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Chapter Twenty One: The Odd Couple

Aside from the clatter of various implements into drawers, and the occasional droning hum of hand truck wheels, the closing of the Hunter family stall was a largely silent affair. There was little warm and friendly chatter between the family members short of simple directions from Audrey. What to put where, and how to pack what, and so on. Dawn did what she could to assist, but her small stature lent her to very few tasks that could be handled more simply by the larger mammals among the family. At the very least Dawn could take solace in the fact that she wasn't the only one 'short changed' when it came to helping out, as Qali seemed to be more or less in the same boat. Between her and the little fox they were only moving a single case at a time while the others carried three or four. Or in the case of Vanna, a towering seven cases of leftover pies at a time.

Dawn could tell this was supposed to be something that normally was a fun, playful task between the Hunters. But the standoff that had taken place just moments ago seemed to have drained any exuberance the family had right out of them. Dawn could see it on the faces of the various members of the Hunter family as they went about their task. There was a sad resignation behind their eyes, hidden behind terse and irritated grimaces. There wasn't a one among them that didn't have some sort of visual tell alerting to the fact that they were stewing below the surface. Drooped ears, sagging tails, and slumping gaits plagued the Hunters as they silently packed away supplies. Vernon was no exception, his expression seemingly stuck somewhere between angry and wounded. The ewe had never seen his ears bow as sharply as they were now, and she was sure she could hear the occasional soft whine escape his muzzle as he moved about the stall. It was clear there was a lot weighing on the wolf's mind, and unlike the other Hunters, Dawn at least had some idea as to what was going on in the wolf's head. But the ewe had agreed to hold off questioning the wolf until they were alone again. It was clear that whatever he was waiting to say had a great deal of emotion behind it, and it was something he did not want the others to see.

Even so, it wasn't as if Dawn was free from her own miserable woe stricken thoughts. She imagined she must have looked as equally dismal as the rest of the family as she went about her share of the work. It made it easier to understand why no one had spoken. The thoughts that stewed below the ewe's surface were screaming to get out, eager for the ewe to continue to prostrate herself before Audrey and the others in a pathetic heap. To apologize again and again for things she had already been forgiven for, and lament the trouble she had caused. And Dawn was worried if she opened her mouth the words would simply come pouring out and she would be unable to stop.

It was her fault after all, at least that's how Dawn was starting to see it. Every argument, every fight, every single little problem could be easily traced back to her as its source in some form or another. It was as if she were a dark shroud that had descended over the Hunter household and tore the family asunder. And regardless of what Audrey, Vernon, or any of the other Hunters could say to try to convince her of the contrary, it would do little to dissipate the mountain of guilt the ewe felt hanging over her head. The weight of it seeming to grow more and more as her mind swam with the countless ways in which she had managed to hurt the family. The anxiety and pressure building as her perceived sins all flowed into one thought that rang louder than any other, the simple conclusion that her attendance at the family reunion was a terrible idea.

Dawn had been skeptical at the very notion of meeting Vernon's family all at once, let alone at something that was seen as a 'tradition' among the Hunters. To Dawn it seemed to be inappropriate for many reasons. There was the fact that they had only been officially an 'item' for just above three months. As well as surprising Vernon's family by revealing he had taken a prey mammal as a mate. After all, Vernon had never shown an interest in prey before she had come back into his life, and so how was his family supposed to respond to that. The ewe imagined that even the most tolerant of families would still find such a predicament a bit of a tough pill to swallow. The there was of course her criminal past. Regardless of her work to reform and her recent actions in Zootopia, it still made for an unpleasant chapter in her history all the same. And any mammal still willing to hold it against her would have been well within there rights to do so. It had all seemed like far too much to expect or put upon the mammals that she had only heard a very little amount about.

But she couldn't say no to her Puppy. Not with his drooping ears and his pleading eyes. For every negative possibility the wolf was quick to assure her of the contrary, and it wasn't as if the wolf was without his fair share of reasonable points. Vernon had already met her Mother Clover, and aside from accidently hitting his head entering the older ewe's home the whole affair had went exceedingly well. Her mother couldn't say enough nice things about the wolf, even when it came to private texts and emails. Of course Clover was one mammal, and they had only spent an afternoon there. By comparison the Hunter reunion seemed a more daunting task, even if it had been limited to simply Audrey and Dorian. But according to Vernon, Audrey was even softer than Clover was in many respects, and with his brothers almost all dating outside their species the wolf seemed adamant that the fact that she was prey would play no part in his families reception of her. Dawn's criminal past was the only thing that seemed to trip the wolf up slightly when it came to his unwavering confidence going to the family reunion. But the wolf was quick to sweep it aside in favor of sharing his ideas on picturesque experiences the two would get to share away from the family.

The picture he had painted was so dreamy and wonderful. Fairs, barbeques, fall sunsets and picnics in the meadows. The excitement behind the wolf's pitch was instantly infectious as was always the case. Dawn would meet his family, and get a real taste of the life she had missed out on. The one she had been denied for so many years. And her logical fears began to waiver under Vernon's emotional appeal. She loved her mate, her Darling Puppy, but the wolf had a terrible habit of thinking purely in idealistic terms. It was normally something Dawn considered a healthy counterbalance to her own 'glass half empty' perception of life that had been cultivated growing up under her Father's hoof. But when faced with situations like the one they were now in, the wolf's lack of planning for the possibility of things not quite going the way he expected clearly left him struggling for ideas on how to turn the situation around.

She could see hints of it behind his eyes the moment that Wade had told them Giselle wasn't going to be coming along on the trip. A brief lost and confused look, as he was evidently trying to re-appraise the situation and course correct for the unexpected turn. It was a look that became more and more prolonged and pronounced with each wrench that had been thrown into Puppy's overall plan, and as of now it still hadn't left his face. She knew she should have been more adamant when it came to planning for the worst, to pull her Puppy Love back down to Animalia and place his paws firmly back on the ground. Then perhaps they could have navigated more easily through the seemingly endless rough patches the trip had thrown them.

But she was greedy, at least part of her felt that way. For wanting all that Vernon said he planned out. The hunger to live that fantasy beating her doubts and uncertainties into submission and getting her to agree to it with significantly less protest than she should have put up. If introducing Vernon to her Mother had been so easy, certainly it would have been just as easy to meet the Hunters. And even if she hadn't won over the Hunters on the first trip, she could still have a great time with her mate. To have everything Vernon had talked about, everything they wanted, that she wanted. Memories that would last forever.

But then reality came crashing down around them, around the little dream bubble Vernon had fought so desperately to protect. There were so many things they had ignored, and worse, things she had failed to even take into account among her own laundry list of presumptions. The most egregious of which being the ewe had failed to consider exactly what their relationship being so public would do for those closest to them. Vernon was proud to be her mate, and she was equally proud to be his. But he often ignored the risks of being so brazen about the two of them being together, always certain he could handle whatever fallout would come. That together they could stand up to anything. And what could have possibly come from meeting his folks that they couldn't handle? How big a deal could it have been?

But that was the point. They had made the choice to stand against the world when it came to their relationship, and accept what came with that. But their parents hadn't made that choice, nor had Vernon's siblings. It was simply something they had to accept, either with joy or disdain. And now the Hunters were forced to face the consequences for Dawn and Vernon's choice to live as they chose. The Hunter and Bellwether names were now to be directly associated with prey-chasing, pred-baiting, crossing, and what ever other slang the mammals of the world could come up with. And Dawn was only set to make it worse when the book she was writing was finally released. Then there would be no more reasonable doubt as to the nature of their relationship. From blurry pictures and speculation from the rumor mill that was the 'Zootopian Query' straight to the top story on ZNN. Her proud stance along side her Puppy Love would throw every member of their families into the public eye, and with it their names and public image. Dawn imagined whatever would come after that would pale in comparison to the scene that had played out today in front of the Hunter stall. And the ewe was becoming more and more skeptical of the idea of risking doing such a thing to a family that had mostly accepted her with open paws.

She could already hear Audrey's reply should she even mention such fears to the she-wolf.

"Darlin', you have to put that book out! I'll be insulted if ya'll don't."

Just looking at the She-wolf from across the stall she could practically imagine her current stern countenance turning on a dime if Dawn even approached her. Audrey would never stand for the ewe to be silenced, she had proven as much just moments before. And that's what made it all so much worse for Dawn.

She knew the Hunters now, she cared about them. Aside from Dorian, Yuri and Ulric, the family had simply embraced her, and stood up for her at every opportunity. And what had she managed to do in the two short days she had been visiting? Dawn had managed to drive a wedge between Vernon and his Father, as well as Dorian and the Hunters at large. Not only that, but she had hurt the families livelihood. It made it feel even more so that Dawn had stabbed them in the back somehow, that because they were forced to stand up for her due to circumstances she caused simply just by being there. Regardless of whether the mob was justified or not, the ewe had hurt the Hunter family. Especially Ada, who looked as though she was set to be in lock-up for who knows how long, all because Dawn had failed to stand up for herself.

The ewe bit her tongue as she ruminated on that thought, nearly dropping the case of pies she was carrying as she cringed. It was bad enough she had caused that scene, and had fed into Ana's tirade. But the fact that once again she needed a bigger mammal to step in and save her. Granted she hadn't asked for the help, but still relied on it to salvage the situation. Her resolve had once again proven too weak, even after everything she had been through, she still managed to loose her nerve when it came to the confrontation. And the end of everything saw her once again simpering into Vernon's side like a helpless, timid failure.

Her therapist, Dr. Gnu had long told her that the path to better self confidence was not one that could be easily traversed overnight. After all, not even mammals with the strongest of wills could rise to the occasion every time. But the ewe had felt so much stronger after coming back from the brink, she was so certain she was no longer the meek little sheep she had been before. But the wildebeest had ultimately proven right once again as the sheep found herself still taking the easiest way out more often than not when the opportunity arose.

She should have spoken up, used her political prowess to take command of the situation and fix it. To keep Ada out of jail and manage to diffuse everything before Dorian was forced to intercept it. But it was too late, the ewe had missed her chance, and the entire Hunter clan was now suffering for her own perceived weakness. The weekend was a complete and utter disaster, and the ewe was certain now more than ever that Dorian would never accept her as part of the hunter family. Perhaps, the ewe mused, the time had come to simply throw in the towel. To give up on the dream that Vernon had, and simply return to the city in shame, never to return to the Ranch after all the trouble she caused.

"Alright, who's riding with me?" Audrey's voice broke the sullen silence hanging over the stall, snapping Dawn out of her malaised stupor. She nearly dropped the case she was loading into the pie truck as the she-wolf called the family to attention. Setting the crate down, the ewe made her way back toward the she-wolf that was now gesturing the family to group up. She had only gotten a few steps away before she felt a strong paw grip her on the shoulder.

"We'll ride in the back of your truck Ma, if that's fine." Vernon spoke, giving the ewe a gentle squeeze. The wolf's flashed the ewe a warm smile despite his sad eyes. Dawn lifted a hoof and placed it gingerly on his paw, giving it a soft squeeze in response as she flashed a meek smile of her own. Vernon let out a soft whine as he rubbed the back of his head with his other paw. She could tell her poor little Sheepdog was suffering as much as she was, and it made the ewe even more eager to get to their picnic so he could get his troubles off his chest.

"We might as well handle the Van." Zach added, gesturing to Vanna and himself. " If ya'll want we can unpack it ourselves too, that way-"

"Nothin' doing." Trenton interjected. "Ain't like we can all fit in Ma's truck anyway, and it's not me and Qails got any big plans for the rest of the night."

"I take it that means yer ridin' with them?' Audrey asked.

"Yeah, me and Qails will ride in the back." Trenton asserted.

"Do you want me in the va-?"

"No!" Trenton and Zach cut Ulric off before he could even finish his question, both seemingly unwilling to even hear the wolf out.

Ulric's ears drooped as the dark grey wolf let out a soft whine. But it was short lived as his Mother wrapped a paw around him, pulling him in and giving the wolf a playful tussle of his fur.

"Aw, that's alright sweetheart, ya'll can ride up front with yer Ma." Audrey smiled as Ulric tried to pull away. It took him a few pulls before he stumbled out of her grasp, playfully swatting at his Mother.

"And ya'll can talk my ear off about whatever ya'll want. As much as you want." Audrey added.

Ulric seemed to beam at this, clapping his paws together excitedly.

"R-really! Oh Ma you're gonna love the stuff I got to tell you! I've got a whole bunch of new UFO stories I th-"

"I guess that means the rest of us are riding in the back Mom?" Xavier asked, taking a step next to Vernon and Dawn. The well dressed wolf gestured to the pair, as well as Malcolm and Wade.

"'Suppose ya'll will have to." Audrey chuckled. "Unless any of ya'll want to squeeze in front with us?"

"Please, Dawn's the only one who could even fit." Xavier replied.

"Well she's more than welcome to!" Audrey cooed as she bent down and gave the ewe a playful nudge. " Although I ain't sure she wants to hear about ghosts."

"Aliens Ma, UFOS?" Ulric enunciated the acronym, clearly distressed that his Mother had seemingly confused the topic.

"Oh sorry Darlin'." Audrey tutted.

"We're fine in the back Ma." Vernon asserted. The wolf leaned forward slightly, squeezing Dawn's shoulder as he spoke. It was clear the wolf was still in protective mode, despite Audrey's non threatening demeanor.

"Alright, alright." The wolfess placed her paws up defensively. "I hear ya."

With that the she wolf turned her back to the group, making her way toward the back of the stall.

"Ya'll can head to the cars, I just have to lock up before we can go." The she-wolf waved them off as she continued her walk. "I'll catch up to ya'll in a bit."

As the other Hunters began to depart, Dawn could feel the wolf's grasp on her shoulder tighten slightly, drawing her attention. As she looked up at Vernon, the wolf looked away, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Y-ya want a lift Floofs?" Vernon murmured.

Dawn was slightly taken aback. "Y-you're asking me?" Dawn replied.

"W-well you're the one who told me to warn ya next time, weren't ya?' Vernon flashed the ewe a weak grin.

It was true, Dawn had told the wolf hundreds of times to give her a warning before lifting her up on his shoulders. But she would be lying if she said she didn't secretly enjoy it. She knew the reason Vernon rarely asked was out of simple forgetfulness, his excitement and exuberance making him act before even thinking. That said, the fact that he had even thought to ask was a clear indication he was not in a great state of mind.

"I-I'm fine down here for now Puppy." Dawn said reluctantly. She didn't want to further depress the wolf, but she certainly wasn't feeling up to the ride in her current state.

Vernon let out a sad whine, but nodded in agreement. However Dawn was quick to take his paw, gripping it tightly in her hoof.

"I'd prefer to hold your paw for a while, if that's okay." Dawn smiled.

Dawn watched Vernon's ears perk slightly, a genuine smile cutting through the gloom for a moment as he squeezed back.

Unlike the van, which had been parked behind the stall for easy loading and unloading, Audrey had parked the truck on the edge of the parking lot. Granted that was only a short walk from the stand as it was. The Hunter stall was situated relatively close to the entrance of the fair. Prime real estate, Dawn thought, as it allowed 'Hunter's Bounty' to be one of the first names patrons got to see as they entered the fairground. It was also a painful reminder to the ewe of the fact that she had put the stand in jeopardy. Who knows how long the family stand had been a part of the festivals traditions. If Audrey's story about meeting Dorian was anything to go by, that number was at least thirty years if not longer. And now Dawn was left to worry about what would become of it. Would this be the last year the stall was allowed to run at the fair because of her and Vernon?

The hard thunk of the truck bed door opening drew Dawn's attention back to the wolves in front of her. Wade was already half way into the truck bed, sliding his way toward the back of the cab while Malcolm was easing his way up onto the flap. Dawn watched as the pudgy wolf awkwardly flopped onto the bed. He blushed slightly through his fur as he righted himself, scratching the back of his head as he tried to play it off.

"As elegant as always Darling." Xavier chuckled.

"Don't be fresh, or I won't help ya up." Malcolm retorted as he offered the dapper wolf a paw.

Xavier adjusted his glasses, glaring at the truck apprehensively before taking his mates paw. As the well dressed wolf climbed on to the back of the truck, he seemed to walk with care, his eyes studying the floor briefly before he carefully took a seat.

"Honestly, if ya'll are so worried about mussin' up yer clothes you should have taken the front seat!" Malcolm chortled.

"And leave all of you at the mercy of Ulric's sparkling conversational skills? Even I'm not that cruel." Xavier replied as his mate leaned into him. The dowdy wolf wrapped an arm around the husky chef, pulling him in close.

Despite her general mood, Dawn couldn't help but giggle slightly at the pairs back and forth. She wasn't sure how long they had been an item, but the way they spoke made it seem like they had been together for years.

As Vernon walked Dawn to the edge of the truck, the wolf kneeled by the side of it, offering his free paw as a stepping stool to boost her into the truck. Still clasping his other paw tightly Dawn carefully eased her way into the truck bed. Once she was safely inside, the ewe slid down the bed to make room for Vernon. Satisfied with the amount of space she had provided, the petite sheep leaned an arm on the lip of the trunk, peeking over the side at the at the entrance of the fair. Yet again she could spy the Hunter stand, barely obscured by a few other food and game stalls in the distance. By now Audrey was making her way back toward them, the business of locking up evidently taken care of. But the she-wolf's face was still stuck in a sharp grimace, causing Dawn to form a deep frown of her own. Audrey had been nothing but welcoming and caring when it came to Dawn, and it hurt the ewe that much more to know that she was the reason the she-wolf was in such a state. It was almost alien to the ewe seeing the normally cheerful wolf so dour.

Dawn let out a surprised yelp as she felt a pair of paws clasp around her, pulling her away from the edge of the truck. Out of sheer force of habit the ewe protested for a split second before her mind reasoned exactly who was grasping her, and summarily relaxed as she soon found herself comfortably seated in Vernon's lap. The ewe glared up at the wolf for a moment.

"You didn't ask that time Puppy." She said, letting out a huff.

"I needed it." Vernon smiled back, wrapping his arms around the ewe and squeezing her tightly into his chest.

Dawn blushed slightly as she caved into the backwards hug. It was impossible to even pretend to be mad when she knew the wolf was in such a funk.

"Alright ya'll, tuck in." Audrey called as she gave a heavy rap on the side of the truck. Ulric had already taken his seat in the cab as Audrey opened the driver's side door. From where the ewe was seated, she couldn't get a good look at Audrey's face as she entered the car. But she imagined it remained much the same.

"I suggest ya'll brace yerselves a bit." Wade said, leaning both his arms on the lip of the truck bed and clasping the sides slightly. "Ma tends to get a bit of the lead foot when she's upset, especially when it involves Pa."

"Lead foot?" Dawn asked, looking up at Vernon worriedly.

"I had more than one reason for buckling you into this 'wolf harness'." Vernon chuckled weakly as he gave the ewe another squeeze.

Dawn let out a quiet gulp, her eyes darting around as the truck rumbled to life. As she heard the tires start to squeal she dug her hooves into Vernon's arms, bracing herself for what was to come. She wasn't sure how fast the she-wolf intended to go, but the ewe prayed it wasn't fast enough to make her motion sick. The diminutive ewe had a poor track record when it came to high speed movement. On top of the many reasons why her last trip on something fast moving was nothing short or nightmarish, as it was associated with being chased by police and nearly driving into a ravine. The ewe also had to contend with keeping her stomach contents from ending up all over Vernon's shirt as they sped down the subway lines. It was why she had shot down every ride Vernon had suggested that appeared vaguely too roller coaster-ey for her liking.

As the truck lurched forward, Dawn could feel her stomach drop, and she tightened her grip on Vernon as she tightly closed her eyes. All of her previous fears were suddenly wiped from her mind as they became replaced by the more urgent and pressing need to will her stomach chambers into behaving as the truck sped out of the parking lot.

Despite the lack of vision caused by her tightly shut eyes, the ewe could vaguely tell every move the vehicle made through its series of terse starts and stops. It stopped sharply at each turn, letting off a honk at what she assumed was another car in the lot before coming to a hard stop. Dawn forced an eye open long enough to see that Audrey had stopped at the mouth of the lot, and was just about to turn back on to the country road that brought them there. It wouldn't be long before they were back on the highway, and Dawn gulped as she imagined just how fast the she-wolf would be driving once she got to it.

As the vehicle lurched forward again, Dawn slammed her eyes shut and began to silently pray to herself as the car picked up speed.

"Don't throw up" She muttered quietly to herself. "Don't throw up, don't throw up." again and again she continued the mantra as she felt the cars speed continue to build.

"Honey Lamb?" She could hear Vernon's voice, but she couldn't respond. Breaking her focus now could spell disaster for those within vomiting distance. She could feel the chambers in her stomach doing back flips.

"MA!" Thunk! Thunk! Came a heavy rapping from somewhere in the back. She could tell that was Wade's voice. "Slow down will ya! Yer making us sick back here!"

Dawn wasn't sure if Audrey had heard her son, or simply had gotten the message through the heavy pounding against the truck, but slowly she felt the speed of the vehicle begin to ease. As it drew slower and slower Dawn could feel her stomach start to settle, and soon the ewe was able to release her vice like grip on Vernon's arms as the speed finally arrived at something more reasonable. Dawn let out a sigh as she finally opened her eyes again.

They were now back on the highway, although thankfully obeying the speed limit at this point. The ewe wiped her brow before placing a hoof to her head.

"Ugh..." Dawn murmured.

"Sorry Darlin'." Vernon replied, gently brushing back the ewe's head wool as Dawn steadied herself.

"Mother has always been quite the...emotional mammal." Xavier added.

Dawn tilted her head toward the sky, laying it back against Vernon's chest as she regained her bearings. She could feel the mixture of cotton candy and other fair foods that had risen up into the back of her gullet slowly sliding back down where it belonged.

It took a few moments of cloud gazing before Dawn could finally bring her focus back to the truck beds occupants. Now that the excitement had died down, the rest of the Hunters had returned to the simple silence that had permeated the clan during the closing of the stall. Wade continued to hold the sides of the bed, staring off at nothing in particular, while Malcolm and Xavier seemed to be doing little more than simply enjoying each others embrace.

Dawn wanted to speak, say something to try to liven up the mood that had returned from the previous altercation with Dorian. But the ewe couldn't bring herself to do it. Her thoughts had returned to her own general glumness about everything she had caused. And thus it seemed that much more inappropriate to act as though the Hunter's needed her to cheer them up. Instead, the ewe decided it was better to take a page from Wade, and simply let her mind wander as she stared out at nothing in particular.

The ewe turned her half hearted attention to the other lane of the highway across from them, watching a few stray cars stream by. By all intents and purposes it was practically rush hour, yet despite it neither side of the highway seemed particularly cluttered. Dawn chalked that up to the pros of rural living. Even with Zootopia as close as it was, the North Meadowlands simply didn't have enough mammals living in it to ever have to worry about congestion. She imagined that if one were to take the entire population of the North Meadowlands and stick them into an emptied Zootopia, they would barely fill up Savanna Square.

The familiar squeal of a police siren broke Dawn from her reverie, and as she continued to watch the lane opposite the Hunter truck the ewe caught sight of a local squad car. The ewe watched as a North meadowlands police cruiser passed on the other side of the highway. Her eyes lingered after it until it was well out of sight as her thoughts drifted back to Ada. Granted the car clearly wasn't Dorian's. She could only assume it was well at the station by now. But she couldn't help but find herself worried for the large, slightly abrasive canid. Here was a mammal that accepted Dawn as her 'sister' without a moments hesitation, and she had jumped to Dawn's defense in much the same way. Dawn barely knew Ada, yet here she rose to the ewe's defense as readily as Vernon would. Now the hyena was in who knew how much trouble. Even if she got out on bail fairly easily, Dawn was certain that nasty she-wolf Ana would do everything she could to make it worse for her.

Dawn could feel the immense guilt returning as she imagined the poor mammal being dragged through an endless slew of hearings, and the possibility of jail time, all at the expense of a dumb ewe who couldn't stand up for herself. Even if they were to decide to return to Zootopia and call the trip a failure, she was certain she couldn't leave Ada in the lurch after what she had done for her. Dawn knew she had to do something, anything to make things square with the hyeness.

"I can tell you're worried about Ada." Xavier said, causing Dawn to snap her head in the wolf's direction. The ewe twiddled her hooves slightly as she shimmied deeper into Vernon's chest.

"Y-yes." Dawn muttered. "After what she did for me..." Dawn trailed off, glancing up at the wolf above her. "For us...I'm just, I ca-"

Xavier chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "She'll be fine Ms. Bellwether, I can assure you."

"Yeah, it's not exactly her first rodeo Darlin'." Malcolm laughed, nudging his partner playfully.

"But still, we have to do something." Dawn turned her attention back to Vernon, clasping a hoof to his chest. "M-Maybe we can pay her back for the bail. It's the least we can do!"

"She'd never accept it." Wade interjected.

Dawn's frowned sharply. "W-what, why?"

"That girl is far too proud to take money from any mammal." Wade continued. "Even more so when it's a fight she jumped into, that stuff is fun for ol' Ada."

"B-but she did it for us!" Dawn protested.

"She chose to do it for ya'll." Malcolm said. "That's how she's gonna see it anyhow."

"B-but what about down the road?" Dawn asked. "Surely someone as tenacious and vindictive as Ana seems to be isn't going to let Ada go that easily. If she drags it into court I can't imagine what kind of compensation she's pursue." Dawn shook her head briskly. "Or worse yet, jail time."

"Well I supposed that all depends on the type of lawyer she can get a hold of." Xavier replied.

"Aw heck, that don't matter none!" Malcolm chirped, giving his partner another affectionate nudge. "My Xavi ain't gonna let nuthin' stick to Ada. He can laywer circles around any bumpkin' from the Meadowlands Ana can git her paws on! Ain't that right Darlin'?"

Xavier let out an awkward cough. "Well, if Ana ends up stick with little more than local legal representation, then yes I imagine I could get Ada off with little more than a slap on the wrist." The wolf adjusted his glasses.

"Y-you'd represent Ada?" Dawn asked.

"I try to step in whenever my family needs legal help. So naturally that last thing I would do was leave Ada to twist in the wind." Xavier replied. "We Hunters look out for one another, as my brother so proudly boasted earlier."

"B-but what if she gets a lawyer outside of the Meadowlands, maybe someone through Loupon?" Dawn said, chewing at her hoof.

"Considering Loupon's attitude toward the end of our little confrontation, I doubt Ana's going to have the connections to pull a decent lawyer."

"Pftt, like that would matter!" Malcolm crossed his paws. "Nobody beats my Xavi when it comes to fightin' in the courtroom! I bet he could run circles around Zootopia's best legal mammals if'n he had to."

Xavier bowed his head slightly, his ears flattening out as he looked toward his lap. Dawn could see the hint of a blush forming below the fur on the wolf's muzzle.

"P-Please Malcolm, you've said enough." Xavier coughed again.

"Ain't no how I did!" Malcolm chortled. "Ya'll just need to learn to accept praise when it's due!"

"Speaking of..." Vernon added. "You made partner? When did that happen?"

Xavier perked up slightly, his blush fading under a creeping prideful grin.

"I-It was last month, give or take a few days." Xavier swelled his chest, flashing a broad smile. "I just hadn't really had a chance to mention it to everyone yet. To be honest I'm still getting used to it myself."

"Fienstag, Goldram, and Hunter..." Malcolm trailed off, letting out an appreciative sigh. "I can't tell you how overjoyed I am to see Xavi's name in big gold letters on the side of their office building. I'm so proud of my little Fluffybuns!"

Vernon and Wade let out sputtering laughs while Dawn did her best to hold in a giggle of her own. She could see Xavier's face flush a deep crimson as his eyes widened. His shock and embarrassment quickly turned into an irritated glare directed toward his mate. Malcolm shrank slightly, trying to suppress a smile of his own as he placed a paw to his mouth.

"S-Sorry Xavi honey..." Malcolm murmured.

"'Fluffybuns', 'huh?" Vernon asked, arching an eyebrow as he grinned mischievously.

"Like you have any room to talk 'Puppy Love'." Xavier retorted, letting out a snort as he crossed his arms.

"Alright fellas, we all have embarrassin' pet names." Wade interjected. " No need to get yer hackles up over it."

"Mine ain't embarrasin'." Vernon added, crossing his paws and drawing Dawn more tightly into his chest. "I like it."

Dawn let out another giggle as she hugged the wolf's arms tightly in response. However she could see that Xavier was still flustered, and rather than continue to allow the Hunter boys to tease each other, the ewe thought it best to change the subject and give the legal wolf an out.

"I must confess, I was surprised when Vernon told me you were a lawyer Xavier." Dawn said, adjusting her own spectacles. "I mean, he told me before he was the only one out of all of you who hadn't went into police work."

Xavier seemed to relax slightly, uncrossing his arms and placing his paws on his lap.

"Well, being a lawyer is still more or less police work." Xavier replied. "Except my beat is in a courtroom and my battles are fought with words. At least that's how I was able to pitch it to my Father to more or less get him to go along with it."

"He wasn't receptive to the idea?' Dawn asked.

"Well, I'll put it to you this way Miss Bellwether." Xavier sighed. " Name me one mammal who has a high opinion of a lawyer." Xavier said with a chuckle.

"I do!" Malcolm raised a paw, again giving his mate a playful nudge to make sure he noticed. Xavier let out a groan, but Dawn could see the hint of a smile on his muzzle despite it.

"But I told him that being a lawyer was to best way possible for me to be able to help other mammals." Xavier ran a paw through the fur on his scalp. "That while my brothers would be out there catching bad mammals, I would be the one making sure they were properly punished for their actions." Xavier nodded. "It was hard for Dad not to see my side of it."

"Well you do have a real way with words Xave." Vernon added. " I imagine a mammal like you could have convinced Pa that being a musician was somehow going to protect innocent mammals."

Xavier chuckled, shaking his head dismissively. "Please, you know I don't use my 'powers' to manipulate Vernon, I don't lie." Xavier rolled his eyes for a moment, scratching his chin. "Even if most mammals consider my job to be a professional 'bullshitter' as Dad would call it." Xavier laughed.

"Well, I'm sure Pa wasn't thinking you'd mostly be taking civil cases rather than criminal ones." Vernon replied with a smirk. "If anything I'd call that a lie of omission."

Xavier stabbed a finger at Vernon. "Hey, it's still an avenue that helps mammals." The wolf said sharply. Slowly he lowered his paw before easing back into a comfortable position against the edge of the truck bed. "Besides, it certainly helped you today did it not?"

Vernon gave a quiet nod.

"Xavier, if you don't mind me asking.." Dawn trailed off, waiting for the wolf to indicate for her to continue. Xavier gave her a simple, affirmative nod. "Were you always keen on taking civil cases, or is it because of your own...well...I mean..." Dawn couldn't manage to say the words. The ewe as fearful of upsetting the couple accidently. All she could manage was gesturing to the pair as she struggled to get the words out, but fortunately Xavier seemed to get the gist rather quickly.

"Of our relationship? Oh hardly..."

"Well, lah-dee-dah." Malcolm huffed. "I certainly feel important now."

Xavier simply rolled his eyes at Malcolm before continuing. "Like the rest of my family I've always felt a need to stand up for smaller mammals as if it were a sense of personal duty. But not every mammal is small in a literal sense. Many are simply smaller metaphorically when pit against a corporation or a township. Even Mega fauna can find themselves trampled underneath the roar of pubic opinion. So that is the main reason I became deeply invested in the art of legal defense." Xavier said.

"And what's the other 'reason'?" Malcolm added, giving the mammal another nudge to emphasize his statement. Xavier glanced at the red wolf next to him, letting out a defeated sigh before turning back to Dawn.

"Yes well, ahem..." Xavier cleared his throat. "That isn't to say our relationship hasn't made it easier to sympathize with clients who are in unconventional relationships like Malcolm and I." The wolf adjusted his jacket slightly, letting out another rolling cough. "Over time that connection formulated a rather soft spot in me for mammals stuck in those circumstances. And I tended to favor helping them out above general civil cases."

"It's why Fienstag and Goldram were keen to dump 'em strictly on you after a while!" Malcolm chirped, still quite eager to cheerlead his mate's achievements loudly.

"W-well they said I had a knack for them, that I was capable of getting emotionally invested in such cases more than they could ever hope to." The wolf asserted.

"Because you are more understanding due to being in a relationship like that yourself?" Dawn asked.

Xavier nodded. "I wouldn't say we have it particularly hard personally. San Francisgoat is a very progressive city, and even so same sex couplings aren't exactly the highest type of relationship on the totem pole of public scorn. The most hassle Malcolm and myself have had to endure usually comes from wolves." Xavier shrugged. "I assume it's because they have an easier time of telling the difference between wolves that are just hanging out together and wolves that are a couple. Perhaps through smell or some other innate intuition. Even so it's usually more of a Native Wolf thing with regards to calling us out. "

Dawn raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Totem pole of public scorn?"

Xavier chuckled, extending a paw out. He held it high in the air.

"At the top you have prey and prey couples." Xavier lowered his paw slightly. "Slightly below that you got preds in general. Considering prey are more numerous and preds used to hunt them there's bad blood there, as you already know."

Dawn grimaced slightly, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Below that you have your Omnivores, you'd be surprised to hear they get a lot of flack because of their unique diet. Mammals, both pred and prey seem to share a mutual distrust of those who can't pick a side of the dietary scale to stick to."

"Below that ya'll got mammals like us." Malcolm interrupted, hovering his own paw below Xavier's.

Xavier looked at Malcolm briefly, letting out another sigh. "Same sex couplings mostly get flack from members of their own species, what with the inability to reproduce usually being a main point of contention."

Xavier brought his paw below Malcolms. "Then we have interspecies couplings of prey and prey, and pred and pred, as well as the rare offspring of those unions such a ligers and zhorses." Xavier stated. "A bulk of my discrimination cases come from couples like these, and it's truly distressing what some of them have had to endure just to be allowed to love the mammal they wanted to." Xavier pressed the center band of his glasses, sliding them back up his nose.

"And then?" Dawn asked knowingly. She could already assume what was to come next.

Xavier let out another sigh as he lowered his paw again, it was now getting dangerously close to the floor of the truck bed.

"Then you have pred and prey couples like..." Xavier shook his head before gesturing toward Dawn and Vernon.

"I figured..." Dawn muttered.

"The cases with pred and prey couples are few and far between." The wolf sighed, scratching he head. "I think it has to do with a combination of the fact that there are so few of them, as well as the amount of shame such a coupling carries keeping them in hiding when it comes to being seen in public. I can only imagine some of the horror stories couples like those have to tell." The wolf shook his head. "Especially those living out in the sticks."

"Can't get much lower than us huh?" Vernon said with a chuckle.

"Maybe if ya'll were a liger and a zhorse in a gay interspecies relationship." Malcolm laughed, sliding a paw across the truckbed floor until it was below Xavier's. "Then I imagine ya'll'd be here."

Dawn felt the truck shift, and turning her attention back to the road she could see Audrey's truck was now pulling away from the highway. She watched as the cement drifted out of sight, only to be replaced by long, amber stalks of grain. She imagined it wasn't much longer until they would be back at the ranch. Dawn couldn't help but ruminate on Xavier's talk of about the ladder of societal outcasts, and the suffering of all the mammals who simply wanted nothing more than to live their lives the way they chose in peace. She wanted the same, with Vernon, with her Mother, with the Hunters. But at the moment it all seemed so frustrating, so hard. How could she and Vernon have that simple peace without jeopardizing the rest of their families.

"It must be such a struggle..." Dawn mumbled. It hadn't been directed at anyone, it had simply slipped out before Dawn knew what she was saying.

"It can be." Xavier replied, drawing Dawn's attention to the fact she had spoken out loud. The ewe placed a hoof to her muzzle, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"I've spoken to numerous clients who've told me so many miserable and horrific stories." Xavier shook his head in disappointment. "Ex-communicated by families, by friends and loved ones. Vandalism, physical abuse, in rare cases a death. Just because of their strong desire to simply be with the mammal they love."

Xavier let out a sad sigh, and for a moment the wolf remained silent, allowing the quiet ambience of the wind to dominate the truck bed. Dawn watched the wolf turn to glance at his partner before a small smile crawled across his muzzle. Xavier leaned over to Malcolm, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead before pulling him in with one arm. Malcolm let out an affection sigh as he leaned into his mate.

"But they fought, and when they needed help they came to me so they could keep fighting." Xavier said confidently. "Being in an unusual relationship like you or I, or the rest of my brothers can be a struggle, but so is anything worth fighting for." The well dressed wolf squeezed his mate into a hug.

Dawn could feel tears start to well as Xavier's words hit home inside her. Glancing up at the wolf above her, she could see his own glistening eyes looking back. And as Vernon's grip around her tightened into a hug of it's own the ewe began to feel something burning inside. A flicker of heat similar to what she had felt in her dreams while comatose in the hospital. Determination.

Xavier was right, his simple but effective statement encapsulated everything Dawn should have been thinking all along. Aside from Dorian, Yuri, and possibly Ulric, most of Vernon's family were stalwart in their support of the two of them being together. Despite Dawn's past, despite the difference in species, and in apparent spite of the risks that were associated with fraternizing with mixed species couples. She and Vernon had the fortune that despite it all they were still lucky enough to be surrounded by so many loving and supportive mammals. Nick, Judy, her Mother, Audrey, Vanna, the list expanded far beyond the capacity for Dawn to count on her own hooves. These were luxuries the mammals that went to seek Xavier's help most likely didn't have. Yet they didn't turn and run away, back into the dark. They stood, and they fought to be able to simply live a relatively normal life. Not only did Dawn owe the completion of her book to herself and Vernon, but she owed it to all the other mammals whose struggles the book would help shed light on. Something they could rally behind and get the attention they deserved.

But the ewe also knew she had to fight for her new family. Despite all that had happened over the first two days of the re-union, every encounter gone awry or misstep, there had always been a Hunter to stand up and defend them. The family had even gone so far to stand against the head of their household all for her and Vernon's sake, and it had been fractured because of it. Dawn couldn't simply give up now, simply turn tail and run back to Zootopia as fast as her hooves could carry her. She owed it to her new family to try to fix the problem, to heal the rift she had created. Even if she couldn't, at the very least she owed it to the Hunter family to try. But the question that now hung in the ewe's mind was simply 'how'?

"Which is why I am still so surprised at my Father for his supposed 'solution'!" Xavier huffed.

"Oh hush now Xavi." Malcolm cooed. "Dori ain't worth getting flustered over."

Xavier let out a scoff. "It is when he's behaving in such a manner, I swear."

"W-well it is his job to keep the peace." Wade stuttered slightly. "Things were getting a bit out of paw there, you were kind of losing it Xave."

Xavier snorted, throwing his brother a glare.

"Oh do not get all 'peace maker' on me Wade." The wolf made air quoting gestures as he emphasized 'peace maker'.

" His actions were completely untenable!" Xavier hissed, crossing his paws. "I've never seen Father behave in such a manner! Let alone side with mammals who were clearly in the wrong."

"He has been actin' different hasn't he?" Malcolm mused, placing a finger to his chin. "Seems like he's all riled up, like something's got under his fur."

"Yeah, us." Vernon muttered tersely.

"That's preposterous!" Xavier cried, gesturing to the two of them. "If you and Dawn are the reason for his behavior, then as I said early it is a slap in the face to the rest of us." Xavier huffed. "How can he approve of our relationships if he seems to take issue with yours? How can he accept Vanna, Qali, Ada or even Malcolm and spurn your mate?"

"M-maybe..." Dawn murmured. She could feel cud rising in her throat as she once again had to think about her own horrible misdeeds. She was averse to bringing it up again, but it seemed like the most obvious answer.

"Maybe it's because of my involvement in the 'Night Howler' plot." Dawn sighed.

Xavier shook his head decisively in dismissal. "Nonsense." the dowdy wolf replied without hesitation. "Father was a champion of rehabilitation, he believed in the idea even more than anyone else in this family."

"And after what ya'll did in Zootopia months ago, I'd think that'd be enough proof to the ol' wolf you were on the level Darlin'." Malcolm added.

"W-what else can it be then?" Dawn replied firmly, drawing back slightly in surprise of her own statements. But it was true, if it had nothing to do with the species difference, than it had to be Dawn's history as an ex-criminal. But the ewe's certainty began to waiver as she recalled a previous conversation with the Hunter girls earlier that day.

Ada and Qali had vastly disagreed about Dorian's true personality because they had met him at different times. And Vanna explained that Dorian had become reclusive and colder in the past few months, even before Dawn had been dating his son in an official sense. Perhaps there was something deeper there that Dawn was simply missing, and Vernon and her showing up had simply been an inopportune time to meet the wolf. As if to confirm her suspicions, the next words out of Malcolm's mouth seemed to add to the story Vanna had painted before.

"Last time I was out to visit he wasn't anything like this. Hell, he was the first one to hug me!" Xavier lamented.

"Ada said something very similar to me today." Dawn responded, scratching her chin.

"Oh?" Xavier asked, seemingly intrigued.

"Yes." Dawn nodded. "When did the two of you last visit?"

Xavier placed a paw to his chin, rolling his eyes as he searched his thoughts.

"Hmm...I'd say..." The wolf trailed off as he tapped a finger against his chin repeatedly. " A little under a year ago, during 'Courtship Day' break I believe."

Dawn nodded in affirmation. "That lines up with what Ada, Vanna and Qali said. That Dorian's only been acting this way for the last few months."

"Well either way." Xavier huffed. "Good luck getting the real reason out of him when he's acting like such a mongrel, he's more stubborn that Vernon!" The well dressed wolf smirked as he gestured to his brother.

"Hey!" Vernon snapped. " I ain't that stubborn!"

Dawn chuckled, patting the wolf on the leg as she eyed him doubtfully. "Vernon, you made us part of a police chase because you weren't willing to let the police take me in for questioning."

"That's different!" The wolf sputtered. "They were trying to frame you!"

"Oh now this is one I absolutely have to hear the details on." Xavier grinned mischievously as he crossed his paws.

Dawn was about to open her mouth, to retell the harrowing story in earnest, but Vernon cut her off.

"Hey look! Were home!" The wolf cried loudly, drawing the ewes attention to her surroundings.

The ewe could see the car was in the process of slowing to a stop as the Hunter Family Ranch pulled into sight. The large sprawling cabin loomed over the old truck as it finally parked, and the rumble of the engine died away. Vernon had popped the trunk door open even before the truck had managed to come to a full stop. The wolf only paused to slide Dawn off his lap and back onto the truck bed before sliding his way off of the vehicle.

"Welp, I better head inside and get the picnic stuff!" The wolf announced abruptly as he adjusted the hem of his jeans.

Xavier simply chuckled as Wade began to make his way toward the trunk flap, shaking his head as the wolf passed. As Malcolm helped the well dressed wolf to his feet, he turned his attention back to Dawn, flashing the ewe a warm smile.

"Promise me you will tell me later, I really want to hear what kind of trouble my poor little brother got himself into."

Dawn smiled, nodding briskly at Xavier before the couple made their way off the back of the truck and onto the gravel drive. As Xavier passed by Vernon, he gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, letting out another laugh before leaving the couple alone.

Dawn eyed the wolf with a smirk of her own, which cause Vernon to turn his attention to the floor in shame.

"I...I said I was sorry for it." Vernon muttered.

Dawn scooted over to the edge of the trunk, giving the wolf an affection pat on the chest.

"I know." She cooed, extending a hoof to the wolf to help her down. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to tell it to others." Dawn giggled as Vernon clasped her hoof tightly. The wolf brought his other arm under her legs, effectively making a lower ledge for her to slide off from. "Especially family."

Dawn hopped to the ground with ease, letting out a grunt as her hooves impacted the uncomfortable gravel. She never usually gave much thought to investing in a pair of 'solepads' like the ones Judy wore, but being in the rough terrain of the country rather than the smooth streets of Zootopia was certainly making her think twice about the idea. The ewe dusted her skirt off before turning her attention toward the now towering wolf.

Vernon was still clearly embarrassed. His teeth were clenched into a firm cringe as he let out a soft whine.

"Y-you ain't really gonna tell 'em all are ya?" Vernon muttered.

Dawn smirked, flicking a hoof toward the wolf. "I suppose it depends on how the picnic goes." Dawn said with a grin.

With that, the wolf's ears perked up, and Dawn could see his tail begin to wag.

"O-Oh the picnic!" The wolf yelped. The way he had said it made it seem as though he had temporarily forgotten it. "Yeah! I have to get all the gear."

Vernon turned, taking a step toward the house before turning back toward Dawn. Reaching down, the wolf gave Dawn's wooly poof a playful tousle. Dawn did her best to swat him away, giggling all the while. But it did little to stop the wolf.

"You wait here, and I'll be back in two shakes of..." Vernon shook his head, letting out a chuckle. "In two shakes of yer tail." The wolf flashed a cheesy grin.

Dawn let out a snorting laugh. "That's not funny."

Vernon pointed a finger toward the ewe as he began to walk backward toward the ranch. "But you laughed!"

Dawn shook her head as the wolf turned away from her and began a swift jog toward the front door. The wolf was nearly at the house when the slamming of car doors and excited gibbering drew Dawn's attention back to the truck cab. In all the excitement the ewe had nearly forgotten about Audrey and Ulric.

"Alright Ulric, I love ya. But seriously yer Ma has a headache." Audrey sighed as she marched passed Dawn toward the door. The she-wolf had a paw clasped to her head, her faced twisted up into a painful wince. Ulric was following close behind, practically hopping in place with excitement. Despite his Mother's declaration, it seemed to do little to slow the wolf down.

"Because that's where sheep came from Ma!' The wolf protested. "That's why they got those weird eyes!"

Dawn suppressed a giggle as she watched the pair continue to trudge toward the house, Audrey looking increasingly tired with each woeful step. All the while Ulric's rant growing quieter and quieter with only a few loud phrases popping out like 'UFO's' and something about 'wool transmitters' before they finally disappeared inside. Now Dawn was alone, left with nothing but the soothing hum of the light breeze wafting across the Meadowlands. The ewe took a moment to lean against the car, letting out a sigh as she began to think back to the matter at hoof once more.

Now that Dawn was set on staying and trying to make up for the trouble she had caused. But the ewe remained uncertain of just how to even begin to go about it. She kept coming back to the talk she had with the other members of the family, about how Dorian had changed seemingly overnight with no provocation. Surely there was a reason, surely some catalyst had to have forced the wolf to change. It was in that moment it became clear to Dawn. Like a brilliant flash through her mind, it became instantly apparent as to what she had to do.

She knew she had to talk to Dorian, alone. It was the only way to possibly mend the situation. Should any of the Hunter's go with her, especially Vernon, it would only end in an explosive argument. She had to face the head of the family, and remain calm and rational in the face of anything the wolf might throw at her. She had to prove to Dorian that she could stand up to him, to stand up for the mammal she loved, and prove that love. Maybe then she could earn the wolf's respect, or at the very least learn the exact reason why he seemed to have it out for her. She had failed to hold her ground at the fair, but she was damn well going to hold her ground now. She had to, for the Hunters, for Vernon, and for herself.