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Chapter Forty-Four: Early Morning Ambush

Dawn opened a tired, bleary green eye; the sound of dull rattling rousing the petite ewe from her rather pleasant sleep. It was a thrumming, familiar hum that Dawn knew all too well. The way it rattled softly before coming to an abrupt stop, only to start again moments later. It was the unmistakable pizzicato strains of a carrot phone vibrating against a hard surface as it struggled to sound a wake-up call despite the ringtone being muted. It was a noise that Dawn easily recognized, but had rarely been on the receiving end of when it came to waking up in the morning.

Dawn had always been more or less a morning mammal. From when she had first entered grade school up until she was sworn in as Assistant Mayor, the ewe had lived most of her life waking up fairly close to the time of day from which her namesake had derived. And the ewe's time in prison only served to further hard-wire that sort of regiment into her. By the time she was released from prison, it had grown into her natural sleep cycle, and it was that reason that made her brief time working the night shift at Bug Burga particularly taxing and tiresome. The sudden, sharp contrast in sleep schedules was so jarring that the ewe had never quite been able to get used to the late shifts. But now that the ewe was working her own hours as a freelance author, she had just as easily slipped back into a steady pattern of waking up around eight in the morning even when she had very little to actually do. That is, when Vernon wasn't dragging her back into bed.

And that's where the actual purpose of the alarm came into play. After all, the ewe was the last mammal to need a wake-up call. But in sharing a bed with Vernon, she quickly came to learn that the wolf was a very late sleeper. Working the night shift at Bug Burga had been ideal for the largely nocturnal mammal. But interning at the city's architecture department demanded an entirely different kind of schedule, one the wolf was still struggling to get used to. The alarm itself was the first in several lines of defense when it came to wake-up calls, all geared at spurring the sluggish and sleep deprived wolf from his deep slumber. And most of those other wake-up calls had been crafted and implemented by the ewe herself.

On a normal workday, Dawn usually found herself waking up at around seven-thirty. The next ten minutes or so were devoted to trying to slip off the mattress without the wolf noticing, because if he did, he would simply pull the ewe back into her previous position curled up against the wolf's side. For her, it was the hardest part of the _'fight'_to get the wolf up and ready for work. The wolf's strength and desire to sleep-in regardless of the circumstance was hard for the ewe to overcome. Especially, because the more she failed to slip away successfully, the more her resolve to get him up faltered under the growing desire to linger just a little longer in the wolf's comforting embrace. To fall victim to his inviting warmth and gentle caress, and ultimately cause her to sleep in herself.

However, if she managed to succeed, the next step was brewing a fresh pot of Vernon's favorite coffee to bait the wolf out of his slumber. By the time the alarm finally rumbled to life, the ewe had already finished a cup of coffee of her own. With the extra caffeine boost to strengthen her resolve against the wolf's particularly drowsy charm, the ewe was more than ready for anything the wolf could throw at her. And with a mixture of gentle verbal prodding and wafting fresh coffee vapors under the wolf's snout, she was usually able to get the wolf on his feet. Whether he was functioning at one hundred percent or not was another question entirely, but at that point, it was left in Vernon's paws.

But now Dawn was on the other end of that same alarm, being drawn out of her blissful and hazy slumber far earlier than she was used too. The ewe let out a soft grumble, closing her eye tightly as she turned to bury herself back in the wolf's pelt. She wasn't ready to be awake yet, and much like her mate's behavior when it came to morning wake-up calls she was more than prepared to ignore it. But the ewe was not about to be afforded that luxury, for as she went to nuzzle more deeply into Vernon's chest fur, she felt a jarring pressure against her eye. The sudden painful jolt causing the ewe to draw back with a sudden jerk.

"DAGS!" The ewe placed a hoof over her eye, rubbing it aggressively as she tried to chase away the sudden stinging sensation. Her eye began to tear as she sucked in a painful breath through parted teeth. "Stthhhhhh!" The ewe hissed.

The startling jab was enough to dispel any lingering sense of drowsy comfort that had been draped over the ewe's mind. She was wide awake now, and as the room came into a sort of half-focused haze the ewe quickly realized just what had poked her in the eye. With a sigh, Dawn removed the glasses that were dangling limply from her left ear and appraised them with an irritated glare. She had never taken them off after Vernon had asked her what time it was, and fell asleep with them on. The ewe took a moment to inspect the right arm of the frames, opening and closing it with a hoof to check for bends before slipping them on again.

With a sigh, Dawn swabbed at her other eye, chasing away the last grains of sleep dust as she began to scan the rustic bedroom she and Vernon had spent the night in. It was still rather dark, the faintest glimmers of sunlight just barely filtering in under the blinds in a futile attempt to chase the lingering night away. Aside from the quiet murmur of Vernon breathing next to her, and the stray chirping of the early morning birds outside, the Hunter Ranch was completely silent. Under different circumstances, the tranquil atmosphere would have put the ewe enough at ease to allow to easily drift back to sleep had she wanted to try. But now that she was awake, she could easily recall just why the couple had decided to wake up so early in the first place. It was time to go home, to head back to the safety of their peaceful little apartment in Zootopia and away from the residence they found themselves no longer welcome in. And if they had any intention of getting away without causing any more of a stir than they already had, they had to slip out before the rest of the Hunter pack even woke up.

Dawn turned her attention in the direction the phone still rattling against Vernon's nightstand. The rather ineffective alarm was obscured behind the frame of the still slumbering wolf, and the pointless buzzing was already starting to grate on the ewe's nerves. It never really did work when it came to rousing the wolf from his slumber, even when the actual alarm had been set to blaring. And as she glanced at the blissfully snoring wolf, the ewe couldn't help but wonder just how Vernon would be able to function in a day job if it wasn't for her giving him the extra push in the first place. Dawn shook her head dismissively, letting out a soft chuckle to herself as she reached a hoof out to stroke the wolf's head affectionately.

"I suppose even this counts as part of 'supporting each other' huh?" Dawn thought, a warm smile crawling across her muzzle. "I'm just glad I can help..."

The buzzing caught the ewe's attention again, drawing her out of her more pleasant thoughts. The ewe had lingered enough, and the time had come to get moving if they intended to leave as quickly as possible. With a grunt, Dawn crawled herself partially over the wolf's body, reaching an outstretched hoof toward the phone charging on the adjacent nightstand. Her first few passes didn't even manage to touch the carrot phone, and it didn't help that it was slowly vibrating itself further and further from her reach. Dawn stuck out her tongue, pressing it against her lip as she strained to reach further, just barely brushing the side of Vernon's phone with a hoof before losing her balance and slipping partially down the other side of the wolf. Dawn's muzzle pressed into the bedding near Vernon's back, but her eyes remained fixed on the detestable buzzing cell phone. She nearly had it now, her hoof just shy of coming down directly on the device.

Suddenly the ewe felt arms wrap around her, clutching tightly around the middle of her frame before she found herself being pulled away from her prize. The cell-phone disappearing behind the ridge of the wolf's back as she found herself pulled back into her previous resting place.

"What, oh Puppy no-!" The ewe was unable to finish her sentence as the wolf nuzzled up under the ewe's chin, letting out a lingering, pleading whine as he snuggled tightly against her. The top of his muzzle effectively shutting her mouth before she could finish her sentence. The ewe managed to pull her head up slightly, giving her enough room to speak properly.

"Puppy..." Dawn murmured softly. "We have to wake up now." Dawn once again found herself in the usual morning routine. Pulled into one of the wolf's sleepy hugs, restrained by his rather aggressive cuddling as the struggle to wake him up began in earnest.

"Mhhh...." The wolf grumbled, snuggling a bit more tightly against the ewe as she struggled to free one of her hooves.

The wolf's actions were rather endearing, and it was part of what made it so hard to willingly force him to wake up and let her go. The other difficult part was, of course, just how much she enjoyed the warmth of his embrace. The feeling of the wolf's strong arms holding her close to his warm fur as he nuzzled up against her was the fastest way to melt through her defenses. And the ewe was ashamed to admit that Vernon had already run late several times to his job because of how often the wolf had managed to prolong that particular war of attrition. 'Just five more minutes' becoming the ewe's reluctant go-to mantra when she caved under the pressure of her own neediness. But this was a different matter altogether, and the ewe couldn't stand to waiver for even a second, lest they be faced with the possibility of being the center of a massive family argument.

With a terse yank, Dawn managed to finally free one of her arms. Gently, she pressed her free hoof against the wolf's brow, stroking it softly.

"Vernon, it's time to get up now..." Dawn cooed softly.

"Mmhh...!" The wolf muttered again, nuzzling deeper into the ewe's neck. She could see his eyelids twitch as the wolf fought to keep them shut. In response, the ewe gingerly tapped her digits along his scalp as she continued to stroke his head.

"Puppy, you need to get up." Dawn murmured. "We need to go."

"N-nrr.." Vernon let out another quiet grumble. Slowly one of his paws reached up toward the ewe's free hoof, weakly grasping at it in what Dawn could only assume was a futile attempt to restrain it once more. The ewe drew her hoof back accordingly, leaving the wolf to drape his searching paw lamely over his face where her hoof had been. "Nooo...." The wolf moaned weakly.

"Yes Vernon." Dawn cooed, smiling weakly.

The wolf let out a soft huff, attempting to pull the ewe closer to him. However, Dawn managed to somehow resist by pushing against his head with her free hoof until she felt his pull slacken. The wolf slumped, returning to his inert state.

"Five more minutes Honey Lamb..." The wolf murmured. "J-just snuggle awhile more..."

Dawn let out a sigh.

"Vernon..." Dawn groaned as she worked to pull her other hoof free. "We aren't at home remember?" The ewe pulled as hard as she could, but the wolf's grip was surprisingly tight. She could feel her hoof starting to grow numb under the pressure. "We-" Dawn huffed. " C-can't stay-" Each attempt at pulling her other arm free fractured her sentence further. "Here!"

The ewe stopped for a moment to gather her strength. Her other hoof was nearly free now, it just needed one more hard yank to pull it out of Vernon's grasp. The ewe took a deep breath, channeling all her energy into one final pull of the increasingly numb appendage. Thankfully it didn't take all that much effort, and as her other hoof slipped free of Vernon's grasp, the wolf let out a soft, mournful whine.

"Can't stay where...?" The wolf grumbled, his voice still dripping heavily with a drowsy tone. It was clear the wolf was confused by the timbre of his voice, the veil of sleep presumably dampening his thoughts.

"The ranch Puppy?" Dawn replied, placing her hooves gingerly against the top of the wolf's head. Dawn began to twiddle the wolf's cowlick between her fingers as she continued to try at gently rousing the sleepy wolf. "Your family's ranch?"

The wolf let out another soft grumble, rubbing the side of his face against the ewe's chest as he continued to grapple her waist.

Dawn shook her head softly, placing a hoof to her head as she let out a tired sigh. Trapped in the wolf's grip she couldn't even check her own phone, let alone turn off the wolf's alarm. Who knows how much time they had already wasted participating in this cuddle based standoff, and at the rate they were going Dawn was sure she would be stuck there until the rest of the Hunter's not only woke up, but became curious enough to check on them. There simply wasn't time to fool around if Vernon intended to keep to his proposed plan. And the last thing Dawn wanted to see was the sullen faces of Audrey and her sister-in-laws as they had to explain why they were leaving and never coming back.

"Dorian, Vernon?" Dawn asked, her tone more firm than before. "Your father?"

Dawn watched the wolf's deep green eye flutter open almost instantaneously, the pupil shrinking slightly under the sudden exposure to the morning light before lowering its gaze on the ewe. Dawn was frowning softly as she continued to pet the wolf's head.

"Pa...?" Vernon muttered. His tone was deeper as he spoke, more gravely although the rather tired quality it had held decreased significantly. The wolf closed his eye, releasing his grip around the ewe to wipe lamely at the hint of a bag that had formed underneath.

"Right..." Vernon grumbled softly, continuing to twist a balled fist over his eye in a clear effort to shake off the lingering tiredness within.

With the ewe now free of the wolf's tight and possessive grip, Dawn quickly scooted out of reach of the wolf's grasp. She wasn't one hundred percent sure that she had truly woken him up, and wasn't keen on staying close enough to find out.

Hopping off her side of the mattress, the ewe gave the bed a wide berth as she made her way around it to get to the wolf's phone. She wasn't sure exactly how far the wolf could reach if he suddenly decided to go for a grab, and she didn't want to chance it. But as she rounded the corner on his side she could see the wolf was slowly sitting himself up. Vernon gave his head a brisk shake before letting out a quiet yawn. His tongue curling as he ended the action with a soft yelp before placing a paw against the mattress to keep himself from slipping back down. It was more than enough to tell the ewe that he was up for the time being, and she could lower her defenses to some degree.

On the nightstand, Vernon's phone had nearly shaken itself to the edge of the table top. Another minute wrapped up in Vernon's smothering embrace, and she was certain she would have heard it clatter to the floor. Taking the device up in a hoof, the ewe quickly disabled the alarm and opened the wolf's phone to the home screen.

"Five ten, Vernon." Dawn said, presenting the phone to the wolf. "If we want to be out by six we don't have a lot of time."

The wolf winced slightly as he stared back at the phone, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly with a paw.

"Rut me..." The wolf grumbled, blinking his eyes several times as he continued to attempt to chase off the lingering specter of sleep. "What is that like...sixty minutes?"

Dawn chuckled weakly. "Fifty Puppy."

The wolf chuckled softly in response. "Right...right..." The wolf tapped the palm of one of his paws against the side of his head. "Sorry...my head's all..."

"I know Puppy Love." The ewe replied. "But we have to start getting dressed and make sure we have all of our things if we want to make it out on time." Dawn continued, placing a hoof on the wolf's knee and rubbing it affectionately. "Not to mention call the Zoober."

"Right, right." The wolf gave his head another brisk shake. Vernon smacked his lips together for a moment, his muzzle curling into a cringe as he began to scrap at his tongue with his teeth.

"Alright, hand me my phone will ya?" The wolf said, reaching a shaky paw past the phone the ewe was already holding in his direction. The wolf made two more weak, grasping motions around the ewe, bracing his other arm over his eyes as he tried to shield himself from the rising sunlight. But for all his efforts, he continued to miss the phone by a mile. Dawn rolled her eyes briefly before slipping the phone into the wolf's paw.

"It can wait a few more minutes before you have to call." Dawn chuckled, turning to make her way back to the other side of the bed. "At least wait until your brain wakes up, okay?"

She heard the wolf let out an audible chuckle as she walked back to her side of the room.

"Yer the boss Darlin'." The wolf replied, rubbing his eye with a paw.

Dawn let out a soft sigh as she rounded her side of the mattress.

"Please don't call me that Vernon." The ewe muttered. "I'd prefer to never be another mammal's boss for the rest of my life if it's possible."

She heard the wolf chuckle softly as he shifted over to his side of the mattress, sliding his legs off the edge.

"Fair enough Mutton Chop." The wolf said with a tired sigh as he ran a paw through his head fur. Dawn was just about to kneel down to pull her suitcase out from over the bed when the wolf glanced over his shoulder at the ewe. She could see a small smile curling across his muzzle.

"And thanks Dawn..." Vernon added.

Dawn chuckled, a smile of her own forming as she quirked an eyebrow in mild confusion.

"Thanks?" Dawn asked. "For what?"

"Fer helpin' me wake up..." The wolf grinned. "A-and, fer last night."

The ewe's smile widened, the sheep waiving an idle hoof at the wolf as she closed her eyes tightly.

"Always Puppy Love." Dawn cooed. "I-It was nothing, really." Despite her attempt at downplaying her emotions on the surface, little moments like that still managed to make the ewe's heart swell in her chest. It was nice to be appreciated, even if it was for something so trivial as simply helping her mate get up on time.

"We're a team after all." The ewe added as she knelt to the floor. "Even when it comes to the small stuff."

Vernon nodded softly. "Wouldn't have it any other way Darlin'." The wolf said with a contented sigh.

Gripping the case with both hooves, the ewe carefully pulled her suitcase out from under the bed. But as the case slid free of the dust ruffle, Dawn became acutely aware that something was off. As her eyes followed the zipper trail along the edge of her lavender suitcase, she could see the zipper was partially split. Both ends had been pulled back far enough to leave the case halfway open, but the ewe couldn't remember leaving it that way before heading to bed.

"I hope we can get a Zoober." Vernon muttered, drawing the ewe's attention off the suitcase and back to the wolf. Vernon was glancing at his phone, scanning the app as he flicked through menus with a thumb.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked. The ewe promptly dropping the hazy answer to what she considered a rather trivial question as she leaned against the bed.

"I forgot just how rural this place is despite being so close to Zootopia." Vernon shrugged. " Looks like there ain't a driver even close to comin' this way without jumpin' through a lot of hoops."

Dawn winced. "W-well...what can we do?"

The wolf shrugged. "I guess we'll have to go with a taxi." Vernon replied, the wolf continuing to scroll through pages on his phone as he spoke. "I know at least those should be runnin' out here from experience." The wolf glanced back at Dawn, frowning slightly. "Provided at least one of 'em is still in business."

Dawn scrunched her muzzle, biting the inside of her lip nervously.

"Well..." The ewe murmured, turning her attention to the clothes she had laid out for herself on the nightstand. Grasping at the fresh skirt from the stack, the ewe began to slip out of her pajama bottoms. "If none of the Zoober drivers run up this way, then it would stand to reason that they haven't chased the taxi companies out of this part of town, right?"

"Makes sense enough." The wolf said, continuing to scroll through his options. "I just hope if I can find one that can get here about as fa-ah!" The wolf stopped, tapping something on the face of his phone with a claw. "Still active, we got one!"

Dawn let out a relieved sigh as she slipped into her fresh skirt. With that taken care of, she moved on to unbuttoning her top.

"I'm sure it will be fine." Dawn shrugged. Inside the ewe was slightly nervous, but the bluff was more to keep the wolf at ease. "If he takes too long we could always agree to meet him at the edge of the road, right?"

"Hmm?" Vernon asked.

"Well, I mean I doubt if anyone woke up and found us gone, they'd think of walking out to the main road to look for us. So it's a good place to wait if the taxi is running late" Dawn continued, carefully buttoning up her polka-dotted blouse and straitening the collar as she spoke. "It would probably make us that much easier to spot for the driver too."

Vernon nodded softly. "Sound reasonin'."

Dawn offered a meek smile as she slipped her deep navy blue blazer on over her blouse, giving her arms a brisk shake in order to better loosen the more restrictive fabric and allowing it to slip into place more comfortably. Seemingly satisfied with the feel of her jacket, the ewe took a few moments to attend to straightening her clothes. Adjusting and straightening her skirt and brushing away any lingering bits of lint that might have gotten stuck to it in the drawer in an effort to look at least somewhat presentable as they made their way back into the city.

"But do ya think we could get away with brewin' just a little bit of coffee?" The surprising comment caught the ewe off guard, and she turned to find the wolf hunched slightly further over himself as he wearily glanced back her way. The wolf let out a long, tongue curling yawn as he pawed lamely at his eyes. "I don't think my brain is any more up than it was five minutes ago..."

Dawn chuckled, shaking her head dismissively as she began to gather her used pajamas in her hooves.

"We'll have to wait till we get to the train station." Dawn replied. "We can't take the chance of waking anybody up."

Vernon groaned, running a paw down his face weakly. "They don't even have a Snarlbucks at that station..." The wolf lamented.

"Want me to do the talking?" Dawn gestured toward the phone in the wolf's paw, offering him a smirk.

Vernon wearily passed his cell phone over to the ewe with a shaking paw.

"I already hit dial..." Vernon mumbled, wiping at his eye with a paw as he tried to push himself off the bed. Dawn had to stifle a chuckle as she watched the wolf struggle to push away from mattress while she held the phone to her ear.

"Honestly Puppy..." Dawn giggled. "Not to pat myself on the back too much, but how did you manage to get up the last two mornings without me?"

With a loud grunt, the wolf finally managed to push himself to a standing position. Vernon ran a paw through his mane of fur as he glanced back in the ewe's direction.

"I didn't say I slept well, did I?" Vernon chuckled. "I grew up with those mutts, and I know from experience y'all can't let yer guard down around them fer a second when yer sleepin' or else you'll wake up with a mustache drawn on yer fur."

Dawn could barely contain the giggle fit the wolf's statement had forced out of her. Pressing the mound of clothes she had been holding in her other arm against her mouth proved barely enough to contain the laughter, and the sight alone was clearly amusing to the wolf standing across from her.

"Hello, Ritzi's taxi servoice, how can I helps ya?" The sudden voice on the other end of the line was enough to force the ewe into composure, at least for the most part. The mammal on the other end of the line sounded surprisingly like Ada, at least the accent did. But the tone was decidedly more masculine than hers, and significantly less enthusiastic sounding. The tired disinterest in the mammal's voice was palpable, and it gave the ewe momentary pause.

"Y-yes, hello...ahem." Dawn cleared her throat in an attempt to shake of the lingering giggles. "I need an 'average sized' taxi to pick-up two mammals."

"Average-sized is all we have ma'am." The voice replied dully. The ewe realized she should have expected as much. Compared to Zootopia's main districts, most other areas didn't have a great degree of selection when it came to accommodating the more unique species of Animalia. Generally speaking, they were largely limited to the size that accommodated the species with the biggest presence in the area. Of course, this being the North Meadowlands, the ewe couldn't be entirely sure if 'average' applied to wolves or sheep.

"I-Is that big enough for a wolf?" Dawn replied.

"If dey ain't bigger den six foot five, den yeah." The operator replied.

"Great." Dawn let out a sigh of relief. "How soon can you get here?"

"Depends on where we're pickin' you up." The edge on the mammal's voice seemed to rise with his reply. "Can't exactly send out a drivah wit no address, ma'am." The operator had emphasized the title with a tone of derision usually reserved for mammal's that actually knew who she was, at least when she was fresh out of prison.

Dawn glanced across at her mate as the wolf sluggishly pulled a sweater over his head. His muzzle had yet to breach the surface, and Dawn could see the point of his nose bulging from different areas around the neck hole as he lethargically tried to guide it through.

"Vernon, what is the address for the ranch?" Dawn asked, holding a hoof over the speaker.

"Mmhn, Twff, Oh, twff, rehd rake road." The wolf muttered through the fabric.

The ewe nodded, the wolf's reply was muffled, but she was confident she had made it out.

"One three zero three red lake road?" Dawn murmured into the phone.

Vernon managed to finally squeeze his head through the neck of the sweater, running a paw through his fur as he let out a sigh.

"Toity-five minutes, give or take." The voice replied. "I got a few drivers who know da area, so it shouldn't be a problem findin' youse."

"Alright, that sound-" The ewe stopped as she heard the receiver on the other end disconnect. Pulling the phone away from her ear to inspect the face, the ewe confirmed that the operator had indeed hung up on her. Dawn grimaced, puffing her cheeks in irritation.

"Hmph, rude." Dawn muttered. "He didn't even give me time to tell him what the driver should be looking for."

"And they wonder why Zoober's puttin' 'em out o' business." She heard Vernon chuckle as the wolf began to slip into a pair of jeans. Vernon hopped lamely on one foot as he tried to guide the other into a pant leg. "I can't think of a time I had a pleasant experience takin' a cab anywhere."

Dawn let out a soft chuckle of her own as she placed the wolf's phone onto the bed.

"I don't think I ever had either." The ewe mused as she returned to gathering the loose portions of her clothes back into her arms. Back in college, taxi travel had always been her last choice when it came to public transport. Every experience she could recount either had a rude driver, a smelly car, or some combination of the two. By comparison, Zootopia's subway systems were practically a paradise.

Kneeling back to the floor, the ewe's mind quickly returned to the state she had found her suitcase in as her eyes once again fell on the open zipper. Back to the lingering mystery it had left ruminating at the back of her mind. Something she found herself unable to fully shake despite just how minuscule it was.

"Vernon?" The ewe murmured.

"Hmm?" The wolf glanced over his shoulder as he continued to struggle with his jeans.

The ewe paused as she mulled over whether it was something even worth asking the wolf about. Vernon most likely wouldn't know any more than she did. No, it was more than likely that the ewe had simply failed to close the suitcase the first time.

"Nevermind..." Dawn replied, pulling the zippers the rest of the way back. "It's not really important."

Vernon gave the ewe a simple nod as she stuffed her pajamas into the suitcase and sealed it shut once again.

The rest of the preparations went by as quick as a flash. With the pair electing to skip the morning bathroom rituals in favor of taking care of them once they were back in Zootopia, they would be well ready with considerable time to spare before the taxi arrived. Time which they spent planning the quietest route possible to slink out of the ranch and remain unseen. After some debate, as well as having to contend with the fact that going down the stairs was an unavoidable prospect despite Vernon's assurance that he had been really good at climbing down the balcony as a pup, they had come to the conclusion that the best way to slip out would be through the back porch. While it would force them to pass by the kitchen, until the rest of the Hunters awoke it would be the path of least resistance. And even though it passed right by the boy's bedroom, it allowed them a great degree more coverage.

The only alternative was the Ranch's main hall, which was probably the largest and most open room in the whole house. Connecting to the dining room and the hall, and only a simple doorway away from three bedrooms, six rooms total. Should even one of the Hunters poke their head out from any of those places during their attempt to sneak away, they would be caught red-hoofed. Not only that, but they could find themselves easily boxed in as the rest of the Hunter's filtered in around them due to whatever commotion being spotted by just one might brew up.

At least, that was how Vernon put it to Dawn. The words and phrasing the wolf used oddly reminiscent of some sort of military leader planning a complicated exit strategy to catch the enemy off guard. It was mildly off-putting to the ewe considering this was the wolf's family they were talking about. But the thought alone of facing the sullen faces of the Hunter females, especially Vanna and Audrey's, was more than enough to drive the ewe to take the wolf's talk seriously. If she found herself caught under such a gaze, she knew she would be rendered powerless before them.

Slipping out of the bedroom quietly was the easy part, especially with Vernon shouldering the weight of the suitcases on his shoulders to keep Dawn's roller case from making any excess noise. Considering it was as big, if not bigger than the ewe herself it was quite an impressive feat, at least in Dawn's eyes.

Yet the wolf didn't even sweat as they slowly crept past the girl's bedroom, maintaining the balance of the heavy case on his shoulders with almost flawless precision. Before the ewe knew it they had reached the spiral stairs that lead into the main hall of the Hunter home.

It took considerably more time to make their way down the large set of stairs, Dawn leading the way as Vernon carefully followed behind. The tight space had forced them to walk down single file, and while Dawn had an easy time of it because of how comparatively light she was to the other mammals in the house, Vernon struggled with each step. The wolf moved like a sloth, paying careful attention to just how much pressure he applied to each step as he snuck along behind her. After all, with all the weight he was carrying, one wrong move was certain to force a creak out of the old wooden stairs. And whether that would be enough of a noise to grab one of the sleeping Hunter pack member's attention was too big a risk in the wolf's eyes. Still, when all was said and done, the ewe felt like a solid ten minutes had passed before both mammals had their feet firmly planted on the ground floor. Dawn let out a quiet sigh of relief as Vernon gently slipped her bag to the floor, the wolf taking a moment to collect himself.

They were halfway there, so nearly in the clear.

"We'll move slowly down the hall." Vernon whispered to the diminutive ewe. "Extra quiet around the boy's room, okay?" The wolf quirked an eyebrow. "You remember what I said about sleepin' in there?"

"T-that you couldn't sleep well because you were always on your guard?" The ewe asked timidly.

"Yeah, and I ain't the only one." Vernon continued. "Those fella's are trained officers, and a part of that training is ingrained in them." The wolf murmured softly. "It's something they can't turn off at this point."

Dawn nodded softly.

"If somethin' sounds off to 'em, even subconsciously, it may be enough to wake 'em up." Vernon whispered. "So try yer best to just walk smoothly."

Dawn gulped audibly. Why did every part of this plan sound so deadly serious and menacing? It was enough to make the ewe think back to the various romanticized novels she had read about 'the Great War.' Tales of mammals trapped behind enemy lines, trying desperately to live long enough to return home to the family and friends they were forced to leave behind, and knowing that one wrong move or audible utterance could be met with a bayonet in the back. The ewe took in a deep breath of air, filling her lungs to bursting before gritting her teeth determinedly. They were going to get out of here, they were going to get home. Worrying about where to even begin fixing this was a problem left to the hooves of future Dawn.

Letting out the air in one, slow exhale, the ewe felt her thoughts and fears drift away as her mind grew clear. She could do this.

The ewe glanced up at her mate, giving the wolf an affirmative nod as he slung the pair's bags over his shoulder once more.

"Alright, let's do this."

Slowly the couple crept through the hall, slowing even more as they neared the door where presumably the other six Hunter males now slept. As the ewe grew close enough to pass by the actual entrance to the room, she moved as close to the opposite wall as she could without leaning into it, giving the Hunter bedroom a wide berth as she attempted to take Vernon's statement to heart. She was nearly halfway across when Vernon's arm suddenly blocked her path, pressing her against the wall protectively.

Dawn glanced up in surprise to find the wolf pressed against the wall just as firmly, his eyes focused down the hall. Vernon's fangs were on display as he grimaced tightly.

"V-Vernon?"

"Do you hear that?" The wolf whispered to the point where he was barely audible.

At first, the ewe was unsure of just what he meant. But as she tilted an ear up, she managed to pick up the tiniest hint of a sound. It was a continuous, droning sound, muffled by distance and room presumably.

"Y-yes?" Dawn replied quietly. "What is that?"

Vernon held a finger up to his lips, before releasing his grip around the ewe and gingerly gesturing her forward. Dawn hesitated momentarily, the mysterious sound drawing back the lingering fears and worries she had only monetarily forced out with a soothing breath. Was it something like the fridge motor? Or perhaps the dishwasher? The ewe could only pray as much as she found herself gulping again. After all, the only alternative was...

The sound grew louder as they cleared the bedroom, now broken up with an uneven, cascading series of sounds on top of the droning. To Dawn, it sounded like splashing. As if water was flowing, and being manipulated by something.

"Water..." The pair said, practically in unison. Dawn and Vernon traded a brief, nervous glance before turning their attention to the edge of the hall, right where the kitchen and porch connected to it. The sound was definitely coming from the kitchen, and the splashing certainly didn't sound automated.

"Who could be up at this hour?" Vernon murmured as the two continued to slink down the hallway toward the edge of the kitchen.

"Your mother?" Dawn asked.

This time the gulp had come from Vernon. The wolf ran a shaky paw through his head fur. "C-can't be."

Dawn quirked an eyebrow at the wolf. He sounded uncertain of his own words.

"You sure?" Dawn asked.

"Five thirty is too early." Vernon replied. "Even fer her."

"Then who's-?" Dawn asked, only for the wolf to cut her off by holding a finger to his lips. They were right near the edge now, where the sound was the loudest. Joining the increasingly loud sounds of running water, and the uneven sloshing of it splashing around, the ewe could make out the clanking of plates and silverware.

_"Someone's doing dishes?"_Dawn thought to herself.

Vernon glanced at the ewe, his features taking on a stoic and serious expression.

"I'll take a peek." The wolf spoke barely above a whisper.

Dawn nodded softly, unable to stop from twisting her hooves together nervously. They were so close now, and of course just at the last minute, they had to run into a complication. The ewe could feel the flush of panic return in full as she braced herself more tightly to the wall, electing to grip her hooves along the edge of the door frame.

Just who was it? Who was up this early doing dishes of all things? There was a part of her that was terrified of having their cover blown, but the ewe's curiosity was tugging at her mind in equal measure. She needed to see as much as Vernon did if she stood any chance of helping. The ewe took in another deep breath of air, her eyes fixed on Vernon as the wolf waited to strike.

As soon as he poked his head around the corner, the ewe moved to do the same, jutting the top of her head around the hardwood frame in one smooth, fluid motion as she continued to hold her breath. But the sight was nearly enough to make her force all the air out in a sharp gasp. There was indeed someone washing dishes. A dusky gray wolf stood hunched over the sink, muttering quietly to himself.

"Who is-"

A sudden crash. A hard cluttering noise made the ewe nearly jump out of her wool as she drew back behind the edge of the wall so quickly she fell onto her rump. The ewe winced, rubbing her back as she turned her attention to the source of the noise. Glancing across the room she could see her suitcase had spilled onto the floor and slid across the archway. Vernon's head was still frozen in place, jutting out around the corner of the kitchen with a look of heightened terror plastered on his face.

The wolf had dropped Dawn's case.

"Vern?" It was Wade's voice,

"W-wade?" The wolf replied, his tone filled with overwhelming shock, and just a hint of fear. "W-why are you up s-so early?"

They were busted. The plan had been compromised. There was no longer any real sense in trying to stay hidden now. Perhaps at the very least she and Vernon could try to salvage the escape by convincing Wade not to tell anyone they were leaving if they explained the situation quickly enough.

"And why are you doin' dishes?" The wolf continued, in a confused tone that told the ewe even he wasn't sure why he was asking. Perhaps he was still in shock, and his sleep-deprived brain was struggling to come up with an out. Either way, she could tell he was probably going to need her help to talk his way out of this situation.

Dawn stuck her head back out from around the corner, catching sight of the gray wolf as he offered the pair a meek smile. The wolf scratched the back of his neck with a dripping wet, gloved paw.

"O-Oh..." Wade grinned weakly. "T-that?"

The gray wolf's smile widened as he closed his eyes.

"It's err...kind of my punishment..." Wade admitted.

"Punishment?" Vernon replied. "What fer?"

Wade rolled his eyes, his grin growing increasingly uncomfortable as he seemed to struggle to explain himself.

"Fer lyin' to ma..." The wolf winced, his ears sagging sharply as he spoke. "You know...about Giselle?"

"Ah..." Vernon cooed, his tone starting to even out as the wolf appeared to be calming down. "Right..."

"Yeah, I'm gonna be handlin' most of today's chores thanks to that..." The wolf sighed. "And there's that much more to do because..." Wade trailed off, his eyes widening for just a moment before a rather inquisitive look overtook his features. The dowdy gray wolf placed a paw to his chin as he squinted in the direction of the pair.

"W-why are you two up so early?" Wade asked.

"I uh-." Vernon stuttered. Dawn watched the wolf's mouth open and close, wordless motions and soundless responses filling the gap as his mind clearly struggled to think of some excuse. They were running out of time, and Vernon was already running on fumes. It was time for Dawn to take the initiative.

Dawn stepped forward, entering the kitchen from around the large wolf still peeking into the room from overhead. The ewe struck as confident a stance as she could muster as she prepared a response for her brother-in-law.

"Wade..." Dawn said sadly. "Vernon and I, well..." The ewe took a deep breath, trying her best to dredge up the necessary courage to continue as she stared down the concerned looking wolf. "We..."

"I hope y'all two weren't thinkin' of leavin' early..." Dawn froze at the sound of that familiar voice. A mixture of terror and shame coursing through her veins she suddenly found herself paralyzed. It was clear Wade was not the only member of the Hunter family who was awake.

"At least not a'fore the big party we've been workin' on." Audrey grinned knowingly as she entered the kitchen from the dining room, the she-wolf crossing her arms confidently as she eyed the petite ewe who now stood across from her.

Dawn tried to speak, to even confirm what she was seeing by simply saying the she-wolf's name. But much like her mate, while her mouth was moving, the words just wouldn't come. Sure, her brain was firing at a mile a minute now, her head swirling fractured plans and concepts in a frenzied attempt to still pull the sinking ship that was their escape out of the water. But the connection from her brain to anywhere else in her body had been severed the instant Audrey's eyes had locked onto her own.

"HEY! WHAT THE!?" Dawn whipped around without even being fully aware of it only to find Vernon pinned to the hardwood floor of the hall. The wolf was being held down and restrained by Trenton and Zach, while Yuri wrapped the wolf's paws in what looked like zip-ties. Vernon squirmed and writhed beneath the weight of the wolves on top of him, biting at the floor as he glared back at them.

"WHAT IN OLDWYN'S GREAT GRAY BEAR D'Y'ALL THINK YER DOIN'!?!" Vernon spat as Yuri continued to work the makeshift cuffs.

"Not too tight Yuri." Trenton scolded.

"Oh I'm sorry, I fergot. I'm a plumber, right?" The wolf replied with a sneer. "Don't tell me how to do my job! Especially shit I've done a million times by now."

"Correct me if I'm wrong." Dawn watched as Xavier crossed behind the cluster of mammals, squatting carefully as he inspected the dark-furred wolf's handiwork. "But I believe Ada said one of the most common complaints to come up when it came to being 'reprimanded' by your superiors was just how tightly you tied these sort of restraints." The gray and white wolf adjusted his glasses with a paw. "Torn fur and wrist lacerations seem to be your forte, at least when it comes to what should be considered 'easy apprehensions'."

Yuri growled softly, but his eyes remained fixed on his fastidious paws.

"Not to mention." Zach piped up, flashing the wolf a half-lidded glare as he spoke. "Yer history with all of us, especially Vern, ain't exactly one to inspire faith in-"

"YOU'RE THE ONES WHO ASKED ME TO DO THIS!" Yuri snapped. "SO SHUT UP AND LET ME WORK ALRIGHT!?"

"Chose?!" Vernon spat. "Wha-"

"Well we weren't gonna let you be the one to handle the pin, not after yesterday." Trent responded.

The black wolf scoffed.

"Would some mammal please tell me..." Vernon muttered. "Just. What. The. Rut. Is. Going. ON!?"

"Dawn!" The ewe snapped back to catch sight of Vanna entering the room, the rest of the Hunter girls following close behind. For the most part, the group of mammals seemed to be just as distressed by the scene that was unfolding as Dawn was. All of them, save for Ada, sharing concerned and sympathetic expressions as their eyes darted from one group of mammals to the other. Ada on the other hoof, seemed to be rather aloof about the commotion, the hyena taking a moment to stretch her back as she smiled at the mass of wolves writhing in the hall.

"This was your brilliant 'Vernon plan'?" Vanna asked, clasping a paw to her forehead in irritation.

"It worked didn't it?" Yuri snapped back.

Ada gave a disinterested shrug. "I suppose youse can't argue wit results."

"Considering how we caught him, what other options did we have?" Zach replied. "I mean, they were going to try to slip out while we were asleep, just like Ully predicted!"

"Didn't he predict that the sheep 'mothership' would come to extract them too?" Qali chirped innocently.

"True..." Xavier replied. "Still, he was partially right." The wolf pressed his glasses further up onto his snout. "Then again, considering the circumstances I'm sure Vernon didn't think they had a lot of options to choose from. So it was only natural that something like this was a possibility."

"Either way. If they were going to choose to sneak out, there was no way he was going to come along willingly." Zach grinned confidently up at his mate. "This was the only way."

Vanna let out a tired sigh. "I-I guess?" The tigress muttered, pressing her index and forefinger to her brow. "Ugh...I'm sorry Dawn." The large feline glanced the ewe's way.

"Y-you...knew?" The ewe muttered dumbly as her senses began to return. Dawn wasn't sure if the rest of the Hunter pack had somehow become aware of the full picture. If they actually knew about the fight between Dorian and Vernon, or what was said. But somehow, without the pair even leaving so much a hint to go on themselves, the Hunter brood had deduced exactly what she and Vernon had decided to do, as well as route the pair were going to take, and how best to intercept them based on that possibility. It was an astonishing feat. Then again, the ewe remembered that they were dealing with six mammals who worked exclusively in the realm of investigation to varying degrees. As amazing as it was, it wasn't all that illogical that they could be found out. But still, the ewe could barely grasp what was happening. Why were they all here? To stop them from leaving? To go as far as restraining Vernon to keep them here? Why?

"W-What is going on?!" Dawn asked, the ewe's concerned tone had grown slightly in confidence as she glanced back up at the she-wolf.

"I can't tell ya too much Darlin'." Audrey chuckled. "It would spoil the surprise."

"Surprise?" Dawn stuttered in disbelief. Glancing back at her mate, she could see the wolf continue to squirm as Yuri crawled off of his back. Trenton and Zach pulled Vernon to his feet, trying their hardest to keep a firm grip as the wolf desperately writhed for freedom.

"Did pa put you up to this!? HUH!?" Vernon spat, snapping his jaws at Trenton. "Bad enough he won't let Dawn be a part of this pack! But now he's actually goin' as far as seperatin' us by force!?" Dawn could see the rage burning in Vernon's eyes as he snarled, an intense fire that seemed to burn just as strongly as it had during his fight with Yuri the previous day.

"Vernon, it's not that, please calm do-."

"You too ma?" Vernon turned his glare to the she-wolf. The ire fading for a moment as his eyes began to fill with tears. "H-He got to you too?"

Audrey's expression deflated in an instant. Her confident, knowing expression morphing into something more akin to sympathy mixed with uncertainty. Audrey raised a shaky paw to her muzzle. The wolfess stopping just short of clasping it to her mouth as she seemed to get a hold of herself.

"N-now Vernon, it ain't like that." Audrey replied.

"Then what is it like!?" Vernon snapped back. "What is going on!?"

The she-wolf briskly shook her head. "I can't tell y'all."

Vernon returned to his violent wriggling.

"But I can tell ya yer father has nothin' to do with this!" Audrey continued, the she-wolf seeming to regain some degree of her former confidence as she took a step forward.

"Oh please, he ca-!"

"Vernon!" The she-wolf's voice was firm, her previously saddened expression melting back into a determined glare. "Would I lie to you about that!?"

With that, the wolf 's struggling slowed as he quirked a brow in clear confusion.

"I-I..." Vernon murmured, glancing at the wolves flanking his sides momentarily before looking back to the she-wolf with glimmering eyes. Dawn watched him take in a slow breath, his back rising softly as his struggling came to a stop before the wolf let out a shaky exhale.

"A-alright..." Vernon mumbled. "I'm calm." The wolf sniffled sharply, clearly trying his best to stifle the tears that were just at the surface.

"I trust you ma..." The wolf muttered.

Despite the she-wolf clearly getting the answer she was looking for, Dawn could see a hint of pain in her expression as Vernon's words landed. It didn't take a Hunter's intuition to tell Dawn, at least from this close-up, that something about that reply was bothered Audrey. The ewe got the distinct feeling that Audrey was holding something back. It was something the ewe wanted to press upon, but before she could speak Audrey took back control of the conversation.

"T-then you'll trust me when I ask y'all to keep those cuff on ya till you fellas get to the tux and tailor place." Audrey asked.

"Tux and tailor?" Vernon and Dawn had spoken in unison, their tone sharing an equal degree of confusion as they eyed Audrey.

"Of course." That voice was startlingly familiar, so much so that Dawn's mind seemed to go dark the instant she heard it. The sheer impossibility of the mammal she associated with that warm, wizened and caring tone actually being present causing the ewe to suffer a temporary short when it came to her mental processes.

"It wouldn't be much of a celebration if you weren't dressed for the part now would it?" Clover spoke as she entered the kitchen, making her way between the rest of the Hunter females as she walked up to her daughter. "And that goes for you too Dawn." Clover chuckled softly.

"M-Mom?" Dawn asked, the words slipping out thoughtless as the ewe struggled to comprehend the fact that her mother was standing before her.

Clover nodded softly.

"Hi sweetie." Clover replied, the ewe smiling warmly at her slightly shorter daughter.

The two ewes fell silent for what seemed like minutes, the murmuring of mammals quickly following suit as Dawn stared back at her mother in mute shock. The noiseless kitchen growing more and more unnerving as the silence lingered.

But it was when Clover opened her arms, inviting the ewe forward that Dawn's mind seemed to power through the block the disbelief had created. Her mother was there, she was truly standing before her. For whatever reason, she had come out to see her at the ranch, and it made Dawn's heart feel as though it had swelled to bursting. The lamb hadn't felt so happy to see her mother since getting out of the hospital. And while in retrospect it hadn't been that long ago, after the weekend she and Vernon had endured, the ewe felt as though she hadn't seen her in years.

Dawn buried her face into her mother's shoulder, crying softly as she hugged the older ewe tightly. Clover quickly returned the hug in kind, pulling the petite ewe deeper into the emotional embrace.

"Are you okay my dear?" Clover asked.

"I am, I a-am." Dawn coughed, the ewe struggling to keep from sobbing through her sentences. "I-I'm just so glad to see you!"

The ewe sniffled harshly trying to stem her tears as she pulled away just far enough to inspect her mother more adequately.

"W-why are you here?" Dawn asked, her lip still quivering softly as she tried to calm herself down.

Clover smiled softly, bringing a paw to the smaller ewe's cheek and caressing it with a finger.

"I'm afraid I can't say too much on that my dear." Clover replied. "But I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough."

"Considerin' where we're headin' right after this, it'll be kind of hard fer her not to figure it out won't it?" Audrey added, flashing the older ewe a playful smirk.

"I suppose." Clover mused, "But we'll cross that bridge when we get there." The older ewe gave her daughter's cheek a playful tap before breaking the hug.

"For now we better get a move on and explain what we can on the way." Clover said, clapping her hooves together excitedly. "We haven't a moment to waste."

Audrey grinned widely at the older ewe before turning her attention to the group of mammals at large.

"Clover is right! Audrey announced. "We gotta get movin' if we're gonna make this thing go off without a hitch on such short notice!"

With that, Audrey pointed a sharp, commanding claw toward the porch exit where Dawn and Vernon had planned to escape through just moments before.

"I want all of ya'll to head outside." Audrey barked, the she-wolf smiling gleefully as she did so. "Trent and you boys are takin' my pick-up."

"Wait, yer seperatin' us!?" Vernon asked, letting out a soft whine as he pulled against Trenton's grip. It wasn't enough of an effort to pull free, but enough to put the white wolf back on his guard as he gripped Vernon's shoulder.

Audrey shook her head dismissively.

"Can't be helped." Audrey replied. "But don't worry about it, we're all meetin' back here in the afternoon."

"B-But! But!" Vernon squirmed, and the two wolves at his sides proceeded to apply more force to hold him that much more still. Dawn could see the start of fresh tears in the wolf's eyes as he looked to her for help, his expression a visible mixture of worry and fear. It drew Dawn's thoughts immediately back to the nightmare the wolf had the night before. The way all those mammals had been pulling at him, trying to rip the pair apart by force as Vernon struggled to hold on to her. It was clear the current situation was tugging at that fresh, raw memory that had been imprinted on the wolf's mind. The parallel of being restrained and separated drawing on that terrible fear.

"I-It's okay Vernon." Dawn said, slowly walking up to the wolf. Vernon's struggling ceased as the ewe approached, Dawn wrapping her arms around his legs tightly as she hugged him.

"I'll admit I'm not one-hundred percent sure what is going on." Dawn said softly as she glanced up at the worried looking wolf. "But I already told you I'm not going anywhere." Dawn said, offering the wolf a meek smile.

"B-But Dawn-." Vernon whimpered.

The ewe cut him off.

"Vernon, do you really think your brothers and sisters would try to separate us, really?" Dawn asked. "They support us, remember?"

"B-but!" The wolf spat.

"I told ya to trust me Vernon." Audrey piped up. "And y'all can trust that I wouldn't let anyone try to force ya to split up permanently." The she-wolf's statement was confident and sharp, and it only served to bolster the ewe's confidence that much more in response.

"Just try to relax." Dawn murmured. "Audrey told us we'd all meet back here later, remember?"

Dawn continued to watch the wolf, waiting for an answer as Vernon's pupils darted from mammal to mammal. It was clear he was trying to better appraise the situation as he mulled over his reply.

"Besides." Dawn added. "If anyone did try anything, you know I'd always find a way back to you." The ewe said with a smirk. "I may be small, but I can be scrappy."

Dawn watched as the wolf tried to fight smiling, but it was a war he couldn't win as a small smirk forced its way to the surface.

"A-Alright Honey Lamb." Vernon said with a sigh. "Alright...we'll see where this goes."

"Don't really have a choice in this situation Vern." Zach said with a chuckle, giving the wolf's restraints a pat.

"Alright." Audrey announced, taking control of the conversation back as the Hunter pack turned their attention her way. "So as I was sayin', boys are takin' the pick-up. That includes Malcolm this time around." Audrey continued, placing her paws on her hips.

"And gals will be ridin' in the pie van." The she-wolf concluded.

"The pie van?" Dawn asked, breaking her grasp around Vernon's legs. "It seems like it would be harder for all the boys to fit in the pick-up when compared to us though."

"Hold on, almost-!" Dawn heard another voice call out from beyond the kitchen. Turning her attention to the dining room entryway, the ewe watched as a red-haired mammal's head slowly popped out from the top of the door. It was bending down slightly, as if it had come from the ceiling of the dining hall and had to bend sharply in order to actually get into the kitchen door frame. Of course, that made a great degree of sense when Dawn realized just who it was who joined them.

"There!" Giselle let out a sharp sigh of relief as she tried to shake the hair out of her eyes. "S-Sorry it took me so long to catch up." Giselle muttered awkwardly. "I couldn't really figure out just how to get through the dinin' hall."

"O-oh." Dawn murmured, turning her attention back to the she-wolf. "R-right, I forgot about Giselle."

Audrey chuckled softly.

"There ain't no way my pick-up's suspension would survive that gal." The she-wolf replied.

"Goodness..." Clover muttered. "How did you even manage to get that girl inside your house?"

"I'm more concerned as to how we're gonna get her out again." Audrey replied.