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Chapter Thirty-Six: Barbeque Breakdown

"Wait, Ho-"

The wolf hadn't even finished calling out to the ewe before she began to sprint away, fleeing to what he presumed she felt was the safety of the barbeque. The huddled pack of Hunter females giving the ewe further insulation against the wolf getting a chance to speak to her with some degree of privacy. It was a clear, calculated move, all an obvious attempt to avoid discussing the meltdown she had after Vernon had mentioned asking permission for a tithing ceremony.

Vernon was no dummy, he had been on to the ewe's attempts to avoid him from the moment Alex and Edna appeared at the stall and gave her an easy out. Of course, it became more and more glaringly obvious as the stand became overrun with mammals eager to buy food and ask questions. He imagined that the ewe had simply been hoping that in all the frenzy and hysteria of tending to the bustling crowd the wolf would simply forget how upset she had gotten. But with each exchanged glance between the pair, the wolf could see the fear in her eyes. Vernon was making it as clear as he could through his own glare that there was still a conversation to be had, and the ewe had responded in kind by attempting to actively avoid him. Whether it had been slipping away to the bathroom without announcing a break until she had returned, or making sure she never left his mother's side while they were packing up the stall, the wolf had noted it all with increasing annoyance and exasperation.

It was clear the ewe was trying to hide something from him, something that seemed to be eating her up inside. Vernon wasn't sure if something had happened to her in the brief time they had been apart at the ranch yesterday, or whether some new idea she had conjured up had left her feeling anxious and worried. But regardless, the ewe was holding in something she didn't want to share that was clearly dragging her down. And while part of Vernon wanted to allow the ewe space so that she could finally tell him what was bothering her when she was ready, the other part of him couldn't help but recall her encouraging words from the night before.

"That means that we are in this together." Vernon could hear Dawn's voice in his mind. "Every fight or struggle is not just yours or mine, it's ours. That's what being mated is about."

He could remember the ewe resting on his chest, snuggled up under his chin as they took in the peaceful autumn evening. Dawn doing her best to ease his own fears in regards to all that had happened on the vacation so far.

"We have each other. To rely on, to depend on, and in situations like this, to be able to talk about our feelings, good or bad, as well as work through them together."

That was what the ewe had told him, and she had been right. Part of a working relationship meant that they were more or less a team. Vernon's problems were Dawn's and vice-versa. And because of that, they needed to be open and honest with each other, so they could work together to fix those problems.

Yet now it was clear the ewe had gone back on her word, or at least had simply elected against sharing because it was something so heavy she felt perhaps it would hurt him in some way.

"Could it be possible that she really doesn't want a tithe?" Vernon thought to himself as she watched the ewe integrate herself amidst the Hunter girls. It was the only thing that made any reasonable sense to the wolf. Dawn must have had some misgivings about a tithing ceremony, and she was afraid to tell him in fear of hurting his feelings. Admittedly it would sting a little considering she had agreed to a caprid ceremony. After all, the services were not so different from one another, and so it would seem odd for the ewe to vehemently agree with performing one while shying away from the other. But Vernon was already willing to acknowledge that he had been too aggressive and hasty with his expectations involving bringing the ewe into the family. His own plans and goals blinding him to the pressures and strain he was putting on those around him. And perhaps, even Dawn had been caught up in the process whether the reasoning made sense to the wolf or not.

"Vernon?"

The wolf turned to find his mother resting a paw on his shoulder, concern lacing her features as her ears sagged slightly.

"You alright son?" The wolfess tilted her head slightly. "I figured y'all woulda been off to the barbeque by now."

Vernon winced, his own ears sagging as he averted his mother's gaze.

"Yes. No." Vernon mumbled. "I mean, I don't know." The wolf ran a paw through his scalp fur before finally managing to make eye contact with his mother.

"Y-you sure you don't need any help unpacking?" Vernon asked weakly, offering a shaky smile.

Audrey quirked an eyebrow.

"Y'all need to talk?" The she-wolf asked in a concerned tone.

Vernon gave a slow, meek nod, causing the she-wolf to let out a soft chuckle.

"Alright, alright." Audrey tutted, bring her arm around the taller wolf as she began to walk him toward the back of the van.

As the pair came to a stop in front of the van door, Audrey released her grip around the wolf and moved to open the rear doors. Pulling out her keys again, she plugged one into the locking mechanism, turning it until the large doors popped loose. The she-wolf pulled one of the doors aside, letting out a soft groan as she did before clasping her paws around one of the large empty buckets sitting in the back. With a heft, the she-wolf pulled it into her arms, taking a step backward as she attempted to better secure her grip.

Following the she-wolf's suit, Vernon moved to pick up a bucket of his own. The one he reached for was considerably less empty. Whereas it previously held corn, it now held stacks of unused paper plates and napkins waiting to be stored for the next time Audrey needed to operate the stall. As Vernon adjusted his grip on the large rubber bin, Audrey moved around the wolf to make her way toward the barn.

"So what's botherin' you Vernon?" Audrey asked as she made her way past the wolf. "Tell me what's on yer mind my little Puppy."

Vernon wasn't sure exactly where to start when it came to explaining his dilemma. Just like whatever loaded conversation Dawn was keeping from him, he had a similarly concerning conversation to work through with his mother. Regardless of how he chose to start explaining his problem, it would inevitably come back to his intentions of tithing Dawn, and that in turn would lead to discussing Zach's injury. There was simply no way around it other than outright omitting it. And there was no way the wolf could allow his mother to get excited over Vernon's desire to tithe Dawn without making sure she knew exactly why Dorian seemed so against it. It would be a betrayal of trust, and if he didn't bring it up his father certainly would during the intended mediation sessions between the mammals. At that point, any and all progress that could have been made would risk complete dissolution if his mother saw the event the same way Dorian had.

Vernon followed the she-wolf into the barn, watching as she carefully placed her bin on the floor and slid it against the nearby wall. Vernon was quick to follow suit, moving his own in place next to hers before dusting his paws off on his shirt. Audrey sat gingerly on the rim of the bucket she had placed, flashing Vernon a warm smile while gesturing with a paw for him to take a seat next to her. Reluctantly, Vernon managed to balance himself on the edge of the bucket before letting out a sigh.

"C'mon, tell yer momma what's got yer ears all droopy." Audrey tutted, patting the wolf on the back softly.

Vernon let out a whine, running a shaky paw through his hair. The wolf supposed the best way to explain his situation was to simply lead with his intention, and go on to explain the problems surrounding it. Vernon took a deep breath, taking a moment to hold it as he attempted to muster the courage to get the difficult conversation rolling. The wolf let out a long, tired sigh as he met his mother's gaze.

"I'm fixin' to tithe Dawn Momma." Vernon muttered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "In fact, that's kinda the rea-."

"TEETH TO TAILS!" Audrey shot up so quickly that it startled Vernon, causing the wolf to lose his balance on the bucket he had been precariously seated on. In seconds the wolf found himself on the dusty barn floor, reeling as the air left his lungs in one forceful burst. The wolf was stunned, the roof seemed to be spinning as he tried to regain his bearings before his gaze managed to settle on the she-wolf across from him. Placing a paw to his brow, the wolf squinted in an effort to steady his line of sight on her, but the fact that she was practically bouncing in her step didn't make it much easier.

"SQUEEEEEE!" The she-wolf squealed with delight as she hopped excitedly in place. Her paws were tensed into tight fists as she raised them in time with her impromptu celebratory dance, fist pumping as she continued to chitter more incomprehensible, exhilarated responses to Vernon's declaration. Audrey spun in place, letting out another joyful squeal before she finally seemed to notice that her son was now sprawled on the dirty wood floor.

"Opps!" Audrey giggled, extending a paw to the dazed wolf. The she-wolf's smile was probably the widest he had ever seen it, putting anything Qali could manage at even her happiest to shame. It made the wolf reluctant to take her paw for a moment, the ear to ear grin almost frightening in how wide she had managed to make it.

"I'm sorry Puppy, did I scare you?" Audrey teased, rolling her fingers as she beckoned the wolf forward.

Vernon rolled his eyes, clasping his paw into her own. "No, I ju-"

As soon as her paw tightened around his, the wolf suddenly found himself yanked into the she-wolf's arms in a surprising display of raw strength. Audrey wrapped her arms tightly around the towering wolf, squeezing him into an almost painful hug.

"I'M JUST SO HAPPY!" Audrey cried, squeezing the wolf that much tighter as she spoke. Vernon could swear he heard something in his body crack.

"My little Puppy..." The she-wolf's tone had shifted, her jovial tone seeming to deflate almost as quickly as it had arisen. Gritting through the pressure of the hug, Vernon managed to tilt his head down to check on the she-wolf gripped tightly against him. The smile was gone now, replaced with shimmering eyes and a quivering lip before the wolfess buried her face into his chest.

"My Puppy's all grown up!" Audrey sobbed. Vernon could feel the hot tears already soaking through his shirt as the wolfess wept. "Oh Freyja..." Audrey continued. "It seems like just yesterday my little Puppy was tryin' to catch his own tail!"

Vernon felt Audrey's grip ease, and soon enough the she-wolf was clutching at his shirt as she rubbed her face deeper into the fabric. Audrey's delightful squeals had turned into muffled, anguished howls as she continued to soak through Vernon's button-up.

Vernon let out a sigh as he placed his newly freed arms around his shuddering mother, gingerly rubbing her back as she continued to sob.

"Ma..." Vernon muttered.

"Now yer fixin' to get tithed!" Audrey managed to pull herself out of his shirt just long enough to glance up at him with moist, shimmering eyes. "Oh gods! My little Puppy!" Was all she managed to get out before her face was buried back in Vernon's chest.

The wolf rolled his eyes at his mother's performance. Audrey always had the habit of being a little bit of a ham when it came to the slightest mention of her pups maturing in any way. Whether it had been something as trifling as losing ones first baby tooth, to their first real date. He could only imagine what Zach had gone through when he came out with the prospect of tithing Vanna to the old wolfess, as well as how long it ended up taking for Audrey to get a hold of herself again. How many tears had been shed? How many squeals of joy had split his brother's ears? And how long would Vernon's own session consoling his mother last by comparison? It wasn't to say Vernon wasn't happy with his mother's response, in fact, it warmed the wolf's heart to see that Audrey clearly supported Dawn and his union. But the wolf knew his situation was one that was pressed for time. There was a much more serious topic he had to touch on and explore before he allowed his mother to revel in Vernon and Dawn's joy. To see if she would still feel the same way after knowing what he knew, and what his father held over them.

"Ma." Vernon said a little more firmly, but the she-wolf remained oblivious, letting out another wracking sob in reply. Audrey took in a sharp breath, her body shuddering slightly as she tried to catch her breath. But soon enough she was letting out another, anguished howling weep into Vernon's shirt. He could feel the hot, moist patch that had formed on his shirt spreading.

With a sigh, Vernon tightened his hug around the quivering she-wolf. Leaning his head on top of hers, the wolf began to gently rub his mother's back in an effort to reassure the old wolfess.

"Ma, please..." Vernon murmured over the weeping. In response, the she-wolf let out another shuddering inhale. "Ma, it's okay."

Vernon squeezed the she-wolf lightly.

"There, there..." The wolf murmured, continuing the soft, reassuring patting as his mother's weeping began to simmer. Each sob was growing quieter now, each inhale less sharp and painful. Within a few minutes, the sobbing had managed to lessen to an almost inaudible level, to the point where Vernon wasn't sure if she was even crying anymore. Placing a paw on top of his mother's head, the wolf raised a curious eyebrow.

"M-." Audrey's ears shot up, her head slowly poking its way out of the hot mess that was the wolf's shirt. Despite the fact that tears were still streaming down the she-wolf's face, she was smiling once again.

"I'm so proud of you Vernon." Audrey said. There was a rich, loving warmth in her tone which was only compounded by the she-wolf's smile. "You've really matured into a fine young mam'."

Vernon could feel tears welling in his own eyes now as he looked down into his mother's loving gaze. He hadn't exactly braced himself for that one, although surely he should have seen it coming.

"A-Aww ma, c'mon, I-"

Audrey raised a finger, booping the wolf on the nose gently and cutting him off in the process.

"It's true." Audrey said, wiping some of the lingering tears from her eyes. "You are leading the life you want to live." Audrey sighed, patting the wolf on the chest. "And you fought for it every step of the way. How could I not be proud of that?"

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly, doing his best to avert his mother's gaze in a poor attempt at hiding the growing blush forming on his muzzle.

"Sweet sawgrass ma..."

Audrey chuckled. "And yer thriving too." The she-wolf flashed him another warm smile. "Successful job, a proper mate..." Audrey sighed, her muzzle slipping into a slight frown. "You really don't need us old mutts back here anymore do ya?" Her voice was somber, her tone reflection an almost stark realization. As if Audrey hadn't been fully aware of what she was saying before it fully slipped free of her muzzle.

Vernon winced at Audrey's statement, the idea of not wanting to keep in touch with his mother was to him, a preposterous notion.

"Aww ma, you know I'd never stop visiting you." Vernon reassured, rubbing some of the she-wolf's stray tears away with a thumb. "I'd always want to come visit you and-"

Vernon paused, as the gravity of what he was about to say hit him. Visiting the ranch, coming home to relax, the very notion was in jeopardy when it came to his father. If the old wolf remained a stalwart, unmoving roadblock in his plans to tithe Dawn, Vernon would be forced to turn away from his pack.

"Vernon?" Audrey uttered, the concern in her voice returning as she reached up and cupped Vernon's cheek with her paw. Vernon tried to pull away for a moment, only for Audrey to apply more force to hold his gaze on her own.

"What is it?" Audrey asked. "Your ear's are drooping again."

Vernon sighed, it was now or never.

"Ma..." Vernon muttered, reaching his own paw up to clasp his mother's. "There is something you need to know." Vernon whined softly, his eyes darting toward the entrance of the barn. He could barely make out the barbeque with the van blocking most of his view. "Something about Dawn..."

The she-wolf tilted her head slightly

, raising an eyebr

ow as Vernon took her other paw.

"WhatVernon?" Audrey murmured, frowning slightly.

"I have some idea now why pa has been so against Dawn even bein' here, let alone why he'll more than likely be against agreein' to a tithe." Vernon continued. "And it ain't the night howler thing..." The wolf tilted his head down slightly, taking a moment to rephrase his statement in his head. "At least not entirely due to the night howler thing."

Audrey offered a weaker smile this time, but her expression remained puzzled.

"W-Well, we'll talk it out with old Dori don't you worry." Audrey's grin widened a bit reflecting her hopefulness. "I'm sure we can turn yer old Pa around regardless of whatever is eatin' him!"

"Ma, listen." Vernon whined, giving the she-wolf a small shake. Audrey grimaced sharply, her eyes appearing to be trying to search Vernon's own for some lead on what he was getting at. "This is hard enough to tell you as it is." Vernon said sadly. "So please just give me a chance to tell it."

Audrey remained quiet, eventually giving the wolf a small, affirmative nod.

Vernon let out a sigh, running his paw through his scalp fur nervously.

"I'm so glad you were willing to accept Dawn as soon as I brought her here despite everything." Vernon said, the wolf offering a meek smile. "I know Dawn's past can be a difficult thing to swallow fer some mammals, and I shouldn't have imagined it would be any easier with family." Vernon whined. "I just figured seein' as how you and pa and all of us Hunters are so keen on givin' mammals a second chance, that maybe you'd overlook it. That you'd be willing to give her the chance that I did, and get to know the wonderful ewe I got to know."

Audrey offered a meek smile of her own.

"Well o'course Vernon." Audrey replied, cupping the wolf's cheek again and rubbing it gently.

"Yer pa and I raised y'all to have a good head on yer shoulders." The she-wolf sighed as she appraised the towering wolf, only for Vernon to wince in reaction to her touch. "I trust you." Audrey continued. "We all trust you, so why shouldn't we trust yer mate?"

Vernon pulled his head free of her grip, letting out a soft whine as he looked away.

"Pa doesn't seem to share the sentiment." Vernon muttered.

"Well I can't say I know what's got yer father bein' so cold to her. But I'm sure-."

"I know why now." Vernon cut his mother off again. "At least I think I do."

Audrey cocked an eyebrow, tilting her head in confusion.

"Then tell me." Audrey replied. "Maybe then we can work on it together. You, me and Dawn." Audrey smirked.

"I want that." Vernon replied, glancing over his shoulder again. This time the wolf leaned slightly in an effort to spot his Honey Lamb from a distance. Just around the edge of the van he could barely make out the small group of Hunters gathered together, but for now Dawn seemed to be missing among them. The wolf let out a slight whine before turning his attention back to the confused she-wolf standing next to him. " I really want us all to sit down and talk things out. But..."

"But what Darlin'?" Audrey cooed, her tone laced with concern.

Vernon ran his paw through his scalp again, another whimper escaping his muzzle as he continued to dance around what he wanted to say. He could feel a lump forming in his throat, and grasped at his neck with his paw in an attempt to force it to dissolve.

"I-I'm afraid if I tell you..." Vernon whimpered, moving his paw over his eyes. "Yer gonna hate Dawn just as much as Pa does."

Audrey chuckled, giving the wolf a playful pat on the chest reassuringly. "Oh Vernon, I already love Dawnie like one of my own." The she-wolf shook her head dismissively. "And I'm sure yer Pa doesn't hate Dawn, he just-"

"Do you remember Zach's accident?" Vernon stopped his mother's protest cold. Her concerned expression turning to something almost stone-faced and unfeeling. Audrey's gaze had fallen away from his as all the she-wolf's warmth and mirth seemingly disappeared.

Vernon could feel the tension rising in his chest as he waited for a response. The longer the she-wolf took to say something, anything, just added more weight to Vernon's looming revelation. That was of course, if his mother wasn't already drawing the connections back to Dawn in her own mind. After what seemed like an eternity, Audrey finally managed to reply.

"Y-yes I do..." Audrey muttered. Her voice was startlingly quiet and weak, something Vernon had been almost uncertain his usually loud and boisterous mother was capable of. It was strange, almost unnatural to hear her speak in such a tone. As if all the joy and warmth in her soul had been snuffed out in an instant.

"But what does that have to do with you a-?" Audrey stammered slightly, as the usually unflappable wolf was struggling with her words. "What does it have to do with Dawn? "The she-wolf furrowed her brow, the puzzled look returning to her face as she stared back into Vernon's eyes. There was a fire in them now, her irises trembling as they searched Vernon's for answers.

Vernon opened his mouth to speak, but his throat seemed to dry up almost as soon as he had, leaving his muzzle hanging open in dumb silence for a few moments. Vernon closed his muzzle slowly, raking a paw down his face as the agony of broaching the topic came to a head. But he had to tell her, he had to make sure she knew. Only then would he know for sure having a family discussion with his father about Dawn was a viable option, or if he would be left with no choice but to expel himself from the pack.

"Z-Zack..." Vernon muttered, the words catching in his throat as he tried to speak. The wolf took a moment to clear his throat harshly before forcing himself to continue. "Zack told me about pa." Vernon continued, his eyes drifting to the floor as he tried to muster the courage to press through the difficult conversation.

" About why pa didn't want me and Dawn at the fair." Vernon continued, running a shaky paw over his scalp. "And more so why he's probably actin' the way he is towards Dawn." The wolf took a slow, deep breath before bringing his eyes to his mother's. Her expression had turned back to one of concern, but there remained a hint of the previous coldness to it. It was enough to make the wolf shudder under her gaze, but somehow he managed to press onward.

"And it's because of his accident." Vernon muttered, the wolf bringing a paw to the back of his head. "The day when Zach got shot."

Audrey visibly shuddered as Vernon uttered the word, the she-wolf wincing as if the words themselves had actually hurt to hear. Audrey's ears sagged sharply, and for the first time, the old mother wolf was the first to break eye contact with Vernon.

"Do you remember ma?" Vernon continued, bringing his paws to rest gently on his mother's shoulders. The she-wolf continued to avert his gaze, her muzzle downturned toward the dusty floor below. "How it happened?"

The she-wolf remained silent, her body almost completely still save for the rising and falling of her slow, methodical breathing. Vernon waited patiently for a response, but as the awkward silence lingered it only served to worsen his building stress and anxiety. The barn had become so silent one could easily hear a pin-drop, especially in the case of a mammal with hearing as sensitive as a wolf's. Yet the only sound that Vernon managed to hear was what sounded like the excitable cry of one of his brothers in the distance before the deafening silence returned. Vernon couldn't stand it any longer.

"Ma, do you-"

"Of course I do!" The she wolf said, pushing Vernon's paws free of her shoulders and taking a step away. Her eyes were glossy with tears now as she looked back at the wolf in disbelief.

"You think I don't remember that day!?" Audrey spat, her muzzle twisted up into an expression of emotional agony. "What that crazed, native mutt did to my boy!" The she-wolf sniffled harshly. "To yer brother!?"

Vernon was starting to feel sick now, the anxiety twisting his stomach into knots forcing bile into his throat as it squeezed in time with his quickening pulse. But Audrey wasn't done.

"I never forgot that day Vernon!" Audrey sniffled. "The day I almost lost one of my boys." The she-wolf looked down at the dirty boards beneath her feet. "The day when I nearly had to live out a mother's worst fear!"

Vernon carefully walked forward, holding his paws up defensively as he moved closer to his mother. He wasn't sure what to do now. He desperately wanted to hug her, but he still had yet to reveal exactly how that horrible day involved his mate. The wolf couldn't bear to imagine the possibility of his mother pushing him away again once she heard the news.

"Ma, he...I mea-"

"But he also saved a little lamb." Audrey said, the she-wolf straightening her stance in an effort to compose herself. The wolfess dabbed at her tears with a paw. " As painful as it would have been to lose my..." Audrey put a clenched paw over her lips, the she-wolf appearing to try to muster the force necessary to bring herself to finish the sentence despite it causing her visible pain. "One of my puppies..." The she-wolf shuddered. "I can't imagine what it would have been like fer that mother to not only lose her lamb before she even had a chance to grow up, but to be forced watch it happen..."

The she-wolf' head dropped as she placed a paw on her chest, taking in a long, slow, deep breath before letting it out. Audrey repeated the routine a few more times, allowing silence to fill the vacuum left by her emotional outpouring.

"I can't imagine a nightmare so fierce..." Audrey finally spoke, another shudder traveling through her frame as the words left her muzzle.

Vernon was frozen. Unable to speak as he watched his mother bearing her soul. There was nothing to say, nothing to do but listen.

"It's Zach's job though..." Audrey raised her head weakly. Her sorrowful eyes now fixing back on Vernon's own.

"Zach's, Yuri's, Wade's, Trenton's and even yer father's." The she-wolf ran a shaky paw through her hair as she let out a tired sigh. "As terrible as it is to say, it's somethin' that comes with the territory." Audrey wiped a stray tear from her eye. "And there ain't a day that goes by I ain't worryin' about havin' to take 'that' phone call in the back of my mind." Audrey shook her head dismissively. "The one that tell's me I ain't never gonna see one of 'em again." The she-wolf said, letting out a world-weary sigh. For a moment she remained silent, her stare remaining fixed on the worn barn floor below as she drew a fresh breath.

"But I'm proud." Audrey slowly raised her head once more, her eyes returning to Vernon's. Despite her tears she was smiling now, even if it seemed forced. "I'm proud of your brother, and I'll never not be proud of him." The she-wolf sighed. "Even if I almost had to lose him. He was a hero to that family." Audrey wiped another stray tear away with a thumb.

The she-wolf took a step forward, placing a paw on Vernon's shoulder and offering him a kind smile.

"I'm just glad I don't have to worry about that sort of thing fer some of you boys." Audrey chuckled softly, gently rubbing the wolf's cheek affectionately. "Gettin' that call I mean." Audrey said with a sad sigh. "I only wish it was the case fer all of y'all."

"Ma I..." Vernon could feel the tears welling, but he was unable to stop them now. The wolf closed his eyes tightly, turning his head away from the she-wolf. Vernon grit his teeth so firmly the wolf was almost certain they were going to shatter. How could he tell her now, after all of that? There was no way she wouldn't find fault with his mate after he made the connection clear.

"Vernon?"

"It w-was Dawn ma." Vernon choked through streaming tears. "It was Dawn's fault in pa's eyes."

Vernon felt the she-wolf grab his cheek more firmly, pulling the wolf's eyes back on her. "Puppy what are you sayin'?" The wolfess tilted her head slightly.

Vernon felt hot bile burning in his throat.

"Dawn's arrest..." Vernon whimpered. "It made everyone turn on sheep-folk." The wolf swabbed a paw against one of his eyes aggressively. "Like all that stuff Ully's always sayin', Dawn's arrest got all them natives believin' it!"

Audrey's eyes widened slightly as she seemed to be taking in what the wolf was saying. The wolfess opened her mouth for a moment, only to close it again. The she-wolf furrowed her brow, It was clear she hadn't quite fully processed what Vernon was saying.

"And that wolf who tried to shoot that little lamb..." Vernon was shuddering now, almost as badly as his mother had been just moments before. " I me-" Vernon gasped sharply, doing his best to breath through the sobbing. "He wouldn't have been t-there I-if-!"

"Shhh...." Audrey had pulled the whimpering wolf into a hug once more, placing his head to her shoulder as she began to stroke the back of it.

"Easy my little Puppy." Audrey cooed. But Vernon was too lost in his own wracking sobs to begin to pull back now. Vernon buried his muzzle in the she-wolf's shoulder, letting out a quiet, anguish-filled howl of his own as he continued to weep.

"There, there puppy..." Audrey tone was almost jovial, as if she were pleasantly surprised by what Vernon had said rather than distraught. But what really left the wolf stunned, was what Audrey followed up with.

"It's okay, It's fine Darlin'. Really." Audrey said, chuckling softly as she pat the wolf's back.

Vernon pulled away from her grip slightly, looking back at his mother through hot tears in sheer disbelief. The wolf's staccato breathing and quivering sobs made it almost impossible to reply. Vernon had to spend a good minute trying to compose himself before he managed to choke out the barest semblance of a word.

"R-really?" Vernon stammered, sharply snorting in an effort to suck back the dribbling tears. "B-But she-I mean Pa-."

Audrey gently patted the wolf's cheek, interrupting his shaky reply before allowing it to rest softly on it. The she-wolf affectionately thumbed away one of his tears. Audrey frowned softly, letting out a soft, tired sigh.

"I mean..." Audrey shook her head. "I can't forget what happened to yer brother." The she-wolf muttered. "I never will."

Vernon could feel his lip begin to quiver as another fresh wave of tears began to build up in his eyes. This was it, the moment Vernon was waiting for, the moment his mother sided with Dorian about Dawn.." Audrey said with a weak smile, brushing a few more tears away from Vernon's cheek with her thumb. "I couldn't hold somethin' like that against her considerin' how little she had to do with it."

"B-But ma-" Vernon gulped harshly as the tears welling inside continued to build. "If she h-hadn't caused the night howler sc-scandal Zach-."

Audrey placed a finger over Vernon's lips, stopping him mid-sentence.

"Yes, I'm sure if Dawn hadn't done what she did, that wolf fella would have most likely not been lookin' fer sheep pelts that day." Audrey tutted. "But ultimately she didn't put a gun in that fella's paw." Audrey cooed. "She wasn't the one firin' at my boy." The she-wolf offered a weak smile. "How much blame am I supposed put on her fer that?"

"But I forgive Dawn

"Bu-but I m-mea-" Vernon pawed at his other eye, doing everything in his power to stem the tide of tears still flowing freely. All the stress and strain he had built up inside leading up to the conversation at paw was simply pouring out now, and despite his mother's surprising response, the wolf was still having a hard time stopping the torrent.

"Vernon." Audrey shushed the wolf. "

I have forgiven her. Hell, if the fella who shot Zach came to my door beggin' fer my forgiveness and a place to stay, if I thought he was sincere enough I would give him both." Audrey smiled warmly. Especially if one of my sons vouched fer his earnesty."

Vernon felt a smile creeping up through his tears as his mother's words registered. The tension dissolving away as the realization set in that his mother was being truly honest. Audrey had held what happened to Zach against Dawn as much as Zach, or anyone else aside from Dorian did. It was like the massive weight that had been building and building as the wolf desperately tried to approach the topic had suddenly lifted, and with it came a spark of renewed hope. Perhaps there was a chance at mending things out with his father, to bring him around to accepting Dawn. Perhaps there would never be a need to even broach the idea of leaving the pack.

"I've always said every mammal who's tryin' to be decent deserves a chance? 'Specially if they're tryin'?" Audrey added with a warm smile. "And i can tell that ewe is tryin' her heart out."

Vernon nodded briskly as a fresh wave of tears began to well up in his eyes.

"Aww, c'mere now Puppy." The she-wolf cooed, pulling the wolf back in for another hug. Vernon was quick to return the gesture, putting as much love as he could into an equally tight hug of his own. The wolf let out a few more shuddering sobs as he squeezed the she-wolf as hard as he could muster. His cries choked with a mixture of relief and joy.

"I wouldn't be much of a good parent if I didn't stick to my own morals now would I?" Audrey said, patting the wolf on the back gently.

Vernon coughed out a laugh in between sobs, mostly in shock of just how well the she-wolf was taking all of this. She certainly seemed to be holding together better than he was.

"Alright, alright, now c'mon." Audrey tutted, patting the wolf on the back more briskly. "There ain't no more reason to be cryin'. In fact we should be celebratin'!" Audrey chuckled. "I want to go congratulate my new 'official' daughter-in-law."

Vernon pulled away from his mother, taking a moment to try to compose himself, The wolf pawed at his eyes again, desperately trying to stem the tears.

"B-but what about Pa?" Vernon whimpered softly.

Audrey rolled her eyes. "Oh we'll deal with yer Pa." The she-wolf muttered, placing her paws on her hips. " You, me, him and Dawn are all gonna have a nice sit down after the barbeque and hash this mess out once and fer all."

Vernon sniffled sharply, sucking back as much of the lingering whimpers as he straightened his stance.

"But I m-mean, Zach's accident..." Vernon muttered.

Audrey dismissively waved a paw. "If it ain't what's eatin' me, it ain't what's eatin' him." The she-wolf crossed her paws, her ears flattening as she did so. " Yer Pa may be stubborn, but he's also a bad liar." The wolfess tapped the side of her snout. "He can see that gal is tryin', that you are both tryin'. And if he doesn't he's lyin' to himself."

"Y-you think so?" Vernon whimpered.

Audrey shook her head decisively. "I don't know what's got his hackles up, but he ain't bein' up front with it." Audrey spat. "If he were, he would have told ya to yer face."

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Well, I don't know-."

"I do." Audrey waggled a finger at the wolf. "I've known that hound fer thirty-three years, and I'd like to think I've got him purty figured out by now." Audrey took a deep breath, letting the air out slowly before slapping her paws together. It was so loud and un-expected that Vernon jumped back in response. Audrey chuckled softly.

"But we'll deal with that later. For now, I wanna hug my little daughter-in-law already!" Audrey flashed the wolf a wide grin. In a blink Audrey was already making her way around Vernon with a determined stride.

"Wait!" She was nearly at the entrance to the barn by the time Vernon was able to react, reaching out a paw and just barely grasping her arm in an effort to stop her. Audrey cocked her head at the towering wolf, a puzzled look adorning her muzzle.

"What now Puppy?" Audrey asked, letting out an impatient huff.

Vernon released his grip, placing his paw on the back of his head as he averted his gaze from the she-wolf. Despite everything they had covered, there was still one little caveat the wolf had forgotten to bring up.

"I er..." Vernon muttered, his ears sagging sharply. "I'm not sure Dawn wants to go for it though."

Audrey practically tilted her head sideways, a mixture of disbelief and confusion marring her features.

"Fer a tithe?" Audrey asked.

Vernon nodded meekly, only for his mother to laugh it off, dismissively waving a paw the wolf's way. "Oh o' course she does!" The she-wolf laughed. "That girl is so smitten with you it hurts. You two are the spittin' image of me an yer father after we met."

Vernon cringed for a brief moment at the comparison before he shook his head dismissively.

"Based on how she reacted to it, I'm not really sure." Vernon muttered.

"Is that what that was?" Audrey asked, tapping her chin. "The little episode of her's at the stand before things got busy?"

Vernon nodded. "I mean, I think so." The wolf shrugged. "She only started actin' that way after I told her I wanted to tithe her."

Audrey continued to tap her chin, the she-wolf clearly pondering over exactly the reason for Dawn's sudden, drastic change in behavior.

"In fact, she's been dodgin' me ever since then." Vernon continued. "I mean look at the way she just ran off like that back at the van." Vernon added, stabbing a claw in the direction of the barbeque. "I ain't never seen her move that quick, let alone behave that way toward me."

"What, she wants to do one of them caprid ceremonies instead?" Audrey asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Vernon let out a sharp exhale, placing a paw to his head in exasperation.

"That's the damndest thing Ma." Vernon muttered, running his paw through his hair. "We actually had a talk about it on the way out here." Vernon sighed, taking a few steps toward the entrance of the barn. The wolf let the paw on his brow fall lazily to his side as he screened the barbeque from a distance. The Hunter girls were still grouped tightly together, but unless Dawn was behind Vanna and Ada, the was no sign of her. The wolf glanced back at his mother with a frown.

"On the train ride up I kinda put the idea of marriage out there." Vernon mumbled. "All the bells and whistles, with the legal document to back it up and everything." The wolf raised his paws in a shrug. "And she was overjoyed. In fact she was cryin' up a storm over just how happy I had made her because I wanted to marry her."

Audrey was softly squeezing at her chin, her eyes squinting at the wolf as she seemed to be mulling over the information.

"I even mentioned gettin' Gus to officiate the ceremony so we wouldn't have to worry about findin' a caprid official who'd be willing to wed us both, considerin' he's a licensed one." Vernon let his paws flop lamely to his sides. "Then I bring tithin' up and suddenly she's got cold hooves." Vernon placed his paws on his hips, shaking his head dismissively. "It just doesn't make a lick of sense."

"O'course it does." Audrey spoke, raising a finger. " She's obviously worried about yer father's behavior toward her." The she-wolf concluded.

Vernon placed a paw to his chin. The wolf wasn't so sure considering how they had at some point been the one to reassure each other about bringing the older wolf around, still the wolf could fully argue against it.

"Mhhh...." The wolf muttered uncertainly.

"Dawn knows how tithin' ceremonies work right?" Audrey asked.

Vernon gave a simple nod. "O'course, it's part of the book she's writin' about us."

Audrey nodded in agreement. "Then she probably knows that generally speakin' y'all got to get the permission of the head of the household to get a tithe." The she-wolf continued, flashing the wolf a confident grin. "And seein' as how that's ol' Dori, she's probably just skittish because of how he's been actin' toward her."

Vernon bit his lip, drawing his paw from his chin to his neck in discomfort.

"I don't know..." Vernon grumbled. "I mean...last night Dawn and I had this long talk about sharin' our feelin's with each other..." The wolf placed a paw on the back of his neck, rubbing it lamely as he looked at the floor. "About how we were a team now, and how when one of us had a fight, it was really both our fights 'er somethin' like that."

Audrey giggled, placing a paw over her muzzle in an effort to cover it.

"That sounds just like me and yer father way back when too." The she-wolf chuckled.

Vernon rolled his eyes in response, only for his mother to give him a playful swat on the arm.

"I'll have you know I was right then, and she's right now." Audrey tutted, waving a finger at the wolf.

"But that's just it!" Vernon retorted, crossing his arms defiantly. "She's the one who spent all that time tellin' me that, and yet here she is hidin' somethin' big from me." Vernon snorted. "I'd be willin' to give her time to spill it, but it's...I mean-" The wolf started to pace slightly, making small circles in the mouth of the barn as he tried to think of the proper way to put into words exactly what he was thinking. Vernon placed a paw on his forehead for a moment, dragging it down his muzzle as he walked before the word finally jumped into his mind.

"It's hypocritical, you know?" Vernon stopped, holding out his arms in a gesture that simply said "I don't know." "If it is pa's behavior, or she's skittish about the ceremony she should tell me. Especially after that whole talk." The wolf crossed his arms, but despite his defiant gesture his ears sagged sharply. Vernon let out a soft whine.

"She knows I love her more than anythin'!" Vernon sighed, the wolf could practically feel his heart in his throat as the words spilled forth. A mixture of amorous warmth and emotional agony dripping from his words. "S-She knows I'd understand..." The wolf let out another soft whine. "Or at least try to..."

Vernon felt a paw grip his shoulder, only to find his mother had once again closed the gap between them. The she-wolf was smiling up at him now, placing her other paw under his chin and giving it a gentle lift.

"Now, now." Audrey cooed. " Chin up, okay? I can only imagine whatever yer ewe is going through is because she loves you just as much." The she-wolf pat Vernon's chest affectionately. "I know when it came to me and yer father, some of the moments that got me all twisted up inside the worst was because I loved that wolf so much I was afraid I'd hurt him." Audrey frowned slightly. "The last thing I could bear to see was that old wolf frown. My heart just couldn't take it."

Vernon chuckled. "Seems to frown a lot now."

Audrey gave the wolf another playful swat.

"I meant because of somethin' I caused Puppy!" Audrey shook her dismissively head. "Yer father's always been a bit of a grouse, even way back when." Audrey let out a pleasant sigh. " I tell ya, nothin' made me happier than bringing a smile to that muzzle of his." Vernon could see a shimmer in the she-wolf's eyes as she paused for a moment, a warm smile forming on her muzzle as she reminisced. "It made me so giddy I could burst!" Audrey cooed wistfully. "Still does..."

Vernon chuckled, placing a paw on his mother's head affectionately.

" I know the feelin' ma." Vernon said, patting the she-wolf's head gingerly.

"But y'all know what helps when it comes to getting out somethin' difficult Puppy?" Audrey asked. "Especially with the one y'all love?"

Vernon smirked. "Naw..." The wolf chuckled. "What?"

"Lettin' 'em know they're loved, regardless of what's twisted 'em up inside. And that nothin' they could say would make you stop lovin' 'em." Audrey smiled up at the wolf, cupping his cheek in her palm.

"Nothing could be a bigger help than that." Audrey patted his cheek gently. "And that's what Dawnie needs, our help. Okay?" The she-wolf nodded.

Vernon tilted his head curiously. He wasn't quite sure what his mother meant by 'help', but regardless he soon found himself softly nodding along in agreement. Audrey's smile widened, giving the wolf a playful pat on the cheek.

"Now let's go find Dawn and have a little talk." Audrey said with a determined nod. "We'll get everythin' sorted out, I promise."

Vernon wanted to object, he wanted to handle this part on his own. But the words failed to come as Audrey made for the barn's exit, making a steady stride in the direction of the barbeque area. She had made it almost completely past the van by the time Vernon had fully processed what was happening, and jogged to catch up with her.

"Wait ma, I should-."

Audrey waved him off as she continued to cross the grassy meadow, the wolfess chuckling softly.

"Oh c'mon Vernon." Audrey shrugged. "If it gets too personal I'll step back. But at the very least I'm going to congratulate my daughter-in-law on the tithe before I leave you both to discuss it." Audrey smirked. "Bringin' it up will kinda force her to talk about it with you, I mean if that's what is botherin' her after all..." The wolfess shrugged. "Then y'all can just take it from there."

Vernon winced slightly, uncertain of the she-wolf's plan. But with no plan of his own to put forth, and his mother more or less spurring the charge forward, the wolf continued to trail her as they approached the barbeque area.

"You spot her Vern?" Audrey asked, the she-wolf slowing to a stop as they approached the nearest table to them. At the moment it remained un-mammaled. Adorned with various paper plates and plastic cups that were held in place by varying sizes of rocks should a wind pick up. Vernon placed a paw above his brow, carefully taking in the area in a slow, sweeping gesture.

Fairly close by was the table the remaining Hunter girls were more or less huddled around, most of whom were in the process of picking at the variety of finger foods Vernon imagined Malcolm had already prepped for the event. He could see Vanna lamely picking at the shrimp plate, with Qali occasionally jumping up to snipe a morsel of food before slipping beneath the edge of the table again.

Further along he could see Malcolm working at the grill, the russet colored wolf running a paw through his sopping mane as he flipped what Vernon could only assume by the smell was some sort of salmon fillet. Vernon had to take a moment to shake off the delectable scent, wiping his maw briskly before returning to the task at paw.

Across from the red wolf chef Vernon could see the drink cooler, and much to his distaste his brother Yuri. The dark furred wolf had taken a leaning stance against it, almost appearing clasped to it for dear life as he stared on with bleary eyes toward Ada and Trenton as they swept up what looked like some sort of broken bottle strewn about the nearby grass. Vernon could only guess that the accident was Yuri's doing, based on the fact that Ada was cleaning up after it. It was one of her specialties when it came to the boorish brother of his that she had for some reason chosen to attach herself to.

As he continued to scan the grounds, passing over Wade, Zach and Xavier in the midst of what appeared to be a very engaging discussion the wolf slowly became aware of his father's overall absence from the grounds. By now he was certain the older wolf would have been back from the fair, and traditionally he would be parading around the barbeque still clad in his work get-up complete with his sheriff's hat. Yet the iconic dusky hat and badge were nowhere to be seen.

"Pa's not here." Vernon muttered.

"He's inside." Audrey replied, letting out an irritated huff. "He's still stickin' to his guns about stayin' in his study fer the rest of the weekend." The she-wolf grumbled. "Not that'd I'd be willin' to put up with him poutin' around the barbeque and ruinin' everyone's fun."

Vernon sighed. He shouldn't have been surprised that his father had elected to hide in the house rather than come outside and take a chance at getting to know his mate. His father had made his decree, and as such any negotiations would have to be brought to him, not the other way around. That was Dorian's nature, stubborn until the end. Until he either got his way, or Audrey finally talked some sense into him. Still, Vernon had some hope that maybe the old law wolf would have shown his muzzle for the sake of the others. Surely Xavier, Trenton, Ulric and even Yuri would have wanted some time with the old mam'. But Dorian had become fixated with his distaste for the ewe's presence to the point that Vernon's brothers were being made to suffer for it.

"Is that her...and Ulric?" Audrey interjected, drawing Vernon out of his thoughts. Bringing his paw back to his brow, the wolf glanced toward where his mother was gesturing. Vernon recognized the wooly poof in an instant, her trademark coif bobbing slightly as she seemed to be talking with the dusky gray wolf. Vernon winced, there was no mistaking Ulric's lithe and twitchy form appearing to loom over his mate.

"Oh no." Vernon was jogging as the words left his muzzle. Ulric was actually talking to her. And while Vernon was at least thankful the conversation seemed to be calm from a distance, he couldn't imagine what absolutely insane ravings the ewe was being subjected to.

"Dawn!" Vernon called out, raising a paw as he closed the gap between him and the pair. The ewe quickly turned her head in his direction, quirking an eyebrow as Vernon slowed to a stop.

"....One glove? Who wears one glove?" Vernon could hear Ulric concluding as he arrived, the twitchy wolf throwing Vernon a curious glance of his own.

"What's up Vernon?" Ulric asked, nonchalantly.

Vernon narrowed his gaze at the wolf.

"You been badgerin' my gal?" Vernon muttered, crossing his arms as he glared at the wolf

Ulric shrunk into his shoulders slightly, donning a nervous expression.

"W-Wha-? No-I-?"

"It's fine Vernon." Dawn interjected, taking one of Vernon's paws in her own and flashing him a smile. "Ulric and I were just having a fascinating discussion about Moira Blackwool."

Vernon furrowed his brow, the wolf taking a moment to glance between the oddly chipper ewe and the fidgety wolf. His eyes darting between them again and again as the wolf tried to process what Dawn had said.

"Fascinatin'....discussion?" Vernon muttered dumbly. 'Fascinating discussion' and Ulric were two things that simply did not go together. The wolf simply didn't have the capacity to explain a single subject without going off into crazy, insane rambling that even a pup would think twice about listening to. Yet Dawn was wearing a genuine smile despite having been stuck talking to the peculiar wolf for who knew how long.

"Yes." Dawn continued, nodding affirmatively. "He's actually shown me quite a bit of interesting historical idiosyncrasies regarding the Queen that actually have some degree of substance to them." Dawn gestured to her phone. "It may prove very useful to my book."

Vernon cringed, rearing his head back slightly in disbelief.

"Y-You're serious Honey Lamb?" Vernon muttered, glancing back toward the awkward wolf. Ulric was now leaning against the table, a smug smile forming on his muzzle. Dawn simply nodded again.

"And he didn't say anythin'...untoward?" Vernon asked, throwing Ulric a judgmental glare.

Dawn giggled, shaking her head dismissively. "Oh no, he was quite polite."

Ulric crossed his arms, his smile growing into a confident toothy grin. It only lasted for a moment as the wolf seemed to lose his balance, and had to keep himself from falling over the table. The grey wolf scrambled back into place quickly, throwing up a significantly less confident smile as he poorly attempted to play off his folly.

Vernon eyed him silently for a few more moments before letting out a defeated sigh.

"Alright Ully..." Vernon muttered. "My bad."

Ulric grinned widely as he walked toward the wolf, dusting off his shirt as he approached.

"See!" Ulric whined. "I didn't do anything!" The grey wolf stuck his tongue out teasingly. "Why doesn't anyone around here ever trust me!?"

"Because when we do, you decide it's a good idea to go streakin' across the Meadowlands." That had come from Audrey, the she-wolf finally approaching the group of mammals. Vernon hadn't realized he had left her behind in his rush to 'save' his Honey Lamb from Ulric's ramblings.

The dusky wolf's ears sagged sharply, his eyes wide with a mixture of horror and disbelief.

"MA!" Ulric spat. " I HAD TO DO THAT!" Ulric ran a paw through his messy, draping hair. "THEY PUT BUGS IN MY CLOTHES!"

Vernon rolled his eyes.

"Bugs?" Dawn muttered.

"TRACKING DEVICES!" The wolf proclaimed.

Vernon sighed.

"Alright Ully Darlin'." Audrey's tone was reassuring despite Ulric's ridiculous behavior. The she-wolf approached her lanky son, gingerly placing an arm around him as she placed her other paw on his chest. "I'm sure they did. But y'all need to calm down."

Ulric whined softly, his ears twitching as he nervously fidgeted his paws.

"Y-you believe me Ma?" Ulric whimpered.

"Of course I do my little Ully." Audrey chuckled, patting his chest affectionately. "I tell ya what. We got some nice mineral water in the cooler fer ya. Why don't y'all go get some and leave us here to talk fer a while?"

Ulric glanced at Dawn for a moment, his muzzle scrunching up slightly as his eyes darted around in their sockets. It was clear Ulric was having a hard time processing what was going on. "M-mineral water?"

"Yes sweetie..." Audrey cooed. "Yer favorite."

Ulric nodded meekly.

"It'll calm ya down. Okay?" Audrey added, starting to move the wolf away from the group, pushing him gently in the direction of the drink cooler. Ulric nodded dumbly, shuffling a few steps away before turning back to glance at the group. Ulric's gaze fixed on Dawn momentarily, the wolf squinting for a moment as he appeared to be thinking.

"Those lines on your hooves might be an early sign of calcium deficiency. You might want to look for a supplement or some other method to increase your calcium intake" the wolf mumbled, before finally turning away from the group and making tracks for the cooler.

Vernon chuckled, his muzzle furrowing into a bemused smirk as he watched the wolf walk away. He couldn't believe it. Had his brother Ulric actually treated a sheep, a Bellwether, like an actual mammal?

"Well I'll be flea-dipped." Vernon muttered, turning his attention back to the ewe at his side. "I think Ulric actually likes you?"

Dawn was busy inspecting her hooves, eyeing them curiously for a moment before turning her attention to her mate.

"Oh...I don't know about that..." Dawn murmured, tapping her hooves together nervously. "I mean, he might just think I-I hypnotized him later or something..."

Vernon chuckled, scooping the ewe up in his arms in a swift motion. Dawn let out a quiet 'Eep!' at the sudden movement, the ewe giggling as she playfully tried to push the wolf away from her. Despite it, Vernon managed to get his nose close enough to steal a nuzzle.

"Who couldn't be when faced with a ewe so charmin'!" Vernon cooed.

"Puppy! StaahhP!" The ewe protested between fits of giggling. The minuscule ewe's half-hearted pushes were little match for the wolf, as he easily snuck in a few kisses.

"Well don't I feel like a third wheel." Audrey said with a laugh.

Vernon stopped in his tracks, the wolf becoming acutely embarrassed of his behavior at the realization his mother was still standing among them. The wolf's ears sagged slightly as he drew his muzzle back from its close proximity to his mate. Vernon offered the wolfess a sheepish grin.

"Ehh...sorry ma." Vernon said weakly, earning another giggle from his mate.

Audrey cocked an eyebrow, flashing the pair a knowing grin. "It's alright, it's alright." The wolfess tutted. "As long as we don't have a repeat of last night, it's all fine."

Out of the corner of his eye, Vernon could see an intense blush had formed on Dawn's muzzle, and she was desperately trying to hide it.

"S-sorry Audrey." Dawn muttered.

Audrey chuckled. "Now, now, that's all in the past. Y'all have made good on payin' me back fer it." The she-wolf clapped her paws together loudly. "But now we should be celebratin'!"

Dawn tilted her head slightly, the ewe clearly confused.

"I thought we were celebrating?" Dawn asked meekly.

Audrey chuckled. "Well, I mean sure we are." The she-wolf smirked, running a paw through her hair as she glanced back at the rest of the barbeque. "But I'm talkin' about you and Vernon!"

The ewe's smile faltered slightly. Her previous confused expression now mixing with visible concern.

"V-Vernon and I?" Dawn murmured.

Audrey nodded excitedly, the she-wolf's grin expanding wide enough to show teeth.

"Yessir!" Audrey cooed. "I can't tell y'all how excited I am knowin' yer gonna be gettin' tithed!"

The last bit of Dawn's lingering smile fell completely, her eyes growing wide as her muzzle twisted into something close to abject horror. She looked at Vernon only for a moment before trying her best to hide her expression. But it was far too late, Vernon had already seen it. Still the ewe seemed determined to play it off.

"O-OH!" Dawn chirped, her voice breaking as she attempted to sound as if nothing was wrong. "O-our tithe?"

Audrey shook her head, raising a finger at the couple.

"Now, now Dawn." Audrey cooed. "I'm sure yer probably frettin' over old Dori."

Vernon felt the ewe tense in his grip at the sound of his father's name. His mother was clearly on the right track. Suddenly Vernon was feeling a bit more confident that Dawn wasn't suddenly suffering from a bad case of cold hooves, as ridiculous as the prospect had been in the first place.

"D-Dorian?" Dawn stammered.

"Mhh-hmm." Audrey continued. "But we are gonna straighten that old wolf out, don't you worry Darlin'." Audrey puffed her chest slightly, flashing the couple a confident grin. "We'll bring him around don't you worry.

"W-We will?" Dawn stuttered. Vernon could feel the ewe trembling slightly now.

"Dawn?" Vernon asked, gently turning her head to face him. He could feel her resist slightly, but ultimately relent. However, the ewe averted her gaze from meeting his own. "Honey Lamb? You okay?"

Dawn let out a quiet, worried groan as she covered her eyes with a hoof.

"Dawn." Vernon cooed, gently pulling her hoof away from her face in an effort to make eye contact. "C'mon, talk to me Honey." Vernon whined softly. "Please."

"I-I can't..." Dawn whimpered. "I-I just.."

"Is it Dori Honey?" Audrey asked, placing a paw on Vernon's arm as she sidled up near the pair. "Because we can work it out, we will."

Dawn closed her eyelids tightly, the ewe turning away from the wolves completely.

"We were gonna have a family meetin' right after the barbeque." Audrey reassured. "Dorian an' me, an' you an' Vern. We'll all sit down in the study and talk it ou-."

"NO!" Dawn shouted, turning back to face the pair as she clutched at Vernon's arms. "WE CAN'T! I CAN'T!" Her eyes were brimming with tears now, which only served to further upset Vernon. The ewe quickly turned away again, trying to hide her eyes with her hooves. Vernon let out another whine.

"Dawn." Vernon whimpered, trying to bring her eyes back to his own. Now the ewe was fighting, doing her damndest to pull her muzzle free of his grip just to keep from looking at him. "Please tell me what's wrong!" The wolf whimpered. He could feel his own tears beginning to brim as the ewe fought back.

"I-I!" Dawn finally relented, allowing herself to face the wolf. As soon as her eyes finally met his, she began to bawl.

"DORIAN SAID NO!" Dawn threw her face into Vernon's chest, balling her hooves tightly in his shirt as she sobbed.

Vernon glanced at his mother for a moment, raising the she-wolf a concerned brow.

"Darlin' I-"

"I s-spoke to him..." Dawn whimpered into Vernon's shirt. He could feel her hot breath bleeding through the fabric with each of the ewe's wracking sobs. "In his study, l-last night."

Vernon froze as what the ewe was saying registered, his ears standing sharply to attention as the realization washed over him.

"What happened?" Vernon barked, gingerly pulling Dawn away from her place nestled in his chest. The ewe was still shuddering with each heavy, agonizing looking sob. Vernon pawed away some of the tears from under her lenses with a thumb, doing his best to remain gentle despite the fact that he had completely tensed up.

"I-I..." Dawn shuddered, letting out a sharp snort as she attempted to stifle her sobs. "I went in w-while you and Audrey were doing the dishes." The ewe lifted her glasses, rubbing her eyes.

"I-I thought I-..." Dawn gasped.

"Easy now Darlin'." Audrey cooed. The wolfess placed a paw to Dawn's cheek, rubbing it gently with a thumb. "Calm down."

Dawn drew back from her grip, shaking her head dismissively.

"I thought If I-I talked to him maybe I-." Dawn sniffled sharply. "Maybe I-I could get him t-to give me a ch-chance."

"Dawn." Audrey cooed, but despite her attempts to soother the ewe, Dawn simply ignored her. The ewe was on a roll now, and Vernon could tell she wouldn't be able to regain her composure until she had poured her heart out.

"But he told me no!" Dawn spat, gritting her teeth. "I-I hurt Zach. I-."

"We know Darlin'." Vernon cooed, placing a paw on her cheek. The ewe looked back at his in shock, her eyes wide with terror.

"And it's alright Darlin'." Audrey added, drawing Dawn's attention her way. "It's all in the past now." The ewe's wide eyes darted between the wolves. The lamb was clearly struggling, probably unsure if they had understood exactly what she was hinting at.

"And I forgive you" Audrey added, flashing the ewe a concerned smile. " And so does Zach, and everyone else here."

Dawn continued to stare in shock, but Vernon could tell the words were starting to register as a fresh wave of tears began to flow from the ewe's eyes. Before the wolf could interject with a reassurance of his own, Dawn had buried her face back into his chest for another round of heaving sobs.

"N-No! I-I..." Dawn bawled, rubbing her face into Vernon's chest. The moist patch left by his mother's tears from earlier hadn't even dried yet, and he could feel Dawn's own tears spreading into the older stain.

"It is my fault!" The ewe heaved. "W-why are y-you just going to l-let it go like that!?"

"Because I love you Dawn." Vernon cooed.

"We all love you." Audrey added, placing a paw on the ewe's shoulders. "We love you and we forgive you Darlin'."

Vernon could feel Dawn let out another, hard shuddering sob, her fists tightly twisting his shirt as she convulsed. Vernon placed a paw on the ewe's back, gingerly rubbing it as he lay his head atop her own.

"It's alright Darlin'..." Vernon said sweetly. "It's alright..."

Dawn shuddered again, her sobs starting to quiet with each hacking weep though never fully going away. Vernon let her sob quietly for a while, trying to give the ewe enough time despite his nerves screaming at him to find out every detail of what father had said.

In the well of his chest, he could already feel the heat of his anger rising, tying his stomach into knots. Dorian had blamed his mate for Zach's accident in no uncertain terms, he had put her in this state. The shuddering, broken ewe in his arms was the direct result of his father's cruel accusations, and it was clear Dawn had been afraid to discuss it for fear of how Vernon and the others would feel about the accident. After all, if the older wolf blamed her for it, then why wouldn't the rest of his family? And worse yet, the ewe had been sitting on that for nearly a day. Dawn had been holding that from him, from everyone despite how much it hurt her. All because of whatever scare the old 'mam had managed to put into her over it.

"Dawn..." Vernon muttered, his voice growing firm despite trying his best to remain cool and soothing. Vernon gingerly lifted her head, the still sniffling ewe whimpering softly as her eyes met his. "What else did he say?"

Dawn let out another soft whimper, wiping her eye with a hoof.

"H-He told me...I..." Dawn shuddered, it seemed like the ewe was about to break into another fit of sobbing until Vernon placed his paw against her cheek, caressing it gently.

"Tell me..."

Dawn sniffled, her shimmering eyes finally managing to meet Vernon's own.

"T-that I-I'd never be a part of the f-family..." Dawn sniffled harshly. "Th-that I w-was just a cheap little gimmer y-you were experimenting with!"

That managed to draw a sharp gasp from Audrey. And out of the corner of his eye, Vernon could see the she-wolf had covered her muzzle with a paw in shock. But Dawn wasn't done, between her choking sobs and gasps for air she continued.

"That as l-long as he was he-head of the household th-that..."

A cry slipped out of the ewe's throat, and she quickly covered her muzzle with her hooves, turning away from the wolf briefly. Vernon watched the ewe take a deep shuddering breath, her hooves tightly balled up as she seemed to be steeling herself to finish her sentence.

With a final sigh, the ewe sharply turned back to Vernon, her eyes' glazed with fresh tears.

"That I wo-would never be a Hu-Hunter!" And with her final declarative statement, the ewe once again buried her face into the wolf's chest.

Dawn continued to quietly cry, but Vernon couldn't hear it anymore. In fact, the wolf couldn't seem to hear anything anymore. The sound of the wind and the chatter of the barbeque seemed to die away under the deafening roar of the white-hot inferno quickly sweeping through Vernon's mind. His pulse was quickening, and his blood carried the rising heat from his mind to the rest of his body. His veins feeling as though they were surging with boiling hot lava as the flushed into his increasingly tense muscles. With each pump of his heart, his burning muscles contracted like pistons firing, the speed growing faster and faster in time with his thrumming heartbeat.

He could see Dorian's face in his mind, the image of the stubborn, miserable wolf screaming at his little Honey Lamb. The ewe who simply came to him asking for a chance only to be turned away, and cruelly so. To declare that he would simply never accept her, no matter what. He could see her cowering under his shouts, his piercing judgmental stare. Mouthing words like 'Gimmer' and other hateful sheep slurs at the crumpled lamb left to his mercy. The wolf's face was growing redder as the images continued to play in Vernon's imagination, but it was no blush. It was the haze of Vernon's own mind view, the surge of hatred and rage cascading over every neuron firing in his brain.

Vernon gritted his teeth tightly, the sound of the muscles in his jaw popping. His heartbeat was thrumming so loudly now that he could feel his body actively trembling with each 'thud'. Slowly, Vernon gently placed the ewe in his arms on the ground before wordlessly rising to his feet and turning to face the house. Vernon balled his fists tightly as he took in a slow, methodical breath of air, his eyes now fixed on the unassuming Hunter Ranch where his Father was hiding away.

The wolf exhaled slowly, but it did nothing to stem the raging inferno simmering just beneath his pelt.

Vernon was mad.