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Chapter Twenty Two: The Best Laid Plans

Dawn let out a tired yawn as she leaned against Audrey's beat up old truck. Vernon had been gone for several minutes, leaving Dawn little to keep herself occupied other than her own thoughts. It was something she really didn't mind. Although she was certain the wolf was now driving himself crazy trying to find whatever he could add to the picnic supplies in order to make up for the days events. It was something Dawn would consider wholly unnecessary, the picnic itself was more than enough to make her happy. But she knew there would be no convincing her Puppy Love otherwise. The wolf had a stubborn heart, and when she was concerned, Vernon wouldn't rest until he had her smiling again. Still, the benefit of being alone with her thoughts gave her more time to mull over how best to approach the now pressing meeting she needed to have with Dorian without Vernon asking what she was thinking about.

Out of all the Hunters, the last one she needed to have any inkling that she intended to speak with Dorian privately would be Vernon. The wolf was too invested in his love for her to even consider letting her face Dorian alone. But the more she thought over the confrontation, the more she realized just how unequipped she was to face him. Dawn barely knew anything about Dorian other than he was a sheriff, that he used to be considerably more easy going, and he apparently hated her. Whether that had to do with her being mated to his son, her criminal history or both she couldn't say. But regardless the older wolf clearly had it out for her. And with that bare minimum of knowledge she was sure to push the wolf's buttons in one way or another simply by accident. If Dawn had to face the older wolf, she wanted their discussion to remain as friendly and amicable as possible for as long as it could. She needed to keep a tight hold on her own emotions and remain stoic in the face of whatever Dorian might say. And it wasn't going to be an easy feat without any sort of insight into the wolf proper.

Dawn heard a cacophony of thuds nearby, causing the ewe to snap to attention. Dawn quickly pushed herself away from the truck, craning her head up to search for what had caused the sudden noise.

"Ha, I told you! I knew you couldn't carry ten cases at once! I win the bet!" Dawn turned to the source of the voice, spying the large supply van parked outside the nearby barn. That familiar chirpy voice could only have come from Qali, and so Dawn wasn't surprised to see the diminutive fox hopping in place near the back end of the truck. Standing right next to her was a very annoyed looking Vanna. The tigress had a paw clasped against her head as she stared down a pile of spilled pie crates which had clearly been the source of the noise.

_"Vanna!"_Dawn thought to herself as she watched tigress began to scoop some of the fallen boxes back into her large arms. Vanna would be the perfect mammal to ask about how to carry herself when dealing with Dorian. Aside from her willingness to so easily accept Dawn as her sister, the tigress worked with the older wolf. Her and Zach were around the farm more than any of the Hunter siblings, and Vanna knew about how Dorian behaved before whatever changed him. If any mammal could offer the best advice as to confronting Dorian, as well as keep it a secret, it would be the towering tigress. Dawn nodded to herself to affirm her plan before she began a brisk walk toward the pair.

"You owe me twenty Zbucks!" Qali added as Vanna continued to stack cases in her arms.

"Ugh, I'm probably already going to have to pay that much for the pies I just ruined." Vanna lamented.

"Pfft, sure." Qali said, cocking an eyebrow as she crossed her arms. "Like Auddy ever made a single one of us pay for pies before. You're not getting out of this one!"

Vanna chuckled. "To be fair, I almost had them."

"Next time Kitten." Zach said as he clambered out of the back of the van, clutching four cases of his own as he approached the tigress. The wolf gave her a soft pat on the arm as he passed, eliciting a sigh from Vanna. Zach let out a soft chuckle before adjusting his cases slightly and making his way into the barn.

"Vanna!" Dawn signaled the tigress with a wave. Both Qali and Vanna turned their attention toward the ewe as she approached, with Vanna placing the cases she was holding back on the edge of the van before facing Dawn.

"Hey Fluffball! You all right?" Qali chirped, earning a raised eyebrow from Vanna. Qali simply shrugged at the confused tigress.

"What? I'm still running through nickname ideas." Qali replied.

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine." Dawn attempted to reassure the arctic fox as she arrived.

"Good to hear." Vanna replied, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "I was worried you and Vernon would be feeling pretty bad after...well..." Vanna rolled her eyes, looking away from the lamb as she winced. "With what happened at the fair."

Dawn grimaced, looking down at her feet as she awkwardly kicked at the soft dirt below.

"W-well, I mean..." Dawn stuttered. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't get to either of us." The ewe sighed as she looked back up at the tigress with sorrowful eyes. "Although I'm probably more worried about putting the rest of you in danger be-"

"Aw, you didn't put us out any Dawn." That voice came from inside the moving van, and Dawn turned to find Trenton making his way out of the back with one of the large tubs of corn. The white wolf hopped off the edge of the truck, causing it to bob slightly in time with his jump. Trenton adjusted his grip on the faded blue bucket before approaching the rest of the mammals. The wolf smiled widely at Dawn.

"We stick up for our family, and we're proud to do it." The wolf added.

"B-but what about your Mother's stand?" Dawn replied, biting her hoof.

Trenton shook his head at the very notion. "Ah, it'll all get worked out, always does." Trenton chuckled softly. "Can't keep a Hunter down."

Dawn tried to smile, to pretend as though the wolf's words had eased her fears, but the weak facsimile she produced clearly wasn't convincing enough as the wolf continued.

"And Ada will be fine, trust me." Trenton added. "Throwing a punch ain't the worst crime in the world. And with Xavi's help I doubt she'll see any hard time."

Dawn let out a long sigh as she gave the wolf a meek nod. She had already heard as much from the other Hunter Brothers, and whether she chose to believe their confident claims or not, it was clear that was all she was going to hear from them.

"Is Vernon holding up okay?" Vanna asked.

Dawn glanced back at the Hunter Ranch over her shoulder, checking to see if the wolf was still inside. With no sign of her Sheepdog, and the doubtless large pile of supplies he'd be carrying, the ewe turned back to the conversation.

"H...He's clearly upset." Dawn muttered. "B-but he promised me he would talk about it while we have our picnic."

"Good." Trenton said, re-adjusting the tub he was carrying. "Don't let him try to worm out of it either, Puppy ain't exactly good with handlin' bad emotions. Doesn't like to burden those he loves with 'em. So he ends up keeping them buried inside till he bursts."

Dawn gave the wolf a sharp and decisive nod. "I won't, I swear."

Trenton smiled, giving the ewe a nod of approval. "I can't see you having too much trouble with that, that Pup would do anything for you."

"Y-you think so?" Dawn replied timidly, twisting a foot in the dirt.

"Vernon told me enough this morning on the ride out. Puppy's got it for ya bad." The wolf held up a paw while balancing the corn bin on his knee. "'Course I can't say anymore, I promised not to embarrass him too much." Trenton said with a chuckle.

Dawn felt a genuine smile creep it's way through the sadness on her surface. She knew her Puppy loved her, but hearing just how much from some other mammals lips, especially close family, made it all the more meaningful. It was just more proof of the wolf's overwhelming pride in being able to call the ewe his mate, and Dawn always found it touching despite the occasional trouble that came with being so open about it. Now it was only strengthening the ewe's resolve when it came to meeting with the head of the Hunter family.

"V-Vanna?" Dawn asked, not fully sure of how to approach the tigress about the plan she had been contemplating. "C-can I talk to you about something for a minute..." The ewe paused, twiddling her hooves nervously. "In private?"

Vanna arched an eyebrow, looking at Trenton and Qali for a moment before turning back to Dawn.

"Um...sure?" Vanna replied, clearly taken back by how oddly Dawn had asked the question.

"Hey! What about me?" Qali interjected, placing a paw on her hip.

"O-oh...well..." Dawn sputtered. "W-well I k-kind of wanted t-to keep it a s-secret."

Qali's ears drooped and she let out a soft whine.

"Oh c'mon! We're sisters! I promise to keep it a secret just as well as Vanna would! Puh-lease!?" The fox continued to whimper as she clasped her paws together pleadingly.

Dawn winced as the tiny fox's eyes seemed to grow as big as saucers. It was clear she knew how to use the weaponized 'puppy eyes' just as well as Vernon did. The ewe looked up to Vanna and Trent for help, flashing unsure eyes of her own at the pair.

"I can vouch for her." Trenton said. "My little Snowflake does a good job of keepin' a lid on private matters, at least as long as I've known her."

The ewe was hesitant to share her problem with more than one member of the family, but Dawn didn't want to snub her new sister despite how important her plan was. Dawn let out a reluctant sigh as she hung her head in defeat.

"O-Okay, you can come too Qali." Dawn muttered.

"YES!" The fox briefly bounced in place in excitement, her tail seeming to lag in the air with each hop before floating back down. "Don't worry, you can trust me! I won't say a thing, I swear!"

Dawn let out another sigh as she shook her head at the diminutive fox. Looking back Trenton's way she caught the wolf chuckling.

"Well I'll leave you to it then." Trent nodded, " Trust you don't need a third considering..."

"T-thank you Trenton." Dawn said, offering a meek smile to the wolf.

The wolf flashed a smile of his own before readjusting his grip on the heavy bucket of cobs. With a grunt, the wolf began to track toward the open mouth of the barn before making his way inside.

With Trenton now out of sight, the ewe motioned for the two other mammals to follow her as she made her way back toward Audrey's truck and out of ear shot of the two brothers who were still working. Qali was off like a rocket the moment Dawn had started moving, keeping in almost lockstep with the ewe. Vanna behaved more casually, taking slow and relaxed strides to cover the ground the two smaller mammals had strode before her.

Once Dawn reached the side of the car, she beckoned the girls to come in close around her. She wanted to keep her voice as low as possible while still being heard, just incase Vernon finally showed up before she had a chance to finish discussing the situation with the girls. While Qali simply leaned in, pointing an ear directly at the ewe, Vanna was forced to crouch, nearly kneeling on the ground in order to bring herself level with the ewe.

Now that Dawn had their attention she could feel a lump form in her throat. She was nervous of what they might think of her idea, but even more so of how they thought Dorian would respond. But she knew it was the only chance she had at making things right.

"I'm v-very concerned..." Dawn stammered quietly. "A-about Mr. Hunter.

Vanna let out a tired sigh. "Don't worry about Old 'Mam Hunter." Vanna replied almost reflexively, as if she had been anticipating this. "He's-"

"Wait." Dawn protested, holding her hooves out to stop the tigress. "It's not about me..." Dawn chewed at her hoof slightly. "W-well not completely."

Vanna and Qali eyed each other in confusion before turning their attention back to the ewe.

"Then what do you mean?" Vanna asked.

Dawn took a deep breath. She was ready to lay it all on the table, and she wanted to make sure she wasn't interrupted until she got it all out or else she might lose her nerve. With a heavy sigh, the ewe straightened her glasses and began.

"B-before Vernon and I came to visit Dorian was on edge." Dawn said. "You've told me so yourself Vanna, that he wasn't always like this."

Vanna gave the ewe a simple nod.

"And then Vernon and I show up and make it worse." Dawn continued. " I mean, incidents at home aside, we must have put a great deal of strain on the old wolf with what happened at the fair. If what you've told me is true it's not surprising the wolf acted the way he had."

"So?" Qali cut in. "What's it matter if ol' Dori's got a bug up his butt?"

"What matters is..." Dawn continued. "That me being here has hurt the family. That Vernon and I have driven a wedge between Dorian and the rest of you."

"He did that to himself Dawn." Vanna interjected. "Sure Dorian has been acting differently for months, but agreeing to kick you out of the fair was out of line."

Dawn shook her head briskly.

"It wouldn't have happened if we hadn't come to the fair. If we had chosen a different week, a different time. Something smaller and quieter. I'm sure Vernon and my relationship is a great deal to take in on top of having the entire family home for a busy holiday weekend. Maybe he would have handled it better if Vernon and I had approached this whole thing differently, eased the older wolf into it." Dawn sighed. "I should have challenged Vernon's plans a bit more than I did when it came to setting this up, then maybe we could have met Dorian under better circumstances."

"Dawn-" Vanna tried to speak, but the ewe held her hoof up once more.

"But that's all in the past." Dawn asserted, readjusting her glasses. "The only thing I can try to do now is fix this mess. To try to undo what we caused, and maybe get to the root of what's bothering Dorian, even if it turns out to just be me."

Vanna sighed, shaking her head in dismissal.

"So what are you gonna do?" Qali asked.

Dawn took a deep breath, shaking her upper body in an attempt to cast out her nervousness and steel herself.

"I need to talk to him." Dawn said. "Alone."

Vanna's eyes widened, clearly the tigress was in shock. The large tigress opened her mouth, only to close it again as she seemed at a loss for words. Qali however, certainly wasn't.

"Are you crazy!?" Qali yelped.

"Qali!" Vanna hissed, glaring at the tiny fox.

"What, it is crazy!" Qali asserted, placing her paws on her hips before throwing her glance at Dawn. " Whatever crawled up Dori's butt and died only got worse when you guys showed up. He's clearly got something against you!" Qali gestured a paw to Dawn. "And you want to go talk to him by yourself!?"

"While I'm not going to jump to extremes like my sister..." Vanna winced. "I will agree that I don't think that is such a good idea."

"I had a feeling you'd say something like that." Dawn said, shaking her head in disappointment. "But how else am I going to begin to get to the root of the problem if I don't try to talk it out?" Dawn spread her hooves as she gestured to the girls. "Even if it's just me that's the source of the problem, I'm never going to change his mind if I don't try to work through it with him."

"But you can't just go in there alone!" Qali pleaded. "You gotta let us back you up!"

Dawn shook her head in a decisive decline.

"I have to do it by myself." The ewe asserted. "If anyone comes with me it's just going to make Dorian more defensive, and more than likely lead to a shouting match. If I go alone I stand the best chance of keeping the conversation calm and collected. And that's the only chance I have at getting through to him."

"Dorian's a stubborn wolf." Vanna said, placing a paw to her head. "Once he's got himself set on something, it's hard to sway him to change his position."

"Yeah, I mean look at Vernon!" Qali piped in. "I mean how long did Papa Hunter keep on him about being a cop? I still don't think the Old Mams let it go! So what chance are you going to have at-"

"I need to try Qali." Dawn said. "For me, for Vernon, for this whole family. I owe it to all of you."

Vanna let out a groan as she placed her head in her paws. An uneasy silence hung over the group for a few moments before Vanna finally croaked out a reply.

"Fine..." Vanna grumbled. "But for the record, I think this is a terrible idea."

"You're going to just let her do it!?" Qali yelped.

"Dawn can do what she wants, she's an adult." Vanna replied. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

Qali looked at the tigress in disbelief, her ears straight and stiff and mouth agape as she stared back at Vanna.

"He could!" Qali sputtered. "I mean he's! I!" The little fox shook her head briskly. "I don't know what! But it's going to suck!" Qali spat.

"He ain't gonna hurt her." Vanna replied bluntly.

"The worst that could happen would be that he chews me out." Dawn added. " It's not like I haven't heard that sort of talk from other mammals that hated me, and I'm prepared to endure it this time." Dawn sighed. "At least then I'll know the exact reason why he's acting the way he is."

"But we have to help somehow!" Qali spat. "We can't just let you do this all by yourself!"

Dawn cleared her throat, adjusting her frames slightly as she turned her attention to Vanna.

"W-well actually. It would help to get an idea of exactly what I'm getting myself into." Dawn scratched the back of her head awkwardly. " I don't know very much about the wolf, but considering his nature and job I can't imagine he's going to take it easy on me." Dawn sighed. "I need some advice on how to hold my own against him. Things I should avoid, and how he tends to act in a conversation or argument. I need to be able to withstand anything he can throw at me."

Vanna let out a sigh of her own before easing herself the rest of the way onto the ground. The tigress crossed her legs, resting one of her paws on her knees before gesturing to Dawn to do the same. The ewe was quick to obey, easing herself into a similar seated position before leaning in attentively toward the tigress. Qali continued to stand in place for a few moments, crooking her head in confusion before seeming to get the idea and sitting herself down. Unlike Vanna and Dawn however, the arctic fox simply kneeled, scooching closer to the others and leaning in intently.

"Well, first off..." Vanna said, clearing her throat. "It is important that you go in there one hundred percent sure of yourself. If you show any kind of weakness, Papa Hunter is going to pounce on it in an instant."

"A-any weakness?" Dawn stuttered.

The tigress nodded. "Dorian didn't get to the top position at the station for no reason. The mammal is an expert in law enforcement, and an extremely shrewd when it comes to interrogation." Vanna said coolly. " He can make any mammal feel guilty, which is part of the reason they ended up taking him off interrogation duty."

Dawn bit at her hoof nervously. "I-I don't know if I can be o-one hundred percent on a-anything." Dawn muttered. "Especially when I'm nervous."

"Yeah, that seems kinda impossible." Qali added.

Vanna raised a finger. "The important thing is that you have to believe you aren't guilty of anything going in there. Or at least appear you feel that way." The tigress crossed her arms. "You have to go into his office as if you are a bystander. A victim, not a suspect."

"B-but what if he brings u-"

"Change the subject, evade him." Vanna cut the ewe off. "Do not admit fault, and believe what you are saying. You need to keep the pressure on him, not let him put it on you." Vanna placed her paws on her knees. "Keep it related to your visit and the fair, don't let him dredge up your past. It's not relevant to the weekends events."

"O-okay." Dawn said, twiddling her hooves nervously.

It was then Vanna reached out, bringing her paw on Dawn's shoulder. The large tigress gave it a firm squeeze as she stared right into Dawn's eyes. Vanna's intense glare made Dawn shudder, it was the coldest look the tigress had given her since they had first met. There was nothing but a deadly serious in her gaze.

"You have to swear to me you can do that." Vanna said sternly. "I won't let you go in alone otherwise unless you swear to me, firmly and without hesitation that you can handle it."

Dawn was quick to swallow the hard lump that had formed in her throat, giving the tigress a brisk and decisive nod.

"Yes." Dawn said. "I can do it! I will do it!" The ewe continued to nod briskly until she felt Vanna release her grip on the ewe's shoulder.

"Papa Hunter says he can smell bullshit a mile away." Vanna said, her cold stare relaxing into something more comfortable.

"V-vernon said that too." Dawn replied. "He said they all had it supposedly."

Vanna nodded. "Good intuition, Papa Hunter is quick to say it runs in the family. But it's not unbeatable." Vanna said, placing her paws back on her knees. "If you believe what you say firmly enough, it should keep him from aggressively pursuing that topic." Vanna raised a paw. "If a shark can't sense blood in the water, they can't find their prey."

Dawn nodded briskly. It was certainly going to be hard, but at least now she had some semblance of a strategy when it came to what to expect from Dorian.

"And like Vanna said, you got to keep Papa Hunter on his toes!" Qali added. "You keep the ball in his court, keep him answering questions rather than asking his own!"

Vanna nodded. "You keep the pressure on him, don't let him latch on to something or he'll never let you get a word in edgewise. Once he's got his teeth in something, he's not going to let up."

"When Trenny first introduced us, I talked the Old Mam' under." Qali giggled. "I sent him running for his office because I just kept asking him all sorts of stuff."

"You do that to everyone." Vanna chuckled, rubbing the fox's hair with one of her massive paws. Qali tried to push back, swatting playfully at Vanna's paw. But the tigress didn't stop until the fox simply gave up.

"Mutton chops." Dawn muttered, placing a hoof over her mouth. "I-I wanted this to be an amicable conversation, b-but you make it sound like I s-should be ready for war."

Vanna let out a tired sigh. "Don't feel to badly Dawn, these days Papa Hunter seems to see most of us as the enemy when it comes to prolonged conversation." The tigress placed a paw to her temple. "Especially when any of us bring up how he's been acting."

"T-that's another thing I w-wanted to ask you about." Dawn said, tapping her hooves together gingerly. "Earlier today you said that D-Dorian wasn't always like this, that he used to be much softer only months ago." Dawn scratched her head. "Do you remember anything that could have...you know..." Dawn tapped her muzzle as she tried to find the right words. "Caused him to change like that?"

Vanna shook her head. "Not that I can think of." The tigress tapped a claw to her chin.

"Not a thing?" Dawn frowned. "Anything at all?" The ewe was looking for something to latch on to, any thread she could snare to glean some reasoning other than her arrival that may be vexing the older wolf.

Vanna continued to scratch her chin, rolling her eyes as she evidently searched her thoughts.

"W-well Yuri got suspended for a week from active duty around that time. He was pretty furious at him for that." Vanna grumbled. "Although to be honest that happens once a year at least."

Dawn considered the idea, but judging by Vanna's uncertainty, it seemed like it was a weak lead.

"Hmm..." Vanna's tone sounded as if she had something, and Dawn leaned forward in anticipation.

"I remember a few of our officers were discharged for some reason..." The tigress murmured. "I never heard why exactly, I think Dori handled it personally."

"So you don't know anything else about it?" Dawn persisted, hoping to jog Vanna's memory.

"It was some sort of corruption thing I think. A couple of the old timers on the force got the boot." Vanna shrugged. "But that's the most I heard about it. It was all handled very quietly. Very hush hush."

Dawn let out a sigh. It wasn't much to go on, but it was something at the least. Perhaps Dorian knew the mammals and was upset to find that they had been involved in corrupt activities. Or perhaps Dorian had been involved in some way. Dawn couldn't imagine a mammal like Dorian, one who seemed to regard the law so highly, and was so respected in the Meadowlands community to be capable of such a thing. Then again, the ewe knew plenty of mammals that looked at her as an upstanding, moral politician before betraying that trust and nearly destroying the city itself. Perhaps it was this reason that repelled Dorian from her so sharply, because they had been more alike than the wolf wanted to admit.

"You don't think he was involved in that stuff do you Vanna?" Qali piped up, stealing the question right off of Dawns muzzle. The tigress arched an eyebrow before shaking the notion off.

"Pfft...'Ol Papa Hunter is as straight as an arrow." Vanna replied. "He'd never do anything illegal, he's a law dog through and through."

"I don't know, you did say he's been acting way different lately." Qali continued. "How can you be so sure?"

Vanna scoffed. "I've known the mammal for four plus years Snowball." The tigress chided. "He's been a grump since I signed on, but he's always followed the law to the letter. He wouldn't even cut corners on me or Zach." Vanna placed a paw to her head. "We've both have more than enough traffic tickets between us to vouch for that."

"You'd be surprised to find what 'good mammals' can be capable of." Dawn muttered sadly. It was something the ewe hated to suggest, but as living proof of it, it was simply a possibility that could not be denied.

"That's not Dorian." Vanna replied. "He just isn't like that."

"You said Auddy had mentioned Dorian was even less irritable before you came on the force right?" Dawn asked. "And that it only got worse recently?"

Vanna nodded, crossing her arms as the lamb asked her questions.

"I don't know...I mean...it could still be..." Dawn trailed off. "Maybe even something petty?"

"He wouldn't do it. I'd stake my badge on it." Vanna replied firmly.

"Well then...I suppose I'm just as much at a loss as when I started." Dawn sighed, placing a hoof to her forehead. For Vanna's sake she was willing to take the tigress' word on it for now, but it was a possibility that would still linger in her mind as something to explore. "But I still have to talk to him regardless. I have to try to get through to him."

"This stinks." Qali sighed. "There's got to be something else we can do to help!"

Dawn looked down at her lap uneasily. "W-well there is another thing I need you to do for me, but..." Dawn raised her head to look at the mammals again, now with a sharp frown. "But you aren't going to like it any better."

"You want us not to tell anyone?" Vanna evidently knew what the ewe was going to say next. Dawn gave a slow, affirmative nod.

"What!?" Qali raised her voice, to which Vanna immediately shushed her. The arctic fox grasped her muzzle, shutting it tightly before speaking again in a lower tone.

"This is the secret you wanted us to keep?" Qali huffed. "What if things go south? What if you need our help after all?"

Dawn sighed. "Then I'll ask for it. But otherwise I can't have any of the other Hunters know I'm going to do this." Dawn placed a hoof to her head. "Especially Audrey or Vernon."

"Because either one of them would probably fight Dorian if he gave you a hard time?" Once again, Vanna had hit the nail on the head. Dawn nodded.

"I'd rather not want to cause such a huge fight that Vernon stops speaking to him, or Audrey kicks him out, or worse." Dawn protested. "The last thing I want to do is break up a family over something so stupid."

"This isn't stupid." Qali muttered, crossing her arms. "It's wrong."

"Regardless of how you feel about this I need you both to swear to me you won't tell." Dawn clasped her hooves together, shaking them pleadingly. "Please, I need you to promise."

Vanna let out a long, exhausted sigh. Slowly the tigress raised a paw, placing the other across her heart.

"I swear, from one sister to another, I'll keep my maw shut." Vanna said.

Qali let out a irritated groan, her arms remaining firmly crossed as she turned her head up to the sky.

"Ffffine!" She huffed. "Sister swear, I won't tell." The diminutive fox brought a paw to her muzzle, drawing a phantom zipper from one side to the other.

With that, Dawn let out an immensely relieved sigh. She felt better being able to tell someone what she had planned to do, despite them more or less refuting the idea. And even though she had little to draw from about exactly what could be irritating Dorian other than herself, she at least had something. It was enough to make the ewe more confident about the difficult task that lay ahead.

"But if things get rough, kick him in the shin and run away!" Qali added. "that always works on big mammals!"

"Qali!" Vanna hissed. "She's wants to make it better, not worse!"

The arctic fox shrugged. "That's why I said 'if things get rough'."

The loud clack of a screen door drew the girls attention away from their huddle. Near the front door of the Hunter Ranch, Vernon had finally appeared. The large wolf was surprisingly unencumbered, carrying what looked like a traditional style picnic basket with an orange plaid colored sheet sticking out of it. He also appeared to have something slung over his shoulder, but the ewe couldn't make out just what it was. Despite the seemingly small number of items he was carrying, the wolf's face looked beleaguered, as if he had been running himself ragged while inside the ranch. Dawn was quick to scramble to her feet, in an effort to keep the wolf's suspicion down about exactly what she was talking about. The other girls were quick to follow suit as the tired looking wolf lightly jogged over.

"Hey Floofs, sorry that took me so long." The wolf huffed. Vernon dragged the sling over his shoulder free to reveal what he was carrying on his back. It looked to be some sort of crock-pot or melter that he had placed in a carrying case.

"I had to find the portable heater to melt the butter for the corn." The wolf sighed, running a paw over his scalp. "Can you believe it was in the bathroom cabinet of all places?" Vernon chuckled as he slung the cooker back over his shoulder.

"And I still got to roll the grill out of the barn." The wolf said, pointing a thumb toward the worn old barn. "But we should be all set to go."

Dawn flashed a wide smile. "Oh I can't wait to get started Puppy. I've been looking forward to this all day!" The ewe clapped her hooves together excitedly.

Vernon smiled back, but as he glanced around he arched an eyebrow as he seemed to finally notice Vanna and Qali.

"Oh, were ya'll talking?" Vernon asked. "About nothin' bad I hope."

"No, w-we were uh..." Dawn trailed off.

"Just having some 'girl talk'." Qali chirped happily.

Vernon placed a paw to his head, letting out a groan. "Oh no, already?" He chuckled. "Should I be worried about what secrets you've been telling Honey Lamb?"

"Worried?" Vanna cut in. "More like proud from what she told us, 'Puppy Love'." Vanna had tried to make the pet name sound as sultry as possible, but it sounded odd coming from the tigress' muzzle. Even so, it had the desired effect, and Vernon blushed intensely, nearly dropping the basket he was carrying.

"A-Alright, alright, I don't want to know anymore!" The wolf whined, placing a paw over his muzzle.

To add to the distraction, a growing rumble drew the groups attention toward the barn. Zach and Trenton were now making their way over, with Zach rolling a small, metal grill in front of him. As the wolves joined the group, Zach spun the handles of the metal grill Vernon's way.

"Hey Vern, thought I'd save ya the trouble of getting this fer yer little picnic." Zach said.

"I told you about that?" Vernon asked in surprise.

"I heard ya'll mention it at the uh..." Zach paused, clearly uncomfortable. "Well you know...durin' that ugliness at the fair."

Vernon grimaced slightly, looking at Dawn in concern briefly before turning back to the russet wolf.

"Oh...yeah..." Vernon mumbled uneasily. "T-thanks Big Bro." Vernon placed a paw on one of the handles, leaning against the grill slightly. The wolf let out another sigh before giving his head a terse shake. With it the wolf stood back up, a renewed smile crossing his muzzle.

"W-well then if were all done here..." Vernon coughed. "Ready to get movin' Honey Lamb?"

Dawn did her best to smile through her worry. It was best to start practicing now in preparation for facing Dorian. The ewe placed her hooves behind her back, beginning to sway back and forth slightly as she managed to give the wolf a playful grin.

"T-that depends..." Dawn giggled. "You got enough room to carry me Puppy Love?"

Dawn could see Vernon's tail begin to wag wildly as a bright grin crossed his muzzle.

"Sure as shootin' I can!" The wolf said excitedly.

In seconds the ewe found herself scooped into Vernon's free arm, and he quickly eased her up onto his left shoulder. Once Dawn had properly seated herself, the wolf slowly released his grip and returned his paw to the grill handle. With a kick he tilted the grill back onto its wheels.

"Welp, I'm guessin' we'll see ya'll after dinner." Vernon said. The others seemed to quickly catch his infectious grin Vernon was wearing aside from Vanna, who limited herself to a light smirk.

"You two have fun." Trenton said, raising his paw and flicking his fingers in a small waive. "We'll be inside if ya need anything."

"Heee-eeeey Trenny." Qali whined as she began to grasp at Trenton's paw. Dawn watched the wolf's ears perk up, and the white wolf turned his attention to the diminutive fox pawing at his side.

"Carry me too, Puh-leeze..." The fox continued to whimper as a pitiful frown crossed her muzzle. The arctic fox's sorrowful eyes seemed to glimmer as she pleadingly stared back up at her mate. "I'm tired from lifting all those boxes!"

"All three of them." Vanna remarked.

Qali threw a quick sneer Vanna's way before turning back on the pathetic stare.

Trenton drew a paw over his scalp, letting out a tired sigh.

"Anything fer my Snowflake." The wolf chuckled. Trenton leaned down, extending his arm out to the small fox and allowing her to climb onto it.

"One ski lift coming up!" Trenton announced, bringing the giggling mammal up to his own shoulders before seating the fox behind his head. "Top of slope, everyone off!" Qali buried her muzzle into the hair on the wolf's head, doing her best to stifle the steady laughter erupting from her. Trenton flashed the couple another waive before turning toward the house and walking off.

"Yeah, have a good picnic." Zach added as Vanna placed a paw on his shoulder. The tigress let out a barely audible whine as Zach turned his attention to her. He glanced at her in confusion briefly before a dull look crossed his face.

"Kitten no." The wolf said bluntly. "Do you really even think I could carry you?"

Vanna was silent for a moment, her eyes evading his as she mumbled a reply.

"I-it looks fun..."

"Kitten you'd put me in the hospital!" Zach said, rolling his eyes as he began to walk toward the house. Vanna kept her paw on his shoulder as she followed after, flashing Dawn a smirk as she passed by.

"You could at least try..." Dawn could hear Vanna mumble.

"Kitten, please." Was the last thing Dawn heard before they were out of earshot. The ewe couldn't help but giggle to herself at the very thought of Vanna trying to ride on Zach's shoulders.

"Welp, we should get moving. I got to get the corn on the grill if were ever gonna eat it." Vernon said with a chuckle. Dawn leaned over, wrapping her hooves tightly around Vernon's neck to stabilize herself.

"Lead the way Puppy, I'm famished." The ewe said, squeezing the wolf in a short hug. "And I could use some 'cuddle time'."

The ewe could feel a slight shudder travel through the wolf's body, and she knew instantly his tail was wagging again.

"Alright Lamb Fry, hold on tight!" Vernon replied.

And with that the wolf was off toward the corn field. It wasn't a very long trip as the wolf took off in a brisk jog toward his desired destination, earning giggles from Dawn the whole way as she held tightly on to her wolfy steed. Vernon slowed down as he came to the edge of the orange and yellow corn stalks, coming to a full stop just short of where the field truly began. Easing Dawn off his shoulders with care, the wolf was quick to pull the large plaid cloth free of the picnic basket he had stored it in. With Dawn's help the wolf gingerly laid it down and spread it out as flat as he could. It took some effort as the light wind that had kicked up seemed to be keen on undoing their work, and eventually the wolf had to use a combination of large, loose stones, as well as the grill and basket of supplies to hold down the loose corners of the blanket.

Once the area was settled, Vernon insisted that Dawn get comfortable while he went to work. Dawn's protests were quick to fall under the wolf's persistence, and soon the ewe found herself simply watching as the large wolf busied himself preparing everything he had planned for the meal. First the wolf prepped the grill, making sure the gas was flowing and lit before pulling a few cobs of corn from the picnic basket. They were already tightly wrapped in foil, and the wolf saw fit to leave them that way as he lowered them onto the hot skillet. Next he set the melting pot down on the blanket, emptying three bars of butter from the basket into the pot and turning it on. As the wolf began to add seasonings to the rapidly melting butter, he started to tell Dawn all about how the family went about making their particular style of roasted corn. And mostly about how his Mom had always been insistent on teaching the boys how to cook from a very young age. As it turns out, Audrey had always been very keen on educating her sons how to survive on their own, especially after she found out Dorian couldn't cook or wash to any degree. Apparently Auddy had went out of her way to make sure she only ever had to deal with one overgrown puppy rather than eight.

When the wolf was seemingly satisfied with how well the corn had cooked, he put the heated cobs on a large plate. Taking his place next to Dawn and the melting pot, the wolf took one of the cobs, skewering it with two small handles on either side, before removing a small brush from the nearby basket. Stirring it into the butter mixture, the wolf peeled away the hot foil before slathering the cob in steaming butter.

Dawn watched intently as the wolf made multiple passes, making the cob practically dribbling with savory butter. The ewe found herself starting to question just how many calories the cob was gaining with every stroke before she suddenly found it thrust in front of her face. The wolf gestured for her to take it.

"Go on." Vernon said with a smile. "You'll love it."

Dawn warily took the cob by one of the skewers, bringing it near her mouth as the wolf released his grip. Now with both hooves on either end, she gave the wolf another uncertain glance.

"It's a vacation Honey Lamb, don't worry about the how much weight it's gonna add! Just enjoy it!" Vernon gave the ewe a playful nudge, arching his eyebrow and donning a mischievous grin. "Besides, I like that curve you got going on."

Dawn gave the wolf a playful swat. "Ver-noooon!" Dawn whined.

"C'mon, stop stallin' and take a bite." The wolf jibbed.

Dawn took a deep breath before bringing the cob to her mouth. The moment she dug her teeth into it her mouth was filled with the most heavenly flavor she had ever tasted. The corn was both sweet and savory, with just a hint of spice, and the pleasant crunch of the snapping kernels' made it all the more enticing. The ewe let out a slight moan as she greedily chewed through her first bite.

"Good?" Vernon asked.

"Mhh!" Dawn moaned through her second mouthful, she hadn't been able to wait till her mouth was empty to respond. The food was simply too scrumptious for her to stop.

She could hear Vernon chuckle to himself as he bit into a cob of his own. And for the next few minutes very little words passed between the pair other than simple groans of pleasure as they ate through multiple cobs of buttered corn. By the time Dawn was full, the ewe had managed to annihilate four cobs on her own, a personal record for her. Looking over at Vernon, the wolf seemed to have made it through six himself. She watched the wolf pat his stomach, letting out a satisfied sigh as he placed his plate on the far end of the blanket.

"All done?" The wolf asked.

Dawn gave a brisk nod, wiping her mouth with one of the napkins the wolf had set out for them. "If there's going to be a dessert, I'm going to have to be done." Dawn chuckled.

"O'course there is." Vernon said, leaning over to take her plate.

"Can't have roasted corn without some of Ma's famous pumpkin pie." Vernon placed her plate next to his own before leaning back on his paws.

"Then yes, as hard as it is to say this, I can't have anymore corn." The ewe said with a giggle. Vernon smiled widely at the ewe before patting his paw on the blanket next to him, gesturing for the ewe move in close. Dawn didn't hesitate, taking the opportunity to sidle up to the wolf, resting her head on his lap.

The two had turned their attention to the sun, which now lay low over the corn field. The sky was draped in a deep, dull orange, and if Dawn looked hard enough, some of the brightest stars in the sky could be seen just starting to peek out of the daylight haze. It wouldn't be long now before the sky was heavy with sparkling lights, hanging like diamonds in a dark satin sheet.

After the practically bi-polar twists and turns the day had brought, this moment was a beautiful reprieve for the ewe. It was simply her and her Puppy Love. Alone, with no one to judge them, no one to bother them. Just the two of them and the beauty of nature. Dawn let out a contented sigh. This moment, this very instant, was just as Vernon described it would be. It was just what she wanted more than anything out of the trip, and she found herself wishing it would last forever.

But as she felt the wolf gently start to pet her head, she heard a small whine escape his muzzle. That one tiny noise had brought her back from her reverie and reminded her of what she had to do. Despite everything, she knew her Puppy was still hurting, and he needed to let it out. And the time had come to do just that.

"V-vernon?" Dawn uttered.

"Mhh?" The wolf replied.

Dawn let out a sigh, swallowing hard before she managed to build up the courage to continue.

"Are you okay?" Dawn asked timidly.

The wolf let out and exhausted sigh.