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Silver Moon - Were-Bear Fan Fic

By: maxd01



Fan-fic by Payenbrant and maxd01

Authors note: I have always enjoyed MaxD01's writing. He has an unusual mix of humor, analytical facts, and a penchant for violence/tenderness in equal measure. He has been derided by some and praised by others, and to add to the mix he made an interesting world that I have often wondered what it would be like to play in. Max has kindly allowed me to do so, and it is with great pleasure that I introduce a character that is near and dear to my heart. It is also a great privilege to allow this character to interact with two of Max's characters that also are very special to me.

So without further adieu, I present to you...Mr. Grover Solomon Brooks.

Co-Authors note: Much the same with Payenbrant I was introduced to his story by a mutual reader of ours. When I started reading his story I was very pleased at how well written it was. The characters were believable (for fantasy) and had faults and issues. Even though he posts on lit.com sex wasn't the driving force and more of a smoothly integrated part. His warped sense of humor is a very close match to mine and I snickered my way through his story.

When he approached me and indicated he wanted to do a fan fic I was actually stumped by that. It had never occurred to me that someone would want to do something like that. I was tickled as well as feeling rather honored. In any case this ended up as a work by both of us. As far as my characters I did a good portion of the dialogue for them. He did do some dialogue for the minor characters so you might noticed a slight difference. Enjoy.

Chapter1:

The sun that had been half way raised from behind the forest trees now crested the treetops as a naked tall man stretched in the sunlight. Everything about him was large, from his hard hands to his heavily calloused feet and a big belly around his middle. Picture Santa Claus 10 years after he graduated College, and he played football all the way through with an MVP trophy to put on his shelf in his garage workshop. That may give you some idea.

The big man scratched himself while yawning prodigiously, then bent to pick up his overalls. He paused, looking around at the ground.

"Now where did I leave my duds?" He muttered to himself, looking around for his absent apparel. He ticked off on one hand at he looked at his belongings. 

"Backpack...check. Hat...check. Fryin' pan...check Tarp...check. Knife...knife...did I leave my knife in my...? Crap, left all the small things in my pockets! Where's my gol' dang overalls?"

Then he snapped his fingers and grinned. He had camped on the rise over looking the small pond in the clearing. Last night he had gone for a swim, very carefully I might add, but more on that later. He must have left his clothes down there! Well, time to go get them.

With surprising agility for a man of his size he took off running for the overhang about thirty feet away and with a great bellow leapt from the edge tucking his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them tight.

"CANONBAAAAAAALLLL!" He cheered before landing with a terrific splash into the water. 

He untucked his legs and pushed off the bottom of the pond. When his head broke the surface he shook it hard sending water spraying from his beard and hair while chuckling loudly to himself. 

"Best part of waking up is a pond, Folgers t'aint near as good as cold water to YOWCH!" 

He yelped and clapped a hand to his buttock then another to his foot making him lose balance and tip over in the shallows where he was standing. His fall ripped whatever had hurt his foot away, but the pain in his buttock was still there. With a sharp pull and a growl he pulled out the offending object and brought it to his face for inspection. 

It was a simple small fishhook, no bigger than the tip of his pinky finger. Useful only for catching a small fish like, blue gill or something similar to it. He noticed that there was fishing line still attached to the hook, and it was pulled taught...quivering even! His dark beady eyes followed the quivering line until he saw that there were a parcel of young 'uns grouped together, the youngest probably about five, the eldest being about thirteen or so. A little blond girl in an over sized T-shirt was holding a fishing rod whose hook had been embedded in his ass.

She looked terrified!

"Well darlin'..." the big man boomed in a rough voice. "...looks like you caught something! 'Fraid I'm too big to fry up, but while I'm here...anyone seen my clothes?"

The little girl screamed and dropped her pole and took off running while all the rest did the same. The big man watched with raised brows, and then scratched his now healed butt cheek and glanced around the area. 

"Ah! There they are!" He said, finally spotting his clothes. He pulled on his overalls and casually buttoned one strap letting the other hang down his back. He started checking his pockets and frowned. Where was his knife? He sniffed around the brush and couldn't smell the tang of the metal...

He shrugged, could always get another knife...but the sun was up time to get walking. He packed up his camp, then as an after thought he went back and gathered up the fishing rods. One of them had fallen in the pond and it would be a chore for those kids to have to find it underwater. 

Whistling softly to himself he began to head for the nearest town that he located on his map. He got the map, from of all things a crazy looking man fox. He kept calling himself a kitsu...or something. Maybe he had said a shitsu...no... it had the word knee at the end...well...

Bah! Who cares? Fox looking fellow with three tails, three! Never heard of such nonsense before in his life! Three tails. Good lord made it so we all needed one, heck, he didn't even have one! Just a little stub that came out when he changed in his other two forms. Three tails...ridiculous!

It had fascinated him though, asked permission to touch them, which the fox had warily given. Couldn't help it, had give them a quick braid! The fox had turned suddenly and the big man had smiled holding up the end to show his handiwork.

"Look at that! Pretty as a bacon sandwich and a pint after a hard day o'work! If we could color them red, white and blue you'd look down right patriotic!"

The fox fellow had flicked his tails away from the big man and had appeared to want to do something nasty when he took a closer look at his adversary. Whatever he seemed to see, it seemed to surprise him and make the fox grin.

"I am not sure what you mean by patriotic...or the red, white, and blue colors being so...but I would recommend not saying that to another kitsune who did not already have those colors in their fur." He said in a silky voice.

The big man had given a coughing laugh and patted the fox's shoulder with a hand the size of an Easter ham. 

"No harm meant to ya'! Now, speaking of a bacon sandwich...ya'll hungry?" The fox had smiled, staring in pleased surprise at the big man. It kinda made him feel weird, like the fox was seeing something about him that was more than physical. Whatever the critter had seen seemed to make him relax, so much in fact he offered his hand and introduced himself. A Brad something or other from a silver clan of some sort. The big man shrugged and engulfed Brad's hand in his own. It was so tiny looked like a child's hand being shaken by a catcher's mitt! 

"Please to meetcha Brad, can't rightly remember all that other stuff you were saying but at least I remembered your name huh? My name is Grover Solomon Brooks. But any man who will break bread with me...call me Grover!"

Two bacon sandwiches and a cup of good ol' fashioned cowboy coffee apiece Grover said his farewells to Brad and continued on his way with a new map of this land.

You see, Grover Solomon Brooks comes from a family of misfits. Sometimes magic pops up in the family, some times it skips a few generations. Grover had the gift of Were pressed upon him at birth, and not just any Were would do...oh no! 

Grover is a Were Bear.

That's right! A werebear! He can change into a full animal shape, and a sort of man bear shape. He likes to call it his "Darwin's Grab Bag" form. Fortunately for him, being a bear was no problem and fit his personality well. He is the passive aggressive sort, curious about many things but not nosey. Wants to see whats around the next corner, or down river, or behind a locked door. His only real wants in life are for food, sleep, more food, and more sleep. Well, then sprinkle in a lot of fun followed by a healthy heaping of more sleep and maybe some more food!

So as he started to walk back from his camp to continue along his way he smelled the ground where the children were walking and got a surprise.

"Werewolves?" Grover muttered to himself. Hmmm....knowing werewolves, and he kinda did...mores the pity. He should be seeing them soon. Probably have half the pack down on his head soon with those cubs running scared from the hairy man in the pond. He tapped a thick finger against his lips thinking when all of a sudden a smell hit him that made his eyes light up...

Blackberries!

Grover almost floated over 150 feet to where a massive tangle of thorny brambles with dark green leaves and laden with the juicy fruit waited for him. With hungry eyes he dropped his clothes and laid out a corner of his tarp. Then with a soft growl he changed into his mid-form and a massive Grizzly. Twelve feet tall at the nose with thick fur and slouched powerful shoulders and arms stood there.

It was easy to reach in and start ripping the berries from the bushes. Half going into his gaping maw as he snuffled the succulent snacks. The other half he was loading onto the tarp to save for later. When you have thick fur and hide, the thorns barely even tickled him as he reached in for more handfuls of berries, and the thick pads on his paw-like hands were more than enough to stop those needlelike thorns from poking him.

When he started to feel his tummy begin to swell he looked down at the tarp and had to squint to focus his beady eyes. He had a large pile of berries and leaves waiting for later!

He wondered why he had to leave so soon...his stomach, so full of food was making it hard for him to think. Was it something to do with werewolves? 

"Ah! I'll worry 'bout it later." He mumbled. Then with a grunt changed to his full animal form, and a nine foot long satisfied grizzly laid down with his head between his paws and his back legs spread wide to take a snooze.

~~~

Now you all might be wondering how it is that this strange turn of events had taken place. It really was just a confluence of chance and happenstance that caused our large furry friend to meet these particular cubs, as to how they happened to reach the pond at the time they did, this is how.

Since the day was a Saturday and the pups were free for the morning they decided to go and have some fun. Angie had told all of them some time ago if they hunted and captured something she would cook it for them for the next breakfast or lunch. Gianni sat up and stretched and contemplated the height marks on the wall and grinned. She was taller than when Danny took her measurements over a year ago.

"So what are we going to do today? I's want out of the house and maybe lay in the sun and relax." As she was talking she had rolled over on her tummy and propped her head on her hands. Sammy and Juan were in Nara's bed but they rolled over and waited for other suggestions.

Nancy walked in from the older girl's room. She had recently been moved over since she was now fourteen or so. She settled down next to Nara. She had sat up and after plumping a couple of pillows and settled her growing belly looked on with interest. Shannon came in as well. 

Shannon looked around and with a slight grin wandered over to Sarah's bed and flopped down on it. She punched him in the shoulder before settling down next to him and using his shoulder as a head rest.

Since they all knew what was going on in this meeting of the pups Shannon tossed his first suggestion out. "Hunt for some rabbits or one of the pigs Dan imported and let loose to grow in the wild?" He didn't know it but when Dan had done that he was snickering. Back in Dan's world the EPA would have shit a brick. With a pack of wolves if they spread too much they would kill a bunch, bring them back, and preserve them.

Gianni huffed at him. "I want to do something that we can talk and laze around yet still catch something. I's don't know why but I feel's like I runned my butt off this week."

Sarah had to grump back at Gianni in commiseration. "Tell me about it. Lady Helda has been working my fingers off with the sewing. Mind you I have learned lots but still." She held a hand up and growled at it. It didn't hurt now but she had managed to stab it at least three times last night.

Juan snickered at her. "Buts you girl, yous supposed to do sewing." He knew that he was going to get in trouble for that. He did when Nara smacked him on the back of the head. He simply grinned. "Maybe some fishys? My's wolf wants some." It was rare but occasionally they would start wanting something different.

That got silence in the room for a few minutes before the chattering started and fairly quickly they decided to go for it. Nara spoke up. "Before all of you charge out of here what do you need to do first?"

All the kids sighed. "Yes Nara, clean the room, take the bedding and laundry to the hampers." Shannon sighed since he had been hoping to sneak out of that deal. "I will take care of it if you want to go and find your mate and do mate things."

She smiled at him. "Good boy and I will bring you a nice juicy bone later." With that she carefully slid off the bed and walked out of the room.

Once the Saturday chores were done they checked in with Angie to let her know where they were going. The pond wasn't all that far from the house, maybe a half mile so, Shannon could escort them. Any further than that and they would have to talk to either Maric or Dan.

Once they left the house they grabbed the rods from a storage area on the back porch and headed out. Getting to the pond didn't take very long and they were having too much fun giggling and laughing. The day was cooler since it was getting towards mid autumn but the sun was shining and the sky was just lightly clouded.

After they reached the pond Gianni perched on one of the two small overhangs on the edge. They took a few minutes to hook the line and bait the hook before casting, all but Shannon, since he was on watch.

Gianni had noticed a pair of old, worn overalls by the shore, kicked off under a bush, but to her mind she didn't really care. She was now thinking about how yummy a fresh fish would be.

They had been fishing for about 5 minutes or so when some huge guy came out of nowhere and with a loud yell cannon balled into the water! Shannon's hair almost stood on end due to the size of the man and traces of scent indicating he was a were of some sort. What bothered him in a way was that most were's avoided deep water because they tended to sink due to the density of their bones and muscle.

They were still in shock when the man came up and ended up hooked on at least one line. Shannon didn't bother listening to the man. Instead he turned to the youngsters. *Go. Tell Dan and I will follow after I contact him.* When he turned back around there was a decent sized knife in his hand. Dan would have called it a bowie knife back in his world. Being the smart young man he was he dropped low into some bushes and carefully watched the large man wade out of the pond.

Shannon took several more moments to evaluate the man. *Dan we have an intruder at the pond.* He briefly described the man before he turned and vanished further into the bushes behind him. He didn't actually go very far since he knew of a good place to keep an eye on him. *I will tell you if he decides to head towards the manor. If he doesn't I will simply leave.*

Chapter 2:

We have heard about the children, but what about the adults? While the young ones have been terrified half to death...what have they been up to? How will they react to a stranger on their lands?

~~~

Amaratsue stalked into his mates work room. He was showing amusement, annoyance, and a bit of pain. "Hey love, sorry about just barging in but I have a wee favor to ask of you."

She had felt him coming but had ignored his entrance till he actually spoke. Currently she was researching some of the permutations of Dan's being pulled over. They still hadn't found any trace of who might have done that. She had managed to trace everything down to his entrance point without finding any sort of signature. From that point she was making copious notes on each decision he made when it registered in the spirit realm. She was doing her best to identify the impact on who was around him.

When her mate actually spoke she looked up and twitched an ear and raised an eyebrow. "So what is this wee little favor you would like?" Now she was curious and she knew he had been in the human realm till just a short time ago.

He grimaced when he spoke. "Well I had to gently point someone in Dan's direction. He had never seen multiple tails before and asked to see them..." Amaratsue placed a hand over his eyes since he knew she was going to laugh. "Well anyways I was passing as a three tail and he braided the damn things together. I don't know what he did but I can't seem to unbraid them." He turned sideways and showed her. "They are starting to ache."

Aka No Haha listened to what he had to say and both eyebrows shot up and her ears stood up in shock. "Who the hell was this? I will surely help my mate out of this predicament. So did you forward him to Dan as a type of punishment?" She saved her work and stood up and walked over to him. "I will try not to let it hurt too much. If the pain gets too bad let me know and I will change tactics."

He was still standing there with his forehead resting in one hand. The elbow of that hand was supported by his other hand. "No idea. I just got a parchment to take care of it. As for who or what he was, I have never seen his type before." The Kitsune Lord grimaced and rubbed his forehead then indicated his tails again.

"Just do it love. I don't give a damn what... Well I don't give a damn within certain limits so do what is needed short of removing the tails." It was hard but he managed to stop his tails from flicking in annoyance.

She gently ran her fingers over the tails and frowned. They weren't stuck together till the very end. Aka didn't sense any sort of magic or anything so she looked closer and found something binding the tips together. After some poking and prodding she decided it was of no danger to anyone. It took her some time but she figured out how to remove it.

Once she did she tucked the round stretchy thing in a pocket to check out later. Carefully and gently she untwisted his tails and could feel him relaxing. "Better?" She asked as she was gently massaging the poor tails from the base out.

When she finally unbraided the tails he felt a ripple of relaxation flow down his body. Well till she started massaging the tails. It felt good but she kept 'accidently' touching the tail root and he was starting to get seriously aroused. "Woman you are going to pay for that." His voice was low and almost demanding.

She laughed at him. "I might make you catch me first big boy." Aka kept massaging and kneading his tails till she was pretty sure she had worked all the kinks and stiffness out. The moment she was done she changed forms and dashed out the door and ran.

Amaratsue took a moment to contact Amariah. *Hun, when the large scary man shows up do something not permanent to him.* He shifted and now that she had a good head start they could play. He dashed out of the room and caught her scent and started the chase. 


Silver Moon - Were-Bear Fan Fic



~~~

Dan was relaxing in the main living area with Pam curled up next to him. Both were watching some show on the TV and Dan really missed the big 86" back at the old Manor. Though their tech for computers was significantly advanced other tech like TV's weren't. It would be classified as a late eighty's early ninety's set. The show was similar to some of the westerns he had watched over the years. Beyond that there was very little comparison between shows from his world and here.

Pam was leaning against Dan enjoying the feeling of safety and security he gave her. She was still more than a bit shocked that they were mated officially and literally days after she had invited him home. Her fox was pleased though and if the darn thing had been a cat it would have a cat in the cream look as well as purring. For that she got a slight snort from her fox.

When Shannon contacted him at first Dan wasn't concerned but as the youngin' kept talking he changed expressions. He sat up and gently urged Pam away from his side. He opened his mouth, called on pack powers and sent out a commanding howl. It was hard but not angry. Till he knew what the situation was he wasn't going to get angry. The howl called for Maric and the rest of the security team to report to his office immediately. *Shannon if you can keep watch on him while you stay upwind do so. If he even vaguely seems to notice you watching him...leave. That is an order that will be obeyed young man.*

"Gotta go Pam, seems we have a travel'in man over by the lake. He startled the kids and Shannon sent the others back while he kept watch." Dan stood and stalked to his office and had to grin when Amarish was on his desk in an almost cute little adventures set of clothing. Small lace up boots, kakhi shorts and long sleeved shirt not to mention his sword over his back like Dan carried his. "And what are you doing stinker?" Dan was grinning when he said it.

Amarish mock saluted him. "Dis wee fox reporting for duty." He and his sister had chosen not to go with since they wanted time with their guardians. Both were learning just who they were, their personalities, and habits.

Dan just snorted at him for the moment. Since he, at this point, didn't know that the intruder was a were of some sort he chose not to change. Instead he pulled his shoulder holsters and pistols from his safe and geared up. Currently he was carrying a custom revolver he had made for him. It was using a .50 cal. round cartridge and was designed based on one he had back in his world. Yes the damn thing was almost ridiculous looking but after long thought Dan decided he needed it. It took one hell of a wad of lead to slow down a wolf that included even if you were using one of the various silver rounds.

He grabbed his sword and sheathed it and slipped it on before picking Amarish up. "If I tell you git you git. If you don't I will paddle your tail or toss you to the pups for more fun." He was feeling deadly serious when he said that.

"Yes Pack Lord I understand." Amarish was still trying to figure out the proper way to address Danny when being formal.

By the time the four other wolves came in Dan nodded. "You two change and wait in back. You two go get armed." With that he walked out of the room towards the backyard. They children ran up and started chattering at him. "Stop, only one of you talk." He looked at Nancy and nodded.

She quickly gave Dan what information she had. It basically boiled down to 'a huge man (they thought) with a beard that made Dan's look pathetic jumped in the pond and Gianni hooked his ass'. That and he had been rather fat and nude.

Dan nodded at the description. "Go inside and stay there till I tell you otherwise." The other two were back now and the six of them set out. 

Even though Dan and two of the team were in human form they all moved with silent skill. The two wolves spread out to the sides and started searching for the man. Since they knew where he had encountered the kids they headed there first. Once there they found his scent and all of them across the board had to blink.

Dan frowned and carefully sniffed again and swore. "Fuck this is some sort of were as well but I don't recognize the base scent. Use silver rounds if needed." As he flipped the cylinders open on his two revolvers the other two were swapping magazines out as well. Once done, he started moving more quietly, using only the pack bonds to communicate. He updated the two in wolf form as well. *Identify where he is if you find him and stay back till we get there.*

It actually didn't take all that long for them to find him and Dan had to blink since the intruder was now in an ursine form. The damn thing was huge! Just from looking at it, the bear was a good ten foot from nose to tail and had to weigh well over half a ton. He actually shuddered slightly since he would really hate to have to fight him. Nobody would walk away from that fight uninjured. He noticed the pups fishing rods were all laying neatly next to a backpack that seemed more patches than pack. The other thing that made Dan smile a little was a truly impressive pile of black berries piled on a corner of a tarp near where the bear was sleeping.

"George sneak closer and tell me what you can scent." Dan had already pulled his revolver though he wasn't aiming it as of yet. He wanted to know if the individual might be a threat before actually shooting him. Amarish was standing on Dan's shoulder with his little sword out and blue fox fire flames emanating from it.

As George crept closer the bear moved faster than expected and had scooped up George. Dan's revolver came up, as well as the two assault weapons. Before they actually fired Dan noticed the bear appeared to still be asleep. He was using a tongue as large as a place mat on George and was licking him. George was doing all he could to escape but it looked rather futile.

"Huh, well George it seems you made a new friend today. Should I give you some privacy?" At this point Dan wasn't feeling any sort of negative spiritual energy from the bear so he relaxed some.

Suddenly the bear made a hacking noise that in a smaller animal would sound cute, but in an animal this size sounded like small arms fire! It released the wolf which scampered back and gave it room as it began to cough and wheeze. The bear got to its feet and soon it gave a final cough and a clump of stems and leaves popped out of its mouth to splat by the blackberry bushes. 

The bear turned its head to see a couple of wolves, and a couple of humans seeming to watch it in stunned fascination and extreme curiosity. It rolled to where it sat on the ground, rear legs in front, paws dangling between its legs and snuffled the air at them, and it almost appeared to look sheepish. 

The bear changed and Dan's eye grew wide as it took in a naked hairy man who was...well...ridiculously massive. Hell Aiden would probably look small next to him. Granted a goodly portion was fat but he could easily see the bulging muscle under the fat.

"Sorry 'bout that!" The man called in a gruff voice. "Them berries is so tasty I couldna' help but scarf them by the handful, got a little too much ruffage in with it! He heh!" He stood and picked up his overalls and began to put them on. "You happen to see a pocket knife aroun'? I seem to have misplaced mine." 

He paused for a moment, and stared at the group of wolves again; he took a longer sniff and then smiled. 

"Oh! Y'alls werewolves aint'cha? You happen to be kin to that pack of youngsters that run off? I got their fishing poles over by the pond if they see fit to come back and get'em."

He finished dressing and then put on his wide straw hat. "Names Grover by the way...Grover Solomon Brooks. Pleased to meetcha!"

Dan contemplated the male for a few. "Grover? I am Alpha Danilo Legarith though I go by Dan. I guess you would want to be called Grover instead of Mr. Brooks?" Dan asked in a firm voice though there were definite traces of humor since George was still rubbing against trees and rolling in the dirt to get the slobber even somewhat off. 

"Ya' guessed rightly!" Grover said with a grin as he began to gather up the berries and carefully tying the tarp together. He snagged a few more berries and popped them into his mouth. There was some juice that escaped from the corner of his lips that trickled into his beard staining it a dark purple color.

"My pappy was called Mr. Brooks...I'm just Grover. Well, unless you're a young'un...better to call me Mr. Brooks then since we gotta make sure ta' know respect and such." The large werebear eyed Dan critically and Dan straightened and appeared to tense up at the obvious once over he was receiving. It made Grover snort, which sounded like a phone book being torn in half!

"You's gotta be the Alpha for SURE I reckon!" Grover said with a low chuckle. "Let me guess...just cuz I was eyeing you up got your tail in a knot with your whole top dog bunch a hooey?"

It took Dan a moment to process what Grover was saying before he grinned and sent out his feelings toward the large man. He did have to roll his eyes since he had just said he was Alpha. What he received back was not so much odd...but different. What he felt from Grover was that he wasn't either dominant or submissive...or anywhere in between. He was just, for lack of a better word, passive! Very, very big and very, very passive.

"I'm sorry to have scared your little critters Dan. They took off so fast I almost started lookin' behind me to see what must have set fire to their britches. When I found out it was me that set them to scurryin off...well...kinda hurt ma' feelin's." Grover grumbled as he walked past the group of wolves. It seemed to unnerve Saul a bit that this...Grover...just ignored them the way he did. Most folks would be close to pissing themselves to have a pack of wolves ready to attack, this guy didn't even seem to register them as a threat!

Dan realized he still had his massive revolver in hand and finally holstered it. Once that was done he reached up and petted Amarish's ears. "Okay son you can put the mouse sticker away." Amarish calmed the fire and tucked his sword back in as well. 

Grover peered at the little fox, blinked again, shook his head and rubbed his eyes and then grinned wide as he finally believed what his eyes were showing him.

Then he shrugged and gave the little fox a wink!

Saul began to speak when he felt the prompting of his Alpha to let it go. Saul glanced over at Dan who had a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips but other than that his face was neutral.

Grover picked up the fishing poles in one hairy hand and tucked his tarp full of berries under his other arm and nodded at Dan. 

"I'm a' guessin' that this here is ya'lls land so I gonna go that direction to see if I can find some more vittles in town, maybe replace my pocketknife while I'm at it too. Is that the best way?" He held out the fishing poles for the Alpha to take.

Dan thought about his answer. He carefully looked over the scruffy man with dirty feet, berry stained hands and beard and a small twinkle in his beady dark eyes.

"You want to bring those poles back to the cubs? They already feel bad about leaving them behind. I know Nancy put in a lot of extra time in her chores so she could get one. Same with Gianni, sure you want to move on or would you like to visit them? Maybe return their property and show them you're not the big scary stranger they thought you were?" He was rather curious about the whole Were-bear thing. It was also a test to see the kind of man he was.

Grover scratched the side of his head with the tips of the fishing rods and grimaced as a hook got wrapped in his hair. He pulled it out with a small grunt as some scraggly hair got stuck in it. He twirled the rods carefully to take the slack out of the fishing line while thinking.

"I ain't spent much time with wolves before...usually I just move on before I cause them a headache which they try to return wit' a heavy dose of teeth." He sighed and scuffed a big toe in the ground digging up a rock the size of a butter dish from the forest floor.

"I reckon I can do so...ya'll got a garden?"

Dan had to roll his eyes at the man again. "I have seven Kitsunes from seven splinter clans at my house, I have the clan leader, her son and my submissive that is his mate and two little spirit Kitsunes. I don't think having a were-bear is going to be to big of a deal." Dan thought to himself. He gave a mental sigh, but outwardly he nodded his head in the affirmative.

When Dan nodded and Grover brightened at that. "You got fresh veggies? Maybe even some watermelon?"

"We can always look and see." Dan said, his smile getting wider. He wasn't too sure about the big bear, but he thought it might not hurt to get to know him better. Especially if he was a wandering sort...might be good to alert the neighbors or the other packs if the man was headed their way. Also he could keep a close eye on this...Grover person to see what sort he was.

Grover walked alongside the Alpha, which seemed to rankle the other wolves to no end! He was asking questions about the land, how big it was, the garden, what did they grow, what sort of animals they kept...

None....

"None? NONE? Hopscotchin' hotdogs there Dan! How do you feed all your kin if you don't got some kinda cattle program? You jus' buyin' all the meat you eat?" Grover asked with a shocked look on his face.

"We're wolves...we hunt most of our meat." Dan replied. "I also filched my mate from the store we normally go to. I have the feeling the manager is thinking evil thoughts at me. So...is that your way of asking for a job?" His voice was relatively neutral. He could hear a few mutters and a definite growl from George. *Silence and just keep watch on him.*

"Saints alive!" Grover shook his head. "Ya'lls gotta start thinking further ahead than that..." his voice trailed off as he appeared to be deep in thought. Which also made him oblivious to the growls coming from the wolves behind him and the frown from Dan who was walking next to him.

"Well...I could be wrong. Ya' obviously been doin' this whole wolf thing a while now. Ya'll probably figured out how to do this...but still...Zeus! I'm surprised you haven't thought of cattle before. Teach the little chiller...childer....Dag Blast it! Teach your young'uns how to raise beef. Could be handy livin' in a city." 

Grover smiled suddenly as a thought occurred to him, "Ya' got your mate from a grocery store?" He snickered and Dan's eyes narrowed. The big man waved a hairy hand the size of a dinner plate at him. 

"Don' get yer' dander up! Jus' the way ya' says it was...!" The big man guffawed loudly making Amarish jump on Dan's shoulder and look at the werebear in surprise. Grover peered more closely at the little fox and the two eye balled each other.

"Now why when I smell ya' do you smell like a' mouse?" Grover rumbled the question at Amarish. "I know's you ain't one, you're too big, for one and ya' look like one of those kitsu...shitsu...dadgum!" Grover finished glumly.

"I can never 'member the name of those foxy folk!" He grumped and adjusted his pack with the back of a meaty hand. 

At this point Amarish had one elbow resting on the top of Dan's head with the palm holding his head up. His legs were crossed and he looked very comfortable. When the bear thing mentioned he smelled like a mouse he almost did something and then decided to snicker. "I is leader of Danny's Anti-mousy squad. He gave me that job when we's come back from the big house. My job is to ensure the mousy's don't get a toe hold in any of the buildings. Once killed why wastes dead mousy so eats them." Just for good measure he pulled a mouse out of the air and tossed it in his mouth and munched it down. Just to be nice he pulled another one out and held it out to the bear thing.

Grover grinned in delight, and watched as Amarish dropped it in his palm. He flicked it up like a large kernel of popcorn and let it fall in his mouth. He quietly crunched it then paused to pull the tail out from between his teeth and toss it to the side of where they were walking. 

"Could'a used a touch o' salt, but not bad. Prefer them hot m'self, their little tails is all cold an' such goin' down. Thank you! Wha's your name?" Grover asked the little fox.

Amarish contemplated the man and then gave him a rather toothy grin. He snapped his little sword out and ignited it and a mouse appeared on it. Just to be a stinker he started whistling. If you knew what to look for it would almost look like he was cooking a marshmallow over a camp fire. He eyed it critically and delicately sniffed it before putting his fox fire out and held the tip of the sword out in Grover's direction. "One lightly fried mousy and I is Amarish!"

Grover gave another booming guffaw of a laugh that flattened Amarish's whiskers to the side of his face and took the proffered mouse. The werebear crunched it with an appreciative rumble between large teeth.

Dan decided not to get too testy with the bear. It was obvious he meant well...just he could afford to be a little more civil. Feeling the man a little deeper he saw it there again, a good man, but given to speak his mind, and with no sense of entitlement...wait...no, a small sense of entitlement. But to what Dan couldn't make out.

They came to the large house and the females and children could be seen looking out from the windows. Grover squinted his beady eyes and saw the face of the little girl that had caught his ass with a fishhook. He looked down at Dan and grinned showing a lot of big white teeth, then winked at the alpha. Then he whirled faster than one could credit for a man of his girth and pointed the rods at the window!

"That's the one Alpha! That theres the little blonde midget what hooked my rear! I demand she come down here and apolo...apoglee...Consarnit! Say she's sorry for snagging my cheek!"

Grover glowered at the window and the little blonde head gave a squeak and ducked away out of sight.

At first Dan didn't know whether to be angry or laugh. That was something he would have pulled as well. Well, better spoken that is, but still... He finally started to snicker at Gianni's expression. Then he saw Grover gently set the fishing rods down and kneel next to his pack with a small smile...well it could have been a big smile but Dan could hardly see it with the long beard in the way.

The little girl came down the steps with some of the other women watching their charge carefully. Grover squinted his eyes and indeed saw it was the same one who had snagged him. The other pups gathered on the porch next to the door. Amariah was there as well with her shorts and shirt on.

One of the women holding the little girls hand looked to Dan who gave a slight nod and the woman nudged the little girl more closely to the huge man. The little girl apologized and Grover grinned at her.

"That was mighty brave of you young'un...to come down here an say yer' sorries with everyone watchin' and feeling all embarrassed. So 'eres the deal. I accept your sorry and I give you one of ma' own. I didna' mean to frighten you folk or your friends. I brought your poles back since I figured ya'll gonna need them. Also, would you and your friends like some of these?"

With a grin he flipped open his tarp to show the mass of black berries his grin widened seeing the little girl cubs eyes widen and light up.

"I 'spect your gonna need to ask yer' momma as to how many you can have. Also the kitchen ladies might want some as well but all that not withstandin' help yourself youngster!" 

Dan snorted at that. "Problem solved. Julia go and get small bowls for all the pups and they can have a reasonable bowlful each." Being Alpha was of some use.




Silver Moon - Were-Bear Fan Fic



Soon the rest of the pups came down and apologized and some even got closer to try to hug Grover's leg but he blushed and guffawed away when they did that. One of them was not to be dissuaded though and ended up sitting on his foot and wouldn't let go. Seeing as how he wasn't trying to hard to dislodge their friend soon another appeared on his other foot and now the large were bear was tottering around grumbling to himself. One of the women was trying to suppress a grin from showing as she told Dan through the pack bond how it appeared that Grover was enjoying himself. 

Not thirty seconds later most of the pups out there had found it fun to now clamber the werebear like a tree and soon he had a cub on his head displacing his hat, and another tucked in the large bib of his overalls and a couple more on his arms and legs and another clinging to his large belly.

Amariah had received the message from her father and had snickered. Other than the temporary limit he hadn't added any other boundaries. She settled down in her fox form and carefully watched him. Once he was distracted she shifted a tail so it was pointing in his direction yet still lying on the porch.

She slowly gathered her power and an idea struck her devious little brain. When she let the power out it was slowly since she really didn't want him to notice for a while. Eventually all the power needed had been released and suddenly Grover had three tails, one was bright pink, the second was a very pretty purple, and the third was stripped red, white, and blue. Now that Amariah was done she settled down to watch the fun. When Amarish settled down next to her he noticed what she was doing and barely managed not to start laughing.

"Consarnit! If I had wanted a wolfskin outfit, this is not how I woulda gone about getting one! Get off you little ferrets!" He mock roared. He looked over at Dan and gave him as large a wink as his beady eye could give. Then he gave a grunt and changed into his middle bear form and gave a low thrumming roar of grumpiness. The little pups all froze in shock and quickly Grover snatched them all up into his arms and began bathing all their faces with his broad washcloth of a tongue. The pups all barked and yipped in surprise and shock, though some were giving playful barks and growls. One of the braver ones even tried to sink its teeth into the big tongue as it swept over its ears and for a brief time a surprised Grover had to engage in a game of tug of war with the rascally little wolf.

Angie nearly fell over laughing seeing the growling pup and the surprised bear as they strained for a moment. Then the pup released the tongue and it snapped back into Grover's mouth. The bear man worked his tongue around his teeth a little as if checking if everything worked right, then changed back into his human form walking closer to the group with a bunch of wiggling wolf pups in his arms.

"I 'tink theth'e bewong to too!" He grumbled. Then worked his mouth again. He set the pups down who began to bark excitedly around his feet. Then he worked a finger in his mouth to remove what appeared to be a hairball and flicked it out into the driveway area. 

"Thas' better!" He said clearly. "I think these belong to you ma'am." Grover repeated.

Just at that point Grover happened to feel a tickle on his shoulder and brushed it away thinking a fly had landed on him, then he noticed Dan looking red faced and almost apoplectic! He glanced over and saw the tip of a large bushy tail behind his shoulder! He quickly turned and felt the tug on the back of his overall!

He clapped a hand to his rear end and felt sprouting from him a mass of three tails with fur! With wide eyes he stared at Dan, then at all the people there.

"You'd best be careful there Dan! Them foxy folks got some kind a' bug that is catchin'! Look here! I look like a damn furred peacock wit' a tail o' cotton candy and a barbershop pole on my ass!" 

Dan started laughing at him and changed to his mid-form. "And who says I don't?" His seven tails were swishing behind him and each was a different color. "My wolf was mortified the first few times I shifted. To be honest I think he wanted to bite both Red and Silver where it would hurt the most." In the back of his head he heard a snort and then a "Hmmm..." *Don't even think of it or I will find a cave and become a lone wolf.*

Grover stared in disbelief at the Alpha, then shook his head sadly. "Lord A'mighty! I t'ought it was bad with three tails, ya'll gots seven!" Then he grouched, "Whoever that cross-eyed weasel is that did this to ma' as..." His voice trailed off as he saw the pups looking on. He carefully moderated his tone and continued.

"Whoever did this to ma' rear...is gonna get a stern talkin' to!"

He whirled again as if trying to catch sight of it and groaned as he caught sight of them all together. Then reached around to pull them all in front where he stroked them softly.

"Weren't so bad if theys all one color, but ta' make them all like this? Jehosaphat!"

Dan gave Amariah the "Look!" It was easy for him to figure out who had done this...this...

Dan's lips tried to twitch, but he suppressed it. *That's enough now, he took it better than we expected...change it back!*

The tails disappeared and Grover quickly felt around the air and then grabbed at the seat of his pants. Even from where she was sitting Amariah felt the wash of air from Grover's sigh of relief. Just then he noticed her.

"Do thos' lil' foxes want some berries too?" Grover asked. He held out a hand big enough for Amariah or Amarish could stand on comfortably with some black berries on it. 

Amarish finally had to change to his mid-form and died laughing. He was holding his sides as he tried not to keep laughing his tails off. Eventually he managed to stop and rolled over so he was lying on his tummy. Amariah poked a bowl full of berries to him before taking another one. He snickered and popped one in his mouth and munched on it.

Amariah gave the bear thing a polite grin before starting to speak. "N-n-no tanks M-m-mr. Bear. We's G-g-good." If he looked down at his palm he would notice the berries were gone.

Grover was led into the house and he bumbled along trying to be careful not to break anything. Dan could tell his nerves were going to get to the big man soon so led him out of the house to the training arena, the challenge circle and just generally showed him the sights. 

It was the garden though that had Grover shaking his head. He asked if he could expand it some. Dan shrugged and showed him how much and the big man got to work. He first changed into his full animal form and started digging the outline of the maximum he could expand to. Then changed to his hybrid form and started turning over the hard packed dirt on to its edge then pulverizing in with smack and grunts. He turned over all the topsoil and made a pile of the large rocks he had found. Then he began going down to the small creek and digging down in the shallow water came up with arms full of dark river soil that he flopped down into the dry dirt. When he was smeared in mud from chest to clawed bear feet he rolled around in the stream and splashed water all over his body to clean up. Then he began to pick through the vegetables that were there shaking his head in annoyance at some of them and making pleased noises at others.

Once Grover started working on the garden Dan sent a message out to keep an eye on him. They weren't to stop him from doing what he wanted unless it might damage something or was somewhere he wasn't supposed to go. If that happened they were to politely inform him as well as let Dan know.

Once inside he contemplated what to do now. His relaxed mood had been sort of destroyed. The urge to simply sit and watch something on TV no longer appealed to him. When he walked into the main lounge Pam was there so he walked over and gave her a good kiss. "I am going to put my sword away and then hit the training area. I will be back by lunch time."

Pam smiled and gave him a good kiss in return. "Have fun but don't lop anything off please. I rather like you the way you are." She wrinkled her nose at him when she said that.

Dan glowered at her before leaving the room. To be honest he was almost insulted by her comment since he hadn't done anything like that for years. Once in his office he returned everything to where they belonged. After that he ran upstairs to their suite and pulled on some shorts and a loose shirt that almost looked like a wife beater.

Now that he was ready he headed out the back door and glanced at Grover and shook his head. Instead of saying anything he trotted over to the training building. Inside were several wolves and Kitsunes training both against each other and then with the other. They were working out things that they might be able to do while they had one or another with a team.

He almost stopped to see how they were doing but at this moment it was simply getting used to the differences in how they approached being a bodyguard. It was wildly different since their POV was different. Wolves were aggressive and tended to attack using their superior speed and strength. The Kitsunes they were working strictly as bodyguards and not front line troops and guards.

Dan walked over to his personal weapons locker and opened it up. After staring at his swords for a few moments he shook his head. He just wasn't in the mood for training with that for the day. His eyes finally settled on his version of a battle axe. The handle was comparatively short, maybe three feet long or a bit more. The head was the traditional heavily curved bit on both sides. His was different since they were larger and heavier than anything a human could use.

After pulling two of them out he walked to a section he traditionally used and started warming up. When he closed his eyes he started slowly working through the various attack and defense patterns. Just for good measure he had pulled his shirt off and had tossed it on a bench. As he started working out it was very obvious from the heavily layered slabs of muscle that he had earned them and not just lifted for them.

Meanwhile Grover, grumping about the state of the garden, took a load of the fresh picked vegetables ones to the kitchens. One of the women started in surprise at the big hairy man with an arm load of veggies.

"Excuse me uhh...well...you aren't old enough to be a ma'am...uhm...Miss? Oh Jehosaphat! You mated? Consarnit! I don't rightly know what to call you!"

When Julia both heard and saw the man walk in she had to raise an eyebrow as she walked over. When he stumbled over his words she snorted till he asked if she was mated. For a very brief moment she froze but shook it off. "My name is Julia and you have already met my daughter Gianni.

"Sorry 'bout that. Not used to be around womenfolk...or...any folk really for that matter."

She gave him a gentle smile to try and calm him down. "Let me take those from you, actually no, just set them on the table there." She pointed towards a large stainless steel table next to a large window. It was where the food was put that was going out. "Thank you for bringing them in." Julia was one of the taller females in the pack and was just a bit shorter than Dan. Her hair was a deep honey blond, dark blue eyes, and a complexion of cream. Her breasts looked larger and well shaped under the peasant shirt. She had a narrow waist and wide hips that had a nicely rounded bottom attached. 

The big bear couldn't help but notice her form, just like he had noticed all of the women's forms coming in to the compound. But, his Pappy had raised him right and he made sure to keep eye contact as much as possible. That's not to say though...that he didn't sneak a peek out of the corner of his eye on occasion! 

Grover tried to help in the kitchen but after he sautéed a bunch of green beans with bacon grease and salt and garlic there wasn't much he could do. He tried to roll dough for bread but his beard got in the way. He tried to help by stirring soup but his hair would get in the soup! Finally the kitchen help shooed him out of the kitchen and he found that there were more of those Kitsune people in the house. They were watching him with a quiet amusement.

"One of ya'll know how to use scissors real good? Ya' know...professional like?" he asked bashfully.

They looked amongst themselves and a slender fox fellow stepped up. "I can cut hair."

"That's good, come on then slick! Let's get to choppin'!" The rest of the group snickered quietly but not unkindly.

Slick turned out to be a whiz with scissors and soon had Grover's hair in a neat business cut with a part on the left side of his head. The beard was trimmed down short and his cheeks shaved bare. A little slap of bay rum on his face and slick whisked the sheet from around his neck and held up a mirror for Grover's inspection.

Grover blinked in surprise and ran puzzled fingers over his now clean and trimmed exposed skin and bristle of hair. 

"Damn! First time I seen my looks in nigh on 40 years!" He glanced at the fox in surprise, the kitsune just smiled down at the big man.

"Why! I look fit for a night a' dancing! You made me look as fine as creamed gravy!" Grover stood up suddenly, dwarfing the smaller fox, then picked him up for a hearty bear hug! He set the fox down before he did any permanent damage.

"You know, you folks s'alright in my book. Even though lord knows why you got three tails. Maybe that's how come you got so good at cutting hair! You have to practice an awful lot to keep those things from getting all frumpy lookin'!"

Slick, as the bear called him snorted. "Silly bear we have anywhere from one to nine tails. It shows our rank in the clan. As we gain skills and at certain times in our life we will be given another tail. Everyone except for the clan lords and ladies start with one tail. I gained my third tail when I was selected to be part of Clan Lord Danilo and Clan Lady Pamela's personal protection detail." They all nodded as Grover left and headed their own ways.

"More tails as you gets to be more important?" Grover grumbled to himself. "Jehosaphat! A hair brush salesman make a mighty fine coin if he was selling at promotion time!"

Grover wandered around and visited the Training area, a different set of Kitsunes and wolves were training in pairs and teams. Grover just chuckled and shook his head. He had been around for a while and could see they were actually using some good techniques, not like traditional martial arts schools or anything. Then he caught the scent of the Alpha Dan and meandered over to where he was at. He saw him with a big ol' axe and working though the various patterns that could be used in a fight. He admired how fit the man was, but the grimace on his face looked too serious. Grover could take things seriously, but...Nah! 

Looks like this Dan feller, needs ta lighten up some...

"Ya know I knew a feller once who went wi'tout a shirt on for a spell...with nothin' to hold his gut in it got so big he cud no longer see his toes! Theres a danger fer not wearin' no shirt!" Grover guffawed at him.

Dan had scented the bear coming in but stayed focused on his forms, and said nothing until he had finished the last steps with precision and focus...even if he did feel the corner of his lips turn up a bit.

"I don't think I have to worry about getting a beer gut anytime soon there Grover!" Dan said with a smile, then added a wink and said sotto voice, "Besides...my mate works that fat right off me!"

Grover gave a short loud laugh that sounded like a canon blast. It got the attention of the other trainees who poked their heads around the corner to see what was up.

"You train with weapons at all?" Dan asked the were-bear. Grover scratched a finger and waddled with a rolling gait and an inquisitive hum to poke his nose in the locker at the weapons Dan had stored there.

"Non' o' these there Mister Dan. You got lotsa' things I never lain eyes on!" He turned to look back at Dan and asked, "Ya'll got a shovel, or a hoe or brush hook or somthin'?" He asked. Several wolves and kitsunes laughed at that. Dan gave them a quick look that made them get quiet except for an occasional snicker.

After Dan gave them 'THE LOOK' he turned to them and spoke. "What do you think the peasants used? Went to the local We Create Weapons for Rebellions store? Hell no, they stuck with what they knew best. That is where so many of the oddball weapons from Asia came from. The Samurai had swords, armor, spears, and other type of 'real' weapons. The peasants had things like a hand scythe, ropes, maybe chains, and other garden implements and they used them very effectively. The real weapon in any fight is your brain as it figures out how to do the most damage in the shortest time."

His eyes brightened slightly. "Everyone go find something that isn't a weapon, come back and start working with your partner to find ways to use it. Dismissed." When he turned back to Grover he was smirking.

Grover came back from the garden shed with a large diggers shovel with a deep 24-inch blade and wide as a doormat.

"Now, see dis' here?" He asked those watching. "This s' what a' like to call multi-poipose!" 

A fox raised a hand and asked, "Didn't you mean multipurpose?" Grover blinked at him then nodded.

"Jus' as I said, multi-poipose!" Then he pointed at Dan still holding his axe.

"Now, gonna show ya'll what I mean. He's gonna swing at me, and I'm a gonna defense m'self."

Dan limbered his arms, took a two handed grip and swung low. The shovel twisted down and with a loud clang the axe stopped before it could reach as far as Grover's leg. 

A quick twist of Dan's grip brought the axe twirling up toward's Grover's shoulder and Grover took a half step back...kicking the shovel forward at the same time with his foot. The axe sailed past and the flat end of the shovel hit Dan in the chin with a hollow THWOCK sound!

Dan paused to shake the stars from his vision. They had waited for the others to come back before they had started. After one last shake of his head he turned to the others. "And that is an advantage of using some strange weapon. The other person won't know exactly what you can do with it. It will or can make them over confident since that pathetic bar, stick, broom doesn't register as a weapon."

"That t'werent fair on ma' part there Dan!" Grover explained bashfully. "That was a sneak move ma' pa' showed us kids when we was young." He turned to look at the assembled trainees and said, "You see' dat? That was trickery at it's best. Dan could'a beaten me in a straight fight. I am stronger, but he is faster and knowed how ta' fight. You got's to be plenty tricky to win it wit' one like him as your oppo..component? Na'...that ain't the right word!"

Grover watched Dan to see how he had taken the tricky move. Most Alpha's he knew would be PISSED to have someone show them up in ANY fashion in front of his people. Grover wanted to see how secure the Alpha was. Dan had a grimace on his face, but he also had a sparkle in his eyes, and he gave a small nod to the bear and Grover grinned. 

Dan grinned at him. "This is going to be fun." He walked over to the locker and pulled out a quarterstaff before coming back. "That was a damn good strike Grover. This is why we routinely spar with different people. There is always something new to learn."

Grover smiled back "Now, gonna show ya'll how to take a beating and see if ya'll can learn how to move right!"

The next few minutes had the two trading blows back and forth. The bear mostly on the defensive while Dan danced around his larger adversary. It was clear Grover was having a good time! He even caught the full impact of the flat of Dan's quarterstaff right on the face! Grover stumbled and Dan watched with worried eyes until Grover laid a finger along side his nose and blew a thick wad of blood out of each nostril then gingerly patted it to see if there was more damage. 




Silver Moon - Were-Bear Fan Fic



"Good one Alpha Dan! Here I come!" Grover cheerily roared and they were back at it again!

~~~

After some settling in was done, Grover opted to sleep in the backyard, and several pups and some of the guards watched him unobtrusively. The pups much less so. They were curious about the big man. Several of them giggled since he slept funny as a bear. He would lay on his back and snort every now and again waving his paws lazily in the air as he slept.

The next morning people were at breakfast, but Grover was still asleep. When the pups went outside to play they immediately raced to their new toy and tried to wake him up. Several pups took turns bouncing on the bear's expansive stomach. One of the braver ones tried tugging on the bears rounded ears. Finally with a grunt that sounded like a stump being pulled from the ground Grover sat up blinking his eyes blearily and yawning with his cavernous mouth.

One of the pups had held onto his chest as he rose up and looked back again to be faced with a mouth that could probably swallow the cub whole! And ringed with enormous teeth! It yipped once in surprise and fear and tumbled tail over teakettle to the ground between Grover's two bracing paws. Grover peered down then bent down to snuffle the little pup with a nose the size of the animals face. He gave the pup a long lick along its side causing it to squirm and run back to its friends.

Grover switched back to human form and stood up tall cracking his knuckles as he stretched his arms over his head then sighed as he felt the warm sun on his face and chest.

"Good mornin'!" He said cheerily to the pack of boys and girls. 

"Morning Mister Brooks!" they said almost in unison.

The bear man looked carefully around then looked down at the group. 

"Where's your minders?" he asked. The pups all looked confused. "You know, the one that watches over ya'?"

An older pup, almost an adult, at least that's what they smelled like came over and Grover nodded.

"I take it since I am new ya'll are curious about me?" He did not wait for a response as he turned and began walking toward the garden area. 

"Well, if you wanna watch, lets have a couple of races while ya'll are at it. I hear you wolves is good at digging...so let's dig!"

Amarish was with them though Amariah was on the porch watching. Sometimes he wondered if it was a girl thing about not getting dirty. Occasionally he would do it just so Pam would grumble at him before running a bath for him. He would hop in, pull out a blue rubber mousy and play.

Chapter3

The river mud had settled and the ground was still a little damp from the morning dew. Grover held a large chuck of bacon in one hand and a pocket watch in the other.

"Now, as ya'll know Wolves is kin to dogs. Ya'lls different, but still family of a sorts." The pups could hear him mutter to himself after saying that.

"Though I swear if I ever see a were-labrador I will probably be dumbfounded and disbelieve ma' own eyeballs!!"

He shook it off and then had the pups line up at one end of the plot of ground. 

"Alright. Ya'll need to practice diggin'. Builds up muscles, tendons, ligam...ligalma...ligalaments...think that's the durned word! Also toughens your paws and claws."

He pointed across and showed how deep to dig. Then they were off! Grover shouting encouragement as the pups raced with dirt flying. The younger ones kept veering instead of going in a straight line, but a gentle nudge from a large and dirty foot had them going straight again.

Amarish snickered. Normally he would have joined in but his fox aspect was feeling silly this morning. Since he was in his fox form he lifted a tail up and cocked it towards the ground. Soon a neat furrow formed and as the tip of his tail slowly angled up the furrow lengthened. Since Gianni was in the row next to his he had to tease her by occasionally tossing a paw full of dirt (if he had been next to her) in her direction.

At one point he had nailed Gianni in the nose and she had to stop and sneeze. With a small growl she looked over next to her and almost fell on her tail as she yipped in shock. There wasn't anyone there but the dirt was moving. She narrowed her eyes and turned and saw Amarish simply laying there with his tail pointed at the trough. She suddenly lost interest in the digging and with a bark charged at him.

Amarish saw that and almost winced since she was most definitely unhappy with him. He turned to run but before he had gotten more than a few steps she ran him down and started a puppy fight with him.

It didn't last very long before one of them yipped and both stopped and started licking each other's faces. "Sowwy Gianni I didn'ts mean to nip that hard." He rubbed his head against her cheek as well.

She let him for a moment and decided to accept. When she did she made sure her tongue was really wet and ran it up the inside of one of his ears. "Stinky boy apology accepted. Need bath, boy dirty." There had been dirt on her tongue and now the inside of his ear was dirty.

Amarish looked horrified when she gave him the wolf version of a wet willy. His first reaction was to rub his ear on the grass. With a sigh he hopped into the trench he had been making and met up with her and yipped at her and let his paws loose. The others were already or mostly done. When they finished he and Gianni were nose and nose at the end.

The eldest of course made it first and was panting from the exertions and got a big piece of bacon. The others all got sizable pieces, the last was only three quarters the way across the field and looked tired. Grover was shouting encouragement all the way and the little ones were doing their best. Soon the others were calling encouragement and finally the little pup dropped at the edge of the garden...exhausted and panting with their tongue lolling out.

That looks like the little blond she pup that hooked me!

Big hands picked up Gianni and cradled her in his arms, against a broad expanse of denim covered chest.

"Saved ya' a really big piece little one! You got some big ol' heart in ya'!" The bear murmured to the muddy girl. He gently tipped some water in his tin cup and brought it to the young wolf who lapped it gratefully. Then he gently held the bacon for the pup to take small bites. 

He glanced over Amarish, and gave him a small scowl. "I saw you's earlier ya' sneak! Mighty fine digging ya' did...right up to the part where you was distractin' the other's. No bacon, let it be a lesson to ya' you mouse huntin' dust mop!"

Grover turned to set Gianni back on the ground then whirled back with a pointing finger at Amariah who was beginning to lift a tail to point at him,

You magic me again wit'out my say so and I will wears your tails like a set o' suspenders, the real thin dressy goin' to church type o' suspenders...hear?"

After the group finished eating they all went down to splash in the shallow stream that wasn't so shallow with a lot of the mud having been carried up to the garden. After cleaning off he brought them back up to the garden area where they looked at him expectantly.

Dan had been making his rounds when he noticed them coming back from the stream. An idea crossed his devious mind. "Yo Grover got a job for you if you want." Dan waited for him to come over before saying anything else. "Since you seem comfortable in the water and around mud and all that, where you pulled all the dirt out make a pool. Make sure it isn't deeper than Gianni's neck while she is standing. Not sure how the flock you can swim as a were beastie but us wolves sink like rocks and if the water is too deep... Well I am sure you can imagine the results."

God knew he had resolved a few issues that way before. "I am thinking something like making a small stone pool where they can play but be safe from falling in any deeper water. Sound like something you might be interested in? If so go for it after you play for a while." 

"Sure thing Alpha Dan, I's got an idea o' what you want. Was planning on sometin' like that's anyway!" Grover thought over what Dan had said then grinned and patted his large belly.

"As for how I can swim? Fat floats!" He gave a growling chuckle as Dan smiled and continued on his rounds.

He turned back and saw the pups all staring at him.

"Whatcha all want? You staring at me like I got more food! You all turned the soil well in the garden so I can getta start plantin' it..." He started to walk away but still they stared. He grumbled, thinking. 

"Ya'll want to be entertained...dontcha?" He grouched in their direction. They immediately changed back to their puppy forms, tails wagging like little flags on 4 wheelers at the sand dunes. He all of a sudden got it...they wanted to play!

He sighed and dropped his overall strap and switched to his mid bear form and made a coughing chuff at them.

"OKAY! WHO WANTS TO PLAY KING OF THE MOUNTAIN?" He rasped out. He couldn't do the mental speak that the others could, heck...he didn't even know they could.

The pup's tails turned down to between their legs and they shook in fright at his appearance! He stopped talking and dropped to all fours. They were afraid of him? He chuffed and thought about it. This form was his most mobile, and comfortable to himself. Yet...he was the most massive, and when he thought about it, the mixed features and so forth weren't really cute and cuddly like the foxy people. The...whatchamacallem? Kitsu...dang blast it! Gonna have to write down that name so he can remember it! Embarrassing for a man to forget his barber's people's name!

He moved a little closer to the pups, some moved back. He rolled on his side, long arms and claws falling to his side. He saw an adult of some kind off the corner of the garden watching him. Soon Giani plucked up the courage to come closer and he picked up the little critter and rolled on his back. Then he launched the little pooch high in the air to a surprised yip from his fuzzy missile friend!

Another yip as Giani was caught in Grover's paws. The little wolfs tongue was lolling and it was looking like she was laughing...as much as she could like this, and was soon launched skyward again!

This soon degraded into an afternoon of the fun game of "Fuzzy Ballistic Missiles!" Even the ones who were older got launched! The thirteen year old was doing somersaults in the air and yelling in either fear or fun...the adult couldn't tell...then she was caught safe and secure in Grover's paws and given a thorough licking over her furry muzzle and ears.

Soon the pups left and Grover was able to get his favorite veggie seeds from the kitchen pantry. Corn, pole beans, and spaghetti squash!

~~~

Dan was watching him the next morning as Grover was using a marked stick to plant the seeds, but not in straight rows.

"I thought gardens get planted in straight rows?" Dan asked. He had grown up on a farm so many years ago. He remembered weeding in the family garden. For a brief moment his eyes darkened at that memory. It had been before he had been turned.

"Well...more or less I reckon..."Grover responded slowly.

"It looks like your making squares." Dan noticed.

Everything in their garden had to be straight and tidy. His mother was a stickler for that. For another brief moment he remembered his mother. As was the norm for that day and age even though she was just a bit over 30 she had some gray hair but the lines of her face were still mostly smooth. She did have an ample body but her hugs had been so warm. Damn it there he went again, thinking about things he had tucked away in his brain. Another flash of darkness crossed his eyes.

"Yeps, about a foot or so apart. Mhm!"

Dan shook his head. "Planting corn? Interesting way to go about it." This time he forced his mind not to remember doing similar things as a kid.

"Well, I'm a startin' on corn, after they sprout up some...then I'm a gonna plant beans. Few weeks after that gonna plant the squash." Grover explained.

Dan looked at the sixty or so square plots and turned a raised brow to Grover.

"It's like this...I'm lazy...have been all my life. I don't like working too hard to get what I want."

Dan nodded, a little grin on his lips.

"Beans need stakes. Too much work to make 'em...to expensive to buy them. I know that surprises you!" Grover said with a grin as he turned his pockets inside out to show they were empty.

"A man with ma' riches should be able to purch...pur...whats the word? Consarnit! A man should be able to BUY what he wants! Even if'n I had the coin...I'm a still too lazy to put the stakes in the dirt so I use corn stalks."

He indicated with the end of his stick to Dan. "After the corn grows some I plant the beans, right there, next to the stalks. Then the beans grow 'n and wind around the four stalks and now it would take a mighty strong wind to knock 'em over!"

Grover patted his belly in satisfaction. Dan then noticed the wet bucket with squash seeds. 

"And those squash?" He asked.

"Squash leaves...on the underside only mind...they got this fuzz on them that most critters don't like. It makes them uncomfortable to walk through the vines and such. I plant these shortly after the beans grow, and it makes a small border that keeps most critters away from my plants." 

Grover grinned then. "Can hardly wait for hot buttered corn on the cob, or quick-fried green beans with bacon and garlic! Or you take one of these squash and roast it in the fire? Well you pop that there thing open with your pocket knife....cut it in half and pour some spaghettie sauce and a few meatballs in one half and eat it up with a fork! It's mighty good eats there Dan! I'll even fix you up the first one!"

A thought occurred to Grover and he patted his pocket and then blinked at the Alpha.

"Say...Dan...ya'll still haven' seen a pocketknife laying around have ya'?"

The Alpha shook his head with a small grin he tried to cover up. "Nope, but since you seem to have misplaced yours you can have this one." He pulled a curiously sized stockman pocket knife from one pocket. Even in Dan's hands the damn thing looked almost ridiculously large. It looked like it should fit comfortably in Grover's paws. It was a good eight to ten inches long, much larger around than a normal one and had nickel caps on the end and a bone siding on both sides. "Best part is you will never lose it." Dan winked at the man.

Dan wasn't a huge fan of vegetables, being a meat eater primarily...the squash though...it kind of sounded good to his mind.

"Well...dadgum! That's a nice pretty piece of metal there ain't it! Grover said, turning the large stockman over in his fingers. He put it in his overalls side pocket and checked it for fit. 

"Yup! Thas' a good 'un! Thank you kindly Mr. Alpha Dan."

~~~

The garden was coming along nicely. Thick green leaves showing, and every day Grover was out watering and weeding to make sure the plants were taken care of. He also began fishing, though his way seemed almost like cheating. Working with the pups, who their babysitters still watched closely when Grover was around, he got them to build a small dam of stones in the river just off to the side of the river back. They would put left over scraps of food in the water which would attract the fish. The water was only about a foot or two deep so when the pups would see they had fish in the pool they would hurry over and block off the entrance so the fish couldn't leave. Then it was a free-for all as they all tried to catch the fish!

Grover finally told them to wait as he was going to show them how to use a fishing spear.

To the big bears annoyance...he kept missing! He grumbled and almost swore, but the cubs watching him made him temper his tongue. Still he kept rumbling in frustration so much it sounded like a far off storm getting closer. One of the other cubs finally got their spear to work and caught a fish making Grover finally throw his spear down in frustration! Then he changed into his animal form and started swatting trout out of the pool and onto the side of the river!

"Rotten wolf cubs!" He growled as he changed back to human and pulled back on his overalls. A cub back in their human shape clutched and sat on his foot as he walked over to the wet sack they used to hold the fish in. He walked all the way back to the main house to the kitchens with a cub on each foot and one on his back!

Gianni snickered at him and then leaned against one leg and gave him her best puppy dog eyes. Her lower lip was artfully trembling as well. "Buts you still wuvs us don't yous?"

The bear grunted, then looked down at the sweet little girl. "Course I do child." Then ran his thick fingers through her blonde mop of hair.

~~~

At the kitchen he stopped, shook the pups off of him and took off his hat before knocking on the door. There was that pretty older wolf who worked in the kitchens and over the course of staying here...she made him blush and get tongue tied each time he saw her.

"Please let Angie open the door...please let Angie open the door!" He thought fervently. Angie was a sweetheart, but she was a mated wolf and he felt safer around her.

No such luck. It was the other, and the big bear of a man looked down at the ground and wouldn't meet her gaze. He scratched the back of one foot with a big grubby toe and could feel his blush pushing up to the roots of his hair!

"Hello...uhm...Julia!" He muttered, again not meeting her eyes. Julia found it funny that Grover could meet most everyone's eyes and even do it with Dan, holding his gaze as he listened intently to their Alpha or when he offered his own opinion. It drove the other wolves nuts and she could see Dan's teeth clench sometimes when he stared too long. The saving grace for Grover was that, he really had no desire for dominance or anything. Most of the young ones, and most all the wolves would ask him to do something and he would do it. When one of them had been cutting firewood, he asked if Grover could carry some to the kitchen the bear had shrugged and picked up an eighth of a cord and walked off with it. 

Julia had spent a fair amount of time thinking about this odd man. He was so different than any of the males around. That included the Kitsunes as well. Briefly some memories came to mind.

Dan would remind him not to stare into his eyes and Grover would scratch his head and say, "Then how's you gonna' know I'm even listenin to you at all? That's just rude!"

Dan had finally given up to an extent. "It is a wolf thing. A continuous stare is taken as a challenge and usually ends up with a fight. Bears don't have anything similar to the best of my knowledge since they tend to be relatively solitary." He was leaned back in his chair with Amariah sitting in his lap. She was having fun making colored balls of light and playing with them.

Dan glanced down at her and smiled. It had turned into a game between her and the pups. She would create the balls of light and then toss them and let them float and wander around. The pups had to try to catch them. There was some esoteric scoring system he didn't understand. When they got to a certain score they would get a mousy. "Okay Grover I have to ask you to follow this comment. Feel free to look in the eyes but with the less dominate wolves meet their eyes and then focus on an ear or their forehead or some such. With the Kitsunes it isn't a problem."

Grover was such a stickler on not being rude, but his definitions seemed to be very different from the rest of the wolves and some things he would not budge at all.

When in the training ring he was supposed to spar with one of the females, she was young...only 16 or so and really starting to feel her strength. Grover just stood there with his arms crossed and let her kick and punch him, every now and then he would yawn which infuriated the little wolf!




Silver Moon - Were-Bear Fan Fic



Dan asked him what the problem was. "Don' rightly know, just feels rude to hit a young'un...and a girl to boot!"

He stroked his beard for a few moments. "Okay, look at it this way Grover. You know there are less than nice people out there. When they see a nice tasty morsel such as her what is going to be their first thought? Now I know she is stronger and faster than any human but if she doesn't know how to fight off an attacker she will probably get hurt. I don't want her to get hurt any more than needed and with good solid training it gives her a much better way of getting away relatively unharmed." When she growled at him he grinned. "Or as our wolves look at it, remove the problem and then walk away and have a nice slice of rare beef."

Dan explained that this was training, and Grover nodded. "I unerstan' just fine there Dan. Just can't find it in me to even think of harmin' this little thing!" Right at that point the wolf's kick found his groin! Grover growled and snatched her up by the nape of the neck and bent her over his knee and gave her five good smacks on her behind making her yelp more in surprise than pain!

"Let that there be a lesson to ya' missy!" He said sternly. She was sniffling as he held her gently by the shoulders so her face was level with his...her feet dangling a good foot or two off the ground.

"Just because you are strong and kin' kick and hit like an angry wildcat. There is always someone bigger and stronger than you...'kay?"

He let her go and Dan started laughing.

Julia remembered all this and was still surprised that Grover wouldn't meet her eyes. Gianni her daughter poked her head around the side of the big man's thigh and grinned at her mother.

"Hey Momma! I's got fish!" Gianni looked quite pleased with her accomplishment. She gave her mother a toothy grin that looked a bit silly since she had recently lost a tooth.

"You did! How many did you get?" Julia looked down at her precious and precocious child. She was actually quite pleased that Gianni had decided that Grover was a good guy. There was something about him that seemed to help constrain some of her boisterousness. 

"I's got two! Gwover...uh...Mr. Brooks got eweven!" She blushed when she called him by his first name and started doing her typical twisting her toes on the floor as she glanced down for a moment.

Julie glanced away from her daughter to see Grover's face and he seemed to be an even deeper shade of red! Angie sniffed once further back in the kitchen and turned her head to see who was at the door and saw Grover standing there twisting the mouth of the fish sack in his big hands.

"Well...ahm...ehh....'eres the fish!" He said, thrusting the bag forward. Julia took it, and looked inside. Not all the wolves like fish, but they all liked a good trout noodle casserole.

"Would you mind staying to clean them Grover?" She asked quietly.

His face looked almost purple from her continued scrutiny. He was about to open his mouth to tell her that he had to get going. Anything to get away from her pretty eyes! Then Gianni suck the nail in his coffin!

"Please Gwo...Mr. Brooks? You can teach me how so I can catch and cook my own twout!" In her devious little mind she could see his interest in her mommy and the same back. She thought it was funny though sort of scary. She didn't remember her daddy but sometimes when she had been younger she had heard her mother crying.

He let out a groaning sigh that seemed to blow Gianni's hair from her face as he breathed out. It almost came out like a groan of resignation.

"Fine!" He growled. "Mama always tol' me women folk'll be the death of me! Dying a little bit more, one blush at a time! Fixing to turn my head into a boiled beet if I stay here too long! Prob'aly get so distractin' with all them women around cut my own finger off instead of the fish head. Dang blasted five year old she cub ordering me around with pretty blue eyes can't say no too! Gonna' break a whole passel of boys hearts when she gets older! Probably taking lessons from her mother to have pretty eyes like that. Make a man weak in the knees to see soft eyes and sweet smile...."

Dan was walking past at that moment and when he spoke his voice was low and rumbly. "And I will break parts off those boys if they don't treat her as a lady should be. I already have a large selection of shotguns I can use for intimidation." He gave a low deep growl, to himself, as he kept going.

Julia blushed now. She had really wanted to talk to Dan about spending some time with him but hadn't. Now it wouldn't since he had mated. "I have to admit I am not too worried about her breaking hearts so much as having hers broken."

Grover had been speaking in soft mutters to himself the entire time as he picked the appropriate knife for the job. Gianni had been following him with a small grin listening to him talk even though she didn't understand everything he had been saying it sure sounded funny! When he said that last part about her mother she gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. The noise woke up Grover to the fact that his mutterings were kind of loud. He glanced down at Gianni, then a look of horror crossed his face as he saw both Angie who had frozen in the process of drying her hands. Then saw Julia who appeared to be starting to blush as well...or maybe she was getting angry...or maybe she was embarrassed...or maybe...Consarnit!

"Gianni! Let's take the fish outside to clean 'em. Don' wan' to get the kitchen messy with fish guts!" He scooped up the little girl and deposited her on the back of his neck to hold on as he marched out of the kitchen door with the little girl looking back at her mother with a smile on her face.

~~~

That night, the cubs were invited to join Grover in the garden and they all lay out on blankets, ringed in by a wall of cornstalks and bean vines. Looking up at the clear night sky Grover pointed out the Big Dipper, and the Little Dipper constellations. 

"You see that there? Many people over the years have used that ta' cross oceans, land masses, desserts and such. Many myths and stories come out of history and campfire tales."

Grover's voice had changed. The roughness gone from his voice and a soothing tone full of wonder and comfort took its place. The pups and young adults snuggled closer watching and listening as Grover spoke.

"Everyone sees the Big Dipper and Little Dipper as giant ladles, but if you look closely you can see more stars making a larger outline on both of them." The pups watched Grover raise his hands as if he could reach and touch those stars.

"The outline is that of two bears, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Big Bear and Little Bear. Many different tales had been told of them, and most touch on the truth, but none of them cover it all."

"For the wolves, you are children of Luna, and subject to her changing face. For me, I am a child of the Ursa's. They travel the skies, always moving and showing the paths I am to take. They are my family and my calling." He said quietly.

"You never have a home?" One of the pups asked. Grover turned his head to pull the pup closer to himself.

"As long as I have a sky over my head, and earth under my feet...I am ALWAYS home!"

###############################

"Children should have a tire swing an' monkey bars an' a slide at least!" Grover stated firmly. Dan just shook his head. He had gotten used to Grover's attitude, and even though it rankled his wolf sometimes...even the wolf had to agree that he had a point.

"So you're going to, what? Build a jungle gym?" Dan asked, his hands on his hips and surveying the ground. Old railroad ties and logs were set into the ground and the area hand been filled with wood chips. Already it looked like a play area, the pipes and boxes of parts littered the ground and there was the corner of what looked like paper instruction poking out of Grover's bib pocket.

Grover blushed a little and coughed, looking at the ground.

"Im 'a...Dan...ya'lls been good ta me..." Grover began. Then he coughed and ran a finger underneath his nose. 

Dan smiled slowly at the big mans discomfort; he had an idea where this was going. He had seen the big man standing under the stars watching the Ursa's and seeming to commune with them in some way. Dan didn't fully understand it, just like Grover did not fully understand when they meditated with Luna. But he knew something important was happening.

"I jus' wanted to give the young'uns something to 'member me by is all. Mos' kids want to clamber and climb on things and thought this might be a good way to kill two birds with one stone see?" Grover said quietly.

Dan crossed his arms and contemplated the man. He narrowed his eyes as he mulled over the time he had been here and had a feeling he knew why. At the moment he wasn't going to press him further. "You leaving...Grover?"

The big man looked down a little to meet Dan's eyes. "Yessir."

Dan waited...Grover shifted, then looked away. Grover never looked away, he had always said that if a man was honest and could stand on his own two feet that you always look another man in the eye, unless "You's was a hidin' somthin'!"

When Grover wouldn't meet his eyes for more than a moment Dan was rather surprised. He let his senses fan out very gently and sampled his emotions. So what was Grover trying to...Then Dan got it. "You weren't going to tell anyone!"

Grover looked even more uncomfortable and shamefaced.

"No sir." He muttered.

"Why not?" Dan pressed. 

"Better that way." Grover muttered even more quietly. Dan waited, using silence as skillfully as he did his fists and feet, waiting for the big man's tender heart to press him into confession.

It worked.

"It's Julia..." Grover spoke, and his face turned so red it was almost purple! Dan waited, but Grover said nothing else and turned away to begin putting together the play area.

Dan wanted to press him more, but the stiffness of Grover's posture made him decide to wait. Grover would speak in his own time. Part of being Alpha was to know when to push and when to wait. When it was better to speak and when it was better to be silent. When to be a friend and when to be a boss. Dan settled for a nod. "Come talk to me before you make a decision Grover. This is going to have an impact on both Julia and Gianni. I will explain later as to why."

~~~

The day passed by quickly and as night began to fall, Grover was still working and since the chores were done the children gathered to watch him. The saw as he erected the slippery metal of the slide, holding it in place with his teeth and hands to keep it firm and then indicated the tools he needed with his foot. The little one helping him kept getting it wrong and would put the tool down and hand the big bear another until he finally got it right!

Dan saw Julia watching from a little distance away, she was standing upwind of the group and looked to be watching from the shadows. She had a slightly puzzled look on her face and looked to be doing some deep thinking. She smiled as her daughter took charge of the other cubs finally. She pointed out where to hold the slide in place and soon it was held still so that Grover could finish fastening it and bolting it at the proper angle.

Dan silently moved towards her since he didn't want to draw attention to them. Once he was close enough he made a slight noise so she would know he was there. When she met his eyes and looked down he gave her a nod.

"Watching Gianni taking charge again?" Dan asked quietly. Julia nodded, but she seemed a little distracted to him.

"Watching Grover as well? Worried about your little one?" He let a slight smile show as he leaned against a tree next to them. He was doing his best to seem casual and relaxed, just spending time with one of his wolves and nothing else. Since he was relatively relaxed he managed to pull that off. 

Julia "psshed" her lips at the Alpha with a little smile. "I am more worried about Gianni ordering him around too much!" she said quiet laugh. "He is so good with all the children, young and old. He takes very good care of them and lets them play on him and with him for the most part."

Dan smiled as well and watched as Grover plucked a child away from the slide and scolded him since it was not safe to slide down with no guardrails.

"He is very good with the pups isn't he?" Dan observed watching Julia's face out of the corner of his eye. She glanced down at the ground and then continued staring at the scene of activity in the play area through her eyelashes.

"Please tell me what is on your mind Alpha." She said, her voice a little tight and sad.

Dan had to raise his eyebrows at her when she called him Alpha. He had finally gotten his pack to call him by his name so she must be really perturbed. She was one of the junior wolves of the pack due to her low dominance level. If Mari had still been there Julia would have been maybe three or four wolves more dominant. She was a quiet wolf as well and one of her main drives was to take care of Gianni.

"Do you have feelings for the werebear?" Dan asked though he knew the answer. He had felt some of what she had been feeling. Julia nodded. "What kind of feelings?" He asked. 

This was all new territory for him. Kitsunes and Weres had felt the urge before between them. The calling of their souls to be one as Mates. But to have a were bear...he knew almost nothing about them, Grover being the first he ever met. 

Julia turned to look at him again, her eyes looking heavy and only half lidded, for the first time he saw a little puffiness around them as if she'd had only a partial night's sleep. 

"Does it really matter Dan? What I feel? I care for him, but he is too different, if he had felt the Mating pull wouldn't he have said something?" She turned to look back at the group and Grover was showing the little ones how to make sure the slide was safe with the metal squares being flush so they wouldn't rip their pants or their hides on it.

"Always I have been taken, never asked. Always with my eyes down being bent to another's will and want. Then along he comes, bigger than anyone I have ever seen and all I have to do is glance his way and he trips over his own feet!" Julia wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand and sniffed once.

Dan pressed slightly on his powers to help her relax some. "And that came to a screeching halt. No longer do you need to worry about that and you have come a great way from then. You are slowly working on rebuilding who you are and starting to find yourself." He had to snort slightly. "When I dealt with Nicholi you wouldn't believe the satisfaction I felt. I was a very angry and damaged wolf and that helped."

"I can tell he wants to be near me, but at the same time he keeps his distance almost like he is scared of me. My wolf is in awe of him...not fear, awe! When we first met, he hugged me, just because I gave him a big slice of apple pie. He put his arms around me and swung me around like a doll in the kitchen! I felt shock at how BIG he is, but I have never felt any fear towards him...none at all. He smelled of berries and corn and fish and pine needles and warmth...how can WARMTH have a smell? I have never..." 

He smiled a bit more when she said it was almost like he was scared of her. "I wouldn't say scared so much as unsure. From talking to him he has been a loner for many a year. When he went to whatever town was closest he would go in, get what he needed and then leave. He simply doesn't know how to approach you and is scared that you might not find him attractive." When she muttered about warmth having a smell he snickered. "But it does. When I wake up next to Pam she smells of contentment, slight bit of sweat, as well as her love and affection towards me. That is what warmth smells like to me."

She choked for a moment and Dan put a hand on her shoulder and she turned into him throwing her arms around his neck to feel the comfort of his embrace.

When she turned to embrace him he gave her a good one before turning her so she was facing Grover as they talked. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and let her continue talking.

"Do you know what it is like to always feel fear when you meet a stranger? Then I meet him and I have never felt safer in all my life since my mate died! But there is no pull of my soul to his, and even...even if there were...what kind of mate would I be for him? I couldn't give him children...I couldn't..."

"Hush Julia, you would be a fine mate for any worthy male. Grover might be a bit rough around the edges and talks and acts differently than we are used to but he is a good man. I have sampled his dominance and his spirit and there is hardly a mean bone in his body. As far as children there is only one way to know." He snickered at her for a brief moment. "Consider that I have children with a Kitsune, a sort of Kitsune, a Spirit Animal, and a wolf. If the spirits bless you then it will happen but if it doesn't that doesn't make you a bad mate."

As far as the scared part he couldn't really answer that. "I can't really comment about being scared of meeting a stranger." He shrugged. "I have always been a mid-dominance wolf and above. Once you have taken over a pack you are one tough SOB. The only thing I have really been scared of was losing a mate. I have had two die or been killed. With Nang my children died with her. That I can say I do understand very well."

She dissolved into tears and held Dan close, breathing in her leader's scent and trying to relax. Dan raised his gaze to the group and saw Grover watching them yet still paying attention to the kids. Dan gave him a nod to let him know he had seen him. He swiped a large hand over his face, gave his head a shake and guffawed loudly at one of the pups trying to use a hammer to insert a screw.

"Are you sure he feels no pull to mate with you?" asked Dan as Julia began to calm down.

"I saw how Angie responded to her mate...they had never seen each other before and she jumped on him the moment she smelled him. I...I don't know what I feel Dan." Julia said quietly. "With my first mate before he was killed, it was like that. Maybe I only get to have one of those in my lifetime? I just know that...I want Grover to hug me again. I like him being with Gianni, she really cares about him. I see her sitting on his knee and ask him questions about everything, and my heart gets warm when I see her hanging on his neck as he carries her around." She sniffed again and nuzzled her nose into Dan's shirt. "What woman wouldn't want that for her child!"

"But he is a were-bear. Since both wolves and Kitsunes feel the mating bond but differently what is to say they have their own way of dealing with it." He rubbed his cheek against hers. "What you feel is confused and scared. I think you are scared of getting close to him as you were with your mate. As I said I know what it is to lose a mate and it does make a wolf who survives it rather gun shy. As far as how many mates we have, remember I had two before and have Pam now. I think you need to do what Mari did. She took Geoff away from the house and talked to him. She explained why she was scared of both him and the mating pull. As you know they are now mated and Mari is very pleased with it."

Dan thought about the situation. He needed to get back and do the rounds around the perimeter of the property. One of the sentries was sick and he opted to take the shift since one of the substitute's mates was sick and he was staying home. He saw Gianni wander off from the group, his ears heard her faintly saying she was going to find something and bring it back. Grover nodded his head and told her in his rough way to not be more than a minute or he would get after her for...lollygagging?

Dan smiled and then thought about what Grover had started to say, something about Julia in reference to his leaving. He wondered if he should mention it to his packmate. Maybe she could shed some light on...




Silver Moon - Were-Bear Fan Fic



Suddenly Dan felt a wrenching sensation through the pack bond and he saw Grover clutch at his chest! The big man stepped back from the startled pups and turned furious eyes to the tree line. Dan's eyes followed the direction of Grover's gaze and then started as he heard a small high scream drift through the air.

Julia gasped and clutched Dan tighter in reaction to the sound, then let go as a sound like thunder being ripped into shreds crashed around them. It was Grover...Roaring!

Dan felt the fear and agony as well. Someone was attacking one of his wolves and even worse a child. *All women and children to the safe room. The guards for the women arm up and secure the house. All other wolves follow me.* His command was not one that couldn't not be obeyed. As he was sending he ripped his clothes off and shifted. Once changed he ran full bore at the source of the scream

In the space of a half step the were bear shifted into his mid-form, a melding of man and beast. His overalls fell in tatters and the playful aura of Grover sloughed off like an old snakeskin. Teeth the size of hunting knives and a guttural voice called out a name in a bellow that seemed to shake the very air around the main house making the windows rattle.

"GIANNI!"

Then, moving faster than would be thought possible the lumbering werebear took off in the last known direction of the small cry, a tree that was a foot thick in diameter at the edge of the clearing was snapped off at the base. It didn't even give Grover pause as he plowed right through it. It made a soft crashing noise as it fell.

Dan had to pause a moment when the bear went through a tree and it wasn't a stripling either. He sent to the pack. *Just follow the broken trees and you will find us.* He was also impressed at the speed the damn bear was making. Dan was catching up but it was going to take some time depending on how long Grover ran.

The strange wolves were moving fast for being on two legs. They had chloroformed the little girl their leader had pointed out to them. She was a young female Alpha and he wanted her for his pack. For whatever reason, it did not matter. For them their job was to serve and obey.

There was a noise and it was getting closer. They paused for a moment because it didn't sound like wolves...it sounded like...

The one holding the bag cocked his head, listening more closely. It sounded like a steam locomotive chugging in how deep it was, and then a crack followed by a crash, there were a lot of cracks and then crashes! He glanced to his partner who was looking in horror and pointing. He turned and saw a little distance away movement and then a tree breaking off, and then a closer one, and closer still!

Then he saw it, a head as wide as a coffee table, lungs pounding air in and out through a mouth large enough to swallow a cantaloupe! Dark beady eyes glaring and legs pumping as whatever it was came rushing down on them!

The man with the girl fell to one side and the one paralyzed with fear lost his pointing arm as the moth swallowed it up to his elbow before biting down hard and ripping it off the now screaming werewolf. He screamed again looking at the bloody remains of where his arm used to be then passed out from the shock.

The other wolf turned to run when a long fingered hand the size of a serving platter closed over the top of his head and he could feel the claws dig into his scalp!

"WAIT!" A deep voice choked out through a blood soaked maw.

"YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO ME!" the voice said, taking the bag off of the other man's back. Giani was carefully poured out onto the forest floor, still out like a light. The claws turned the man so he could face the monster and what he saw made him want to start to weep. A massive shaggy thing with a squared off muzzle and wild...no...Furious eyes glared at him full of hate! The nose sniffed once and the force of the suction made the werewolf's bangs pull forward.

"I NOW HAVE YOUR SCENT, AND THAT OF ANOTHER...I WILL NOT HUNT YOU NOW, MAYBE LATER. I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU TO TAKE WITH YOU THOUGH. DELIVER IT AND I MAY LET YOU LIVE!" 

The wolf was held in place while the empty sack was laid on the ground. The beast squatted making his eyes level with the other man while he was standing. Soon a ripe smell filled the air and the other wolf growled in annoyance even through his fear. The monster took up the pack and placed it on the wolf's back.

About that time Dan made it to the clearing and his eyes were glowing a slight red as well as the normal amber. His tails were waving around and when Grover let go the golden one flashed forward and pointed at him. A thick molten golden beam shot out. "I curse you with the truth. Every time someone asks you a question you will have to tell the truth as you know it. If you change and become a real wolf I might remove the curse. Be glad I didn't curse you so that moonlight from our mistress caused you pain every time you had to go into her radiance." Dan shifted to his mid-form with his formal robes on and his two swords.

The strange wolf carrying a smelly sack of bear scat on his back didn't know which way to turn, being faced with a monster out of nightmare or a hero out of legend he froze...unsure of what to do.

The monster made the choice for him...

"TELL THEM, WHOEVER HARMS OR TAKES WHAT IS MINE...I WILL TURN THEM INTO WHAT YOU CARRY...NOW RUN!!!" The beast bellowed and crying with fear the stranger turned and fled.

The werebear turned and saw that Gianni was still asleep. He gathered the little girl into his arms and held her close to his hairy chest. He snuffled his wet nose into her belly checking her for any hurt. He glared at the wolf that was bleeding out and still unconscious from shock. He though about eating him, then fishing around with his tongue in his mouth for the last bit of gristle he had between his teeth he spat it out onto the body. 

With a groan of relief Grover began plodding slowly back to the compound he had called home for the past several months. His shambling gait returning, but not his happy hum. Instead his eyes were fastened on the little wolf pup that had become so dear to his heart.

It was strange to Dan, While never feeling threatened by the werebear, and Dan was sure that he could take Grover in a fight...he always felt a prizzle of shock run through his body when seeing Grover like this. The big man would have laughed and then felt uncomfortable to hear Dan tell him that though!

"Jus' cuz I'm 'a big boy don't mean nothin'!" Grover would chortle. That may be true, but there is something basic and primal that dictates the actions of one's instinct. The twelve foot tall hybrid form of Grover hit all of those buttons that most beings have that warn of danger! Seeing Grover obviously concerned for the little girl Dan gave a quiet cough and Grover noticed the human shape. The werebear gave a small growl...well to him it was a small growl...maybe. Dan felt it in the soles of his feet! Then Grover recognized him and hurried over to the Alpha.

Grover dropped to hands and feet, one arm holding Gianni to his chest and he lumbered over and handed the little girl to Dan. Then he spoke in that grating voice of this form.

"GOT THE WOLVES...LET ONE GO WITH A MESSAGE TO STAY AWAY!" Grover said. Dan shook his head to clear the ringing from his ears!

"Would you shift back? You're kind of loud like this." Dan asked. He knew about the one that got away, and sneered inside at how fucked that wolf now was. With Dan's curse and a full pack of shit? There was going to be an awful lot of explaining to do when that wolf got home! Grover looked sheepish, an odd expression to see on a head so big. Then changed back and stood up while moving closer to see the little girl.

"Don't rightly know what ta' do Dan!" Grover exclaimed. "I smelt somethin' funny on 'er, but it's gone away...she won't wake up!"

Dan took another sniff and grimaced, "They chloroformed her. She will wake up soon. Might not even remember what happened." Then he sent the wolves to check out what smelled like a...dead werewolf.

"You said there were two?" Dan questioned. Grover nodded. He scratched the side of his belly. 

"Yep....is dead and ta' other is running back to his leader with a sack 'o shit on 'is back." He grinned and then growled, his beady eyes flashing in the dark.

"No one touches whAT IS MINE AND GETS AWay with it! Sorry Dan." Grover said apologetically. Right in the middle of talking he had started to change and caught himself.

Dan raised an eyebrow and gave Grover a sly grin. Then Dan looked sideways at the big man and said quietly, "So...touches what is yours? Do you mean...?" His voice trailed off and he darted his eyes back to Gianni, then back up to regard a shocked looking Grover.

"I don'...what a' mean is...thas' not...hell..." Grover muttered and dropped his head to look at the ground. Dan stayed silent, just watching. The giant of a man let out a sigh that made the ferns on the forest floor shiver with the passage of air. Then he leaned over and softly kissed the little girl on top of her head while being cradled on Dan's shoulder.

"I'll leave at firs' light..." Grover said softly. Then lumbered away.

Dan's voice stopped him, "Who will finish the play area? What about leaving something for them to remember you by?" 

Grover paused then said, "I'll finish it tonight. A slide an' tire swings good 'nuff fur now. Ya'll can set up the moneky bars if ya'll want ta'. Come firs' light, Dan...I'm gone."

"Before you leave remember you said you would come talk to me. I am going to hold you to that or I will send Julia to call you back." His voice was firm when he said that.

Grover just waved over his shoulder at the Alpha, not even turning around.

Dan watched as he went back to the play area, put on his ruined overalls and got back to work, his were eyes seeing just fine in the dark to put the finishing touches on the guard rails.

Julia came rushing up to Dan who held out Gianni to her mother. About the same time Gianni woke up and latched on to her mother with little sobs. Julia was tearing up as well and crooning soft words to her cub.

"Thank you Dan! Thank you so much!" Julia choked out. 

Dan wondered about what to tell her. Part of the reason that Grover was leaving involved one of his wolves. ...but how did he feel about it? It was a bit of a joke to everyone how the confident werebear with a penchant for pie and loud laughter would turn into a shuffling red faced boy whenever Julia was around. He also knew that Julia really, and truly cared for the big man herself. Would Julia leave? Would she leave with Grover? Or would she stay and let Grover leave? Would Grover stay, how would that affect the pack? What would be best for them? What would be best for Grover and what did Grover really want? Dan sent a silent prayer to Luna, and spoke.

"Grover saved Gianni, and he is leaving tomorrow before breakfast." Dan said quietly.

Julia gasped and Gianni's sobs went silent. The little girl turned fierce eyes to Dan's and a little of the Alpha she would become came out.

"Gwover can't weave! I wuv him! He saved me! I won't wet him!" Gianni said, and wiggled down from her mother's arms and tore across the clearing in puppy form since she could run faster that way. An unsuspecting Grover had his back turned and just finished bolting the second to last bolt in the guardrail when he heard a squeaky snarl and a very sharp pain as puppy teeth sank into the back of his calf!

"Zeus and flaming ASHES!" he cursed and began hopping round on one foot with his other leg up in the air and a determined pup growling and chewing on his leg while being swung back and forth!

"Dominoes and DAMNATION young'un! That hurts! Let go ya' near sighted badger! How's 'bout I bite you instead?" Grover roared out.

Gianni let go of him and growled at him angrily her fur all bushy and standing on end and began giving him squeaky barks of outrage!

"I can not understan' ya'! I do not do that whole mental mojo that ya'll do! I'm not pack! You got's sometin' ta' say then change, durn it all, an' say it!" Grover bellowed while standing on one leg and rubbing his sore calf.

Gianni changed back to being a little blonde headed girl. "You was going to weave Gwover! You was gwoin to weave and not say goodbye! I wuved you...Now I hate you!" Then she sat down, tilted her head back and began to bawl!

Grover looked like someone had hit him in the face with a 4x4 post! Which had happened before when doing construction on the house. It fell down two stories and he had looked up to have it hit him on the forehead straight on and he had stood there for a few moments, then shook it off and got back to work. Dan and Julia watched as Grover dropped to his knees in front of the child who was still bawling her eyes out. He reached for her and she slapped his hands away with a child's carelessness.

"You don't get to hug me! You hate me! You was gwoin to leave and don't cawre about me! You...you...Gwover!" Gianni cried harder and then held her little hands to her face. With her hands distracted by tears Grover snatched up the little girl and held her tight to his chest.

"Oh! Lil Darlin'! Don't chu' say such things...such nonsense now! Ya' hear me?" He growled, tears leaking down out of his beady eyes and falling on the little girl's blonde crown of hair.

"I don' wanna leave! I got's too!" he choked out. "I's a bear...not a wolf...I couldn' stay, I'm not pack...I'm nothin' like those foxie folk or doggie folk. We can't...we can't..." 

Then Grover dissolved into tears and big sobs that shook his body as he held the little pup close. Dan was almost afraid for the little girl being able to breathe, but he didn't move...more afraid to break this moment. There was something big coming up, something that needed to come out of this man. Glancing aside at his packmate he saw her watching with hands folded and held close to her mouth, it might be something that Julia needed to hear too.

Gianni wiggled some and Grover let her loose enough so she began kissing his large round face and tugging on his beard to bring his head down for more of those little girl butterfly kisses.

"I luv' you little pup!" Grover burst out.

It was like the words were torn from him, and they carried across the yard to several other wolves ears. They all stopped to watch this strange turn of events. Grover sobbing and Gianni kissing his big shaggy head.

"I luv yor' mama too! But she don' wanna man like me! She needs a nice goo' lookin' feller whose smart an' smells nice whose got money and stuff to take care of her and ya'!"

He choked up again and then picked up the little girl in his massive hands, his catcher mitt palms almost enclosed her entire frame as he held her up so their two tear stained faces could see each other eye to eye.

"Tha's why I got ta' go child. One of these days a han'some and fine guy's gonna come 'long and sweep yo' mama off a' her feet and she will fall in luv with him." He scrunched his eyes and more tears leaked out." Gianni started to wiggle but grew still when Grover's eyes looked back at hers. The pain there was so clear even a little girl like her could see it and feel it.

"When that a' happens...My hear' will just' die child! Knowin' that she foun' someones will make me so happy, but knowin'...knowin' it can't be me jus' kills me!" Grover pulled her in again and held her tight. Giani's arms were trying to circle around his neck and failing miserably, it was just too big!

Dan glanced out of the corner of his eye at how Julia was taking this, then turned his head in surprise...

She wasn't there!

He looked back towards the two crying people and got another shock...Julia was closing in on the pair and closing fast!

Grover looked up in time to see Julia's skirts streaming and legs pumping and a fiery look in her eyes that would put Dan's Alpha expression to shame! Then the little woman launched herself through the air in a flying tackle that knocked the big man on his back as he carefully held Gianni safe from the collision.

Grover blinked in surprise up at the she wolf who glared down at him with a strange mix of...

"Mine!" Julia barked loudly and kissed Grover full on the lips! 

As soon as he found Julia gone he turned and watched to see what was going to happen. When she took Grover out Dan did have to snicker a bit and her jump was as good as Angie's had been. "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered." He murmured quietly before looking up at the Ursa constellations and sent a prayer of thanks to them. He had to admit he almost hesitated since the last thing he wanted was them meddling in his life.

Saul came up next to him and watched curiously as a wolf cub, a she wolf and a large grizzly bear rolled around together in the wood chips.

"Did I miss something?" Saul asked. 

Dan nodded and brought his laughter under control. "Julia is just chastising Grover for taking so long to let her know he cared for her. We just got a new pack member!" Dan said smiling, as suddenly he felt Grover's mind added to the ranks. He opened his eyes wide as it happened and stiffened.

The power of the pack was based on the moon, on Luna, but now the power of the Ursa's...a small taste of it passed through Dan's mind and body and tickled at the edges of his soul. It was hard to put into words, but the best way would be to compare some things. 

Luna is what controls the tides, oceans and so forth, the Ursas provide direction and guidance. To follow the Ursa is to never be lost, and to always know where to put your feet. This is probably what made it so difficult for Grover, he felt called to stay. He felt it in his very soul...But his head was denying what everything else felt. 

As I said, hard to put into words. But Dan sure as heck felt it. He could feel the quiet brute strength of his new packmate, and feel the touch of completion that was felt by all three as a new family had been born.

Epilogue:

Under a beautiful crescent moon and the north star a small woman and a large man joined hands and a thick cord was wrapped around their wrists. For the first time Grover had on a collared shirt since he had been a boy, and clean jeans and shoes. They had tried to get him in a suit at which point he growled and said that with hot sauce foxes and wolves taste just like chicken! Julia was dressed in a golden colored dress and her daughter matched as a smaller version of her mother.

After they all kissed and pledged themselves together as a family, Dan walked up to them both and handed Grover a large stockman pocket knife. He had taken it back from Grover for the ceremony and made a few changes. On one side was an etching of the heads of the three of them in their other form. On the other was a recessed silver plate that had their names and date of the Mating on it.

"This all started with you looking for your pocket knife, figured it should end with one too." Dan told him with a smile. "Oh, and remember you won't lose this one either.

Welcome to the Family Grover!

Epilogue #2

Aka No glared at that little stretchy thing that had been around her mate's tails. She had run a number of tests and knew that it was made of concentric bands of a stretchy material. They were covered by a thin fabric and the two ends were sealed together. Aka yipped some curses at the damn thing since it wasn't giving up any secrets.

"Stupid were-thing. What is this stupid thing? I simply don't see any use for it." She picked it up and stretched it again. One side of the band thingy slipped off her finger and zinged away. Behind her she heard a slight grunt.

When she turned around and found Amaratsue glaring at her. One hand was over his nose and he growled at her. "Was there a reason for the random assault? I haven't done anything wrong that I know of." He turned his eyes to the thing on the floor and debated on destroying it. Ever since that damn bear did his tails up it had been distracting his mate and making her grumpy.




Silver Moon - Were-Bear Fan Fic



"Don't you dare! I will figure its secrets out come hell or high water." She flicked a finger and it rose and floated across the room and settled down in the little containment field she had created for it. She stood up and flicked her tails in disgust. "Damn thing is going to drive me nuts damn it. I am about ready to toss you back to the human realm so you can find out what it is."

The two of them walked out of the room and the door shut behind them. In the containment field the ponytail holder was floating and it almost looked like it was smiling from a certain angle.




Payenbrant's note: This is the end of this particular tale of Grover Solomon Brooks. Do not believe that this is all of them. He has had many adventures before this, and several after this story as well. We may tell them...we may not. That, our dear readers...

...Is entirely up to you!

Maxd01's note: This was written as a fan fic by Payenbrant from Lit.com. He approached me about it and we finally decided he was going to do the base story. Once that was done he tossed it in my direction for edits and I tossed it back. We did this several times before we both were happy with the flow and dialogue. As a side note the time scale in this story is slightly off compared to the main version but it shouldn't be a big deal. Anyways please enjoy.