that everyone recognized as laughter. Bolin bowed to the two. "Little Ones, there is a home out there in the forest for you two. Can we impose on you to go out and explore it?"

The dragons nodded. They understood the reluctance of the white bear to accept all that the changes to the highland meant. They also realized why the family needed to find their way to the fourth floor of the monastery. Watching the sway of their tails carefully as they turned, they meandered off toward the forest. The two walked between the stone pylons and vanished into the trees.

Hours later, a lone black bear stood staring up at the raucous laughter coming from the fourth floor of the newly built monastery. He rubbed his hands together nervously. "Perhaps it would be better if we wait for them to finish," he said.

The bear's head tilted. "That might be for the best. They sound so happy."

The bear looked back up. "Nonsense, you two. I knew there was a reason I had to insist on being a part of this merging. That's our family up there. I know for a fact the old wolf has a soft spot for the body we chose."

"And a very hard spot once he gets me in his arms," the bear said with a giggle.

"Come on, men. It's time we started acting like a family."

The bear sighed. "I might not be very good at it."

"We will be fine. The two of us will take the lead. You sit back and enjoy the view," the bear told himself.

"I am going to be in so much trouble if the Order ever finds out about this."

The bear laughed out loud. "Welcome to our world, Marcus."

The bear turned. "I'm not really Marcus."

"Do you prefer glitter-boy?"

"I hate that."

"Well then, Marcus?"

"I'm liking Marcus better by the minute."

The bear's head bounced back and forth, watching the conversation, and then froze in the middle. "I was born with this body, so I'm good. But I admit Kendal is right. I can smell Kris from here. Sitting outside waiting for our family is never a good idea. It's not who we are. It's not who we should ever be."

"You will go slow, right?" the bear asked himself.

"Of course, Marcus."

"Nope," the bear corrected himself. "You wanted this merger, Marcus. It's time we showed you what you bought into. Marcus might go slow, but I have been away from my family too long."

"Please, Kendal," the bear begged.

The bear shook his head. "Oh, all right," he acquiesced. "But if we wind up jacking off by ourselves in a corner, I will have something to say about this arrangement."

The bear nodded. "I will too, Hon," he said as he began walking toward the monastery.

The wind picked up around the two dragons that stood on the edge of the forest, watching the bear. "Come, Little Ones," they heard a familiar voice say. "Show me what a beautiful new home you have to share. My family will be busy welcoming a newborn to the fold." The two dragons grinned and gave a nod as they followed the whirling leaves leading deeper into the forest.

Chapter 31
  
The family gathered around the fire pit outside the temple dog's new home. The Asian bear looked completely befuddled. "I'm sorry, Oliver. This is as much a mystery to me as it is to you. I swear to you I took back everything I ever gave you two."
 
"Ain't done much to change the look of us," the glowing badger said, frowning at the bear. "Unless we pays attention to it the way them temple dogs taught us, this is what we is. Same damn glowing critters."
 
"I can see that," the bear agreed.
 
"We can fix it," the same bear said.
 
"No, I can't," the identical bear disagreed.
 
"I'm not talking about the powers that the glow might imply, but we can at least get rid of the glow. That's a simple task for anyone of the builder clan," the conversation continued with only the Asian bear talking.
 
"It is?" the bear asked himself.
 
The bear huffed. "Yeah. I helped you put this body together. You don't think that I can put a dimmer switch on those two?"
 
Will was watching the bear arguing with himself on the other side of the smoldering fire, and finally curiosity got the better of him. "Okay, you three. Take a break from fixing my husbands for a minute and answer a couple of questions for me, please."
 
The bear looked at the wolf. "Certainly, William."
 
Will laughed. "Okay, I know Marcus is in there now."
 
"I'm here too," the bear said. "We're all in here."
 
"Okay, so exactly where is in here?"
 
"That would be inside me," the bear replied.
 
Will slapped his forehead. "Really?"
 
The bear grinned sheepishly. "I'm Marcus, the one who used to be more or less invisible. Kendal helped me fashion a body to house the three of us."
 
The bear flipped up his paw and stuck his thumb and pinkie finger out while the others folded in. "Builder Class rules," the bear blurted out. The bear's eyes rolled. "Well, we do," he said.
 
The bear looked back at Will. "It's not as hard as they make it out to be," the bear, who was obviously now Kendal, said. "The Order is incapable of corporeal forms in our universe. So until now, they've shared a body with a host. The downside to that is the host gives up his autonomy to the symbiote."
 
Kris leaned forward from the stone seat that circled the fire pit. "I can't see either of you two thinking that was a good idea."
 
"They didn't," the bear replied. "So, I had to promise that the merger wouldn't proceed if they couldn't maintain control over their personalities and their free will to choose."
 
Oliver pushed a stick into the fire and stirred it. "So is you your own tiny little bodies inside a great big one like that lame-ass robot on TV?"
 
"No, I am the body that houses Marcus and Kendal in an incorporeal state. They're like ghosts who possess me, Oliver. They share the body with me, but independently. They see themselves as alive and living in their own world together."
 
"Like what we did when Max took us on the day of transformation?" Derrick questioned.
 
"Exactly, Wolfy," the bear said, clapping his paws together. "That's a perfect example. Only the two of us can also become a part of Marcus the bear when we need to."
 
Will leaned back. "Hence the bear knowing exactly the way I love having him plow my ass."
 
The bear looked away shyly. "I love plowing your ass, William."
 
Will stood up, moved around the circle, and sat back down next to the bear. He took the bear's paw and kissed it. "Me too, Marcus. I'm glad you are there."
 
"I always will be, William."
 
"So it's kind of like a four-way anytime one of us is with you?" Kris asked.
 
The bear nodded. "More or less. I'm too inexperienced with sexual contact to be of any help. Kendal and Marcus have to take over. It was the same when Kendal helped me alter this body. It's still essentially Marcus's body. But now there is a highly augmented brain controlling the internal workings. We have three life forces to maintain, but also three very distinct personalities. The Order has never done that before."
 
"So, how are you three coping with the merging?" the polar bear asked.
 
"Far better than I expected to. The Order insists on… well… order. Their hosts have no control over their choices or actions. As long as we remain symbiotically linked, those of the Order maintain control."
 
The white bear leaned back. "I don't want to challenge your perceptions, Marcus, but that's not symbiosis you're defining. It's parasitism."
 
The bear waved his hands. "No, no… I assure you, we have only the best of intentions. We have saved millions of lives over the years through the use of our hosts' bodies."
 
"That remains to be seen with us," Eric said, leaning forward toward the fire. He looked past the flames and stared at the bear on the other side. "You two men okay with this? You have an exit strategy in place if need be?"
 
"We're good, Papa," the bear said.
 
Eric smiled, recognizing Kendal's effort to calm him. "Okay, I'll try not to worry. Now for the sixty-four dollar question…" The white bear paused. "Damn, does that date me or what?" he asked, shaking his head. "Are the three of you happy together?"
 
The bear nodded. "We are all learning so much. This is a challenge like nothing I envisioned, but I am so grateful for the two who share my life. It's not what the Order would have me do, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I swear, Eric, I will protect them."
 
"Well, that's good to hear," the polar bear said as he leaned back once more. "So, the next time we're having sex, Marcus, try to be a bit more involved in it, okay?"
 
"I will be clumsy. Marcus and Kendal are so much better at it than I am."
 
"You need to learn, Marcus. You need to understand the body you are sharing. If you need help, ask us to show you. I live with some of the most sexually gifted men I have ever known. They won't object to helping you. But you're living in the body of a werebeast. That physical contact isn't just a luxury. It's a necessity, and you need to learn that."
 
The bear nodded in agreement. "It was wonderful, Eric. I felt every touch. I hope you will forgive my ineptitude when I try to join Marcus and Kendal."
 
Bolin rocked forward. "We could help you, Little One. The pleasures of the body you share are a mystery to you, but not to us. We would be happy to share our knowledge with you."
 
The bear's eyes widened. "OH GOD, SAY YES MARCUS!" the bear yelled.
 
The bear's shyness immediately returned. "I would be grateful," he whispered.
 
"Stay with us for a time, Marcus," the temple dog said with a smile. "The family has other obligations to attend to, but your education must not suffer because of their schedules."
 
Donovan finally stirred from where he had been sitting silently throughout the conversation. "About the eventual goal of this merging. Is that still the same?"
 
"Even more than before," the bear replied. "The Sight is growing in Marcus. He remembers his past. Kendal seems already gifted in that respect, but he is reluctant to tell me everything he knows."
 
Donovan smiled. "I have greater respect for you with every passing moment, Kendal. It is clear your union benefits from having a wolf."
 
The bear nodded. "And it would benefit even more by having two. Your role in this story is clear, Donovan. We need you."
 
"Then I will stay with you as well," Donovan said. He turned to his husbands. "I still see very little of my previous life, but I know I have promised I would stay by Marcus's side as long as he needs me."
 
"Then that is where you need to be," Kris said. He turned to the polar bear, who stared dejectedly at the Armbruster's wolf. "The only constant in the universe, Son," he said.
 
"I know, Dad," the white bear replied. "I hate change."
 
"But it comes nevertheless," the Kodiak replied. "We find a way to keep our family together. When it grows, we adjust. When it changes, we change. We keep the love alive. We find a way."
 
The white bear nodded. "We find a way." He stood up and wrapped his furred arms around Donovan's shoulders. "Don't forget us, Husband."
 
"That will never happen, my love," the seated wolf said as he wrapped his arms around the bear's waist. "This is just one moment in time. The story is just beginning. Don't try so hard to figure out what the end might be."
 
Eric kissed the top of the wolf's head. "I won't, my love. I am glad that I never could."
 
Oliver watched the two clinging to each other. "Ain't nuthin' about seeing what's coming that's good, Old Bear. These are good times for this family. Stay in the good."
 
Eric looked down at the badger. "I love you, Oliver."
 
"And I loves you, Old Bear." The badger turned back toward the Asian black bear. "Now about that dimmer switch you said you was going to give me and the pup. Be nicer than having to think this damn glow gone."
 
The bear raised his hand, and it glowed blue for only a moment. Oliver looked down at his furry body with the gray belly sprinkled with white. He smiled at the black wolf with blue highlights beside him. "You looks fine, Pup."
 
Derrick smiled. "You look rather fetching yourself, Badger," he replied.
 
Oliver looked at the black bear. "So, we is turned off for good now?"
 
"Yep. Your powers are there when you call on them, but that glow is a thing of the past. I'm sure you two would have eventually figured out how to turn it off on your own. I only pushed the discovery timeline forward a bit."
 
"You can'ts just get rid of these powers? You can't undo what you did?" Oliver asked the black bear.
 
"If I ever figure out what happened, and I have a solution, I promise I will fix it, Oliver."
 
"Then I guess we is good, Bear." Oliver reached out and grabbed the black wolf's paw as he stood up. "I'm gonna go bang me some wolf butt that ain't glowin' no more, Bear. You wanna come watch? Them temple dogs ain't the only ones who can show you a trick or two."
 
"You wouldn't mind?" the black bear asked.
 
"Wouldn't offer if I minded," the badger replied. "Come along. I'se pretty sure Donovan and them dogs are going to be teaching you all sorts of martial arts. But we badgers knows how to make loving an art all to itself."

The bear stood up and lumbered toward the badger and wolf. "Then I'm ready for art class."
 
Oliver looked away shyly. "I gots to tell the truth. If it weren't for the beasts surrounding you, I wouldn't have no right to brag about my sexing of another man. But I knows how important it is to know who loves you, and I know how important the touch of another beast is. That much I can shows you."
 
Will rose and rubbed the top of the badger's head. "You're a fine teacher, Oliver. Don't sell yourself short." He looked at the black bear and smiled. "Since I intend to be one of the wolves Oliver will be banging, I extend the same offer to you."
 
"You're going to let me watch, too?"
 
"Nope," Will replied. "I'm going to watch that big brown bear over there banging you." Will pointed to Kris, who grinned. "You can look at whatever you want while he's doing that."
 
The black bear turned toward the brown. "I will be terrible at this."
 
Kris smiled. "I'll go slow."
 
"Really?" the bear asked. "Kendal won't. He said so."
 
"Screw Kendal."
 
The black bear's smile turned into a lecherous grin, and his eyes turned a wolfen yellow. "Oh, you will, Bear. You will."

Chapter 32
  
The family lay wrapped up together, sleeping in the entry hall of the temple. Snuggled up beside twelve temple dogs, each was warm and cradled inside a yellow beast's embrace. All over the highland, beasts were sleeping. Family coming to visit the newborn filled the apartments. Even the forests brimmed with happy, sated beasts slumbering with dreams that could not match the joys of the days past.
 
Outside the temple, sitting on the lip of the dragon fountain, a black bear and an Iberian wolf watched as the last of the stars faded from the sky. The pink glow of morning appeared on the horizon.
 
"I owe your family so much," the bear said.
 
"Did you have fun, Marcus?"
 
"Oh yes, we all had so much fun."
 
"I'm glad to hear that," the wolf said quietly.
 
"I am still very much in love with you, William," the bear said.
 
"And I'm still very much in love with you, Marcus," the wolf replied. "Both of you. That never changed just because you cuddled the three of you up inside that one body." The wolf wrapped his arm around the bear and pulled him into a tight, sideways hug. "You too, Marcus. It's taking a bit of getting used to, but I think Marcus and Kendal were right. You make a fine triad."
 
Marcus rubbed Will's shoulder. "Remember in another universe I told you I dreamed of the two of us being more than even you could imagine?"
 
"I remember, Marcus," the old wolf said with a nod.
 
"This is what I meant. Merge with me, William. Be a part of what the three of us are becoming. We require a warrior to face what lies ahead."
 
Will smiled. "And you know my answer, Marcus. You've always known what it would be."
 
"I do. It's the same as the lion's answer. You are the guardians of your family. You stay by their side."
 
"And as often as I can, I lie down with them as well," Will grinned. "This is my home, Marcus. You, Donovan, and Kendal were all born for something greater. I was born to be beside the pup, the bears, and the badger. I was born to take care of my sons. This is who I am. I spent a lifetime becoming me. I love you, but you realize our paths are growing apart, not together."
 
"You are mistaken, Old Wolf," Donovan said as he sat down beside Will. "We are not born for something greater. There is nothing greater than the love of a family. What we do, we do for the same reason. Marcus loves you even as I do, so we can't help but wish you were by our side. But not at the cost of you leaving our larger family without you."
 
Eric sat beside the Armbruster's wolf and pushed in close to him. "And what of you, Donovan?"
 
Donovan reached out and pulled the white bear into a sideways hug. "The old wolf is right. Each of us knows what we were born to do. This is who I am, Old Bear. The man that loves you; the warrior that can't stand down. Marcus is stronger than he knows, but he is young and he struggles when making decisions. Kendal is there inside him. The boy is strong, and I admire his bravery. But they are both young and inexperienced. I need to be there with them, Husband. They need one who is not afraid to make a choice when that choice has to be made. They need a man that has lived so many more lifetimes than they have lived. Let me be the one you know I was born to be."
 
"You do realize a warrior can come home from time to time and bed his mate, right?"
 
Donovan smiled. "That is true. If I give you that promise, will you let me become who I must become?"
 
The polar bear hugged the wolf tightly. "I always knew this day would come, Donovan. I understood that one day who you are would pull you away from me. It made our time together even more precious to me. I will miss you."
 
"As will I," said the Kodiak bear as he pulled himself into the hug of the white bear and wolf.
 
Donovan looked up at the brown bear's face. "I will not be far from you. If you need me, call out. I will hear you." The Armbruster's wolf looked out to his gathering family. Derrick sat beside Will and Marcus. Oliver crawled up into the black wolf's lap. Donovan smiled at them all. "Any of you; if you need me, call out. I will hear you." He pulled back from the hug and stood up. Taking a few steps, he squatted in front of the black wolf and the badger. His paw lovingly rubbed across the young wolf's muzzle. "Even if it's just to ask me to spend the night."
 
Derrick smiled a melancholy smile. "If that was true, you would be here every night."
 
Donovan pulled the black wolf in close, squeezing the badger between them. Oliver didn't make a sound, content to be where he was at that moment. "I realize this won't be easy for any of us," Donovan said. "But I need to try and make this work. My entire life I have fought for the Unity. Now I seek to protect my family. I hope you can understand the difference and why I am doing what I am doing."
 
Derrick smiled. "I understand, Donovan. It doesn't mean I have to like all that comes with you accepting this offer."
 
Marcus leaned into the black wolf and hugged him. "That is true of all of us involved in what is happening here. But we will try to meet the obligations of our family as we become something different." Marcus turned toward the group. "Changes are coming. They will impact all of us. But I realize now that I can't take a break forever from who I was before and who I must become again. I am grateful that these three will help me with that. For those we leave behind, I promise you this is where our home will be."
 
The black bear did his head turn that told everyone someone else in the triad was about to speak. "From my feelings alone, if we can be home, we will be home. Make that bed big enough to fit us, because there is a universe of options to choose from when we merge. We might be bigger than all of us combined."
 
"About that," Samuel said as the two pandas came walking up the stairs to the temple. "You need what my father would have brought to your union."
 
"I can be a warrior, Son," Donovan said. "I have always been one."
 
"But you are no longer of the clan," Samuel interjected. "The day you became a Channeler, you lost your clan powers. You are a Channeler who knows of war, but you need a warrior by your side to truly be the champion you hope to be." The panda raised his paw, and it glowed red.
 
"No, Son," Donovan objected.
 
"And I come with another missing piece given to me at birth by my other fathers," Samuel said as he raised his other hand and it glowed a brilliant turquoise. "I am a healer by my brown bear dad and builder by my black wolf papa. You need one who understands when it's the right time to fight and when it's time to heal and rebuild."
 
"Son, you're too young," the Armbruster's wolf countered.
 
"He is billions of years old," the Kodiak bear said. "As a Changeling, he carries with him the entire history of our people inside every cell of his body. You will be there by his side, Husband. He can be in no safer hands."
 
Donovan looked at Kris. "Are you sure, Bear?"
 
"It's not my choice to make," Kris replied. "And Samuel has already made his. We only need to honor that choice." Derrick nodded his agreement.
 
Will gave the panda a gentle shove toward the Armbruster's wolf. "And this is how I raise my son. I raise him to be the beast that in his heart he wishes to be."
 
Samuel turned and smiled at the old wolf. "I'm aware that this isn't easy for you, Father. But one day I promise we'll find a way back together, you and I. I will be by your side forever. Even if only in spirit."
 
Will forced a smile. "Stand beside my husband, Son. Do that, and the rest will follow."
 
Donovan extended his hands to Samuel. "By my side, Son?"
 
Samuel reached out. "By your side, Dad. Now and forever."
 
"And that holds true of me as well, Dad," Raymond said, stepping toward the Armbruster's wolf. "You need one of the Yellow clan to buffer those choices you make. My father, Martin, may not join you. To him, the world we came from never existed. He is right to stay here and protect the world he was born into. But I have no ties to this world, save the family that surrounds me. I will join my brother by your side."
 
Donovan looked at the panda. "I agree. Martin needs to stay and care for his family in Africa. Still, isn't this too much to ask of your fathers to watch you both pressed into service?"
 
"We're twins, Dad. Since before we were born, we have only been comfortable when we are by each other's side. Are you asking us to change now?"
 
"No, Sons," Oliver interjected. "You boys needs to be together. Your family ain't never going to stand between you two."
 
Nathaniel nodded in agreement. "Never in the history of the Terran Unity has a birth ever resulted in a Changeling having multiple powers. I'm not sure why our sons inherited what they did from us, but if they see themselves next to you, Donovan, then that is where they need to be. You say you were born for this union. Understand this: our sons were born for this day as well."
 
"Thanks, Dads," Raymond said with a smile. "We always felt that you would understand."
 
Marcus stood up and put his arm around the two pandas. "And now we have the quintet of powers we always needed. I hope this keeps us from ever needing to reset the universe again."
 
Kris gave a disgruntled sigh. "That would make it easier on my son. I'm sure Nathaniel would enjoy taking a break from his husbands changing every time he turns around."
 
"I'm not complaining about everything that's come of this last turnaround, Dad," Nathaniel said as he held the hand of the short-faced bear next to him.
 
"And I'm not either," Max said with a wide smile. "Although there is the matter of a mating ceremony that two don't remember. Somewhere along the line, we will need to correct that. I'm not saying living in sin with these two isn't fun, but we mated forever in my mind, and I would like both my husbands to feel the same way as well."
 
"I woulds like that too, Bear," Oliver said as he pushed his body up against the shorter short-faced bear.
 
Marcus cleared his throat. "Well, there we have it. We are sure to return. We're not missing that mating ceremony for anything."
 
The group laughed, and Marcus's face turned serious. "One thing before this happens," he took a deep breath. "In the interest of full disclosure…" Marcus lowered his head, trying to form the words.
 
The black bear looked back up with a different glow in his eyes. "He doesn't want to say it. After the merge, there is every likelihood that the five of us might grow increasingly unified. There may come a day when all of us are willing to merge into one being."
 
Will's face saddened. "We'll lose the five we love when you become the one?"
 
"I'm not sure. We're in uncharted territory here. But I want you to realize it's a possibility. I will do all that I can to keep your family safe. But if we all decide to merge fully into one, you need to understand that who we become might feel uncomfortable if you press him to respond as anyone other than who he is. Kendal may not be Kendal anymore. Marcus may not be Marcus."
 
"I suspect that one day Donovan will be gone," the Armbruster's wolf added.
 
Samuel and Raymond looked at the group. "I guess it might be wise for us to say goodbye today as well."
 
"So whats do we call you?" Oliver asked.
 
Marcus looked confused. "Truth? I honestly don't know. I guess you'll need to ask him."
 
"We is one totally fucked up family," the little badger said with a laugh.
 
Nathaniel smiled. "You wouldn't have it any other way, Badger, and you know it."
 
"I likes fucked up," Oliver said happily. "It shows we cares. Go on, do what's you gots to do, you five. We will loves whoever you becomes."
 
"Oliver is right," Will said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "But now that you've made your choice, could you say goodbye to your family the way you should?"
 
Marcus grinned. "Oh, yeah, Old Wolf. I say let's shake this highland so that the dragons are afraid to come out of the woods." The bear leapt toward the wolf, pinning him to the ground. "Legs up in the air, William. Can't have them in the way." The wolf's legs rose smoothly and lodged against the bear's chest. With a shove from the bear above and a joyful bark from the wolf below, all knew Marcus had penetrated the wolf.
 
Donovan stared at the two, laughing until the polar bear pulled him into a tight hug. "Come to Papa," the bear growled. "I have a craving to double-team a husband."
 
Kris looked over at the two. "And am I at the front or the back?"
 
Donovan looked at the Kodiak. "Both, Bear. First in front and then in the rear when I've had my way with the old bear."
 
"Damn, I love a bottom that knows he's in control," the polar bear said as he pushed the Armbruster's wolf onto all fours and mounted him.
 
Colton looked at the group. He raised his paw. "There's a bear-wolf here with two openings. Any takers?" The young man's eyes widened as two short-faced bears and two pandas bounded toward him.
 
Oliver held Derrick's paw and shook into the werebadger. "You ready, Pup? I already tolds that crowd what I was gonna do with you," he said with a wide grin.
 
"Yeah, Oliver, I'm ready," the black wolf said with a smile. "But don't forget there are twelve dogs inside their temple that are about to sense our husbands going at each other." He pointed toward the closed draperies that suddenly flew open wide. All twelve golden dogs were blinking back the morning sun, their gazes fixed on the rutting crowd. "Those poor dogs won't last a day without some major intervention from the two of us."
 
Oliver stared at the dogs. "What's we gonna do?"
 
"Run, Oliver," the wolf said with a laugh. The black wolf grabbed the badger and threw him onto his shoulders. "Follow us, dogs," Derrick yelled. "There are far more beasts to be had out in the forests, and they're all going to wake with morning wood." Together, Oliver and Derrick ran toward the forests, followed by the salivating temple dogs.
  
Chapter 33
  
Three days later, the highland was enjoying a moment of quiet. Hearing a lull in the family's activity, the dragons stepped from the forest and watched the resting beasts. The two dragons had scarcely popped their heads out from the forest trail when Bolin and Zhuang crept away from the crowd. The dogs approached the two oversized creatures.

Their curiosity pushed the dragons as they moved closer toward the dozens and dozens of bears and wolves. The dragons used their colossal warm muzzles to push a few of the slumbering beasts awake. Bolin and Zhuang did not stop the dragons' exploration. They even seemed to show a certain delight in watching their brothers roused by the young dragons.

The polar bear smiled at the huge blue and green face staring down at him. He looked toward the sky and determined the time. "Good afternoon, LanYing," Eric said, smiling. "It's nice to see you. Thank you for giving us this time on the highland to share with our brothers. We have been playing for three days now. Most beasts don't have the stamina of dragons or your guardians. We often nap after our time together. We tire each other out but never grow tired of each other."

The dragon's colors were bright and shimmering in the waning morning light. Bolin and Zhuang stood by the dragons. "Yes," Bolin said, looking up at Jiao-long's iridescent face. "The bear is very cute. But no, he is not a toy. Nor is he a creature of the forest, like the birds or the fish. He is like you. He is your brother. Like you, we strive to find our place in the universe beyond our simple biological needs. Like you, we imagine, we dream, and we love. Size is irrelevant to who we are. What we look like does not matter. We are your family."

The temple dog's eyes closed. He nodded as the images of the dragon's speech flowed into his mind. "Apology accepted." He said, "but know that there will be those who don't see you as their equal either."

Zhuang's eyes closed and his hand reached out to Jiao-long. "Yes, the humans," Zhuang replied to the question. "No… no, you're not animals. We understand your reluctance. We know your history. But we have hope that the humans have changed. One day, we will need to stand by them. The world is not big enough for us to hide forever." Zhuang said.

The polar bear pushed himself up from the grass. The two dragons moved together shyly. "Nor should you have to hide, young ones. This was your world long before ours. We know it is a fearful time for you, but we have sworn to help you find your rightful place beside us."

The two dragons looked down at the bear and smiled. "They trust you," Bolin said. "They have watched you all for so many years, they have felt your presence, and they have felt the love. Today they come out of hiding to say hello, but they are still afraid of their place in this world."

The black bear that housed three came up beside the white bear. "Fear is not a bad thing, young ones. It helps keep you safe. But learning what you don't have to fear is as important as knowing what to avoid. You might remember me when you visited your grandfather. I was the wolf you called Kendal. I am now a bear."

The two dragons grinned, and the young male rubbed his muzzle up alongside the black bear in greeting. But the happiness on their faces turned as others in the circle stirred. The dragons recoiled. Eric saw the discomfort immediately. "Did we say something wrong?" he asked.

Zhuang shook his head. "No, no. The disjointed thoughts of so many waking overwhelm the young ones. We all wake up with different things on our minds. They have made the mistake of thinking they should listen to those thoughts." The temple dog's hand rose. "Let them go, Little Ones. Don't hold on to the thoughts. Wait for your family to speak to you. We speak what is important to us."

Bolin shook his head and laughed. "I don't care how entertaining the old wolf's thoughts are. They are his. We honor our family by never invading their thoughts." The temple dog sat quietly for a moment. "That is true. They are being thrown at you, but not by the old wolf's choice. He has so little control over his mind."

"I have pretty excellent control over my body," Will said as he walked up to the dragons and gave Bolin a kiss.

"Yes," Zhuang agreed. "And that is why they are laughing. Seriously, Old Wolf; Noboru will ask us to do that to him whenever he visits. Even with our tongues, such maneuvering requires extensive training."

"I volunteer to tutor," Will said as he leaned in and kissed Zhuang. "We're old dogs. What else do we have to do but teach each other new tricks?"

Zhuang pulled the old wolf in tighter and the kiss explored further. When the dragons chortled, the two separated. Zhuang sighed. "We will take you up on the offer."

"Does it involve trees? I think it should involve trees," Will said with a smile.

"You are the tutor. We will respect your guidance."

Greg and Mike lifted themselves up, watching the conversation. They gave a nod to the two dragons. "What have we here?" Greg asked.

"The dragons have come to visit," Will replied. "I was about to answer a question Jiao-long asked." He rubbed his paw along the mane of the male dragon. His eyes closed, and he laughed. "No, Jiao-long. I will never ask you to mount me, regardless of what my waking thoughts might have led you to believe."

Greg laughed. "Well, that's Will's waking thoughts most days."

The dragon nodded, and Will moved his paw up and rubbed under the dragon's muzzle. "You are family, and I apologize for taking so long to realize how much so. Your grandparents tried to teach me, but I am a slow learner. Humans are naturally fearful when it comes to embracing the unknown. We have a long history of creatures bigger and stronger than us, killing us for food. We buried that logical fear deep inside and never called into question that one day we might kill out of fear the very ones we should protect."

Will nodded as he listened to a conversation with no words. The dragons never spoke. They had no vocal cords. Rather, they had a syrinx similar to birds that allowed them to chirp, sing, and make other noises, but they never spoke to each other. The sounds they made were an expression more of a mood than outright attempts to communicate.

Conversations with them were a series of images and telepathic sounds that left one understanding what they were trying to say. This form of communication left the dragons at a distinct disadvantage in the company of humans. The upright apes took hundreds of thousands of years before they formed even a rudimentary language. And even then, those fragmented languages left them communicating only within their own small tribes. Even today, the billions of people on earth spoke no one language and had no one set of communication skills to bridge the gaps between each other. The dragons were at a loss to tell the humans they were not enemies or food.

"We will be here, the same way as Jiao-long was for your ancestors," Will said to the unheard question. "We are your guardians. Our lives before yours."

Bolin stared at the old wolf. "You speak Dragon?"

"I'm married to Oliver, remember? The guy who learned Changeling so he could sing love songs to his husbands."

"I remember, Old Wolf," Bolin answered.

"He learned dragon for the same reason. He's had quite the crush on both Dá Lóng and the fenghuang. It's odd to find them living apart in this universe, but Oliver's fondness is still there." Will paused a moment, thinking. "Although I'm not sure he's ever kissing the fenghuang on the beak again, and how many centuries ago was that?" Will reached out to the female dragon and ran his paw along her mane. "Oliver taught me how important it is to speak the languages of those we love. I'm still struggling with Changeling, but Dragon is easier for me. They always dumb it down for me once they realize I'm trying hard to learn."

"They do not dumb it down, Old Wolf."

Will laughed. "They make it simpler for me to understand. Is that better?"

"Much better. I am sure the dragons appreciate your effort. They seem happy to find a new ally."

"Wait," Greg interrupted. "Backtrack a bit. Who was Jiao-long if not the dragon in front of us?"

"Jiao-long is the dragon's namesake." The newborn black bear replied, surprising everyone. "He was the third eldest of the Changelings, and the second to take a Terran corporeal shape."

Derrick looked up at the polar bear, whose arm was now wrapped around him. "I thought you were the second, Papa Bear," the glowing wolf questioned.

"I was the fourth, actually. I was the first to take on a humanoid form when I turned Chet."

Chet looked up when he heard his name. "Come, husbands," he said, rising and extending his hands to the winged bears. "It appears a history lesson you need to know is being told."

The black bear looked toward the winged family. "That's right, Chet. This is the story of the winged dragons that once flew by your side, and in time, when this world is ready, the story of those you will fly with again."

Zhuang clapped his paws together happily. "You have learned the history of the dragons and Changelings."

The Asian black bear smiled. "Kendal has, the rest of us are learning as he tells the story. He also appears to understand their language." The bear huffed. "Oh, this is a bother." He looked out toward the group. "Okay, everyone; for the sake of this discussion, I'm Kendal. Like the old wolf and the badger, I have loved the dragons for a very long time. Dá Lóng and I have a very intimate relationship. I know of no one else that would let me crawl into their mouth to help save my people. And few he knows that would be happy to deal with his slobber."

The two dragons chortled. The black bear looked up at them. "I love your grandfather. I hope one day you will find companions of your own."

"Companions?" the polar bear asked. "I haven't heard that word used in tandem with the dragons in so many, many years."

The black bear smiled. "But a companion has been by your side for years, Old Bear."

A flash of recognition came over the white bear's face. "The Day of Transformation," Eric said. "Dá Lóng took you down underwater. You're his companion."

"And the only one at the moment, but that's not to say other dragons won't find their own in time. Originally, it was a survival mechanism. If you could find a human that understood and loved you, you had a greater chance of not being killed by them." 

The black bear's head cocked, and he smiled at the dragons. "No, I have my hands full with your grandfather, and soon I will have even less time to spend with him than I do now. Besides, I am a free diver. Dá Lóng and I dive together. The ocean is my world, and I am grateful to share that world with your grandfather. One day you will find those who love the forest and your brothers and sisters will find those who love the air."

Oliver looked at Kendal in his new body. "You dives on the back of the dragon underwater?"

"Sure," the black bear answered. "It binds us closer together. Plus, it's fun." The bear did his quick back-and-forth head-turning, telling everyone that a conversation was going on between the three. "I suppose that might be something that changes in the future. Before we make this merger, I better talk to Dá Lóng. We will need to find him a companion who can be more faithful in visiting him than we will be." The bear nodded in agreement with his own conversation, and the dragons laughed at the confusing bear.

Mike thought about the giant water dragon. "How did you even find out about Dá Lóng? I'm sorry to admit this, but I thought of him as an intelligent animal rather than our equal. Like dolphins or whales."

The male dragon snorted an unhappy breath of air out through his nose. Bolin pushed past the mane and rubbed the dragon's neck. "Oh, so now you see what it feels like to be told you're a cute little animal toy and he offended you? Karma is like that, Little One."

"I am so sorry, Jiao-long," Mike said, waving his hands to take back what he said. "I won't ever make that mistake again."

The black bear reached out and ran his paw along the underside of the female dragon's chin, and she made a happy little chirping. "They are in fact far more intelligent than humans… perhaps even smarter than the Changelings. They remember their history back before even the Changelings came to this planet. I can't remember what I ate last week. If you're going to err on the side of where they fall in their relation to us, err on the side that says we're smart animals. But we're still primitive animals that share our lives with animals even smarter than us. It took me a while to realize that, too. In deference to the dragons, I will admit that was more my fault than Dá Lóng's."

"For me, it started out harmless enough. I would go down searching the tide pools. Dá Lóng would come up and join me with his children. I would talk to the children about the animal and plant life I studied, and they would chortle and laugh. I had no clue I was explaining things to them they knew since birth. Then one day I bumped into Dá Lóng by accident, and the images flooded in. All those months of being together and he was trying to talk to me; only I didn't hear a word."

"Well, that started it. We would get together and free dive. He showed me his world below the waves the same way I had shown him my world above. On his back, I could go so much deeper, even more quickly. I was in heaven, and he was too. He had another grown-up to share his world with. Before long, we were the best of friends."

The black bear looked at the badger. "And you, Oliver, you had a dragon in a previous universe who was hoping one day to become your best friend, but you never had a clue."

Oliver looked at Kendal in his new body. "You mean, Dragon? She liked me?"

The black bear laughed out loud. "Oh my god, Oliver, how could you not know? She tried to train you to be her companion for decades."

"No, she helped me get to tai chi class on time by picking me up and flyin' me there. It ain't like I was climbing up on her or nothing."

"Because you never did. She used to land by you and drop her head every day. She did everything but grab you and throw you on her back."

"With Oliver, that would have been the best approach," Will said with a laugh. The two dragons next to him chortled in agreement.

"I didn'ts know. I thought we was just friends, and we talked and stuff."

The black bear knelt down next to the badger. "Look, Oliver, the fenghuang is an old-school dragon. She has a name, and she's never told another that name waiting for the day her companion asks it of her. Today's younger dragons don't do that anymore. But she has waited for centuries to find someone she trusts enough to share that name. To be honest, I don't know if she even knows of you in this world. But if we were all born into this world with cloudy memories of the old, then one day you need to visit with her."

"I was gonna go one of these days," Oliver said. "But we's been kinda busy, what with you blowing up everything every time you turn around."

The black bear laughed, "Look, Oliver, I know no woman will ever turn your head no matter what she might look like. This is about a different kind of intimacy between individuals. You don't have to do anything romantic. But you need to see her. She knew you were gay. She was okay with that. But she loved you, and she wanted to share her world with you the same way Dá Lóng shares his with me. If there's any memory of that inside her, then the two of you owe it to yourself to explore that friendship. That's a friendship that's been waiting to rekindle for fourteen billion years."

"I guess I never thought nothing about that. I didn'ts know she could like me like a serious friend like."

"She's a different species, Oliver. But she's intelligent, she's kind, and she's way smarter than either you or I will ever be. Quiet, retiring; the dragons hid for over sixty-six million years without the Changelings even knowing they were here. Thousands of years ago they introduced themselves to a Changeling, and it was love at first sight for both. Jiao-long was the first Changeling to change his appearance, not to mimic an animal on this planet. He did so to live beside the most intelligent species on Terra."

The black wolf's blue eyes brightened. "Are you saying they're dinosaurs?"

"No, Derrick, I'm saying something far different from that." The Asian black bear looked at the dragons. "It's up to you if I tell them. The temple dragons and dogs have held your secret. I can too."

The large male shook his head no and the temple dogs bobbed their heads in agreement. When the female nodded for him to proceed, Kendal in his new body began telling the story.

"Dragons have been here for longer than any species of life on earth. Because they are not of this earth. Three and a half billion years ago, Terra was one of the warmest of the planets neighboring the home solar system of the dragons. The dragons were a species that used evolving volcanic worlds to incubate their young.

"They're a bit like salmon which return to the place of their birth to mate. The dragons were born on one world and returned to another as they become adults. Dragons lay their eggs on planets with enough heat to incubate those eggs. They return to their home world after the children are born and raised. That's about the extent of the similarities between these dragons and salmon. Their intelligence, their complex language and their philosophy are major differences. But more than anything, they have a moral compass given to them by the teachings of their parents that stayed on Terra while the eggs incubated. These aren't animals that breed and leave their children to fend for themselves. They parented their children until they were ready to begin their own lives."

"Two sets of parents stayed behind to incubate sixteen eggs left by the dragons. The incubation was radically different from the dragons of today. Their breeding took place once every eight hundred years. The raising of the children took hundreds of years beyond that. Their society was complex and ordered. Having found a nesting place, the dragons would come back century after century with new parents bringing their eggs. But in doing so, they inadvertently brought something else to earth each time they returned."

Nathaniel turned to his Papa. "Panspermia."

Oliver looked at his husband. "What kind of sperm?"

The dragons chortled, and the black bear laughed with them. "Panspermia, Oliver. It means that Terran life, except for the Changelings and the dragons, evolved from the microscopic life that came here on the feet of the dragons."

The dragons shifted position. LanYing rose and shook her furry mane like an iridescent blue and green dog. She turned around and, being careful around the smaller ones beside her, she settled back down beside Jiao-long. Bolin smiled at the black bear. "Continue, please, Little One, it's such a pleasure to hear the story told by one other than us."

Kendal bowed and continued while those who shared his body listened intently along with the rest of the growing crowd. "Terra was evolving right along with the new microbial life on her surface. As her crust cooled, fewer and fewer dragons returned to incubate their eggs. The last dragons looked out from the still erupting Yellowstone Caldera and chose a new path forward for their children. They would not return to their home world. Instead, they would stay and raise them on Terra."

"As with all life on the surface of Terra, the children of the dragons evolved to survive in their new world. Slight changes in their genetic makeup over eons helped them adapt to this world. Once suited for interstellar travel, the species lost their ability to launch their bodies beyond the atmosphere. They lost their ability to create traversable wormholes. Their eggs evolved to need less heat for incubation. They became tethered to this planet, but that is exactly what they hoped to do. They wanted to make Terra their home."

"They evolved into niches where their enormous size caused less competition among themselves. But always they remained family. Tens of thousands of dragons roamed the earth at one time. Some in the ocean waters, others on land, and some in the air. They have seen life evolve on this planet from the first plants up to the rise of earth's apex predator."

The black bear turned to the father Changelings and their sons. "Ancient Ones, they love and fear you. When your ship crashed, you destroyed much of the life they once interacted with and many of them as well. However, they realized over time that what you had done was an accident.

"And that's when the Changelings started factoring into the dragon's lives. For millions of years, they hid from the Changelings. Until one day, they approached Jiao-long to find out if other aliens were living on the planet as bound to this world as they were.

"And as we all know, Changelings are about as irresistible as any blob of glowing color can be. Jiao-long endeared himself to the dragons, and in time, the dragons became his lifelong companions. Jiao-long adopted the look of a wingless flier as his avatar so that he could be with the ones he loved.

"Whether he ever mated with the dragons the way Changelings have done with humans is anyone's guess. The history of the Changelings doesn't tell us, and neither the dragons nor Terra will say. But my guess is that he chose not to. The lengthy gestation of the dragons would have been an even greater worry for Jiao-long. He saw what happened with the human's offspring over their time in utero."

"As for the curious who wonder if he ever turned one, the answer is probably not as well. The longevity for a dragon is centuries. They see death as a part of life, and they do not fear it. Dangling immortality in front of a dragon is a non-starter. And there is the matter of genetics. Werebeasts are all men because of genetic bonding. Dragons have the potential to become either or both sexes depending on environmental need."

"Wait a minute," Oliver said. "Is you saying they can has a baby all by themselves?"

"That's what I'm saying, Oliver," the black bear answered. "Every dragon has functional male and female gonads. You don't see them, but they're there. For dragons, sexual organs don't develop until their second molting, which acts as their puberty. It's then when environmental pressures come into play.

"The preferred approach is to mate because it creates more genetic diversity. But given a severe enough crisis, one of them can gestate babies inside a uterus. That relieves the need for either a mate or a heat source for the eggs' incubation. They're not the only animal on the planet that lays eggs and has a uterus. But they're nothing like a platypus or echidna. It would be a mistake trying to classifying dragons with any scientific method that humans use. It's best to see them as unique unto themselves."

Oliver looked at the two dragons. "I'se glad you don'ts got to do that, Dragons. You's always been such pretty beasts, and it makes us all happy to see you together."

The dragons made a happy little chirping noise as Kendal, in his bear body, continued the story. 

"And that's when Jiao-long stepped in to do more than share his life with the dragons. When word of what Anubis had done to a human spread out into the Changeling community, Jiao-long had an idea. He wondered if some humans might choose to turn beast to help protect the dragons. He began a search for humans willing to share the lives of the dragons."

"The first of the weredragons became wingless dragons, as their father had been. They spanned across much of Asia. The temple dogs evolved when it became clear to the weredragons that their size made their movements too clumsy for the outside world. In ancient history, humankind saw dragons as benefactors and good luck for the community. They viewed the dogs as even more intimately involved in the support of the communities in which they lived."

"Somewhere along the line, something far more malevolent replaced those legends." The black bear paused, "And for you, Oliver, that means somehow good dragons became seen by the humans as something really bad."

"Thank you, Kendal," Oliver said with a smile. "At least you knows who's listening to the story."

"My pleasure," Kendal replied from inside his new body. "In Europe, the dragons became seen as in league with the devil. The fire-breathing dragons of Western lore are a myth created to show the triumph of Christianity over paganism. But that triumph in their stories resulted in the real-world death of every forest and winged dragon on the entire continent of Europe."

"Dragons living in India and the Middle East fared no better. Stories of the dragons linked them to venomous snakes. In other legends, the most powerful gods killed the dragons to protect their human worshipers. Dragons in the real world didn't have a chance against the murderous onslaught."

The bear reached out and rubbed his paw along the neck of the dragon next to him. "This was when Jiao-long realized he had to do more than live beside the dragons. He had to protect them from the one thing bent on killing them. He changed his dragon form and became a winged flier. The western dragon was smaller, more nimble, and able to cover ground more quickly in search of the last of the surviving dragons. He brought them to a land so foreboding that human populations were nonexistent. There, with the help of the temple dogs, he built a magnificent temple and a monastery that could house his family safely away from the humans."

"And that is where our two different universes grow apart," Will interjected. "In both worlds, the temple beasts gave up their human avatars to dedicate themselves to protecting the remaining dragons. In our world, the human war machine killed all but two of the dragons. Only four temple dogs survived, and the temple dragons were no more."

Bolin nodded. "We are fortunate that the Old Bear had insight enough to help us escape the terrors of that war. Even now, the surviving dragons and their children are thriving in safe environments around the globe. Our brothers live beside them as their protectors."

"And those environments are expanding," Greg said with a smile. "We are creating new temples and places of sanctuary for the dragons throughout the world. We received a call from Li Wei. The brothers are requesting we build a new habitat for the dragons in South America." Greg turned to the two dragons. "We hope that during this visit we can learn what your family needs to thrive. Your guardians are always happy with you, regardless of their lodging. So, we must learn what you need."

Zhuang smiled. "We are grateful for your help, Greg. Our brothers love their homes in Tibet and New Zealand. That South America might offer another refuge for the dragons is wonderful news. One day we hope the highland will be more than a sanctuary for the dragons and our people. We hope it will be a place where the dragons and beasts can live peacefully with the humans. We have a long way to go, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first steps."

Mike smiled. "And I took a few more steps today with your help. I will return to my classrooms with what I have learned and teach the stories to the children of Partridge Island. The next generation of children who live on our island will know the history of their family is far greater than that of the Were Nation and the humans."

The black bear smiled. "That would make me very happy, Mike."

"So, is that Kendal, or someone else, who's happy?" Mike asked.

"All of us, actually," the bear replied.

"It's still a bit confusing," Mike admitted.

"And it's gonna get even more confusing," Oliver said. "Marcus is gonna smoosh up five men I loves into one. Can't say I'se particularly thrilled with that, but they say it's needful, so I'se gonna shut up about it."

Mike stared at the badger. "Come again?"

Marcus responded. "You all know that Oliver and Derrick were glowing a while back. They were kind enough to hold my abilities in trust for me until I could reclaim them. We've done that. Now there is an even greater mission that we are about to undertake. We all know things can happen that are greater than any of us can take on alone. That's been the history of this family."

"Right," Greg said, slightly confused. "That's why the three of you are together, right?"

"That's right," the bear said with a nod. "But what we need to guard this family is greater even than the three of us. It's why three more have agreed to merge their bodies and their powers with us into one. Regrettably, that takes far more men from Oliver than he cares for." Marcus stepped over to Oliver and squatted down. "But we're okay with this, right, Oliver? This is like any wedding. Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I'se okay with it, Marcus. Don't means I gots to like it. I knows we all does things we don't want to do to keep our family safe. You does what you gots to do."

Greg looked around at the group. "If I understand what you're suggesting here, I have an objection. We came here thinking we were celebrating a birth in our family. You never mentioned that we were saying goodbye to a part of our family as well. Make your changes with our blessing, but don't we deserve the same opportunity that you are taking to say our goodbyes to those we will miss?"

"Wolf's gotta point, husbands," Oliver said.

"Indeed," Donovan said. "If we make this change and leave without our family being able to say goodbye, there would be cause for them to be upset with the one that takes our place."

"You're one of the ones going?" Mike asked.

Donovan nodded. "Marcus and Kendal's merging you already know about. Samuel, Raymond, and I are preparing to join them."

Mike looked at the two pandas. "We barely welcomed you to our world and you're leaving it?"

The black and white bears nodded. "We're sorry, Mike. We come from a time when we know how important this merging is for our family. This isn't goodbye. We will be by your side forever. Just not necessarily as two horny pandas who think Yukon wolves are totally hot."

Mike smiled. "There aren't too many reasons you could give for leaving us that would set well with this Yukon wolf. But if you say you're doing it to protect our family, you get a pass from me."

"Me, too," Greg added. "But I still go back to my original statement. This is too big not to involve the Were Nation in what you are planning to do. There are too many of us who see these three as men that we love. We have a right not only to say hello to what comes of this union, but a right to say goodbye."

Marcus saw the nod of agreement in each of those gathered. "What do we do to make that happen?" he asked.

"Well, a lot of us are already here. We rouse those still sleeping and tell them the entire story," Eric answered. "And we let the Were Nation know that with a new birth on the horizon, there will be goodbyes to say as well."

"I'm sorry for this inconvenience," the black bear said, bowing his head. "There is so much I have to learn. I saw only duty. You have a sense of family that is still unfamiliar to me. I forgot how important it is to let you all say goodbye."

"It's okay, Marcus," Will said. "I know this is a problematic change for you all. But Greg is right. We can't gloss over the loss we are going to feel regardless of how happy we might be with your merging."

The bear looked up at the old wolf. "Are you happy for me, William? Are you truly happy?"

Will forced a smile. "Yeah, Marcus, I am. You finally found your place in this world. That's not a simple thing to do. But it's a bittersweet happiness I feel for you. That's the best I can offer."

The black bear reached out and wiped a tear from the old wolf's cheek. "It's the best I can do."

Will nodded his understanding. "Then that will do, Marcus." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What now, Old Bear? How do we get the word out to those who aren't here?"

Eric tapped his ComLink. "Getting the word out to the Were Nation is easy. Saying goodbye won't be."
 
Chapter 34
  
The sun rose on the sleeping family huddled together in configurations that resembled a furry Gordian's knot. Nestled up against the forest edge, the dragons and temple dogs slept together. "I will miss them," Donovan said.
 
"I hope your sense of separation won't last long, Donovan," Marcus said, placing his arm around the wolf. "We'll be together, and that sense of loss you're feeling as Donovan should fade as who we are becomes someone new, someone different."
 
"But who he becomes is far from this day," Raymond said. "And that means he will miss this family terribly. It is something you will learn about us in time, Marcus."
 
Marcus sighed. "I can't deny that. I acknowledge your feelings for your family, even if they confuse me. Our union won't change that. It doesn't matter who we become. That beast will miss this family every time he has to leave them." The bear's paw reached out across the glade, glowing blue. "Sleep, family. Time to bring us together."
 
Donovan, Samuel, and Raymond saw the glimmer of light clinging to the edges of their vision appear. It hovered over the bear. "This is who I am," the glimmer said inside everyone's mind. "I am nothing without you. You have no reason to join me, save that I believe together we can protect your family better than we can by standing on our own."
 
"That is reason enough," Donovan replied.
 
"I hope you will be patient with me. There is so much for me to learn. But I desperately want to understand."
 
"We'll be there beside you," Samuel said. "We understand the sacrifice you are making to honor our requests."
 
The glimmer melded back into the Asian Bear, and he rotated his paws in front of himself. "So many feelings, so much confusion, but I have never felt so alive." The bear looked up at the three in front of him. "I am grateful for your choice. You have lived different lives, but you are stronger for the living. Me…" the bear sighed, looking down at his paws as he turned them. "Me, I am what I have always been. I guard the universe and try to set things right."
 
"And what of us, then…" Donovan hesitated, trying to decide what to call the bear in front of him.
 
The bear smiled. "We will decide who we are when we merge."
 
"Is this change one that is permanent?"
 
The black bear looked confused. "You are the first ever to ask. And I am the first ever to merge an entire family into one being."
 
"You're saying this might not work?" the bear asked himself.
 
"I'm saying what we did in the other universe was a last-ditch effort to save our worlds. Sometimes necessity forms bonds incapable of being recreated." The bear pointed to the two pandas. "And them… they're not simple clan members. They're complex and capable of wielding multiple clan powers simultaneously. I have no clue how that might affect this merging."
 
"Well, then you best figure it out," the bear said. "If you want this to happen, we need guarantees that our family will be safe."
 
"Yes, yes, of course," the bear replied. "But autonomy? We never gave that in any merging."
 
"You already said there has never been a merging like this one. What's another detail?"
 
The bear threw his hands up in the air and snorted out his exasperation. "Fine! We merge, but you all stay the same until we decide otherwise." The bear looked at Donovan. "And this change is not permanent until we all agree to it."
 
"That is acceptable to me," the Armbruster's wolf said with a nod.
 
"Works for us," the pandas said in tandem.
 
"If my husband is good with this, then so am I," the bear added and then gave a nod in agreement.
 
The group of three watched as the bear continued to carry on a conversation back and forth. All were aware that these were the final negotiations. There was a barter back and forth between the glimmer that needed the five, and the bear skilled in ensuring those under his protection found a safe home.
 
At last, the bear huffed. "Okay, look, I'm not sure… I never did any of this before. What I did in that other universe was far more you than me. You… you beasts willingly go so far beyond where the order would have gone to save your family." The bear turned to the group. "You men don't need me. I have powers you don't, and we did something amazing on the other side of that black hole, but it wasn't my idea. It was Donovan's. And it wasn't me who made this alternative universe. It was Kendal."
 
"I never talked to you about restarting this universe, Bear," Donovan said.
 
"No, but in another universe, inside a dream of yours, you told me if everything we did couldn't stop the lights from eating everyone, it was best to find another dream. The dreams you had frustrated you, but you never stopped trying to find a solution to the problem."
 
"I don't remember the dreams, Bear," the Armbruster's wolf said.
 
"I realize you don't," the black bear replied. "But you found an answer, nonetheless." He turned to the others. "I need you, men. Your insight, your gifts, and your powers are things I cannot live without. But if you ever want to turn from what I offer here, then I promise I will free you from what we become."
 
"Even without an idea of what we might become?" the bear asked himself again.
 
"Yes!"
 
"And your people?" Kendal asked within his new body.
 
The bear shook his head. "I was hoping to show them what we became after the change. It's you who said it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission."
 
"You're still doing this solo?" Donovan sputtered angrily.
 
The bear shook his head. "No, I am doing it with you five. I am doing it with the only beings in the universe that can make this happen. You will guide my path even more than I guide yours. And you will do it for a reason I barely understand; to protect those you love."
 
"It is the only reason Marcus offered us that had any sway in our choices, Bear," Donovan said.
 
Samuel nodded. "Dad's right there. This won't happen if we can't hold on to our family and protect them."
 
The bear returned the nod. "I'm aware of that. I am trying to understand. But I need your help. By merging, there will be parts of my life you will learn and parts of yours I will understand. But by remaining autonomous, there will be so much I don't learn. I hope one day I learn the importance of family beyond the simple preservation of life. That, I understand. But you will need to teach me what goes beyond that."
 
"Of course," Samuel said. "It is what we do for family. We teach each other the things we don't know. There's no shame in admitting that we don't know everything."
 
"But there is so much I don't understand," the bear sighed. "The last time we did this, we all realized it was a one-time shot to save the universe. We shaped that universe to return us to this point, but where it goes from here is anyone's guess." The black bear rubbed the muzzle of the panda. "I will rely on you to be my guides." The bear's head turned. "And we will be the ones that teach him what it means to be family. We won't sacrifice that knowledge for a power bump up."
 
Samuel smiled. "Thanks, Marcus. Thanks, Kendal."
 
The bear returned the smile. "He has so much to learn, but his heart is good. I see how far his powers reach, and they are short of where they need to be to protect our family. He has yet to even understand the word that he is trying to save. We are the family he needs to become what he hopes to be. He needs us. We don't turn from one in need."
 
Donovan shrugged. "That is true." He put his hand on the shoulder of the bear. "Can you keep them asleep and out of harm's way through the change?" Donovan asked. "As you said, your initial mergers can inflict some serious damage. You tore off the top of this mountain the first two times we merged. I can't imagine bringing us into the mix will be any less cataclysmic."
 
"Easy-peasy," the Asian black bear replied. Suddenly, the five were staring out at a barren desert that extended beyond sight. The sun had set, and Mars was a faded red star on the horizon. "The Sahara. If we change here, we stir up a lot of sand, but nothing else."
 
Donovan looked at the bear askance. "Really? Do you have any idea how tough it is to get sand out of wolf fur?"
 
"I thought about that," the black bear answered. "But who's to say that we become a wolf? Shouldn't we decide that together?"
 
Samuel looked at the bear. "Time travel, reboots of the universe, alternate timelines. Papa Oliver is right. We are one fucked up family."
 
The black bear looked at the panda. "You don't have to do this, Samuel; or you either, Raymond. You can stay with your families."
 
"No, we need to do this," Samuel corrected. Raymond nodded his agreement. "We may be fucked up, but we are family. We protect each other, and we know this is the way we do it. Marcus, we're both going into this change with eyes wide open. We are like our fathers. We don't stand down. Above all else, we protect. This is where we belong."
 
Raymond's face took on a look of determination. "Samuel and I have both been born with the Sight from our fathers. We see a part of the life that lies ahead for us. This is not a journey you four can take alone. You are our family. That includes you 'Mr. Glitter Like a Gay Disco Guy'. The one born on this day will have challenges to face like none of our family before. We need to give him every gift this family can give to safeguard his journey. This day is too important for any of us to walk away from it."
 
The Armbruster's wolf pulled Samuel into a hug. "My husbands gave birth to such beautiful children. I wish I had years to get to know you."
 
"You will, Donovan. We will always be a part of you now," Samuel said. "Raymond and I are doing what we were born to do. We were born to stand by your side." The red glow of one paw reached up and touched the face of the Armbruster's wolf. "I am warrior class. We need only one. Let your warrior stand down. You are a Channeler. Use your gift to ensure the warrior in me never forgets the healer and the builder who stand by his side."
 
Donovan nodded and leaned in, kissing the panda. The two kissed, and a faint glow slowly covered them with a light that shifted in the colors of the rainbow. With his free paw, Donovan pulled the second panda into his embrace and kissed him as well. The glowing colors soon followed.
 
"It's begun, Kendal," the bear said. "I have to admit if I'm going to merge, I say we opt to follow their lead." He stepped toward the three, and the arms of the two pandas brought him into their embrace. The bear didn't know which panda he was kissing. Still, as the spiraling colors emanated from his body, he realized he didn't care. The two inside him guided him, and the wolf with the power of the builder clan led them all toward their merging.
 
As the bodies began blending into one, the bear gave a forlorn sigh. "Oh, bother," he said. "I only now figured out how much fun it is to kiss you, and now you're going to be me. I seriously regret what I have to do sometimes."
 
The bodies of all hugging melded into the center, almost like clay statues slowly pushed together. Eventually, only a pillar of light stood where the four once were. Glowing tendrils spread out from the light and intertwined. The tendrils wrapped around the shape in the middle until it became one blinding ball of light floating in midair. The explosion that followed left a crater of fused silica twenty meters deep into the sand. Standing in the middle of the glass bowl was the light shaping itself into something corporeal.
 
As a body coalesced deep inside the light, it became more humanoid. Soon it began flipping through various anthropomorphic versions of other animals. Yet it never quite settled on a pattern. As the light laughed aloud, it disappeared from the desert as if it had never been there. Even the crater was gone from sight. Nothing remained of what happened, save an immense glass bowl buried far below the shifting sand.
  
Chapter 35
  
The family awoke as they heard laughter echoing through the highland. As all looked around, none could pinpoint where the voice came from. The bodies of the beasts slowly began unraveling from each other. "Where is he?" Derrick asked, gazing around the glade.
 
"Who?" Kris said, rubbing his eyes.
 
"The six who became one," Derrick said, continuing to look about. "That's him laughing."
 
"Son of a gun, you'se right," Oliver said, his Sight pushing forward into the same place Derrick's had already gone. "Well, you might as well come out and say hello," Oliver yelled.
 
The flash of light on the glade turned all the heads toward the brilliance. There, in the middle of the field, was a thirty-foot colossal squid flailing its tentacles. "Hi family, I'm home!" the squid yelled.
 
"OH HELL, NO!" Oliver yelled back. "You gets out of that body and into something I can hug."
 
The squid started laughing, but Oliver's face told the squid he had made a serious error in judgment. "I love you, Oliver," the squid said as it shook into a six-foot upright beast with a long snout and thick rust-colored scales covering its body.
 
Oliver stared at the scaled creature. "What is you?" he asked. "You looks like an anteater dressed up as a knight."
 
"I'm a giant ground pangolin," the creature said. "I sort of flattened my muzzle so I can still kiss you all. There are some things those inside me won't let me sacrifice for the sake of anatomical accuracy." He turned as if grabbing something he was hiding behind him. As he spun back, his hand pushed a small sword into the air. "But you have to admit, I make a cool knight."
 
"I still can'ts hug you, you scaly critter. You gots a name, Knight?"
 
The pangolin grinned as the sword disappeared. "I'm Adam. It's sort of an inside joke. Do you get it? First of my kind and all that."
 
"Okay, Adam," the badger said, folding his arms as he tapped his foot. "You gonna turn into something I can hug, or does you just roll over and lets me fuck the soft spots?"
 
The pangolin laughed. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I either tease you or William, and we know William will forgive me for almost anything I throw up in front of him." He looked at the group. "My apologies to all. I inherited a rather warped sense of humor from my panda side. The ability to shapeshift is new to me, but not to them. Hence the squid, and now this pangolin. This is my traveling outfit. I'm not too threatening, but I look like I can take care of myself."
 
There was another shift, and the pangolin became an oversized otter. Standing upright, more than a third of him was a tail lying flat on the ground. "What do you think, Oliver?"
 
"You's tiny like me," Oliver said, amazed.
 
"Yeah. About six feet upright if you don't count the tail. That's huge for a giant river otter, though. They're less than six feet, including the tail. I figure if the badger I love can cheat a bit on his height, so can I."
 
"Me? But you gots lots of others you love here."
 
"And they'll be fine," the otter said, turning to the group with a smile. "I have choices I can make. If you want a big bear, I can be that. You want a wolf, I'm able. But there is a badger in my life and a little fox. They are the only two of their kind."
 
Jason squeezed the hands of his mates on either side when he heard mention of the little fox. The otter made an upset snarl. "Have you heard what they get called, our smallest brothers? The lesser mammals. They're lumped together as all those mammals that aren't big cats, elephants, or bears. They're not the things that draw people to the conservation centers like giraffes and the great apes. Are you looking for a big-ticket draw? Well, then it better be big. We fear the wolf, but not the fox. Give a happy little squeal over how cute he is and move on to something more exciting. And badgers? Ask a human what there is to love about a badger and you get a glazed look. Well, no more. There is much to love about the badger and the fox, and heaven help anyone that comes between them and their family."
 
The otter extended his hand toward the badger. "There were two. Now there are three. We are small, but we are powerful, and we are brave. We love like there is no tomorrow because we have seen our days of no tomorrow." When Oliver took a step forward, the otter took his hands. "I want to be by your side, Oliver; not towering above you."
 
"You can be anything you wants to be, Adam," the badger said. "I'se gonna love you no matter what you is. We all is gonna love you. You knows that."
 
"I do. But only you and Jason have to have your husbands pick you up to kiss you."
 
"I don'ts mind. They's fun to kiss no matter what."
 
"Well then, let's say I am an otter when I'm in your company because it makes me feel good."
 
"I'se good with that, Adam. You's kind of hot, all sleek and shiny-like."
 
The otter looked down at his body. "I still have a bit of a belly. I know my family well enough not to lose it entirely."
 
The old wolf approached the otter. "So, what would you have been if I were the only one in the picture?"
 
The otter was suddenly an elephant standing on his hind legs with a prodigious cock swinging back and forth. "I would have gone for a blue whale, but you saw how sea animals freak out the badger," the elephant said.
 
Will laughed. "I really do have size limitations, Adam," the old wolf said.
 
"Have you met them yet?"
 
"No, but I'm much more fond of the idea of spending time with the otter than the elephant. I concede that there are some things I simply don't want to try."
 
The otter returned. "This is who I am, William. I'm an otter in love with you. Will that be enough?"
 
Will nodded. "Adam, you will always be more than enough."
 
The white bear stared at the otter and then back at the badger. "Oliver, you have a man who seems to love you as much as we do, and he has the flexibility to be your size. I say take him up on the offer while he is still here with us."
 
Oliver looked at Eric. "Oh, I is gonna do just that." The otter felt a sharp tug and spun around into a deep kiss with the badger. By the time he took his first breath, Adam was on the ground and the badger had his legs lifted. Adam looked up at the badger and grinned. "Dibs on the bottom bunk, Oliver."
 
Oliver grinned back. "Oh, we's decided that a long time ago, Otter. Now we only gots to see what we does for an encore after I'se done you. I'm thinking Jason and us can go swimming together." Oliver turned the two of them around so that they were facing the crowd. "I realize you Changeling husbands of mine can shift, but so help me if any of you ever shifts to something small, I will bite you." He thought for a moment as he saw the bears thinking. "I won'ts bite you. And I'll… I'll…" The badger sighed. "Oh fuck it, bears, please just don't change."
 
Oliver rolled off the top of the otter and looked over at Jason. "Come on, Fox. We's taking the otter swimming. Seems better we do him together from the start." With a tug on the otter's arm, Oliver was off toward the creek.
 
Jason looked at his husbands. Lothair smiled back at him. "Go, Fox. He made that body for you. Make sure you take every opportunity to enjoy it." Jason kissed his husbands and was off racing toward the two small mammals.
 
The father bears smiled and both grabbing a wolf tumbled to the ground. "Dibs on the badger for lunch," Kris said as he kissed the black wolf.
 
Nathaniel stared at his fathers rolling in the grass, and he smiled. He looked at his bear mate. "They're going to be going at this for some time, Husband."
 
Max nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is only the start of it. I have an idea. How about we mate?"
 
"Mate?" Nathaniel asked, confused.
 
"Yeah, you know," his bear husband answered. "I bite your neck and fuck you like crazy, and then you flip me and do the same. Lots of sex. A bit of blood, a few teeth get knocked out, and a broken bone or two. You know… mating." The bear's finger pushed in and out of the hole he created with his other paw. "Fuck… fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."
 
Nathaniel shook his head. "When did you start talking like that?"
 
"Oliver's been my husband for years. That badger wears off on you after a bit." The bulky bear leaned in and kissed the other. "Be my mate, Nathaniel. I get that this world is new to you, but I am the man who has always loved you. Bear or man, I don't care. Tell me you'll be by my side now and forever in a way I won't ever forget."
 
Nathaniel smiled. "But Oliver is off playing with the fox and otter. Shouldn't he be here?"
 
"Oh, we'll mate with him one day, too. But I remember a day when you stood by my side wearing your tuxedo. I couldn't think of a moment where I had ever been so happy; until that night when I lay in bed with you. That night, with the rain pounding down on the steel roof and the two of us huddled under the blankets exploring our human bodies. It was heaven."
 
"It was for me too," Nathaniel said.
 
Max sighed. "And it was on that night that the first twinge of what I might be missing hit me. There in the dark, I wanted to do more than make love to you. I wanted to bite your neck the way your fathers had done to each other. I wanted you to realize that I would have you by my side, as man or beast, or whatever you wanted to be; and I would never regret a moment."
 
Max rubbed his paw across his husband's wide chest. "So, while Oliver is off enjoying himself, let me tell you for the first time what I should have said from the first day we were together in both universes. Be my mate, Nathaniel. Let me bite your neck and bind us together forever."
 
Nathaniel kissed the short-faced bear in front of him. "Be my mate, Max; now and forever."
 
With a shove, the smaller short-faced bear pushed Nathaniel to the ground and rolled him onto his stomach. Nathaniel stretched out his arms as the bear above bit deep into his neck, and he sighed. The cock, pushing itself deep inside him, was new and yet somehow familiar. He yielded not only to the bear but to the husband he had missed for so many years in a way he never could. He closed his eyes and let the weight of the bear push him deeper into the grass as he felt the blood trickle from his neck. The bear was not holding back. He was mating with his Changeling husband, and he wanted Nathaniel to know he understood all that it meant to love one of the Unity.
 
When Nathaniel sensed the last of Max's orgasm pulsing into him, he roared and bolted up on his hind legs, throwing the bear off. He turned and looked at the bear with the bloodstained mouth. "I can go easy, Bear," he growled.
 
"You do, and I will toss you like a rag doll, Bear," the other replied. With a swing of his paw, the larger bear sent the smaller bear tumbling. By the time he had hit the grass, Nathaniel was inside Max and humping the willing bear. The roar of the short-faced bears filled the glade as Nathaniel bit deep into Max's neck. When his head lifted, the blood flung from Nathaniel's muzzle and he roared again. He forced the smaller bear down with his paws pressed against the bear's shoulder blades. Then, true to the way of bears, he began a pounding that the other bear would remember for days. Max smiled, turned his head to the grass, and lost himself in the moment's bliss.
 
Moments after Nathaniel roared through his orgasm, two temple dogs catapulted over the top of him. Max laughed as he was pulled up from his position. Nathaniel, cock spent and dripping, was on his back, with one dog already buried deep inside. The yellow-haired beast pushed the entire weight of his body against the raised legs of the bear. Moments after penetrating the bear, the dog began the uninhibited thrusting common to all temple dogs.
 
Max righted himself directly into the crotch of the second dog. He looked up at the golden beast. "So, whose cock am I going to be sucking, Dog? I don't remember your scars the way Will does."
 
The temple dog pushed back the fur on his chest. "You recognize this scar, don't you, Max?"
 
"Bolin," Max cried out happily.
 
"Your first mating with the Changeling and the badger was a memorable one."
 
Max smiled. "But he doesn't remember it, Bolin. The bear under your husband has only memories from a different world, it seems."
 
The temple dog's face looked confused. He rolled into a ball and somersaulted beside the short-faced bear mounted by his mate. He lowered his body until he was face to face with the smiling bear. "You don't remember how you got the scar on your arm?"
 
Nathaniel shook his head as the dog above him continued his pounding. "I… didn't… even… know… I… had… a… scar." Nathaniel said between thrusts.
 
Bolin kissed the bear's lips. "Then we shall show you how it came to be," the yellow dog said with a grin. He looked up at his mate. "Zhuang, the bear doesn't remember how he acquired his scar."
 
Zhuang's pounding instantly ceased, and composure returned to his face. He tilted his head. "Really? It was that uneventful for him?"
 
"No, it appears he only remembers his life from another world where our copulation never happened."
 
"Really? So this is the first time I have penetrated him?"
 
"Indeed."
 
Zhuang looked concerned. He turned to Max. "I apologize for my eagerness. It was inappropriate for me to be so forward. We were not aware that this was your first mating. We erroneously assumed that you and Nathaniel were renewing vows."
 
Nathaniel tried to push up from the ground. "We are, Zhuang. I was married to my husband in my life before this one."
 
"And did we enjoy the pleasure of your company afterward as we did in this world?"
 
Nathaniel shook his head. "No, this is new to me. I've never even met Bolin before now."
 
Bolin pushed back on the fur of Nathaniel's arm. "And this?"
 
Nathaniel stared at the scar running across his arm. "I didn't know it was there."
 
"Heal it, Ancient One," Bolin pleaded.
 
"No, Bolin," Nathaniel protested. "It is a memory for you and my husband."
 
"Heal it, Bear," Max said, standing over the prostrate bear.
 
Bolin pushed back the fur on his chest and Nathaniel watched as the scar running across his chest healed. His hand rubbed the scar on Nathaniel's arm. "Welcome to our world, Nathaniel. Let us make fresh scars to remember forever."
 
The scar faded from Nathaniel's arm. "Exactly how did we get these scars?" Nathaniel asked as the last of his disappeared.
 
"Oh, we can show you," Zhuang said, stepping off the bear and extending his hand. As soon as he was upright, Nathaniel felt his body flipped into the air and slammed against the broad shoulder of the temple dog. The dog began running toward the forest with Nathaniel trapped in a fireman's carry. Max laughed out loud as he and Bolin ran after the eager temple dog and his toy.
 
With two bouncing leaps, Nathaniel was carried into the trees by Zhuang. The smaller branches scraped across the bear's body as the dog flung him onto a thick branch. Jumping to the branch above, Zhuang swung around in a circle, his prehensile tail holding him to the branch. At the last moment, as the arc of the circle grew closest to perpendicular to the bear, the tail released, and the dog flew toward the raised butt of the bear.
 
When the dog penetrated the bear for the second time, Nathaniel winced at the force of the impact. Still, he yielded willingly to the dog's affectionate pounding. Held from falling by the dog's paws locked around his shoulders, Nathaniel could feel Zhuang's feet clenched to the tree on either side of his belly. He looked down and realized how far the dog's climbing had taken them. He closed his eyes to block the vertigo created by the height and wild gyrations of their bound bodies.
 
And then there was the warm, wet sensation of a cock trying to push into his mouth. He opened his eyes and stared at the cock pushing out through the brown fur so like his own. Dangling from the arms of Bolin, his husband was hanging from a higher branch; his cock set square in front of Nathaniel.
 
"Open wide, Husband," Max ordered with a big grin.
 
"So, this is how I got the scar?" Nathaniel said, taking the cock into his mouth.
 
"Oh, no," Zhuang said. "That didn't happen until much later."
 
Nathaniel let the warmth of his husband's cock slowly move in and out of his mouth as Bolin swung the smaller short-faced bear back and forth. He closed his eyes again and felt the pleasures of two massive cocks filling him up. He had no clue how his first scars came to be, but as his orgasm shot out across the branch, spilling onto the forest floor below, he was more than eager to find out.
  
Chapter 36
  
Nathaniel stumbled out of the forest, rubbing his leg. The still bleeding gash hurt somewhat, but it didn't matter to him. Max's arm wrapped under his armpit, giving him support as he limped forward. "I'm sure Gaia can fix the tree," Max said confidently. "The fact that she hasn't thrown anything up in our path is a good sign she's already forgiven us. It is our mating, after all."
 
Nathaniel looked at the bear cradling him. "Which tree, Max? We took out three before we hit the ground."
 
"We are truly sorry, bears," Zhuang apologized. "We might have gained control if Bolin hadn't been so insistent on you achieving an even dozen orgasms, Max."
 
"It's that your taste is so enticing," Bolin said. "I believe the reference to my predilection is that I am a cum-hound."
 
Max smiled. "You are you, Bolin. You needn't label it or apologize for anything. Besides, if we had stayed in the oak tree, I suspect we would have been fine. The maples aren't nearly as strong. Still, we all had fun. And we love each other even more now than when we entered the forest."
 
"Indeed, Max," Bolin said. "Even so, we are sorry for your back, and we are sorry for your leg, Nathaniel,"
 
"I had fun, Bolin," Nathaniel replied. "It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope this will be only the first of many scars I carry as reminders of our time together."
 
Zhuang shook his head. "No, no, Bear. You must only keep one. We learned from experience that keeping too many of them leads to fur that looks disheveled. We keep only enough scars so that those we love can tell us apart."
 
Nathaniel smiled. "And we're grateful." He stood up and rubbed back the fur on Bolin's chest, exposing the red gouge across the temple dog's flesh. "So, Bolin has a fresh scar on his chest, and you, Zhuang, have one on the back of your right paw."
 
"That is correct, Nathaniel."
 
"And I have one on my leg so that you can tell the short-faced bears apart."
 
"You realize your husband has no markings on his face and is shorter, correct?" Bolin asked.
 
"Of course," Nathaniel answered. "But this way you can tell us apart in the dark."
 
"Our sense of smell is excellent, Bear. You needn't hold on to your scars for our benefit," Zhuang said, trying his best to be solicitous.
 
"Then I will hold on to only this one," Nathaniel said. "My fur will eventually cover it. But I want to remember this day."
 
Max looked at his husband. "These days, Bear. We've been in the forest for two days."
 
Nathaniel stared at the bear. "Really? Two days?"
 
"I understand your feelings, Nathaniel," Zhuang said. "But we felt compelled to rush our time with you so that you could enjoy the company of your family. You are newly mated. There are traditions to uphold. Soon the word will go out, and our family will be eager to share in your affections."
 
The four stepped out onto the glade and a cheer rose from the middle of the field where the family had gathered. None were actually standing, except the black wolf and the polar bear as they leaned up against a tree at the edge of the forest. The old bear's legs spread out as he shoved himself in deeper with each thrust and the wolf took each push happily. When they heard the cheer, they turned and uncoupled to greet the returning foursome. "Welcome back, sons," the polar bear yelled.
 
Bolin stared at the thick, black erection bobbing upright between the polar bear's legs. "Oh, my," he sighed. "Does one of you think I might borrow your genitals for a time? I am afraid the old bear's state of arousal is very difficult to deal with. It really should return to the Pup's insides as quickly as possible."
 
Zhuang came up and kissed his mate. "I am here, Brother. Let us return to our home. We can attend to each other's needs."
 
Max watched how lovingly their paws reached down and stroked their erect cocks. For a moment, he hesitated to speak, but then he thought better of it and interrupted their fondling. "Nonsense, you two," he said. "Your brothers are here, your family is here, and we have a family member unable to return for some time after he leaves. This is a time for you two to share your affections with your family, not hide them away."
 
Zhuang smiled. "You are wise, Bear."
 
"And I'm horny," Max said. "Here, Bolin," he said, grabbing the thick flesh between his legs. "If you need something to distract you, I'm happy to help."
 
The temple dog fell to his knees and stared at the swollen cock. "You have the most exquisite genitalia, Max," he sighed. He leaned over and took the cock into his mouth, lapping at the pre-cum like a man savoring a fine wine.
 
Max closed his eyes and when he felt his husband's lips on his nipple, he pulled the head in tightly with his paw. "Oh, I love my family," he sighed happily.
 
Nathaniel looked up into the face of the bear. "I'm beginning to think that being with Oliver has done you a world of good," he said with a giggle.
 
Max opened his eyes. "I didn't learn this from Oliver, Bear. This…" he said, his other paw grabbing the back of Bolin's head as his first thrust pushed into the temple dog's mouth. "… this I learned from you." Bolin made a happy whimper as the short-faced bear began a more heated thrusting. Max looked across the highland and realized how much his life had changed from what he thought it would be. He stood totally at ease in the middle of a field surrounded by men while a dog sucked his cock and a bear tongued his nipple. Looking at his polar bear and black wolf fathers, he yelled, "Papa, get that cock back into your pup before Bolin finishes here, or you will need to fend him off!"
 
Eric nodded his understanding. Gently pushing the black wolf back up against the tree, he entered him once more. "Easy or rough, Pup?" he asked as he bit into the shoulder of the wolf.
 
"You need to ask?"
 
"No, but I like to hear you say it, Pup."
 
"Rough, Papa Bear. Let's do it rough." The polar bear grabbed the hips of the wolf and plunged in deep. The joyful bark let the bear know he had found the right spot.
 
Away from the others, down by the creek for the second time in two days, the badger, the fox, and the otter played in the water, oblivious to all others. They were aware that they would return to play with the larger beasts as they had both days. But for the moment, they enjoyed the feeling of being tall enough to stare into the eyes of the ones they played with. Adam broke his kiss with the fox and smiled. "I hope you both realize how much this means to me," he said.
 
"It means a lot to me, too," Jason said, his wet tail wagging furiously behind him.
 
"Don't know that I've ever been sucked off underwater before," Oliver said with a smile. "You's got skills, Otter."
 
"And I don't think there are another two on this highland that could make my dream of being double stuffed a reality," the otter said with a smile. "But it's more than that, you know."
 
"We knows," the badger said, reaching out and rubbing the otter's chest. "You's always gonna be a beast. You ain't never gonna be a human again. We's gonna need to get used to an otter or that anteater knight. But you're going to be you. Ain't never was no human named Adam insides you."
 
"At least you won't see the squid again," Adam said, returning the rub on the chest of the badger.
 
"That was just sick, and you knows it," Oliver said gruffly.
 
"I realize it now, Oliver," Adam said. "Do you forgive me?"
 
"Of course I does," Oliver said. "You's family, and you was making a joke. A stupid, lame-ass joke that will give me nightmares for weeks, but still a joke." The badger leaned in and kissed the otter. "You be happy, Adam. We don'ts need you to be nothin' but who you is. If you is one of the little ones like Jason and me, then we is proud to stand by you."
 
Jason nodded. "What he said, Otter."
 
"From time to time, I will need to be other creatures; some of which you have never seen or imagined. But I wanted you to realize this…" Adam said, rubbing his chest, "... this is who I am." Adam frowned and looked down into the water. "Oliver, you understand that I can't take it from you, right?"
 
"I still gots the Sight, Otter. I knows. Fuckin' universe is gonna leave these powers inside me forever, I guess."
 
"I would take them from you if I could."
 
"I knows that, too. And I loves you all the more for the knowing."
 
Jason looked at the two. "Can I help? Maybe I can share the power with Oliver so it doesn't impact his life so often."
 
Adam looked at the little fox. "That's why I love you all so much. You're always looking out for each other."
 
"We will looks out after you, too, Otter," the badger said.
 
"I know. I always have a home to return to." Adam turned to Jason. "Oliver's powers are unique to him. There is only one other quite like him in the universe." The otter shook his head in obvious disappointment. "I realize that what we did on the other side of this universe is largely responsible for who you are, Oliver, but please believe that was never our intention."
 
Adam looked back at the fox. "There's nothing that Oliver can share with you but the love we shared these last three days. But trust me, Jason; that is worth more than either of you will ever truly know. I am learning how important those feelings are with every passing moment."
 
"I wish I could do more," Jason said. "All too often, I'm too small to be of any worth." The fox turned away. "Sorry. I'm whining. Let me take a deep breath and let it go the way Will taught me."
 
Jason felt the wet arms of the otter wrap around him from behind and hug him. One hand slid up to his temple and rested next to his upright ear. "See the truth," Adam whispered. Jason's eyes shut tightly and a flood of images flashed in front of him. Every loving gesture the young lad made throughout his hundreds of years of living sped by and slowed at last on an old man resting in Li Wei's arms. It was a man from another world that somehow Jason knew intimately well at that moment.
 
"I'm dying, aren't I," the old man said.
 
"Yes, Little One," Li Wei said calmly.
 
"I wish…" the man's voice trailed off.
 
"You've been amazing, Matthew," the temple dog said. "Look at the family that surrounds you."
 
Matthew looked around the hospital room at the ones who filled the space. Beasts and humans alike were watching over him, the angles of his past come to say goodbye. He reached out his hand to Clifford and Kirk, and the two took his hand in their paws. Clifford bent down to the hand, pressed his lips against it, and kissed it. "You gay guys don't give up, do you?" Matthew said, struggling to get out the words.
 
"Nope," Clifford replied. "One of these days, we'll teach you how to kiss."
 
"So, how about today?" Matthew asked. The two wolves wiped the tears from their faces and leaned down, kissing the human on his lips. When they had done so, Matthew smiled. "I love you both so much," he whispered.
 
"And we, you," Kirk replied.
 
Matthew shook his head slightly. "I just wish…" and again his voice trailed off.
 
"Let the regret go," Li Wei said. "It will not serve you well now."
 
"I know, but still there is so much I wish I had done differently."
 
"Perhaps in another life."
 
"Do you believe in reincarnation, Sensei?"
 
"No. I believe our lives touch others, and like ripples on a pond, they go out touching others, creating new ripples. Your life has made ripples. In those ripples, your life goes on and becomes another life."
 
"Like Marcus and me," the old man said.
 
"Like Marcus and you."
 
"He didn't turn out half bad, did he?" the human said with a chuckle.
 
Li Wei laughed. "No, he didn't turn out half bad at all. He has you to thank for that."
 
"And Jason," the old man breathed as he looked toward the fox standing by the bedside. "You're all so kind; including you, Jason. But when Marcus made that call all those years ago, you really busted his chops for what he did to Will. I laughed at it then, but I realized you were just what Marcus needed. He needed someone to call him out for what he did. And he needed someone who loved him enough to bring him home after kicking him in the ass." 

Matthew's hand reached out, and Jason took it. "Somehow you intuitively grasped just what Marcus needed, and he gave it to him. I don't think Marcus would have made it home without you on the other side of the call that day."
 
"The fox is a gifted young man," Li Wei said.
 
"He's hundreds of years old, Li Wei."
 
"That's young to me."
 
The old man laughed. His vision clouded and all he could see was the yellow face in front of him. His mind slipped into that same place held there by the dog's caress. "I suppose so. That fox meant so much to me." Matthew coughed, trying to clear his throat. "He used to come every week at the start. Just kind of checking up on me. Nothing special to him, I suppose, but it made me feel special. He stayed only long enough to realize I was getting back on my feet, and then he introduced me to Clifford and Kirk. It was as if he made sure I could stand on my own before he let me go. I finally learned what you all talk about when you say family. It's real for you; even to a fox who didn't know me from Adam."
 
The temple dog rubbed a damp cloth over the old man's forehead. "Family is very real for us, Matthew."
 
"I wish I could thank them all," he said, trying hard to see even Li Wei's face as it slowly faded away.
 
"We are all grateful for your life, Matthew."
 
"I'm tired, Sensei," the old man said.
 
"Shall I put you to bed?"
 
"Could you hold me for a bit longer?"
 
"Of course, Little One."
 
"It would be so nice to hear you sing," the old man said.
 
Matthew closed his eyes, and Li Wei began singing. He sang of all that he had lost and all that he had found. The song spoke of the angry little boy that came to the island and left a man whose wife and child loved him. Li Wei sang of the human and fox that saved a lost wolf from himself, and the man that brightened the home of two wolves that loved the human in their life. And when Matthew took his last breath, the temple dog sang of longing. He sang goodbye to an old friend, and how he hoped the human could finally be at peace.
 
The temple dog wiped his eyes and laid the man on his bed. He gently leaned over, kissed the man, and pulled the sheet up over him. Clifford hugged his husband as he turned to press the call button. The image faded to the day Marcus became the saber-toothed wolf that changed the entire universe to save his family. All from a call to a fox on the other side of a simple ComLink call.
 
Jason's eyes opened. He turned and hugged the otter. "Never for a moment think that you haven't made a difference," Adam said as he hugged the fox. "You are the turning point in my life, Jason. In another universe, you don't even remember, you opened my eyes to what I had done, and you brought me home. The world you see around you is because you have always been so much more than you will ever realize."
 
The two continued to hug until they realized the badger was by their side once more. Adam let go of the hug. He smiled at the badger. "Sorry, Oliver. Sort of lost track of you for a moment."
 
"S'okay," Oliver said, "I loses track of time when I'se in the fox's arms for all sorts of reasons."
 
Jason's red fur blushed even more. "Thank you. Thank you, both."
 
"I suppose we should go visit with the rest of the family," Adam said, looking back toward the glade.
 
"Yeah, they's probably tiring of all them big butts. They might be cravin' something smaller and tighter," Oliver said with a snicker.
 
The otter grinned. "And who knows, maybe I can convince a few of those cum-soaked beasts to join me for a bath."
 
Oliver looked at the badger. "How long can you holds your breath?" he asked as he put his hand in the otter's, and started walking back to the family.
 
The otter leaned in and whispered in the badger's ear, "I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't have to breathe."
 
Oliver stopped and stared at the otter. "You don'ts breathe?"
 
"Nope."
 
"So, I coulds have let you suck on me even longer and you wouldn't have drowned?"
 
"Yep."
 
"Well, I'se gonna remember that for the next time. 'Cause you suck dick real good. And now I knows there ain't no reason to hurry it so you don'ts drown."
 
The otter pushed the badger forward and hugged him from behind as they began walking again. "Sure there is, Oliver. The sooner you come the first time, the sooner I can start working on getting you off the second time."
 
Jason laughed. "He has a point there, Badger."
 
"Yeah, he does, Fox," Oliver said as he reached out his free paw and took the fox's paw in his.
 
The otter wiggled away from his grip on the badger. "I hate to leave you two, but I have some unfinished business to take care of. I need to round up some men before Max tells Bolin he has nothing left to give the poor temple dog."
 
Jason turned to the otter. "Are we talking about something important here, Adam?"
 
"Yes, very important. In another universe, I swore to save my family. Part of that promise remains undone."
 
"We will take care of Bolin and Zhuang," the fox said. "The Black Rhino is on its way from Africa with its passengers. It will be here before we can cross the glade and convince Bolin to let Max go."
 
Adam stared at the fox. "Jason, you don't have the Sight, do you?"
 
"No, thank god," Jason said with a laugh. "But who do you think clears every flight of the three airships? Someone else might be giving them final clearance in my absence, but I still hear every take-off, destination, and landing over my ComLink."
 
The otter laughed. "It would help me out so much if you could distract the temple dogs for a time. If all goes well, we won't be able to hold them back later today."
 
Oliver smiled. "I will stays with Jason and help, Adam. You tells my husbands I sez yes when the time is right. I'se already there. I don't need no convincing. Nathaniel is the one who has to come to terms with this new world. Close the circle, Otter. Make us whole again."
 
Adam nodded. "I will do my best." The two bears looked up from their play as the three small beasts approached. Bolin's sucking never slowed and his gaze never shifted away from the cock slipping in and out of his mouth. "Bolin," the otter said, "Could I borrow the bear from you?"
 
"But… but…" the temple dog said, licking the swollen cock in front of him.
 
"It's important."
 
The glazed eyes of the dog snapped back to crystal clarity. He stood up and bowed. "Of course, Adam. I lose track of time sometimes. I have monopolized the bear's affections too greatly."
 
Adam shook his head. "Not at all, Bolin. And to show my gratitude, I leave you two remarkable men to take his place. I would start with the fox if I were you. The badger has a craving to fuck your mate, and I am pretty sure your desire to fellate someone will only get in his way."
 
Zhuang looked at the badger. "Is this true, Oliver?"
 
The little badger's foot pivoted in a circle. "Might be. Otter's got the Sight."
 
"Do you object to trees being involved in our copulation?" the temple dog asked.
 
"I likes trees," Oliver said. "I copulates fine in trees with temple dogs."
 
Zhuang reached out to grab the badger and met the hand of the otter, pushing him back. "The forest behind the creek, Zhuang; are we clear?"
 
The dog nodded eagerly as his eyes began glazing over. The hand of the otter slipped away from the dog. Zhuang grabbed the badger and ran toward the creek.
 
Bolin bowed. "I promise to take the fox to the other side of the creek as well," he said.
 
Jason laughed. "Let's go, Bolin. Did I tell you that the otter sucked me off while underwater?"
 
The temple dog rocked back and forth. "Did you find that enjoyable?"
 
"Oh yeah, it was great."
 
"I am sure you are aware that the temple dogs have practiced breath control for centuries. It would honor me to share your next orgasm while underwater."
 
Jason thought about the words for a moment. "You mean you want to suck me off while we're both underwater?"
 
"Is that not how it is done?"
 
The fox leapt toward the temple dog's arms and the dog caught him easily. "It's how it's done today," Jason said with a laugh. "Come on, Bolin, let's go show the fish how to spawn."
 
With a quick bow and a turn, the temple dog and fox were racing toward the creek.
 
Max looked down at his erection and sighed. "I am assuming this is important, Adam," he said with a note of frustration in his voice.
 
"It is, Max," the otter replied. "Come on, you two, there are guests to meet at the landing pad." Before the three had walked up the rock steps, the Black Rhino's landing gear extended and the ship settled into place. The cargo bay door dropped, revealing the loading ramp. A pack of African dogs sped out through the door, heading toward the crowd out in the glade. The two bears barely had time to wave before they passed by.
 
There was a clang of metal and a bass voice thundered, "Thanks for the lift, brothers." Again, the metal clanged as the flat foot hit the cargo bay ramp. Another step and the rhino's thick gut appeared as he rubbed it. When he and the lion had reached the stone landing, the ramp pulled up and the cargo door closed. The pilots of the ship waited patiently for those on the landing pad to step off. Once the passengers had debarked, they jumped from the front boarding door and ran off to join their pack.
 
Chipo looked at the three standing before him. His arms spread wide. "Max, Nathaniel, it's so good to see you. It's been years." The rhino's nose twitched. "Dang, you two smell like newly mated cubs. What have you been up to?" He walked toward the two short-faced bears, and Nathaniel backed away. Instantly, the rhinoceros read the reaction and backed up. He watched as the taller short-faced bear's lip curled in an attempt not to cry as he stared at the lion.
 
"Chipo, I'd like you to meet Nathaniel," Adam said.
 
The rhino looked at the otter. "I've known Nathaniel for years. I'm afraid you're the one I've never met."
 
"Well, that's true," the otter said with a smile. "I realize you want to hug someone. How about me? I'm Adam."
 
The rhino bent over and picked up the otter. As he hugged the otter, he whispered in the little mammal's ear, "What's going on, Adam?"
 
"Put me down and I'll explain everything." Chipo did as commanded, and Adam looked at Nathaniel. The bear biting his lip had not stopped the tears. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. I can't let this go on. There is too much at stake here."
 
"Please, no," Nathaniel said. "Let them be. I will deal with this my way."
 
"No, Nathaniel," Adam said. "All too often, you deal with things in your own way by pushing your family away from you. Those who stand by you here stood by you in life and death. Do not make me point out the ingratitude you show by not asking them to help you through this your most difficult time."
 
Nathaniel's head bowed. "I'm sorry, Adam. This hurts so bad."
 
Chipo and Martin stood with confused looks on their faces. Adam looked around the group. Eventually, his gaze fell on the lion and the rhino. "Before this universe was even born, Nathaniel was in love with a Megatherium. That beast was massive in both body and spirit, and when he died, he was reborn as a saber-toothed cat. The two shared something beyond amazing. But now Nathaniel is struggling because the saber-tooth cat died yet again, saving his family. He was reborn without a memory of who he was. This is not the bear's doing. It is mine."
 
"No, Adam," Nathaniel objected. "They're so much in love. Even I can see that."
 
The otter folded his arms. "And you are not? Bear, if I was taller, I would smack you upside your head because Oliver isn't here to do it." The otter stepped toward the bear and hugged his leg. "You love Max, don't you?"
 
"You know I do," the bear whispered.
 
"Did that love diminish at all when you first kissed the badger?"
 
"No."
 
"Did the Megatherium's love for you lessen because of your union with the badger?"
 
"No, of course not."
 
"And Oliver, when he took the old wolf and his pup as mates, did he love you less?"
 
"No, although it would be nice to see him more often. The travel he does to keep up with all of us is outrageous."
 
The otter laughed. "I understand something about having to travel long distances to keep my family ties, Bear. Do you think he regrets his choices for a moment?"
 
"No, no, he doesn't."
 
"And when Oliver married your dad? Did that change anything between the love you had for either of them?"
 
"No."
 
The otter huffed. "Then why on Terra's green earth do you think the cat is so incapable of extending that same love to you? Why do you think a cat born of sacrifice is less than all the rest of those you love?"
 
"He's not. It's me who is weak."
 
"Then it's time to be strong, Bear. It's time you faced up to who you are. You are like Derrick and Oliver, you are like William. You are called to be witnesses to our history, to sing the stories of our love. To tell our family of all that we have lost and all that we have found. But I spared your memories not only to act as witnesses for what happened but to bring those memories back to the ones who gave all and no longer remember."
 
"But it was so horrible."
 
"Yes, and so beautiful. You see with eyes that miss so much, Bear. Those eyes have seen the horror of battle, but they missed seeing the grace in sacrifice. You remember the death without remembering all the joy that left you grieving their passing. This has always been your weakness. Nathaniel, you fail to remember the joys of your life when you struggle through your sorrows."
 
Nathaniel nodded. "And that's why I'm weak."
 
"You aren't weak, Bear. You're grieving. Be gentle with yourself. The loss you feel is enormous. But it isn't necessary this time. You grieve for losing one who isn't lost. Nathaniel, you have to be brave. You need to move beyond your fear."
 
Nathaniel looked at the otter below him. "How?"
 
"By claiming the love that is rightfully yours. By letting the cat love you the way he always has. Be brave in the face of change, Bear."
 
"And if I can't?"
 
"Then be brave enough to reach out your paw to your family so we can steady you until you're strong enough to stand on your own."
 
"They may need to steady me for a very long time."
 
"And what, dear bear, makes you think any of us have a problem with that?"
 
Nathaniel felt the paw of the smaller short-faced bear slip into his. "I don't have a problem with taking your paw, Bear," Max said. "I love you now and forever. Don't turn away from whatever it is you know you should do. You should be like your fathers. Be fearless in love. Be like Oliver. Learn to be more than you thought you could be. Be like your sons. Face the change you need to make. A family that is fearless in love surrounds you. We have seen so much. Don't think we will shy away from seeing more if it means we stand by your side. Come home, Bear. Come home to your family."
 
Nathaniel's bowed head raised up once more to look at the otter. "Help me, Adam. I can't do this alone."
 
Adam smiled. "There. Was that so hard?"
 
"More than you know."
 
Adam laughed. "I love you, Bear." The otter looked up at the surrounding beasts. The same confused faces were on the lion and the rhino as they tried to piece together some meaning in what they heard. "Sometimes the fastest way out is to plow right through."
 
Adam grabbed Max. "Come on, Handsome. Sit down here," he said, patting the grass below the bear. Max sat down. "You're going to need to spread out your legs," the otter said, smiling at the bear.
 
"Is that really necessary?" the bear asked.
 
"It will certainly make it more entertaining for me," the otter replied as his grin widened. Max laughed and spread his legs.
 
The otter looked up at the two South Africans and used his hands to point to the sides of the sitting short-faced bear. "One of you stand on either side of Max, please. Put one hand on his shoulder." The two did as they were told. "Now, Nathaniel, please sit between your husband's legs facing toward me." Nathaniel sat down and Max pulled him in close. "Max, paws on Nathaniel's temples, please." The smaller short-faced bear complied. "Martin, Chipo, take your free hand and put it on Nathaniel's temple as well." They too complied.
 
Adam looked at the group. "This is like a family photo… or a hot porn site. I can't figure out which." He looked at the group's halfhearted smiles as they still struggled to figure out what was happening. "Okay, tough crowd," the otter said. "Nathaniel, paws on my temples." When he felt the bear's paws press against his temples, he put his hands on the bear's paws. "See the truth," He whispered.
 
The rhino and lion behind Nathaniel suddenly dropped to their knees in pain. Max roared in agony as he grabbed his head. Nathaniel jumped up. "What did you do, Adam?" he asked angrily.
 
"No… no… Bear, I'm okay," Max said as he struggled to his feet. "It was just so much, so quickly."
 
Chipo nodded in agreement. "So much that I never knew." The rhino looked up at Nathaniel. "Why would you be afraid to tell us this?"
 
"Because you love him so much."
 
"That's true," the rhino said. "But so do you."
 
Martin's long tail wagged back and forth as he caught his breath. "Nathaniel, this is something I needed to know. Adam is right. You and I should have met much sooner than this."
 
"But I saw everything about you two, Martin. I can see how much you love each other now more than ever."
 
"Well, of course, I love him," the lion said. "But we're Yellow clan. We have the gift of discerning the truth and finding judgment and wisdom in our actions. Why would you struggle with this alone?"
 
"Because I'm me," Nathaniel said, bowing his head.
 
The lion grabbed the short-faced bear. "And I'm me," he said, pulling the downtrodden bear close. "Bear, I have the Sight. I always… always find a way back. This isn't even a hiccup. Look at my mate. Do you have so little faith in the two of us you couldn't tell us the truth?"
 
The bear fell back to the ground and put his face into his hands. "No, the lack of faith is in me."
 
Max dropped to his knees beside Nathaniel. "Adam is right, Bear. You need to lean on us. You love Martin, and you have so many reasons to love him. The man is the same. He has the same passions and desires. He has the same caring soul. But more important to me, so do you. Bear, if you loved him before, why would you ever think of turning away from him now? Didn't you learn anything from my death? We don't get second chances." Max paused. "Okay, we get way more of them than any one group has a right to ask for; but you get what I mean. Act, Bear. Don't sit on the sidelines and wonder 'What if?' I died once with those thoughts on my mind. I'm never letting that happen again."
 
Nathaniel looked up at the rhino. "I love your husband, Chipo. I have from the first day I met him at a funeral parlor so long ago. He was wearing a uniform and I always had a thing for men in uniform."
 
Chipo laughed. "I loved him the first day I saw him coming up out of a watering hole dragging a crocodile that he said was disturbing the peace. He was naked. I always had a thing for naked men."
 
Nathaniel smiled. "What am I supposed to do, Chipo?"
 
"Love him, Bear. Don't deny your history with him. Don't turn away from him because of some misguided idea that I'm going to be upset. There is so much love in that man. I'm not worried that there's not enough for the two of us." Chipo looked at the lion. "And you, Husband. You help him."
 
"I will," the lion said.
 
The rhino stood up and kissed the lion with an unmistakable passion. "Do you trust me, Husband?"
 
The lion laughed. "You even need to ask?"
 
The rhino looked at the otter. "Turn him, Adam."
 
"What?" Adam said, his eyes widening.
 
"Look, I just watched you and my husband tear down one universe and use the parts to build another one. You want to tell me you can't turn my lion into the saber-toothed cat the bear loves?"
 
The otter nodded. "No, I can do it. But why?"
 
"Because Nathaniel has lost his husband's beast four times. Once as a Megatherium. Another time when the cat disappeared on the Day of Transformation. A third time, when the cat became one-sixth of a saber-toothed wolf, and now because he's a lion mated to a rhino. At every turn, he has struggled with change, and as hard as it is for him, he has still risen to meet that change. Don't tell me about bravery, Otter. Me, I've never had a day without that man by my side since the day I turned him. If I had to live the life that Nathaniel has led, I would be a basket case by now. So, turn him back to the cat Nathaniel loves."
 
"You sure about this?" Martin asked.
 
"I learned to love the man inside the lion. Who you are on the outside won't make a difference to me." The rhino paused and grinned. "Besides, did you see the tongue on that cat? I mean, we're talking some seriously pleasant options on this rhino's hide."
 
The lion laughed. "Yeah, could you believe that thing? I'm sitting there staring and knowing that's my life flashing by, but da-amn, I would let that cat do me."
 
"With that tongue, I think you can do yourself," the rhino said with a chuckle.
 
"Guys, I can't let you do this," Nathaniel said.
 
"Nonsense," Chipo said with a wave of his hand. "I'm already thinking of this as a husband upgrade." The rhino stood about eight feet in front of the bear and turned away from him. "COMING DOWN!" he yelled and suddenly the rhino was falling backward. When he hit the ground, it shook enough for everyone to feel it. "Dang, that's gonna leave a divot that pisses Gaia off," he said, looking behind him at the pushed-up dirt.
 
The rhino looked up at Nathaniel and smiled at the confused bear. "Look, Bear, this is the right thing to do. One: the two of us don't even need to change our pet name for him. He's still Cat. Two: One day you're going to ask us to be your mates. Oh… I probably should mention that part. We're a matched set. Have been since the day we met. If you want to put your arms around the cat, you need to realize my arms are going around you, or his arms are going around me. Non-negotiable. Are we clear?"
 
Nathaniel nodded. "Crystal."
 
"Anyway, as I was saying, One day you're going to ask us to marry you. And if you need help with that, we have no problem asking you." The rhino looked up at the short-faced bear, "But when you come at us, it will be as a Changeling. We know how you mate. I'm a rhino. I can survive that. My lion can't survive you, Bear. Your saber-toothed cat can. We change him because when we're mated, we won't ever hold back."
 
Nathaniel nodded. "That makes sense."
 
Martin looked at Max. "You okay with this, Bear?"
 
"Why? Are you marrying me too?"
 
"Seems a shame not to include you and the badger," Martin replied. "You're aware of how much I admired you in the other world. That didn't change in this one. Getting closer to you is a win/win for me. We can ask the badger what he thinks about this later."
 
The otter waved his hands. "Oliver already told me to tell you he's good with what's happening here."
 
Martin laughed. "That badger's Sight is in serious overdrive."
 
Max looked at the two South Africans. "Are you going to live with us, or just be visiting from time to time?"
 
"I suppose I could ask you the same question, Bear," the rhino replied.
 
Max laughed. "Okay, we visit for starters. A few hundred years from now, who knows?"
 
The rhino nodded. "And number three and the last on this list, Nathaniel, we change the lion because we have your father to think of."
 
"My Father?"
 
"In both universes, I swore to the old wolf that I would make sure his reputation as one of the top ten sluts in the world never suffered because of my actions. I saw him, Bear. That man loves the tongue of that cat of yours. Would you deny the wolf a tongue that could very well push him into the top five?"
 
Nathaniel laughed. "No, I guess not." He looked at the two. "I can't believe you're offering this to me."
 
"But we are," Martin said, sitting down on the other side of the bear. "That's what we do, Bear. We find a way to make it work. I told you this one is easy. You have two beasts who love you in both universes. All we're doing here is letting that love grow in a way that lets our families become what they were always going to be in the first universe."
 
"Are you so sure of that?" Nathaniel asked.
 
"Who ran with us on nearly every pack run in your world?"
 
Nathaniel smiled. "Chipo, right next to you. He always said it was to keep the clan together."
 
"But I ran with Martin, not Anders," Chipo added. "And who ran next to Martin?"
 
"Me… with Oliver on my back."
 
"This is just us bringing the universe back to where it should be, Bear," Martin said.
 
"Closing a circle," the otter added.
 
"So a hand, here, Otter?" Martin said.
 
"You don't need my hand," Adam said with a mischievous smile.
 
"Really?"
 
"Who turned you the first time in another universe?"
 
"Nathaniel, of course."
 
"Then let him turn you again."
 
"But we mated the day he turned me."
 
Adam grinned. "And you'll mate again this time. I don't see a problem with this. Look, I'll help with the details, but when he goes to turn you, you let your lion go, and embrace the saber-toothed cat."
 
Martin thought about it for a moment. "Do I still hold on to my human?"
 
"If you want."
 
There was a tug on the lion's tail. He turned, looking at the badger looking at him. "We's all here, Cat. We can mate this time, too." Oliver looked at Chipo. "Wants to fuck a little mammal in the butt and bite his neck?"
 
The rhino smiled. "Turn Oliver. Even as a werebadger, you might regret making that offer."
 
Oliver smiled. "Ain't never gonna regret the offer. May have a sore butt for days, but ain't never regretting asking you to be my mate."
 
Max stood up. "Well, time to make this official. Martin, Chipo, will you be my mates? I promise to love, honor, rarely obey, and leave both of you even sorer than you leave my badger husband."
 
Martin looked at the two bears. "We don't hold back? This is mating full-on?"
 
Nathaniel frowned. "No, not full-on. I have a very upsetting history with beasts that mate full-on, and this time, we're not going there. No one in this family risks hurting others for love. We go at this as lovers should. No one backs down from the love. We let each other know this is forever, but we don't do that by nearly killing each other. I won't be watching over my husband's broken body for months while the damage we inflict on each other heals." Nathaniel turned to the rhino and lion. "You break any bones in Oliver's body and you will have me to answer to. Trust me, healers know all the body parts. You will regret ignoring me on this point."
 
Oliver looked at his mate. "You remembers, Bear."
 
"I remember, Oliver. We don't break your back again to prove a point." Nathaniel looked at the others. "Oliver's love is never in question. Be gentle, or be rough, it doesn't matter. Just don't hurt him."
 
Oliver snorted. "You can hurts me a little. Just none of that full-on stuff Changelings likes so much. You breaks a rib or a leg, and I'll forgive you. Now if you breaks my pecker, Nathaniel's got my permission to kick your asses."
 
"No breaking the badger's pecker. Got it," Chipo said. "But what of us big boys?"
 
Nathaniel looked down at the rhino who was looking up at him. "We go at it the way you dreamed it would be. But don't ask me to go full-on, because I never will."
 
Chipo smiled. "Then neither will we. But, Bear…"
 
Nathaniel smiled at the rhino. "Yes?"
 
"Leave me with a few scars, please. I've seen you mate with a Megatherium, and damn, I want that bear inside me."
 
Nathaniel laughed. "Okay. You'll get the scars you want."  
 
"And the teeth marks on our necks," the lion said, pointing to the back of his head.
 
"And the teeth marks."
 
Max chuckled. "I'm kind of good with all this. We don't hurt Oliver, but the rest of us are tough for a reason. Everyone knows where to draw these lines in our mating. Leave the scars, leave the sore muscles and a few fractures along the way, but leave no one badly wounded. Today, of all days, we promise each other to leave nothing but wonderful memories from our actions."
 
"I'se good with that," Oliver said.
 
"Me too," Martin replied. Nathaniel and Chipo both nodded their consent.
 
Chipo turned to the lion and kissed him. "Time for you to go, Lion. My husband will be coming back soon, and while I'm pretty sure while he's not a bear to deal with, two of his husbands will be."
 
The lion smiled after the kiss. "I love you more at this moment than I ever have, Rhino."
 
"Now and forever, Cat," the rhino said as he grabbed the lion and threw him toward the bespectacled short-faced bear.
 
Nathaniel's paws reached out and snagged the lion from the air. By the time he had pushed the cat to the ground, he was already inside the feline. "Last chance for this to be gentle," the bear growled.
 
"Not a chance, Bear," the lion growled back. "Turn me, and then get out of the way, because I'm not staying on the bottom for long." Nathaniel lunged forward, pushing his cock even deeper inside the lion.
 
The lion roared, and heads from the other side of the glade looked up. The beasts in the field stopped their play, listening to where the sound came from. As he walked away from the group, the otter laughed to himself. "Fucking Changelings," he said. "Twelve temple dogs on this highland and the Changeling is fucking. They are so going to regret not bringing any aspirin to this mating." He closed his eyes for a moment and the smile spread. "I love you, men. Let the circle close."
 
Adam walked over to where Jason was trying to deal with two horny temple dogs. "Which of you knows how to fuck an otter?" he asked. Two temple dogs and a fox turned and raised their hands. "Looks like I'm going to regret not bringing any aspirin as well," he said as he rushed toward the outstretched arms of the three.

Chapter 37

The sun crested the mountaintops, finding all the family asleep together. The otter watched the sleeping crowd and smiled. "Well, it took this family another three days, but we finally wore everyone out," he said with a satisfied grin.
 
"You did that," the voice behind him said.
 
A startled otter turned to see the black wolf standing behind him. "You scared me, Pup. I thought you were in that mix."
 
"I was for the better part of a week. Did you hear the temple dogs are considering extending the length of their spring festival because of this?"
 
"It was glorious, wasn't it?"
 
"Best welcoming ever," Derrick said with a nod. "Even if we have to say goodbye as soon as the welcome is over. We will miss you, Adam."
 
"I should go now, shouldn't I?"
 
"Yeah. Years ago, it's what Papa Bear and I did when we came to the highland. We left the pack while they slept. We realized the night before in their arms was the happiest we would ever be before we had to go. Staying around to say goodbye will just bring back the sadness of leaving."
 
"It's already there for me," the otter said, looking out on the glade.
 
"For me too, Adam," the young wolf agreed. "But we are here. We are family. We will get through your leaving and wait for your return." Derrick was quiet for a moment. "Adam, can I ask you a few questions that have been running through my head for a while now? You don't have to answer them if you don't want to."
 
"Ask away," the otter replied.
 
"I remember the first universe. You told us you weren't alone. Were they there that day? Did they help make this new universe possible?"
 
"Yes, there were many, many more involved in what you witnessed that day. But they did so channeled through Donovan. What you watched was the culmination of all our efforts. An outcome so dramatic that the change tore apart all those involved in the birth of an alternative universe."
 
The otter looked up toward the sky. "I think you realize it by now, Pup, the ones who think they're called to be saviors of their world, always fail. They think they alone have the power to see everything, to know everything, and to lead their people out of the darkness into the light. It's what humans have always hoped for. It fills your mythology; that one perfect person to save everyone."
 
Adam sighed and gave a shrug. "It's never been that way. It's always been a group effort. No one being can be everything this universe needs to survive. No one being can look down from heaven and pull the strings. The universe is a messy, unforgiving place, and if you don't have someone watching your back, you will fail. I once told William that there were those who gave me the powers I had. I said that there were always those who were stronger, smarter, and bigger than we were. This universe is expanding just like the old one, and once again, so are the creatures that live in it. If we're lucky, we'll bump into the loving ones. I hope one day to be part of a group who guards our little corner of the universe."
 
"The Shumuuluud… were they once a part of that group?"
 
The otter's eyes widened. "Pup?" was all he asked.
 
"You made a witness out of a quiet little wolf who sits back and watches everything, Adam. I sit and figure. I try to make sense of what is around me. Two things troubled me about our narrative. One is that if your powers alone couldn't defeat the Shumuuluud on Earth, they certainly couldn't have rebooted the universe."
 
"True," the otter replied. "It was a group effort beyond imagining. It was a billion, billion worlds committed to resolving a draconian problem. And we did that with the most draconian solution imaginable. You would have liked what the two-dimensional beings saw when it happened. There are even some inter-dimensional beings that changed with only a simple acknowledgment that it happened."
 
"So there were lots of families out there pulling together like ours?"
 
Adam smiled. "Your family is special. We would have never asked humans to take part in dealing with the Shumuuluud. They still have so far to go before they even see their protectors as they truly are. But your family… the Were Nation… you are so important to so many you may never even meet."
 
"And the Shumuuluud?"
 
"One of our own bent the Cherel to his will. While it's not always the case, power can corrupt."
 
"And absolute power…" the black wolf said, letting the thought trail off.
 
"That was its goal. The Cherel were merely slaves to create that conduit. We had to make it right, Pup. We had to bring the universe back into alignment without the destroyer of worlds that once promised to defend them all. It was one of us that took an entire species and subjugated them for even more power. They were only a benign group of beings floating in space, feeding on the background energy of the universe. It was one of our own that turned them into insatiable monsters, funneling every bit of energy they absorbed into the one."
 
Adam dropped to his knees. "It was as much a mercy to what became the Shumuuluud as it was a salvation of the rest of the universe to start this all over again. In any universe, we should never have approached the Cherel. They were innocents; barely intelligent enough to see beyond the instinct that drove them for billions of years. It was one of our own who took their frail minds and bent them to its will."
 
Derrick nodded. "I won't tell that part of the story if you don't want me to."
 
Adam thought for a moment. "No, Pup, you tell our story with all the truth you know. You don't make us heroes. You make us the janitorial staff cleaning up after our mess."
 
The young wolf nodded. "You're still heroes to me, Adam. All of you joined to change our universe. We don't see cooperation like that on our planet very often."
 
"Necessity has to be one of the least noble reasons for cooperation," Adam whispered. "We were created to be guardians of order. We had to kill one of our own to save that order. This tale is too familiar to me now. Donovan's heart beats within me, Pup."
 
"I'm sorry for what you had to do, Adam. I really am. Is it too much to ask how many times your people have had to reboot this universe?"
 
Adam looked up from where he knelt and gave a feeble smile. "It was a first for us, Pup. The Order has done some extreme things to right the problems we faced, but they would never have thought of restarting the universe. That idea came from your family.
 
"Marcus brought together a team of individuals who changed the universe in a way that the Order never could have imagined. Marcus presented his plan to an entire universe of powerful beings. He showed them a no-win scenario and then gave them an answer that no one in their right mind should have even backed. But that's his gift. He sells people on ideas that we all believe are impossible. Then he gathered a team of miracle workers around him and did the impossible.
 
"Marcus chose Donovan because he was aware that the wolf stayed focused in times of crisis. He relied on the wolf to channel the energies of trillions of souls because he knew Donovan never backed down. He realized the wolf made critical choices when they had to be made. Donovan was the Changeling who promised to always stand beside him, and Marcus knew the Changeling never lied.
 
"Marcus also knew Martin always found a way home. He could formulate the plan in his head, but he needed someone who could see a way through the reality of what he was trying to bring about. So he pulled the cat to his side to clear that path home; even if that path took us all to the other side of a black hole into an alternative universe.
 
"Ivan, the healer, was there doing what he has always done. He kept the fraying edges of that team from ripping apart. The universe stayed together on both sides of the black hole because of his skills.
 
"And then, there was Fernando. The warrior who taunted the Shumuuluud into following us out into space. There he was told the birth of a black hole would absorb everything. He was so good at distracting them that it was too late for them to retreat when they realized what was happening. There were incredible powers that day. Some were fighting against the changes made. Fernando gave his life to make sure none of them got close to interfering with Marcus's plan.
 
"And last, there was Kendal. Marcus's mate wasn't simply Blue clan. Two of the greatest minds in the universe taught him while he shared their bed. He worked on projects every day that required him to find novel ways of rebuilding things from parts that didn't exist until he saw them in his mind. That wolf brought order to the efforts of everyone. And he did it because his mate needed him to do it. He pushed beyond endurance the same way Ivan and Fernando did.
 
"They couldn't fail because they understood they would lose the ones they loved if they did. Donovan gave his word, but it went beyond that. All those years by Marcus's side bonded the two of them in ways a simple promise never could. I never understood how much that bond meant until I watched it displayed by the mated pairs that day.
 
"No one in the Order could have done what your family did. For one reason, we simply don't have that power. But Marcus saw your potential. With the six of us joined, we could channel all that my people were into creating a black hole and use Kendal's power to rebuild the universe on the other side."
 
Adam was quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "There was a reason I hesitated in China. When Marcus convinced my people that we could recreate our universe, he did so without telling them where those skills came from. As far as the Order was aware, they were talking to me. That my host might be autonomous and talking was inconceivable to them. My people were going to let the universe reset itself without the points in time I felt were sacrosanct because of their outcome. I told them I would not proceed with restarting the universe if they did not agree to my demands. And as you realize, our part was pivotal."
 
Derrick smiled. "I'm thinking that kind of brazenness isn't something your people have ever seen before. You don't seem one to buck the system."
 
The otter nodded. "It was a first; coming from one who wasn't even supposed to merge with anyone. Convincing them of what I saw was no small feat. Marcus took the lead in that effort, and I'm grateful. His skills as a salesman saved our universe. I had to make sure I brought him back. In the universe, there are setpoints. Some things must always happen for this universe to exist. The Big Bang, the simultaneous supernovas of the Trégor star cluster, and the collisions of the Failing and Mexlor supergalaxies. All things that had they not happened, our universe would not exist.
 
"The Order did not see the crashing of a Verital cruiser on a tiny planet as one of those setpoints." The otter shook his head in disbelief at what he was about to say. "My people were willing to let you commit to the ultimate sacrifice without a guarantee that you would even be present in the rebuilt universe. Whether an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs and took down a star-cruiser didn't factor into the universe going forward. All they cared about was ensuring the Shumuuluud never existed."
 
Derrick's lip curled. "Harsh, but then again, pretty practical, and you did say your people were practical."
 
"It was completely practical from the Order's point of view. If the universe restarted itself without our mistake destroying it, we seemed content to let everything else work itself out."
 
"But you disagreed."
 
The otter fumed. "You're damn right I did. I wasn't about to let that happen. When the six of us merged, it was only with the agreement that I would rebuild my little part of this universe. I was putting into place setpoints that would be forever unalterable should we ever find ourselves in this predicament again. The humans dodged a very big cosmic bullet because you are their kin and for no other reason. Your family will always be a part of what is out there. They are now setpoints in the universe. And by being setpoints to which the universe aligns itself, all that leads to your creation is also immutable."
 
"Thanks for standing by us."
 
"You stood by me. My people understand duty, we understand obligation. My time with you has taught me a loyalty that transcends being a faithful cog in the universal machine. I hope my people will make that leap one day. You can help them. I can't afford to lose you."
 
"We don't want to lose you, Adam."
 
"I promise that will never happen. A setpoint protects this moment in time. I can't promise what comes after, but if anyone ever restarts the universe, you will be here, and I will find you."
 
"Then I'm good. As long as my family is here and you're a part of it, I have no complaints."
 
"That's comforting to me. There is so much of what happened in all of this that is new and confusing. But who you are, and what you have done as a family, that… that…" Adam struggled to find the words. "It is all still beyond my capacity to understand. I hope to one day."
 
"You will one day," Derrick replied. "You have some of our best next to you." The wolf looked off into the distance. "Third question. Why did you make Kris watch the death of his people when you were the one to give Donovan the dreams that told him of the Shumuuluud attack? If you already knew what the Shumuuluud was, why didn't you just tell everyone and let Donovan back you up?"
 
"Because I wasn't aware of Donovan's dreams until that day. This gets a bit convoluted here, Pup. Remember during the battle when Marcus and Donovan insisted I save your sons?"
 
Derrick nodded. "Sure, I was there. I didn't understand why they were yelling at you, but I'm glad my family forced you into doing the right thing."
 
Adam looked away. "I am too. I hope you will all forgive me if I lose sight of what's important from time to time."
 
"Like explaining why you didn't tell us outright what was coming our way the day the Changelings returned?"
 
 Adam looked back and smiled. "I love you, Pup. You always seem so kind when you drag me back to where I don't want to be." Adam put his hands together and Derrick watched the thumbs roll around each other. "I realized everything depended on the five understanding that Marcus's course of action was the only viable option we had left. But that wouldn't happen, not in the time that remained.
 
"Donovan was a warrior, and that meant he would fight until the end. He would die before he stood down. I had to convince him to bring us all together, to use the gift he had to join powers from so many sources directed his way. But I realized in our timeline I would never have that chance. We would all die fighting before that moment. And I knew I couldn't save your sons from the fate we were all going to suffer. Somehow I had to have Donovan in the fight knowing exactly what we had to do before we even tried to do it."
 
"So, you changed the timeline?"
 
"Not me. Max and JP."
 
"What? When?"
 
The otter fidgeted a bit more. "My people don't have a clue how to create alternate timeline configurations. To us time travel is a laughable mind game for quantum physicists. But then it occurred to me that for Max and JP it was a part of their reality. I begged them to help me, and they did. They did it because I said it was important, Pup. Like everyone else in your family, they saw someone in need and they reached out to help."
 
"So, what did they do?"
 
"They placed the panda twins and me on the cusp of the black hole created by the saber-toothed wolf only minutes into the future. See what I mean by convoluted? The saber-toothed wolf existed only because of the actions we took there on the edge of the black hole. Max and JP took us to a place that existed only because the Hail Mary pass we were doing at that moment worked to change the universe only moments in the past. The saber-tooth wolf was born in the past by his creation of the black hole in the future.
 
"There, on the event horizon, where every moment in time teeters on the edge, the winged bears held us. They waited for the past to flow by like a river into the black hole. And then JP did the most amazing thing. He took me and dipped me into it, holding me there in a moment so many years ago. I watched Donovan and your family at play. Until then, I never realized how loving Donovan was. I knew the warrior, but I had never seen the lover he brought to your arms."
 
Adam's head bowed. "And then I heard JP's voice as I watched that world flow by me. 'Tell him,' he said, and I knew what he meant. I had to show Donovan that no matter what we tried, no matter how much we threw at the Shumuuluud, we would never best them in battle. We had to choose another path. The warrior had to stand down so that the bringer of order from chaos could rise to the occasion. Kendal had to lead the team or we would lose everything. I had to convince Donovan to not do the very thing he felt called to do."
 
"So, you gave him the dreams."
 
"Yes. I had to make sure it wasn't something he would overlook or ever forget." Adam looked away from the eyes of the black wolf. "I had to make sure he saved his husband."
 
"What?"
 
"In a timeline you don't remember, Kris looked into the abyss and the abyss looked back. The death of his world drove him insane. A Verital can't see all his people die without it driving him over the edge. No one could pull him from the darkness; not even Oliver, and he tried so hard."
 
"You showed Donovan what was going to happen, so that when Kris was recounting it to us, Donovan recognized what was about to happen to the Unity?"
 
"And he got everyone to pull Kris back before the bear could witness what can never be seen by one of the Unity." Adam looked up at Derrick. "On the cusp of a black hole lies all time and space. A step in one direction and the universe isn't the same. The world you knew of the Shumuuluud is only one of the worlds JP let me see. I chose the one that saved your family, the one that left you all alive in the end. And in choosing that path, all the other potentialities vanished into the one saved reality."
 
"I'm glad you took that path."
 
Adam smiled. "Thank you. But as you understand now, the dreams came from a time long after the nights he dreamt them. The day Kris opened his memory to the death of the Unity, I had no idea that Donovan had ever dreamt of the Shumuuluud. I didn't even know that I was responsible for those dreams."
 
"You were right," Derrick said. "It is convoluted. But in the end, I think you did very well, Adam."
 
"I hope I did right by your family," Adam replied. He moved over slightly as Derrick sat beside him. "But it's one reason the five left their memories of the other universe behind them. We knew if it was meant to be, we would find our way back to each other. But this time, it would be without the suffering and pain that everyone had to go through to get to this point. Uncountable souls had to sacrifice their very being to make the universe we stand in. They did so, realizing that who they were might never make it through to the other side." Adam put his hand on the young wolf's paw. "Please, Pup, leave this out of the history. They chose to forget it for good reasons. There are so many others who chose the same path."
 
"Of course, Adam," Derrick replied. "And what about Will?"
 
The otter laughed as he stood up. "Really, Pup? You are telling me you get all these insights from sitting back and watching?"
 
"I have the Sight, remember? Someone made a serious mistake giving that to me," the wolf said with a smile.
 
"No… no, they didn't, Pup. It was the best thing they could do with their life."
 
"So, Will?" Derrick pressed.
 
"I realize now he will never leave his family."
 
"But his family might join him."
 
"In ways unimaginable even by me, Pup. I once told him I dreamed of a day when he and I would merge. I used to think it was Marcus's desires flowing up through me and finding a voice, but that's not it. Marcus and Kendal seem quite happy together. They both love William, but it hasn't caused the conflict of emotions that it did in the previous universe. William is remarkable. I am drawn to remarkable men. I am drawn to your entire family, but William was the first in Marcus's life who he loved. Those feelings are embedded in me. One day, we may find there is unity beyond even merging. All I know is I am trying to keep my options open."
 
"I understand that," the young wolf said with a smile. "Who knows what might happen one day in the future? Maybe the whole family will merge with you."
 
"I would love you all the more," the otter said as he put out his hand toward the wolf. "But for a time, Pup, live your life here. Be happy. The universe will go on expanding for a time without your need to watch over any of it but Terra and her family."
 
Derrick took Adam's hand. "I'll do that, Adam. Don't bite off more than you can chew, okay? Maybe you became an otter to remind you that change is best in small increments."
 
The two began walking toward the landing rock where the Red Wolf reflected the glow of the morning sun off its wings. "I like that reasoning, Pup," Adam said as the two walked away from the sleeping group. "I'm glad you're a quiet one who sits back and watches. When you speak, I always know I should listen carefully."
 
Derrick laughed. "I don't know about that, but thank you anyway."
 
"You won't forget me, will you?" the otter questioned. "You need to realize that after I'm gone, things are going to continue to realign. We took the universe of the Shumuuluud and broke it down into subatomic particles to reshape it into this one. The memory of that world will fade. Who I was might fade from memory, as well as those I left behind as markers to find my way back. The more we become a part of this world, the greater the chance it will end the knowledge of what happened in another world."
 
Derrick fell to his knees and hugged the otter. "It's a kindness to them, Adam. Knowing the story of a saber-toothed wolf that restarted the universe is one thing. It's another thing entirely to feel the terror of having your flesh ripped from your body by hungry Shumuuluud. Oliver and I will be here to keep the stories alive for our family with no need for them to suffer needlessly."
 
"Please don't let them forget me, Pup. I love you all so much. But this universe will push to right itself. It will push to have the lives of my family go back to a time before I was born. Already the Order has no memory of what happened. There is no talk of the Shumuuluud; no whisper of another universe. Nowhere else but here on Terra do they speak of the events you witnessed. You and Oliver are the only witnesses to all that transpired in the lives of the Changelings and the Were Nation in both worlds. In time, as this universe forgets the old worlds, it will be up to you two to write our history and teach it to those who forget."
 
Derrick sighed as he hugged the otter. "That's why you took us with you from Terra; to keep our memories intact?"
 
"There should be witnesses to all great things, Pup," the otter replied. "The end of one universe to give birth to a new one is nothing different from the love and sacrifice of a Megatherium for his mates and the children. We must tell those stories. They all live in you and Oliver."
 
"And once they are all recorded, Adam?"
 
"Then you will have finished your work. At least for a time. It's a good idea to take a breather when you can. Your family seems to attract souls in need of help. But if you learn to recognize when a job is done, that will serve you well."
 
"Then learn when it's time for your job to be done as well, Otter."
 
"You know I can't, Pup. This is a lifetime job. I was born of men who can't walk away."
 
"Not the job out there," the black wolf said, pushing his hand out toward space. "The job here, where you try to save who you once were. It doesn't matter, Adam. Don't you get it? That part of the universe we all remember still has the most incredible otter in it. It doesn't matter what you do when you're away from us. We have spent the most remarkable week with you by our side. We will remember that, won't we?"
 
The little otter nodded his head. "Yes, yes. We'll all remember that." He looked up at the wolf and smiled. "I will remember these days forever."
 
"Then know what we did here was more than the sex that confuses you so," the young wolf comforted. "You have sealed us in your heart, and we have done the same with you. I will love you, Otter, now and forever."
 
"And I, you, Pup."
 
"So we build on that love. You come back knowing this is your home and that we will always welcome you back into our lives and our arms. We may forget your legacy as the universe changes us, but is that memory what you need from us?"
 
"No, what I need is what I have felt this last week. That is what I fear losing."
 
"Then trust me when I say that will never fade. Trust who you are deep down inside. Let the five Terrans calm the one who binds you together. The undying love of the old wolf is something they understand. They're very familiar with the badger's protective nature. They know me and my husband bears. We don't turn from those we love."
 
The otter smiled. "Then I won't either," he said. "You will be my charges."
 
Derrick shrugged. "I think if you took a poll, we would rather you think of us as your wanton little slut puppies. After all, when we remember you, it will be as the beast who sucked off three bears, five wolves, a saber-toothed cat, and a rhino… while underwater. And you did it all without coming up for air or spilling a drop. You are already a legend." The wolf waved his hand with a throwaway gesture. "Oh, and that whole wipe out the Shumuuluud and reboot the universe thing; we'll remember that legend when we get around to writing it down."
 
Adam frowned. "I'm serious about protecting you, Pup."
 
The black wolf rubbed the back of his paw over the otter's muzzle. "Don't be, Adam. This life of ours comes at us too fast and is too complicated to be taken seriously. Look out there in that field. That's your family's gift to you. They have saved this world so many times. They have held each other through tragedies unimagined by most. Yet they lay there in the grass asleep after giving all their energies to fornicating for a week. You can see the best of who we are in every one of their faces. And their greatest gift to you is their ability to pull back away from all that serious stuff and play."
 
"That's difficult for a warrior."
 
"You're not always a warrior. Will is a warrior. Who do you think was howling at the moon three nights ago while Tiff and Tuff rode him? Learn from my husband, Adam. No one is more protective of us than Will. And no one plays harder at every opportunity."
 
"I suppose it's in my best interest and the safety of the universe if I come back regularly to be educated by my family in what is truly important."
 
The black wolf laughed. "We would love that, Adam. Just remember all the souls inside you. I realize the warrior Channeler inside you is strong, but there's a builder and a healer inside you as well. There's also one born of wisdom. Yeah, he's one of my sons and a bit of a goof, but he understands who he is. Let him bind your souls together as one. Let him mold you into something more than a police dog to the universe. You're an otter for a reason. They play, they love, and then they play some more. They embrace this world with fascination and wonder. Otters love their families. They protect them. But they're never serious. There are no serious otters, Adam. Don't be the first."
 
"So you're saying I don't have to be serious to protect you?"
 
"Yeah, I'm saying that."
 
"And the rest of the universe?"
 
"Well, I hope you will treat it like family. It deserves that much, doesn't it? I hope you realize there is no universe any more than there is an ocean. You've heard Li Wei tell the story. The ocean is only tiny drops of water gathered together. The universe is only tiny bits of all the star stuff out there. None of us could change the world, Marcus. We only changed one life at a time. Don't save the universe. Save your family. The rest will all fall into place."
 
"You say family like I know what that means. Who am I supposed to see as my family?"
 
"All those men lying out on the highland fast asleep. Your family is waking up in Montana. They're on Partridge Island making gyros for the lunch crowd. It's three billion humans wandering through this life with blinders on trying to connect. Most of them need a helping hand to make that happen." The wolf waved outward again. "A zillion worlds full of your newest, best friends and cantankerous old curmudgeons that only you can win over." The wolf leaned over and pulled the otter in close. "And so many orphaned children looking for homes, Adam. Do what you're best at. Help them find homes. There are so many lost souls out there looking."
 
"Sounds better than fighting."
 
"You suck at fighting, Adam. We all do. You had to reboot an entire universe because we suck at it so bad."
 
The otter laughed and hugged the wolf back. "Thank you, Pup," he whispered. The two hugged for a time, and with a squeeze, the otter asked, "Is that your hard-on pushing up against my tail?"
 
"Yes, Adam," the wolf sighed. "You realize how cute you are, right?"
 
"I'm like Oliver. I don't want to be cute. I want to be fierce."
 
Derrick laughed. "Oliver is cute. Our family doesn't do fierce either. We do cute really well."
 
"I can do cute," the otter said with a nod. His tail flipped downward and rubbed the wolf's swelling cock. "I also do horny really well."
 
Derrick groaned. "I am so going to hate myself for this choice tomorrow." He kissed the otter and put him back on the ground. "Go, Adam. Before my family wakes up and we have to figure out how to adjust our schedules for another week."
 
"It's harder this time, Pup. It's harder to say goodbye without a crisis pushing me to go."
 
"Then don't say goodbye. Go, and come back when you can. We wait for our family to come home. We always wait."
 
The otter looked up and became the pangolin. Slowly, his body faded until only the grin remained. "Is this the coolest exit or what?" the grin asked.
 
"That is so very cool. Add some sparkles and you will rock this exit," the wolf responded with a laugh. "I love you, Adam."
 
"And I love you, Pup. Give my love to the family. All three billion of them."
 
"I'll do my best," the young wolf promised the grin floating in the air. With a shimmer of sparkles, the grin disappeared into the early morning fog.
 
"Totally sucks," the wolf said out loud to only himself. "I hate when family leaves." The wolf felt a tug at his waist. He looked down and smiled at Oliver. "Good morning, Badger," he said.
 
"Mornin', Pup. I watched him go. That otter knows how to make an exit."
 
"Yeah, I guess we have to get used to it. It's who he is."
 
"Yeah, but we don'ts have to get used to him going. We can just get used to him coming home."
 
The wolf smiled. "I love the way you think, Badger."
 
"And I loves you, Pup." Oliver replied. He rocked back and forth uneasily. "You does know you gots a boner, right?"
 
"Yeah. Adam is extremely cute."
 
"Them things can cause all manner of problems if you don'ts take care of them."
 
"Really?"
 
"I read it on the Internet."
 
"Really?"
 
The badger smiled broadly. "But you could fuck me. It could save you all sorts of problems down the line with all that pent-up juice."
 
"Before or after we wake up the family?"
 
The badger looked out on the highland. "You know, I'se thinking you do me right, they'll all wake up when I'm screaming." The badger shifted, and his taller counterpart smiled at the wolf.
 
"We are going to get into so much trouble for this," the wolf said as he pushed his husband to the ground and lifted his legs.
 
"Yeah, we is. But it's gonna be worth it."
 
Derrick smiled. "Yeah, it will be." The wolf lunged forward, shoving himself into the werebadger. A moment later, the young wolf felt the thick flesh of the Kodiak's cock push into him. "Morning, husbands," the brown bear growled as the wolf yielded to the bear.
 
"Morning, Bear," the two chimed together. Derrick's thrusting synced with Kris's almost immediately. The threesome coupled for a few happy moments before Derrick's eyes widened in a sudden flash of insight. He looked down at Oliver. "Kris is fucking me, Oliver," he said, the panic clear in his voice.
 
"Yeah, so?" the badger asked.
 
"Yeah, so?" the bear repeated from behind.
 
"Pheromones, Oliver. He never controls his pheromones."
 
"Oh shit," Oliver said, his eyes widening.
 
"OH SHIT!" the bear yelled as he grabbed both animals below him and rose. Before he could take a step, the pack of temple dogs leapt toward the three as one unified mass of uncontrolled golden fur and slobber.
  
Chapter 38
  
Out on the glade, the family bolted from their sleep with wet dog prints across their bodies. They also felt as if a herd of sneaker-wearing bison had trampled them. One look across the glade and they knew the reason. The rhino got up and dusted himself off. He looked at his newly mated husbands and grinned. "Temple dogs are the best. Race you to them," he said. Falling onto all fours, the gray beast was speeding toward the temple dogs. Following him were his husbands exhibiting the same complete abandon with which the dogs had jumped the bear and his husbands.
 
The birds in the trees flew out, squawking their discontent as the two woodland dragons pushed through the underbrush. They were finally too curious not to venture out onto the glade to see what the days of noise and activity were all about. They watched for only a moment, their nostrils flaring, when one massive beast tried to mount the other. The two oversized bodies lurched forward across the glade with each push from the dragon on top as he tried to gain access to the dragon below.
 
With every step, they grew closer to the free-for-all that was the temple dogs and their willing accomplices. With the dragons only feet from trampling the dogs, Zhuang and Bolin rose, barking at the two massive creatures. The two woodland dragons pulled up short and hurriedly turned back toward the forest. Their tails followed, swinging through the mass of beasts below. The dogs, thrown into the air, somersaulted skillfully to the ground. The flailing brown bear was not as graceful. Landing on top of the Rhino, he barely missed Chipo's short horn.
 
The dragons whimpered like scolded dogs, and Bolin instantly was beside them, petting them. "No, no," he said calmly. "You're fine. You're both fine. We welcome you to our play. But in your efforts to come together, you came very near to hurting us. We needed to warn you."
 
The two dragons lifted from their crouched position. Shaking their manes, their front legs reached for each other. Their scales bristled, making a noise like aspen trees in the autumn wind. Both dragons were over twenty feet high, standing on their rear legs. As they tried to duplicate the actions of the bears and wolves in the field, the two dragons' tails wagged back and forth over the glade. The beasts in the surrounding field darted to avoid the tails, but not everyone was successful. For the second time that morning, Chipo found himself airborne as he toppled over LanYing's tail.
 
Jiao-long planted his hind feet firmly onto the grassy field. With his front feet outstretched, the dragon fell forward into his mate, driving both to the ground in a thunderous crash. "My goodness. You two know nothing about mating, do you?" Bolin asked as he raced to the female's side. "Are you okay, LanYing?" he asked the dragon. He smiled. "No, everyone is fine. No one is mad. You only startled us." He looked up toward Jiao-long. "No, of course not. Your desire to join us in our play is natural. We didn't realize you were old enough to even think about such things."
 
Noboru sped to the side of Bolin and the young dragons when he heard the crash. "Are they okay?"
 
Bolin nodded. "They are fine. It's their first time, and they're awkward at it. They were trying to duplicate our motions."
 
Noboru's eyebrows rose. "Oh, dear; with those bodies, we're lucky they didn't break anything."
 
Noboru reached out and petted the neck of the male dragon as his head lowered beside the female. He laughed. "No, Little One, you are fine. We play differently than you. You are not meant to move those bodies of yours in such a fashion. You must remember slow, gentle movements." The eyes of the temple dog widened. "Yes, I suppose we can show you, but you have to remember we are males. We do not breed. Both your anatomy and your bonding differ from ours."
 
Bolin nodded his head. "Yes, the wolves look more like you, but finding a willing tutor might be difficult."
 
The rhino stumbled toward the temple dogs and their charges. "They are beautiful," he said as he drew near. "Can I touch them?"
 
Bolin looked at the two dragons. Both nodded. "Yes, but in the future, you can ask them directly." Bolin replied. "They make those decisions on their own. They are not our pets, they are our family."
 
Chipo's prehensile lip curled under. "I didn't mean it to sound that way," he said, apologizing to the two dragons. "Rhinoceroses are big, and sometimes intimidating to those we wish to touch. I have made it a habit always to ask. I'm sorry I didn't ask you directly."
 
"They are Intuitives," Bolin said as he wrapped his arm lovingly around the rhino. "Dragons can sense what you feel. They understand your words. Never feel reluctant to talk to them. In time, they will talk to you, but for now, their language might elude you. In such instances, they will need to have direct contact with you to carry on a conversation."
 
Chipo's thick hand reached out and stroked the feathers of the male's mane. His hand followed a line of bright red scales that moved down across the neck and over the shoulders. The lines thickened on the back and once again tapered to a thin line on the tail. There were seven red lines flanked by white running the length of the dragon's body. "You're so colorful," he said, amazed at the blues and green blending through the feathers and scales.
 
"They weren't so a week ago," Zhuang said as he joined Chipo in petting the dragon. "These are their breeding colors. Apparently, their arousal stems from what has been happening on the highland."
 
"Oh no," Chipo said. "Should we be stopping what we started?"
 
Zhuang shook his head. "On the contrary. They have come out to play with us. Sex for the younger dragons is much the same as it is for us. They would see our cessation of activities as a sign we disapprove of them joining us."
 
Bolin rubbed the thick hide of the rhinoceros. "In time, we will teach the young ones when and where they can play with such colossal bodies. But for now, their arousal will turn into frustration for both if the male does not knot the female."
 
"Blue balls," Chipo replied with an understanding nod.
 
"Yes, they are, but I doubt they will change color by anything he might do in the hours to come."
 
Chipo laughed and whispered into the temple dog's ear. The dog's eyes widened, and he nodded knowingly. "I see. Li Wei is so much better versed in English than I am."
 
Martin rubbed up against his mate. "Well, Rhino, it sounds like we have an obligation to our family of dragons today, as well as our family of beasts. We are ultimately all endangered species. A sustained breeding program seems in order."
 
"Cat, you are horny all the time. I doubt the dragons have anything to do with your thinking."
 
"I'm considering how important it is to stay out of the way of those tails," the saber-toothed cat said with a laugh. "I would say it factors into my thinking a great deal."
 
"Zhuang, exactly what are we supposed to be doing here?" Kris asked. The bear turned to the dragons and bowed. "With all due respect, I feel kind of awkward around such youngsters."
 
"Their colors tell you they are no longer children, Ancient One," the temple dog answered. "But they are neophytes. Like those we turn, they reach out to learn from those they trust. With a minimum of guidance, their biology will teach them how to couple. But we will be the ones to teach them if that act is something they should celebrate or something their shame must hide."
 
"Then you don't object to our activities?" Kris asked the dragons. "This is your highland as much as Zhuang and Bolin's. We are guests here," Kris said.
 
The two dragons shook their heads. Zhuang interpreted the images that Chipo and Kris both saw, but only partially understood. "No, your activities fascinate them and arouse them as well. Your pheromones, Ancient One, are pushing the young ones' cycles forward. It is why they have joined us today instead of years in the future."
 
"You're saying I caused them to go into estrus?" the brown bear said, scratching his head.
 
"You and the other Ancient Ones," the dog replied. "I suspect we will find their molted skins out there in the forest somewhere later today." Zhuang rubbed the brightly colored scales of the dragon. "It was not you alone. Adam was, as you say, off the charts; although I suspect the dragons and we were the only ones to notice him. Others often overlook ones of diminutive size."
 
Oliver walked up to Zhuang. "We knows he was off the charts, Dog. He was in our arms for a week. You think we didn't feel who he was? He's gots three Changelings all bundled up in him. Ain't no way we's missing them pheromones. We just don't go talking about it."
 
Zhuang's head bowed. "I am constantly betraying my inexperience, Oliver. Please forgive me."
 
"Ain't nothing to forgive, Dog," Oliver replied. "You senses what others put out. But you don't have no idea what you does to others, do you?"
 
Katashi looked at the badger and frowned. "We do something to you?"
 
"Oh, hell yeah," Derrick said as he approached the growing gathering. "You know what the Changelings do to you; you have your own pheromones that turn the heads of werebeasts just the same. And for all the disciplines you practice over your mind and body, you are like my husband when it comes to reigning in your scents. You show no control at all."
 
Li Wei picked up his walk toward the group when he heard the words of the black wolf. "I have long thought that leaving our human bodies behind so long ago has sacrificed a part of our link to the Were Nation. I believe it makes us less sensitive to the consequences of our interactions far beyond the scarring so many of you choose to carry."
 
"You gots that right, Li Wei," Oliver said as the temple dog scooped him up and hugged him. "You dogs don't notice the scent of another of your kind next to you. When you taste the sweat of another dog on your tongue, you don't feel nothin' special. You dogs is all the same. The reason you don't sense what you does to others is because you gots no different scents of your own. You's all exactly the same beast."
 
Derrick nodded. "You're like most men. We don't notice what we smell like very often. Others, sure, but not ourselves. It's why we have to be told to go brush our teeth or hop in the shower from time to time. You dogs put out scents that drive us crazy, but they don't seem to have the same effect on you. You have a mating season where you're more active than average, but in these situations, you're putting out stuff that drives us crazy non-stop."
 
"That explains your body in my company, Oliver," Li Wei said, as he pulled Oliver up and kissed him.
 
"Yeah, it does. We goes at each other until we's spent 'cause your body is putting out juice we can'ts even see, but it drives us beasts crazy even so."
 
"I'm sorry, Oliver," the temple dog said. "I had always thought it was something special shared between the two of us."
 
Oliver leaned in and kissed the dog's lips. "It always has been special between the two of us, Li Wei. I woulds never have walked away from you until I was spent no matter what. But you gots to know that you carry your own way of making them dragon babies want to make babies of their own."
 
The two dragons suddenly made a chortling sound as their heads bobbed up and down. Bolin looked at the two. "You're laughing at us?" He turned to the group. "Apparently they feel that for all this talk about what pheromones do to us, they are the only ones..." The dog paused. He snorted out a deep breath. "And I'm quoting Jiao-long here, 'they are the only ones trying to fuck.'"
 
The temple dog looked at Oliver and scowled. Oliver threw his hands up in the air as he jumped down from Li Wei's arms. "Don'ts look at me. We was fucking before them dragons came out of the woods and practically squashed us."
 
"No, Oliver. Where did the dragons learn that language?" Bolin pressed.
 
"I don't knows. I mights have said it around them. Besides, it ain't like they's saying fuck. They don't talks."
 
"But you know that's not true," Bolin said. "You heard him. He distinctly thought fuck. We don't use the word, Oliver."
 
"Well, that's because you's you. For critters that loves to fuck as much as you do, you really ought to say it more often."
 
Noboru nodded. "You have a point, Badger. I noticed you earlier this morning before we were so inconveniently distracted. You were the only one of the three husbands who was not actually fucking someone else. Do you think I might offer myself to change that circumstance?"
 
Oliver smiled. "Is you asking me to fuck you, Noboru?"
 
"I am trying. The word doesn't come easily to me."
 
"Yeah, Dog," Oliver said, smiling. "I'll fuck you."
 
"Then shall we leave the dragons to their fucking and start ours?" Noboru asked. The temple dog reached out his paws and Oliver ran to him. With a jump, he was in the arms of the dog and then on his shoulders. As Noboru turned to walk away, his paw reached out and grabbed the hand of the rhino. "Should the badger tire, I will need you as a backup."
 
Kris smiled as he watched the temple dog pull the rhino behind him and tagged along after the three. His paw reached out and grabbed the paw of the saber-toothed cat as he caught up to the temple dog and his consorts. He turned and yelled back toward the group. "Come on, Pup. We started something I want to finish." In an instant, the black wolf shifted to all fours and ran after the small group.
 
"And you was inside me, as I recall," Oliver said as the black wolf caught up with the growing crowd.
 
Kris looked back to where the temple dogs gathered around the dragons. "Temple dogs," he yelled. "I request that if you want to join us once we begin fucking, you do so in an orderly fashion. I don't want those dragons learning any unacceptable behaviors from your actions." Noboru reached out and squeezed the bear's free hand playfully. Kris laughed as he leaned in to kiss the golden dog.
 
From a distance, at the edge of the forest, Will and Eric watched the morning unfold. Will shook his head. "Oliver is right. We are one fucked up family."
 
"I like our family," Eric disagreed.
 
"I didn't say I don't like them. I'm crazy about them. But we are totally fucked up."
 
"And why is that?"
 
"I have three husbands about to fuck their brains out with a temple dog in front of two gigantic dragons. Those dragons are mating because they think we're cute when we do it, and they want to join in on the party."
 
"I see what you mean," the white bear said, nodding his head thoughtfully. "I think it would be cuter if there was a polar bear fucking the Kodiak." The bear lumbered off upright toward the throng who lay in the grass kissing.
 
Will stared at the rise and fall of the polar bear's butt with each step he took. The bear stopped as one thick paw reached around and suggestively rubbed the cheek of his butt. "Old Bear, that is so unfair," the wolf groaned.
 
The bear never looked back. "Tap it or lose it, Old Wolf. I need a top today." He fell down onto all fours and plodded off, his butt still driving the old wolf crazy as it rocked back and forth with each step.
 
Will shook his head. He pulled at his sheath and his dick slipped out, growing ever firmer as he watched each step of the bear. "The things I do for this family," he sighed.
 
As he stood up, Jean Pierre and Jason stepped out from a forest path. "We seem to have lost Lothair somewhere along the way," Jason said with a wave.
 
Jean Pierre looked across the glade and grabbed Will's paw, holding him fast. "Old Wolf?"
 
Will's look of disappointment was evident. "Noboru wants Oliver to fuck him. Oliver wants the pup to fuck him. Kris is eager to plow the pup's butt. Now, the old bear just told me to fuck his ass while he's fucking Kris on the penalty of losing that gorgeous ass sleeping next to me tonight. I figure I'm about to be the end point of a five-beast daisy chain." Will looked at the alpha. "Me, Jean Pierre. ME! What's this world coming to when two of my top husbands are about to be fucked by their bottom husbands?"
 
"And the dragons trying to copulate with each other at the end of the field?"
 
"Apparently members of our family who think we're so cute when we fuck they wanted to join us."
 
"It's been an interesting morning, it would seem," Jean Pierre said with a laugh.
 
"It's not funny, Gray One," Will protested. "I've got a line of five men with incredible cocks forming a line of fucking beasts, and not one of them is going to be inside me."
 
Jean Pierre stepped close and kissed the old wolf. "Perhaps you will allow me to make the line of five, six."
 
Will's eyes brightened, and his smile returned. "Really?"
 
"An alpha takes care of his pack."
 
"But you hate daisy chains."
 
"But I love the old wolf."
 
Will threw his arms around Jean Pierre and hugged him. "I know it's stupid, but I am who I am."
 
Jean Pierre made a quiet chuckle. "And I love who you are, Old Wolf. Just know that from time to time in this great conga line of life, you will find yourself at the rear of the line instead of being the rear in the front."
 
Will hugged tighter. "I love you, Jean Pierre, but that has to be one of the dumbest things I ever heard."
 
"Yeah, I realized that the moment I said it," the French wolf said as he pushed Will back. "I have no clue why everyone expects an alpha to spout wisdom at the drop of a hat." He grabbed the paw of the old wolf. "Come on; let's find our place in that line." He looked down at Jason. "And you, my love… have you found a place in that line?"
 
Jason nodded. "Noboru seems to enjoy the company of small beasts. I think filling his mouth will make him happy."
 
Jean Pierre grinned. "You are indeed a considerate fox."
 
"No, Husband," Jason replied. "I'm a horny one, and Noboru has had thousands of years to hone his skills."
 
Jean Pierre laughed. "Well, come my horny love; let's go see if we can turn this growing chain into the circle of life."
 
Will had shifted to all fours and was bouncing in the grass like a happy wolf pup on his first spring day. "Oh, now that one I like," he said, his tongue flopping about as he performed his eager dance of anticipation.
 
Jean Pierre laughed. "It's terrible, Old Wolf. Even I know that. But you love it because you know it means I am about to unite you with one of your favorite things."
 
"Your dick," Will said, still bouncing.
 
Jean Pierre nodded. "Yes… my dick. Come on, Old Wolf." Jean Pierre looked out onto the field and saw the twin twins. His paw lifted and circled into the air. The quadriad jumped up and ran toward them. "We are forming this chain into a circle," The French wolf said. "Find yourself a spot." Jean Pierre lowered his head, drawing in a breath. When his head raised, a howl echoed across the highland.
 
From the field and the forest, wolves came running. The pack was assembling, including the grolar bear that was a part of the pack on the technicality that he was once a wolf. "We are forming a circle," the heavy voice of the alpha boomed. "Find a place where you fit in."
 
Jean Pierre scanned the glade looking for his Changeling husband. He saw the wolf racing toward him, followed by a pack of African wild dogs. "Well, at least we know now he was in expert hands last night," he said with a laugh.
 
It wasn't long before a great circle of flesh and fur formed in the glade. The bodies moved in a unified rhythm born of years of togetherness. The dragons lifted their head and chirped their happiness at the welcome into their new family.
 
The great male dragon rolled carefully on his side, mimicking the movements of the two wolves that acted as visual aids to the young dragons. Guided by the temple dogs, the wolves showed the two dragons the way of mating for the massive beasts. It was an education that their parents would have done, were they not two continents away.
 
The two young dragons eventually found themselves on their sides, facing each other. Their lower rear leg extended as the upper wrapped around their mate. Together, they pulled each other close. Once the male fully embedded his knot and was deep inside the female, they relaxed. The weight of their bodies and instincts born of generations before them helped the young ones find their own rhythm. Now they understood why their movements needed to be so much different from the libidinous copulating of the beasts out in the field. The dragons pushed together in movements that were slow and measured. When the head of Jiao-long slowly moved through the mane of LanYing, she gasped at the sensations she felt for the first time. The breath of her exhalation sent one of the temple dogs tumbling out into the grass.
 
Greg and Mike lifted themselves from the grass and watched the loving couple towering over them. Greg looked at Bolin. "I think we're good here, right?"
 
"They have learned all they need to learn from us. Nature will now guide them," Bolin said with a nod. "Should we join the circle?"
 
Greg laughed. "There's no way we're breaking into that circle this far into them going at it," the wolf replied. He looked at Bolin and Zhuang, whose faces dropped at the news. Greg smiled and wrapped his arm around the nearest temple dog. "Someone told me that the favorite way of copulating for a temple dog is while hanging from a tree."
 
Bolin's face widened into a grin. "We love to coupula… we love to fuck in the trees," he said happily
 
"Wanna fuck a little mammal in the butt?" Greg said, looking up with a lecherous grin at the dog that towered over him. "That line always seems to work for Oliver," the wolf said, reaching out to the dog. There was a sudden motion that eluded Greg entirely as he found himself carried into the treetops slung over the shoulder of the temple dog. Mike was not far behind on the shoulder of Zhuang. Thrown over the same wide branch, the two salivating dogs quickly penetrated the two wolves.
 
There was a pivot, and a three-hundred-sixty-degree spin around the limb, and then something totally unfamiliar to the wolves. When their senses found balance again, Greg and Mike dangled in mid-air, hanging upside down with the temple dogs. Bolin smiled at Greg. "Do not worry. Our tails are very strong," he said as he began pushing and pulling the embedded wolf onto the giant yellow shaft of flesh between his legs. Greg looked at his grimacing mate suspended upside down far above the forest floor as he worked to accommodate the girth of the eager temple dog. When he saw his mate's face relax, he, too, yielded to the dog holding onto him.
 
"You know, Bolin, this is kinda nice," Greg said as he worked to guide the dog's cock into the places that brought him the most pleasure.
 
"It is pleasurable indeed, Wolf. We are honored that you have joined us."
 
"I'm still amazed at how strong those tails of yours are," Greg said, looking up at the tail wrapped around the tree branch.
 
"Oh, yes, very strong indeed. Much stronger apparently than the branch from which we hang."
 
The words scarcely had time to sink in before Greg heard the cracking of the limb. "Oh, we are so going to have scars," the wolf groaned as the branch shattered and the four spiraled down through the branches below.
 
Two hours later, the forest wildlife had settled from the four's disturbance. The temple dogs clung to their wolves on a lower branch of the maple tree. With the wolves' ejaculate spilling down their bellies and onto their chests, the temple dogs rocked their partners gently. "Upside-down cuddling," Mike said with a laugh. "I admit, I could get used to this, Husband."
 
"Me too," Greg said as he pushed into the wet fur of the temple dog and lapped at the cum.
 
The temple dogs swayed back and forth, and the wolves realized how much their activities had tired them. The temple dogs pulled the wolves close and let the two bury their faces in the fur of their chest. "Sleep, little ones," Zhuang whispered. "It is time for rest again." The wolves closed their eyes and let the rocking lull them to sleep.
 
Life on the highland was once again calm as dragons and beasts dozed happily after their time together. Squirrels ran through the trees, avoiding the larger beasts dangling from the limbs as the birds returned to their singing. The damaged tree slowly healed itself; the site of the broken branches pushing thicker, stronger, new branches outward. It was another afternoon on the highland. Another afternoon filled with the love of a family learning how far that family extended.
  
Chapter 39
  
"Lean back, Gentlemen," Daisuki said as he turned his chair toward the temple dogs lined on either side of the airship. "We're on approach."
 
"Are you sure the restraints will be adequate to hold both us and our armor in place?" Noboru asked.
 
"I'm sure, Noboru," the Hokkaido wolf replied. "You might not see them anymore, but they're even stronger than the webbing we once used on you."
 
"It is sometimes difficult to believe that which one cannot see is stronger than which is tangible," the dog countered.
 
Daisuki smiled. "Uttered by the dog who taught me how to meditate on the strength of love. Clearly, you already understand the strength of things that we cannot see."
 
Noboru smiled back, made a small bow, and leaned back against the wall. He felt the invisible bonds wrap securely around him. "I have never doubted the strength of your love, Daisuki. It is your tech that I am willing to call into question."
 
Daisuki nodded. "Understood, Sensei. You need to trust me with this one." When the temple dog returned the nod, the wolf spun his chair around to face the front of the aircraft.
 
"By the way," Takeo interjected, never letting his eyes move from the controls, "Why the armor? I thought you wore them only in times of conflict."
 
"That is true," Noboru replied. "We are choosing to find an additional reason for their existence. We wish to use them in times of peace. Even more so in times of play. We understand their dark past. We acknowledge we may one day be required to put them on again for that purpose. But today, we wish to wear them when the only contest we enter will be to decide who can brandish a pool noodle better than all the rest."
 
"Well, they are beautiful. I'm glad you made an exception to their use. The children will be thrilled."
 
"That was our intent. We wish the children to view us as their protectors. Even if they see our armor in the most trying of times, we want them to feel confident that they needn't fear us."
 
"A wise choice, Sensei," Takeo said as he pushed forward on the landing gear. "Upright, Gentle Warriors. We're on approach." The Black Rhino dipped into the clouds as the landing gears dropped into place.
 
Below on the ground, the marshaling crew moved into place with their batons poised. The landing lights over the Battery landing pad lit up and the pad itself grew to accommodate the Black Rhino's girth. Elsewhere on the island, things were not running as smoothly.
 
"Really, Stacey? Is now the only time we can do this?" an exasperated Nathaniel blurted out.
 
"Doctor, with all due respect, you canceled three meetings and avoided scheduling lord knows many others. The temple dogs are landing and your family is coming in here in another hour. We have an island full of people ready to party. This room is on lockdown until we clear this up. I'm as eager to meet your new husbands as you were a week ago. But you spent a few days with them, and now, I'm going to insist you spend a bit of time with us. If you want to see your family, we get this meeting over and done with so we can all enjoy today."
 
Nathaniel sighed and sat back down in the industrial-sized chair at the conference table. He looked at Tyler, who shrugged. "She has a point, Nathaniel. You did everything you could to evade this conversation for months."
 
"Maybe I don't want to retire," the bear responded.
 
"We're not asking you to retire, Doctor," Stacey replied. "I'm asking you to step aside in one aspect of your involvement for the good of this hospital."
 
"You're asking me to retire."
 
Stacey snorted out a deep breath of frustration. "Why did you build this hospital?"
 
"To take care of the werebeasts who needed us and had nowhere else to turn."
 
"Right. And how many humans were there with you every step of the way?"
 
Nathaniel looked up in thought. "Do you want them alphabetically, or chronologically, starting with Dr. Sarah Carver?"
 
Stacey looked at the bear straight-faced. "Kind of a rhetorical question there, Doctor."
 
"You've always been beside us, Stacey. You know that."
 
"And when the mandate of this hospital changed to allow anyone in need to come here, regardless of species?"
 
"You were there. You still are," Nathaniel replied.
 
"And where will you be when we need you?"
 
Nathaniel looked across the boardroom table at the three humans sitting across from him. "I don't think I understand."
 
Stacey tapped the ComLink on her chest. "Ori, could you please display chart number one?" A chart with many names appeared. Nathaniel recognized every one of them going back hundreds of years. "Ori, explain this list."
 
The excruciatingly polite voice complied. "This is a list of those seeking to change their jobs within the Partridge Island Hospital staff. Qualified individuals applied to be executive directors, medical VPs, deans, chiefs of surgery, medical directors, and other administrative positions. Hiring managers informed them that others filled those positions."
 
"And what happened to these exceptionally qualified individuals?"
 
"They terminated their relationship with the hospital. They sought employment elsewhere where they could advance toward the jobs they wished to hold."
 
"Is there a reason for this inability to rise in the ranks of this hospital to the jobs they were seeking?" Stacey asked.
 
"The current personnel occupying those jobs do not retire, nor do they die. The humans sometimes refer to it as trying to break through the furred ceiling."
 
Stacey paused. "Ori, given the current nature of this hospital, what hope is there for a human to occupy a place in the top-level hospital management hierarchy?"
 
"There is no possibility of advancement into the top-level hierarchy," Ori replied.
 
Stacey leaned back in her chair. "I am the assistant to the executive director of this hospital. Despite having been here for nearly eight years, my chances of ever ascending to the position of CEO are currently less than zero. Why? Because the lovable bear in that job has never once considered stepping down from that position."
 
Max looked up from his pad. "I'm filling out my resignation now. You've got a month to find my replacement. If you want a letter of recommendation, I'll be happy to write you one."
 
Stacey shook her head. "What?"
 
"I'm retiring."
 
"Me too," Nathaniel said. "I'd recommend Dr. Manuel Ortiz, Dr. Amelia Mackey, Dr. Skylar Zimmerman, or Dr. Amoli Ahai as my replacement. Dr. Darrin Peterson is actually the most qualified, but he's a…" Nathaniel leaned in toward the humans and whispered, "… a werewolf. You know… one of those."
 
Stacey looked dumbstruck at the two bears. Finally, she spoke. "Wha… what?" was all she stammered.
 
"He's a wolf that doesn't die."
 
The woman shook her head. "No, no… I know that. What I mean is, it's that easy?"
 
Max looked at Stacey. "You make a valid point. Humans are finite. There are only so many years in your careers before your opportunities are gone. We loved being around you so much that we forgot your need to grow in the time allotted you supersedes our love of your company."
 
"No fights about this?"
 
The short-faced bear without the spectacles shook his head. "None."
 
"I have charts and life expectancy models," Stacey said brandishing a portfolio filled with papers. "There is a good fifteen minutes of some of the best stuff I've ever written to convince you all, and I barely got into it."
 
Tyler laughed. "Well, we could sit here and listen to it, or we could go out to the party. I, for one, realize how fast Clifford's deviled eggs go, so I'm going to vote we get out of here and go outside." He looked at the dumbfounded humans across the table. "Oh, and by the way, you'll need to find a replacement for me as well."
 
A man two down from Stacey shook his hands in objection. "No Tyler, we had you here so you could be on top of the changes that were going to come to you as the hospital administrator. Frankly, no one wants your job. You do the work of three people. Three people with very complicated jobs."
 
"Then hire three people, Mason," the werewolf responded politely. "I am retiring. I have a lovely boy and his husbands living in Montana who I don't get to see nearly enough, and a mate who wants to travel more. You want the positions with all the fancy offices? You take the hospital administrator's job and divvy up the responsibilities. In one month, Michael and I are off to visit our son." Tyler paused. "And after that, I think we'll ask Luca and Éric if they would like a visit. It's been years since we visited France."
 
Mason stared at the beasts across the table. "What have we done?" he said, shaking his head.
 
Max stood up and shook his bulky body. "You've done what you should have done hundreds of years ago. We are all too complacent here. Things go so smoothly that sometimes we forget that's not the nature of your world. You're all grown up. We were remiss in letting you grow and face new challenges. Worse yet, we forced you to go elsewhere to find those challenges. That changes today."
 
"But you're not leaving, right?" Stacey said. "You aren't walking away from Partridge Island, are you?"
 
Nathaniel rose and shook his head. "This is our home. We aren't leaving our home. We're retiring. It will be nice to be a man of leisure." He paused. "Although I am now married to four husbands, so I don't really have any leisure time per se."
 
Stacey nodded. "There is a title; surgeon-in-chief emeritus. There has never been one on the island. We hoped you would fill that position. We're not foolish enough to let those skilled hands walk away forever if you're willing to be there from time to time. You would scrub in with the most complicated and challenging cases. We still get the overflow of those from hundreds of hospitals around the world."
 
Nathaniel smiled. "Of course; I would be honored. I was beginning to think I didn't have enough letters behind my name."
 
Tyler stood up, his tail wagging a friendly back and forth. "There, that's done. There are seventy-six positions that you will need to find new personnel for by the end of this month. We can offer you a bit of wiggle room, but when you come back to work on Monday, Stacey, you best prepare yourself for a few very hectic weeks."
 
Stacey stood up, and one by one, the other three humans joined her. "Thank you. Thank you all. You don't realize how much it means to us to know that we can share in every aspect of this hospital."
 
"As I said," Max replied, "it's long overdue." The bear pointed toward the door. "So, how about you declare this lockdown over and go out and join your families?"
 
Stacey and the others nodded. The glass doors rolled back, and they started stepping through. But as soon as they noticed the beasts not moving, they turned back. "We're good with this, right?" Stacey asked. "We don't want this to hurt how we feel about each other."
 
"Expect a few growing pains on both sides, Stacey," Max replied. "But don't worry. We're good."
 
The humans turned and walked down the hall toward the front of the hospital. When the sharp ears of the beasts heard the closing of the front door, Nathaniel grabbed his husband, buried his face in the soft fur of his chest, and began crying. "They fired me, Max."
 
Max put his thick arms around his husband's back. "They did nothing of the sort. They asked you to step aside so that they could grow. It's what we hoped for all along. Humans want to accept the responsibilities that are rightfully theirs. They are ephemerals, Bear. They have so few years to accomplish their dreams. Don't stand in their way for the sake of a job title. Our family has responsibilities enough without worrying about the ones on this island."
 
"But it feels like they fired me," the bear in Max's arms whispered.
 
"I know. It hurts for me too. But we will all soldier on and do what's right."
 
"You're the only soldier in our group."
 
Max laughed and squeezed Nathaniel even tighter. "I'm Air Corps, Bear. Never call me a soldier."
 
Nathaniel tightened his hug. "I best wash up so no one sees the tears. There's a party going on out there for us."
 
Max looked up at Tyler. "Hey, Handsome; could you please give our apologies to the group? We'll be out a bit later, but I think the hubby and I need a bit of alone time."
 
"Would you like me to find your husbands when they arrive and tell them to join you?"
 
Max smiled. "That would be nice."
 
Tyler wrapped his arms around the bear, clinging to the other. "This will all work out, Nathaniel. Stepping aside is never easy for us; even if it is to watch the humans grow stronger. But they aren't our responsibility. Terra is. We can help, but one day their race will need to find its own way. This is them taking some bold steps in that direction."
 
"I know," Nathaniel mumbled from the safety of his husband's chest. "It still feels like I got fired."
 
Tyler laughed and kissed the top of the bear's head. "Yeah. Lucky me. I got to quit." The wolf rubbed the fur on the back of the bear's neck. "But it still hurts, Bear. It still hurts like hell."
 
"Yeah, it does," Max agreed, rubbing his husband's shoulders.
 
"Yeah, it does," Nathaniel whispered
  
Chapter 40
  
As the day's activities drew to a close, the temple dogs took off their armor and sat down to read stories to the youngest children. The older youth found diversions in games of skill set up to challenge them. The parents and adults of the island mingled around the food, trying to pretend that they hadn't eaten as much as they had. One last piece of pie, one straggler hot dog that remained; plate by plate, the buffet of treats disappeared. It became easier to find a seat and talk the small talk of all the family gatherings.
 
Away from the crowd, Stacey and Nathaniel hugged each other tightly. They apologized for feelings that neither wanted to have, but both realized they couldn't avoid from the morning's conversation. Oliver watched the two from a distance. "You'se gonna be fine, Bear," the badger said quietly. "We's gonna see to that. Things is gonna change. They is always gonna change. But you ain't never losing what's important."
 
"And what would that be?" the polar bear asked as he approached the badger.
 
Oliver laughed as his foot made a small circle in the grass. "You knows, Old Bear."
 
The bear flopped down beside the badger. "I know what I think is important, Oliver. I enjoy hearing what's important to you."
 
The bear smiled at the badger, and the badger grinned back. "Butt sex, Old Bear. Lots and lots of butt sex."
 
Eric laughed aloud. He reached down and grabbed the little mammal into a tight hug. "God, I love you, Oliver."
 
"And I loves you. That's what's really important. That's what we gots to make sure Nathaniel never forgets."
 
"He won't, Oliver. My son doesn't care much for change. He is a Changeling after all. We've scarcely altered a single thing about our existence for over four billion years. Life on Terra comes at us so much faster than anything we ever experienced."
 
"You'se all done great, Old Bear," the badger replied. "You has taught us all so much."
 
"And you have taught us," the bear said as he released the hug and put the badger back on the ground. From across the field, the green and red wing lights of the Black Rhino turned on. The Red Wolf resting on the helipad followed suit. The blue engines flared momentarily as the pilots ran through their preflight checks. Eric sighed. "Time for us to go home, Oliver."
 
"Stays the night, Old Bear. You gots a son that could use you cuddled up beside him tonight."
 
"That bed of yours going to take us all?"
 
"Ain't never had a problem before. And I'se suspecting we's just gonna hold on to each other tonight. Nights of change are quiet ones. But it helps knowing the ones you loves is beside you."
 
"So the really important stuff has to wait?"
 
Oliver smiled. "If you wants some butt sex, Old Bear, you and I can runs down to the gunnery apartments for a bit. Ain't no changes in my life pressing down on me."
 
"But I could be pressing down on you."
 
Oliver's smile widened into a wicked grin. "Take me anytime you want, Old Bear. That's a pressure I can deals with."
 
The polar bear looked up into the sky. He paused and his smile turned down. "Adam didn't come home. I hope his visit with the Order went well."
 
Oliver looked up into the sky. "We might gots ourselves two we loves who is hurting tonight."
 
"What do we do about it, Oliver? I have a sense that butt sex can't be the answer for every family problem."
 
Oliver snickered. "It is for most, but I gets what you mean. Try not to worry, Old Bear. We gots ourselves some beasts that is working through some things that is tough knowing. But they's got family to get them through. Adam carries his with him. Nathaniel's got us."
 
"So, perhaps a rain check on the butt sex in preference to taking care of my son?"
 
"I'se good with that," Oliver replied. "We'll find a time one of these days, Old Bear. I promises. But tonight we takes care of our own."
 
Across the galaxy, a small otter sat beside a river of glowing blue liquid. He dangled his feet into the water and watched the phosphorescent creatures dash away, leaving the river water dark and clear. He looked up into the sky and pointed to a star. "Sol," he said. "Your family's star. It's so tiny compared to what's out there." He pointed out beyond the faint light of Sol to a far brighter spot in the sky. "The Ladel binary. From here, it looks like one star. The eighth planet from the largest star is my home." The otter grew quiet. "Or at least it was. The choices I've made have not set well with the high council. I doubt this is banishment, but I should keep my distance for now."
 
The otter was silent for a time, and then he shook his head. "No, no, I'm not regretting this." He paused and then admitted, "Maybe a bit. I regret taking you from your families. You all were so magnificent by their side. I have never experienced the way I felt when you touched the badger, Samuel. And you, Raymond, when you touched the Fox. How could I possibly imagine? How could I have known? I didn't truly believe in the Sight until that moment when you put our hands to his temple and you shared a world neither of us could remember.
 
"Kendal, you were so gracious with the dragons. They will always be happy to see us because you are a part of me. And you Marcus. I dreamed of one day navigating complex relationships and forming alliances. But you did it so easily with Nathaniel and Martin. You understood the need to step back and let the love they had for each other in a different universe take root in this one.
 
"Each of you is so much more than I ever dreamed I could be. Thank you for being there. Thank you for making it so easy for your family to embrace me as one of them. I realize now it's because they saw in me the ones they have always known."
 
The otter fell quiet again. This time, those who shared his body let the quiet stay until he spoke again. "I don't understand the Order. I no longer agree with taking away the autonomy of the hosts whose bodies we share. I owe so much of what is good in me to you five. I never want you to feel compelled to fully merge with me, ever."
 
The otter swished his feet in the water and watched the encroaching blue glow scatter once more. "I'm sorry… I was wrong," he whispered. "I thought they would welcome us to their world. How naive am I to think it would amaze them to learn what we have done? I never meant to take you away from those you love, only to be rejected by the very Order I hoped to become a part of."
 
The otter spoke again after carefully listening. "Thank you for understanding. I trust you all. I trust in the Sight. But you have to understand for me it's magic. I deal with science, and a world of magic and unexplainable powers surrounds all of you. You heard them laughing at me when I tried to tell them what happened."
 
The otter listened to the voices that were his constant companions. "You're right. Magic is just science I don't understand yet. But there is so much for me to learn, I scarcely know where to start."
 
The otter gave a little laugh. "Really? That's where I should start?"
 
There was a pause as Adam listened to the voices inside him. "It's just singing, isn't it?"
 
"No. Is that even possible? How can it possibly be a link back to your family from wherever you are?"
 
"I wouldn't have a clue where to begin." The otter paused again. "All that we have lost and all that we have found? No, I don't understand. But you are as much a part of me as I am. You can guide me. You can teach me."
 
The otter bowed his head and tried to bolster his courage. It wasn't as easy to be a champion as he dreamed it would be; especially here on a tiny planet alone. He closed his eyes. "You are not alone, Adam," he said to himself. "You are never alone." He opened his eyes and looked up to the sky at the tiny light that was Sol. "Sing, little otter," he whispered. "Sing."
 
The otter opened his mouth and listened to the tentative notes of a song he didn't understand. He sang of an old wolf that loved a young man, that became the black wolf he dreamed of being his whole life. He sang of a polar bear that loved them both, and his Kodiak father that loved them all. Adam didn't understand the depth of meaning in the song, and yet, he still sang the words in the darkness, never knowing why.
 
And then, from light years away, came the voices. They were as clear in his head as his own voice. The white bear, his father/husband, the old wolf, and the black wolf with blue eyes sang as they stepped out into the night. A badger, two short-faced bears, a rhino, and a saber-toothed cat raised their voices by their side. Out on the plains of Montana, the little fox and his mates sang beside the two winged bears and the angel. Around them were ranch hands gathered together, answering the call from one of their own. One by one, the voices responded to his song and joined the chorus.
 
The feelings that swept over the otter were new to him. He grappled with why the voices singing would cause him to cry, but as he sang in the darkness, he found the truth behind the song. As long as he could sing, as long as the melody flowed, it linked him to that indescribable sense of being one with everyone the others called family.
 
The darkness was out there. Beyond the darkness of the sky loomed something that swallowed all life. He saw it as the Sight pushed forward for the first time into his consciousness. It tore apart entire planets and engulfed stars. Despite the encroachment of this overwhelming darkness, he heard the song when all else had become nothingness. The darkness could not consume him, the Newfoundland wolf told him. The darkness could not take him because he was loved.
 
Adam trusted those that had merged with him. He believed them when they said he would stare into the abyss and not flinch. The otter believed because Donovan had not flinched. He believed one day what he would become would be nothing like what he imagined he would be. The otter believed because Marcus had done so.
 
Adam believed it all because they told him he was more than simply an otter sitting by a river. He was the badger who ran toward the explosion to save the one he loved. Beyond the black wolf that created a home from the rubble of a shattered world, the life of thousands coursed through his veins. He was the Kodiak who blinded the humans rather than kill them all. The white bear and the old wolf, whose skilled hands pulled soldiers from the brink of death; all were a part of him. He was two young bears with wings who returned to their past to save their world and the man they loved. Far beyond the rules of the Order, he was a French werewolf who defied the law and turned a young boy to save his life. He was a thousand stories shared in a song, teaching him who he was and his place in the universe.
 
The otter lifted his head and sang boldly into the darkness. For a moment, a moment he struggled to stay in, he understood what it meant to be one with something beyond his imagining. He knew what it meant to be family.