FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 1

Nathaniel stood outside the door fidgeting. He had rehearsed his words and actions a hundred times. Still, he had no clue what to do when the door opened. He thought he really should be in his bear form, if only to let Max know who stood before him. But that would come at a cost of tearing his brand new outfit to shreds as he grew. No. He would ring the doorbell and kiss the human. The human would remember the kiss, surely. Despite the confusion Nathaniel's new human body might create, the remembrance of their first kiss would have lasted... wouldn't it?

His hands trembled as he pushed the button. He heard the chimes ringing inside and then a clamorous thumping as someone came running down a flight of stairs. "I'll get it." he heard a voice say.

A young girl opened the door. "Hello," she said.

"Hi," the ginger Changeling stammered. "I was looking for Max... Maxwell Templeton."

"MOM!" the girl yelled back into the house. "It's Nathaniel!" She paused, looked at the redheaded man, and added, "And I told you he wasn't a bear."

Nathaniel smiled. "Actually, I am. But only Max can see that."

The girl looked at him quizzically. "Really? How come he can see you're a bear?"

"I think it's because he loves me."

The girl nodded her head and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I already know that. Everybody already knows that." She looked up at the young man and smiled. "I'm Sarah, and I'm eight."

"Hello Sarah; you already know I'm Nathaniel, and I stopped counting how old I was when I reached four billion."

Sarah shook her head, turned around again, and yelled, "MOM!"

From out of the great room, a visibly overworked woman came sprinting to the door as she dried her hands on a bath towel. She wiped her brow and looked at the girl. "Goodness, young lady. How many times have I told you no yelling in the house?"

The girl looked defiant. "Well, I can't just go leave him here at the door alone, can I?"

The woman looked at Nathaniel and smiled. "Thank you for waiting. You caught us right in the middle of washing the dog."

From around the corner, a soaking wet dog came running toward the front door followed by two boys yelling, "Stop him!"

Nathaniel stepped into the middle of the doorway and said, "SIT!" The dog stopped dead in its tracks and sat obediently. "Now," Nathaniel continued, "you will go back outside and let these two boys finish their task, and if I hear one complaint about your behavior," he paused, "well, you know what I can do, now don't you?"

Without so much as a shake of his soaking wet body, the dog turned tail and quietly walked back in the direction he had come. The two boys stared at the man in the doorway and back at the dog. The older one shrugged. "Hey, it works for me."

"Me too," said the younger. And with that, they were off again, running to the back of the house.

"Well, Max was right about one thing. You have a way with animals."

"Some of my best friends, and all of my family, are animals," Nathaniel said, smiling.

The woman laughed, misinterpreting the truth as a joke. She extended her hand. "I'm Karen Templeton."

Nathaniel took the hand and shook it. "Are you Max's wife?" he asked nervously.

The woman laughed. "No, I was about to ask you if you were his husband. I'm his sister. I took back my family name after the divorce. He talks so much about you that I figured you two had to be married. Especially after your father said the lighthouse was going to be a wedding present."

"My father? The lighthouse?" Nathaniel questioned. "Which father?"

"Oh, I didn't know you had more than one," Karen replied. "Well, with the divorce rate nowadays, I guess everyone has more than one father. The nice one. Heavyset, tall, bushy-bearded man with dark hair."

Nathaniel looked at her, confused. "Will?"

"That's him," she said with a voice of recognition. "Such a lovely man."

"Will?!?" Nathaniel asked again.

"Yes, Will. I'm sure of it now. He had the name sewn on his coveralls. Said he was with the national chapter of the SPCA and simply had to talk to Max." The woman smiled. "I'm just so grateful for all that his kind does to make life more bearable for those lonely animals."

Nathaniel nodded his head. "Well, he does more than his fair share to make a few animals feel less lonely, that's for sure." Nathaniel pushed further. "Are they still here? You said something about buying a lighthouse?"

"Well, that's the funny thing about all of this," Karen answered. "They were working on that lighthouse deal for at least eight months. They were going to buy the old Partridge Island lighthouse. I'm not sure, but I think they may have bought the entire island. All I know is they refer to it as the lighthouse project, and as soon as they signed the paperwork, they were off to somewhere else. But that was months ago. Max said you might be by and we were to watch for you."

"Curious," Nathaniel said.

"That's just what I said. We loved having him live with us here. Mom died during the war, and this old house where they lived was just too big for him. I kept telling him he should sell the place and move on, but well, you know Max."

"Not as well as I hoped," Nathaniel replied.

"Oh, of course. So, silly of me. At any rate, instead of selling the house, Max gave it to us. Just signed the papers over and said to keep an eye out for you."

The little girl returned to the room and stuck out an envelope to Nathaniel. "Mom talks a lot," she said with exasperation in her voice. "This is for you."

"Oh, that's right. He left that for you. He said it was very important, and that you would understand."

Nathaniel took the envelope, opened it, and pulled out the note from inside. "Come home, love Max," was all it said. Nathaniel looked up. "Thank you very much, Ms. Templeton. You've been a great help."

The woman looked at him. "I hope it all goes well, Nathaniel. He loves you, you know."

"And I love him," Nathaniel affirmed. "Now it appears all I have to do is find him so I can let him know." Nathaniel looked at the letter. "Home. I'm not sure exactly where I'm supposed to be headed, but I know someone who will." The young man reached down to his pocket and pulled out the wolf's head ComLink. "If you'll excuse me a moment, I'm going to call my family and see what's going on."

The mother smiled. "Of course. If we can be of any help, you just let us know." Karen looked at her daughter. "Would you like to stay here or help with the dog?"

The young girl thought. "I'll stay here with Nathaniel."

"Is that all right with you?" the mother asked, looking at Nathaniel.

"Of course, Ms. Templeton." The young man and the girl sat down on the steps of the house and Nathaniel pressed the crystal wolf's head and put on his glasses.

"Hi, Handsome," Jason said smiling brightly. "I just saw the Bat-signal. Is everything okay?"

"Hi Jason," Nathaniel answered. "Everything is fine. I'm in New Brunswick with Sarah. She's Max's niece." Nathaniel looked toward Sarah. "Wave hello to Jason."

Sarah looked at Nathaniel's glasses and waved.

"Jason, I'm going on speaker. No reason to have Sarah hearing only one side of the conversation."

"Sure, Nathaniel," the bear and young girl heard the voice respond.

"I got a cryptic message from Max." Nathaniel shook his head. "Oh jeez, you probably don't remember him. He's the pilot who crashed into the highlands."

"We know Max, Nathaniel," Jason responded. "That's Will's friend. They've been keeping Tiff and Tuff busy transporting them all over the place."

"Will's friend, huh?" Nathaniel said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Do you know where he is now?"

"Sure, he's up on the highland with your fathers. They're helping the temple dogs with their planting."

Nathaniel smiled. "Home." The bear that was a chubby human paused in thought. "Are Tiff and Tuff in Montana?"

"Yeah. We've been expecting this call for some time. We really didn't think that ComLink through when we built it. It's great if you want to get in touch with us, but getting in touch with you is another matter entirely."

Nathaniel laughed. "I hadn't thought about that. It is unidirectional, isn't it?"

"Yep. It has GPS and we could have located you, but that seems a bit draconian just to track you down. You were on a walkabout; no need to interrupt that. We knew you would call as soon as you got Max's message." The red fox's wide grin spread. "I was just teasing you about Max and Will. Max is a wonderful guy who misses you more than you know. Time to come home, Bear."

"I think I can get a flight to B.C. by tomorrow. Do you think Tiff and Tuff can meet me in Vancouver?"

"There have been a few changes here since the last time we saw you." A transparent map of New Brunswick in reverse appeared in front of Jason. He drew his finger from a small blinking dot upward. "Can you make your way over to Bathurst Airport?"

"Sure, it's only about an hour away. But it's pretty small. Why not save yourself the trip up here?"

"Just get there as soon as you can. Tiff and Tuff will be waiting for you."

"What? How could they possibly get there from Montana in an hour?"

Jason laughed. "As I mentioned, there have been a few changes since you went wandering. Come home, Nathaniel. Max isn't the only one who misses you."

Nathaniel smiled and waved. "Love you, Fox."

Jason waved back. "Love you, Bear." The screen went blank, and Nathaniel shook his head once again. He slipped the ComLink back into his pocket and took off the glasses.

"Why does everyone call you a bear?" the little girl asked.

"Because I am a bear."

Sarah looked at the redheaded man. "You're a lot fatter than Max said you would be."

Nathaniel laughed. "Yeah, that's true. Your Uncle Max saw me as a much thinner man."

The young girl fidgeted a bit. "You're kind of weird, you know? Most of what you say doesn't make much sense."

"Your Uncle Max used to say the same thing," Nathaniel replied. He looked at the little girl and smiled. "Can you keep a secret?"

Sarah nodded her head. Nathaniel extended his hand. Right up to the elbow, the bear returned with its massive paw and claws. The little girl stared at it. "That is so cool."

"Yeah, it is," Nathaniel smiled. "I'd show you more, but it would tear up all my clothes and we can't go doing that, now can we?"

The young girl shook her head no. Nathaniel smiled at her. "I just wanted you to know that your Uncle Max told you the truth."

"Okay," the little girl responded. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Pinkie swear?"

Sarah stuck out her pinkie, and the bear's claw touched her tiny finger. On the first shake, the paw became a hand again. "Pinkie swear," the little girl promised.

Karen insisted on taking Nathaniel to the airport. She said it would give her a chance to get to know the young man better, but her three children asking questions about talking to the dog and other mysteries absorbed the entire trip. Throughout the trip, Sarah never mentioned the bear. Once, when it would have made so much sense to explain it to her older brothers, she grabbed her finger and squeezed it tightly, never uttering a word.

When they arrived at the airport, Nathaniel checked in at the main check-in desk, where a young woman escorted him to a helipad. There stood a massive aircraft that looked something like a space shuttle and a jet merged into one. The fuselage seemed far too rotund for the short wings, which appeared to have no engines. However, on second look, built into the wings were the small, slender engines barely causing a ripple in the girth of the wings. The whole of the aircraft was shining silver-blue metal. The wings were ablaze with light as the copper emblems of a wolf's head on each wing shone in the noonday sun. Nathaniel smiled. The red wolves were showing their pride in their lineage, and it made the young bear equally proud.

"It's such a beautiful helicopter," Karen said.

"Oh? Is that what you see?" Nathaniel asked.

"Well, some people might think it's flamboyant, but I think it's beautiful. The first time I saw it, I thought Will must have another job besides the SPCA. You know they're not putting out that kind of money for something like that."

Nathaniel laughed. "Father is a man of means beyond his volunteer work. But beyond that, our family is rather large, and it would surprise you what we can do when we pool our resources."

Karen looked at the redheaded lad. "You have a wonderful family. You take good care of them. Life on this planet is going to take some time before it settles down again. It would be nice to think that somewhere, a family is finding a way to keep it together." She reached out and hugged Nathaniel. "And you take good care of my brother. Someone in this family has to have a marriage that works." She let the young man go and smiled. "I hope we see you again."

"I seem to have a lighthouse for a wedding gift in my future," Nathaniel said, smiling. "I'm sure we will meet up again one day, Ms. Templeton."

Nathaniel ran up to the twins. "Where did you get this? It's quite the rig."

"It's a gift," Tuff said. "They will explain everything to you back at the highland. For now, we're told to get you there before the day gets too far along."

"It's noon here," Nathaniel said as he worked the math in his head. "Four hours difference... who would be up at this hour in my family?"

"You'd be surprised," Tuff answered. "The temple dogs ring their bells every morning at eight. No one sleeps through that."

Once inside, Nathaniel watched as the twins worked the controls of the airship. "Welcome to the Red Wolf. It's mostly automated," Tuff said, "but we have a few chores to do. Better buckle up. We launch in three minutes."

"Launch?" Nathaniel asked.

"That's the word, Handsome. Trust me; you'll want to be buckled in."

Nathaniel took a seat directly behind the two, where he could watch the twins. And then he realized why things seemed slightly off-kilter. "Wait a minute, you two. Since when did you two stop taking in tandem?"

"Since we got married and started living in separate quarters with husbands who freaked out worse than the old wolf about it," Tiff responded. "We still do it from time to time, but not so much anymore."

Tuff pointed to the console in front of him. "It's a marriage of Changeling technology and human resources. It's pretty complicated stuff, but on the plus side, even if we did tell you what we know, you might not understand most of it."

Tiff smiled. "Even the two of us don't. It flies like a Terran aircraft on some invisible gyroscope, but the tech behind it is something that keeps us busy trying to catch up with quantum theory and magnetic engineering. There might even be a bit of anti-grav stuff going on that we won't figure out for a very long time."

"It looks amazing," Nathaniel said, looking over their shoulders. "I am impressed with whoever did the design behind this. It is beautiful in its simplicity."

Tiff looked back at Nathaniel. "Ahhh, Nathaniel, I'm so sorry. Sometimes we forget you're not just another pretty face. We see your fathers as older than all of humankind, but you look so young, and you've been here for such a short time, we forget sometimes who we're talking to. You're looking at a Tinker-toy and wondering why we're taking the time to explain it to you."

Nathaniel laughed. "Well, it's new to you, so I understand why it's exciting."

Tiff smiled. "Preparing for rotation." The ship's nose began lifting, and with it, the entire interior slowly shifted to match the change from horizontal to vertical. The shift left them still seated upright, but the windows to the craft disappeared as metal shields covered them and the rotation of the seating left them in another part of the craft. "Screens up," Tiff said. In front, the screens came to life, providing views from the craft in every direction.

"Lean back, Nathaniel. Launch in five... four... three... two... one."

There was a sudden sense of being pushed down into his seat that surprised the Changeling. As he watched the blue sky start to darken on the main screen, he smiled. "Really beautiful design," He mused.

"ETA about 12 minutes from now, Nathaniel," Tuff said, smiling as he turned around. "It's good to have you home. We've missed you. Both our husbands give you their love."

Nathaniel smiled back. "Please tell them I hope to see them soon. Have we reached outside the atmosphere?"

"No, it just looks that way because of our angle. We're doing a hypersonic drift back to earth. Beginning decent now. Screens offline. Window shields retracting." The wolf pointed out toward the nose of the aircraft as it reappeared. "There's no flaming nose dive in this shuttle. Although to be truthful, we haven't got a clue why not."

"Well, I could tell you, but then I would have to eat you."

"Unfair, Bear," the two said in unison. "It's been over three years since you've eaten us."

Far below, life on the highland was going on without a word from the pack about the pending arrival. They were leaving Nathaniel's homecoming as a surprise for Max. Will and Max were sharing their day with the temple dogs, planting rice on the lower paddies.

"You know, Pilot," Will said as they moved along the rows, carefully planting their seedlings. "We could always let Nathaniel know you're here. Hell, he might show up on his own someday. This is, after all, his birthplace."

"No, Will," Max said. "I know it's probably dumb of me, but I need to know that he came back to me because he loves me as much as I love him. I want to know that it was his choice, not because he found me here and felt pressured into it."

Will shook his head. "You have a lot to learn about Changelings, Pilot. We can't pressure an immortal into anything. We just go along for the ride. But I will tell you, it's an incredible ride. Nathaniel loves you. He will find his way back to you. Just be prepared to have your life turned upside down when he does." He shoved a rice plant into the water and anchored it in the soil. "So, when are you going to tell Nathaniel you're a virgin?"

Max looked up, startled. "How... how do you know that?"

"It's my superpower," the old wolf answered with a grin. "I can sniff a virgin out from a mile away. One and a half kilometers if I'm hunting Canadian virgins."

Max looked confused. "You're not hunting me, are you?"

"Nope, already tracked you down, remember?" Will replied as he planted another seedling. "But you still have that wonderful virgin human scent."

"It's just that I've heard about your... your sexual appetite." Max paused for a moment and then shoved a seedling into the water. "All of your sexual appetites."

Will smiled at Max. "Don't worry, Pilot. I'm just teasing you. I can tell you're going to be a one-bear guy your whole life. You're safe around the whole family, including me. We're going to honor your right to choose just as we hope you respect ours."

Max sighed. "Remember when I said I envied Nathaniel for how easy it was for him to be gay and how tough it was for me?"

"Sure, I remember. I called you a sheep. I'm sorry about that. You're not a sheep." Will shoved another rice plant into the water. "Sheep will let anyone fuck them."

Max laughed. "I knew what I was since I was a kid. I've even had opportunities along the way. But here I am; still a virgin. And then I met Nathaniel, and I realized I didn't want to wait anymore. Except I have been. I've been waiting for him for nearly four years now, but I haven't regretted a moment of the wait."

"He's worth the wait, Pilot," Will said reaching over and rubbing the airman's shoulder.

"I know. But still... you know... a virgin."

Will planted another seedling. He looked at Max and smiled. "Don't worry about it. I hear there's a cure, and lucky for you, your boyfriend is a doctor. I'm pretty sure he can clear it up in no time."

"It's just that a forty-five-year-old guy who's a virgin is kind of laughable."

"I don't think so," Will said as he placed another rice plant into the field. "You waited for the right man to come along. That's your nature. It just so happens the man you were waiting for is a bear. That complicates things a bit."

Max shoved a rice plant into the paddy. "I've seen his cock after we kiss, Will. Being a bear complicates things a lot."

Will laughed out loud. "True that." He looked up into the sky. "Family's coming, Pilot. Let's get down off this paddy and welcome them home."

Max looked up into the sky and saw only clouds and blue, but he knew the old wolf was never wrong. He bundled the seedlings back into the tray and wiped his brown. "Hope they don't mind meeting a sweaty human."

"I don't think that will faze them a bit, Pilot," Will said reassuringly.

There was a glint of light in the sky as the aircraft sailed in from the west. Far above the two farmers, the aircraft slowed as it neared the highland.

Nathaniel looked out the front window now that the shields had retracted and the seats reconfigured. "It looks bigger than I remember."

"That's because it is," Tiff responded.

Nathaniel looked down as the aircraft began hovering over the glade. Off to the left, He saw the ponds terraced into the hillside where there was once only a crag of the Coast Range. Three temple dogs were planting in the upper terraces, and as the aircraft grew closer, they lifted their heads and waved. Two figures, one human and one werewolf, were walking down off the low cliffs and onto the glade. Nathaniel smiled. "Hi Father. Hi Max."

He turned toward the two red wolf pilots. "Are those rice paddies?" Nathaniel asked.

"Yeah," Tuff answered. "The temple dogs have cherished traditions, and Gaia seems more than willing to let them continue."

"Gaia?" Nathaniel asked.

"You'll have plenty of time for questions. For now, let's get you back to Max, shall we?"

Nathaniel looked down at the grassy field. "Where are you going to land this thing?"

Tiff smiled. He pointed down to the far side of the glade, "there."

Raised above the grass was a ledge of gray rock. The wings shifted position and the cold blue flame of the engines shot downward. "Amazing, right?" Tiff shouted. "Hang on to your seat, Handsome, we're going down."

Once debarked, Nathaniel searched the glade for the two he had seen on their descent. Will and Max were on the far side of the glade. Nathaniel waved to them, and Will waved back.

"Kind of a sexy little number, don't you think?" Will asked Max.

"Yeah, a ginger fireplug. What's not to like?" Max agreed.

From across the field, Nathaniel suddenly realized why there was a disconnect for Max. Rather than taking the stairs carved into the stone, the redheaded human jumped over the side of the rock ledge and onto the grass below. He began running toward the two, tearing off his shirt. A quarter of the way there, while hopping forward, he finally yanked off his pants. Max watched as the young man stripped. "Hi appears to be a friend of yours, Will," he said, smiling.

And then the transformation came. In one surge as the last vestiges of his clothes fell onto the glade, the young man became the short-faced bear Max had kissed so many years ago. Max gasped in joyful recognition and raced toward the bear, who was now rushing to him on all fours.

Will watched as the two raced toward each other across the field. "Just like in the movies. Ain't true love beautiful? It sure as hell is blind to how this is going to turn out."

Max remembered the moment of impact as he slammed into the bear with outstretched arms. He even remembered the momentary feeling of weightlessness as his body flew backward into the air. When he regained consciousness, the bear was directly above him, staring into his eyes. "I sort of hoped that would be a bit more romantic, Bear," he groaned.

Nathaniel frowned. "I'm sorry, Human. I forgot for a moment you're not like my family. We tend to hug pretty intensely."

The airman smiled at the young bear. "You think you and your family can pull back just a little to add a human into your family without breaking all his bones?"

Nathaniel smiled back. "Are you proposing?"

"Well, I had hoped to do it on bended knee, but as you can see, you detached it."

Nathaniel looked back from where the two had collided. Completely separated from his body, an artificial lower leg lay in the field a good six feet from the two. Max pulled his arm up and the two claws snapped together. "This seems to be fine," he laughed. "It's an antique prosthesis. I have another that looks a bit more realistic, but it turns out this one is great for planting rice." He paused, trying to read the face of the young bear. "The war took more from me than I had hoped, Bear."

The bear reached down and drew the human into a gentle hug. "I have you back. That's more than enough for me." The bear felt the human's arms reach around and the fingers of one hand press tightly into his fur.

"God, I've missed you so much, Bear," Max sighed.

"And I've missed you, Human."

"You think you've calmed down enough to kiss a human?"

"We can give it a try."

The two fell into a kiss, searching to bridge the years of longing.

"no, NO," Max suddenly blurted out.

"What?" Nathaniel asked.

"Your dick. It's halfway up my empty pant leg."

Nathaniel stood up, dragging the pant leg and the human with him.

"Bear, you've got to unhook yourself."

The bear looked down at the human. He fell back to the ground, grasping the human close to his chest. "I have an idea." With two claws from either paw clasping the pants, the bear bit into the fabric. Between the shredding of teeth and claw, the pants fell away. "Shirt off now!" he commanded. The human struggled to pull the T-shirt over his head. The bear stared at the human, naked except for his tabi boots. He smiled and reached out to touch gently the human's erection. "You've got a boner."

"You kissed me, Bear. Of course, I have a boner," Max said.

"I've got one too."

"I know, Bear," Max said smiling. "It's beautiful... but a little intimidating."

"I hope you boys brought enough of that for everyone," they heard Will say. They looked up to see the smiling werewolf. "You may have forgotten this is a communal field."

Max and Nathaniel both became aware of their surroundings. Max tried to reach for the shreds that were once his clothes. "Oh crap, Bear," he blurted out.

"Hold on, hold on, boys," Will said reassuringly. "We've all been where you are now, and there's not a soul on this mountain who is going to judge you for where you're about to go. Just a reminder to my son of two things before everyone on this highland looks the other way."

Nathaniel looked up at the werewolf. "What, Father?"

"First, don't forget you're not restricted to being just a bear anymore. Max might find your avatar easier to deal with."

Nathaniel slapped his head with his paw. "I completely forgot once we started kissing." The bear shook, and with a pale green glimmer that was characteristic of his change, the bear became a man.

"That's right. You're the little fireplug," Max gushed.

"Is that good?" Nathaniel responded.

"Oh yeah, that's very, very good."

Will interrupted once more. "And secondly, don't forget your training, Son. No turning the human."

Max looked at the young ginger. "Training?"

"I'm learning how to block the transfer of DNA that would make you immortal."

Max's face furrowed. "Learning. As in, you might make a mistake?"

"Not intentionally, but I'm not one hundred percent sure I'm as focused as my Papa under these circumstances." Nathaniel stroked the frowning human's face. "Would you be okay with just cuddling? I know that's asking a lot, but I don't want to do anything we might regret."

"I've waited three years just to hold you again. I'm good with cuddling," Max answered, a smile spreading across his face. He looked away for a moment. "Bear, I'm a virgin. I've never done anything but dream of this moment. I told Will..." Max broke off in mid-sentence. He looked up, and Nathaniel's gaze followed. Will was gone. The two were lying in an empty field except for each other.

The redheaded young man smiled and put his finger to the human's lips. "No need to apologize or worry about anything. I was a virgin once, too. In a way, I guess I still am." He leaned over and kissed the retired airman. "When the time is right, we'll both lose our virginity to each other: you for your first time with a Changeling, and me for my first time with a human."

The two began kissing and when their hands found their swollen cocks, the human groaned happily. He looked into the eyes of the young Changeling. "Bear, please finish your training soon. I'm not sure I can take just cuddling."

Nathaniel grinned. "Well, I have to be careful about transferring my DNA, but you're not bound by those same restrictions. In fact, acquiring a bit of your DNA is mandatory for the process."

Max looked confused.

"You can't swallow, but I can," the young man said, his grin growing more lecherous by the moment.

"Really?"

The young man licked and kissed his way across the pilot's chest, down across his belly, and when he took the airman's swollen cock into his mouth, he heard something between a gasp and a sigh that was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard.

His head bobbed for a few minutes when he felt Max tousle his hair and say, "Bear."

Without stopping his chosen activity, Nathaniel mumbled, "What do you want?"

"No, Bear... bear," the airman begged, his arms waving outward to imply size.

The young man stopped and looked up. "Really?"

"I fell in love with the bear. This human is gorgeous, but I fell in love with the bear. If this is going to be my first time, I want it to be with the bear."

The young man stood up and took a few steps backward. He shook, and the short-faced bear returned. With a thud that shook the ground, he fell to his knees, leaned over, and kissed the human.

"Try not to bite it off," the human said, somewhere between a joke and a plea.

"Don't worry, Human," the bear said as he leaned over and kissed the still-hardened dick. "I've got skills." The fleshy tongue of the short-faced bear lapped at the cock for a moment and suddenly the rod disappeared past tooth and fang into the mouth of the bear. The human closed his eyes as the sensations flowed over him. All too soon, a guttural yell heard across the glade told the family that their son had cured the human's virginity.

"Oh, Bear, stop... stop... that tickles," the human laughed.

The bear pressed on with his chosen activity. "Not done," he mumbled.

"Please, please, give me a minute. I promise I'm not saying no, I'm just saying wait."

The bear released his prize and looked up, smiling with a sloppy wet muzzle. Max looked at Nathaniel and smiled. "Come kiss me, Bear," he commanded. The bear complied.

When the kiss broke, the bear fell over and rolled out onto the grass. He looked up into the sky. "Good?" he asked.

"Oh, so much better than good, Bear," the human replied. "I'm torn between why didn't I do this years ago, and being glad I waited for you to be the one."

The bear smiled, letting his paw slip into the human's hand. "That's a good place to be."

The human sighed. "An excellent place to be. I love you, Bear."

"And I love you too, Human. Which is why I'm going to apologize for what's about to happen."

The human looked toward the bear. "Huh?"

The bear rose onto all fours and with a side step, he was on top of the human once more. He gave him a quick kiss and yelled, "Round two!" The pilot's dick slipped into the mouth of the bear.

"Oh, god, Bear... tickles... stop bear... really stop... it tickles." The quiet followed, and then with a sigh, Max mumbled, "okay, don't stop."

Chapter 2

Elsewhere on the highland, Kris and Eric were enjoying a moment of post-coital tenderness. The two great bears rocked gently in the forest together, kissing, biting, and gently pawing the other. From time to time, the bears sought the solitude of the forest to mate independently of their husbands as Changelings.

When alone together, their mating was unrestrained and far more intensely physical than when they were with the werewolves. As with their first mating, it would often leave them bruised, but never truly hurt, and never having lost their love for each other throughout the impassioned exchange. The frenzied lovemaking was too intense for werebeasts. Drawing the werewolves into such exchanges would leave them with broken bones.

The Kodiak rolled on top of the polar bear and kissed him. "I so love feeling you inside me," he smiled, looking at the bear below.

"I so love being inside you," the white bear smiled back.

"Husband, we have to talk about something that has me a bit confused and curious."

"Oh? After years of waiting, are we finally getting around to talking about how I spent all those years with Derrick and never turned him?"

Kris laughed. "Really? You've known all this time?"

"We're Changelings, remember? One mind."

Kris rubbed the white chest of the bear below him. "One heart." He rolled off the white bear once more and fell by his side, staring into the forest canopy. "I think it's getting close to a time where Nathaniel and I need to know. Our son is choosing to mate with a human, and that human wants to remain human."

The Kodiak felt the paw of his mate slip into his. "I've already talked to Nathaniel about this years ago. Sort of the birds and the bees for Changelings. He's been training. It never occurred to me you would need to know. I doubt Max will ever ask us to be involved that way in his life."

The Kodiak laughed. "Husband, you amaze me. You are so open with us, and then I find an entire part of you hidden away from all of us."

"I didn't hide it. I just didn't go out of my way to reveal it. Nathaniel is young. Sex is a joy for him, but the responsibility of it, the learning how to use it in the presence of humans, it's like any child learning about sex from his father."

"Embarrassing?"

"Oh hell, yeah," the white bear laughed. "So, I didn't tell anyone else. I knew the day you became concerned about it you would talk to me and we would have this discussion."

"So you said training?"

"It's all about genetic transfer and intent between two species. If I'm not mistaken, the first part of that transfer has already taken place. Nathaniel is following his training and preparing to mate with the human."

The brown bear sniffed the air. "They're already going at it? He hasn't even been on the ground for an hour."

"Four years waiting for someone you love is a long time to wait, Husband. Besides, we are talking about our son here."

"That's true. I guess their eagerness is to be expected. We didn't last all that long when we returned home." The Kodiak smiled. "So, what genetic transfer is taking place here?"

"Human DNA to the Changeling. It's the one key that made all the difference, and why I can block the transfer of our DNA to a human if I remain focused on that idea."

"So, you're telling me the DNA transfer isn't one-sided?"

"No, it never has been. It's just that the change in humans is so remarkable that no one thought to explore what it might have done to us. My brothers never bumped up against what I did when they mated with humans. When they joined, their mates were always of a kind. Wolf begat wolf. I was the first bear who begat a red-tailed hawk."

Kris laughed. "Chet? That's what started this all?"

"Yeah," Eric said with embarrassment. "The two of us exchanged DNA, a great deal of DNA. We were in unknown territory. Some firsts we shared wouldn't be repeated for centuries. No other turning resulted in a different species until Will and Dr. Kong. But that's when I learned of intent. That desire to take that joining and make it into something unique. Chet willed our merger into his transformation. He used my DNA to create what he wanted, not what I expected. He was just that strong and focused on his desire."

"And you? How did that affect you?"

"It taught me about intent. He chose what to make of our coupling. Just as he could use intent to create his dream, I learned I could use my intent to block the turning. Human DNA flowed through me and it became just as easy to transfer that as it was to transfer my own. It relied solely on what I chose to do, exactly the same as what it does for a human when they turn."

"Not a straightforward thing to learn, I imagine," the brown bear said as he sat up.

"At its core, it's relatively easy. It would amaze you what love can do to keep you focused," the polar bear said as he raised himself upright. "I have had five great loves in my life that were human. Chet was my first love, but we never mated. He was also not human. But I learned the lesson that would guide me in all my human interactions. He desired to be the red-tailed hawk and my son, but never my mate. He taught me how to protect others from the change."

"You never offered to change the others?"

"I discussed it with all those I mated with." The bear paused. "But they declined. So, I lived out their lives with them, and when I buried them all too soon, I mourned their deaths and found a way through my loss. It's never been easy, but it has always been worth the sacrifices both sides had to make."

The white bear was silent for a time, and the brown bear waited patiently. "Until Pup. All five husbands died at the hands of other humans. When I met Derrick, I realized I couldn't let that happen. I used his fascination with werewolves to give him what he dreamed of, and to give him a family to watch over him after I died."

"You did right by him, Son," the Kodiak said as he wrapped his arm around the polar bear.

"I want to believe that, Dad. Nevertheless, it wasn't a simple life for him in the beginning. It has never been a simple life for him."

"But it was the life he wanted. Never forget that."

There was a quiet space of time where the two remained joined in their sideways embrace. Eventually, the polar bear looked back at the brown and smiled. "Well, Husband, should we go join the wolves?"

"Seems like a good idea. How do we cross the glade without the rutting pair seeing us?"

"Really? Do you think they're going to see us? Four years of waiting and two fat bears plodding through the grass are going to disturb that?"

"I see your point. Still, let's take the outer edge along the creek, shall we?"

"Done," said the polar bear, rolling onto all fours. He kissed his husband and helped him onto all fours. Together, they walked leisurely back toward the cave.

Chapter 3

After a few more hours of a one-sided bodily fluid exchange, Nathaniel and Max quietly entered the cave, trying to avoid detection. Nathaniel had returned to his human form, attempting to be less conspicuous. The wolves were at the far side of the antechamber, playing cards with their bear husbands. "Welcome back, boys," Will said without turning around.

Derrick looked up from his cards and smiled at the two. "Nice outfits. You boys should wear them more often." With a shake, he was human. Will looked at his husband and shook into his human form as well. Kris and Eric followed.

Max smiled nervously. "I've never been too comfortable being naked around others. I thought maybe I would just sneak into my room and grab some clothes."

Will pivoted around in his chair. He reached down and adjusted his ball sack casually. "You're more than welcome to snag some clothes, but I should point out that you're still sporting some major wood there. That means Nathaniel isn't anywhere near being done with you, no matter how much he wants to think he can control himself." The old wolf got up, walked to the sink, and poured himself a glass of water. He drank a sip. "Pilot, if you're going to love a Changeling, you best learn early on that sex is a full contact sport with multiple innings. You put on clothes now, and within the hour, he will be tearing them off of you again."

Max looked at Nathaniel. "Bear?"

"He might be right."

"Really?"

Nathaniel looked away shyly. "I want you right now. I didn't stop wanting you even after you came the first four times."

Shocked at the lad's revelation to the entire group, Max's retort surprised even him. "Well, you came just as many times and you had bucket loads more of the stuff than I ever dreamed possible."

Derrick laughed and then caught himself. "Sorry, Max. I didn't mean to laugh at your situation. From one previous human to another, I realize the sexual appetites of Changelings and Weres can be overwhelming at first. But eventually, you realize it's just one way they express how much they love you. And in time, you'll find you express your love the same way in return."

Max sighed. "I'm not very experienced at expressing love in any fashion, let alone in front of the whole family."

"We weren't watching," Derrick said indignantly.

Max waved his hands. "No, no, I know that. And thank you for being so kind. What I meant was I have a hard-on here that's not going down and you guys are just sitting here chatting with me like it's an everyday occurrence."

Will walked over to Derrick and kissed him. Derrick's hands reached up and tweaked the nipples of his mate and the room heard Will's audible sigh of contentment. When the kiss broke, the burly human turned around with his cock fully erect. "Pilot, this..." he said, grabbing his cock, "... is an everyday occurrence. Welcome to the wonderful world of being a male in love with another male in the company of other males who think that's just the best thing ever."

Max shook his head. "This might take some getting used to."

Nathaniel nudged the human. "I could help. I know what to do with boners."

Max laughed and kissed the young man. "Okay, no clothes for now. We go without until you're sated."

The card-playing foursome laughed out loud. "You're going to be a nudist forever, Max," Derrick said, holding his belly as he laughed.

Max looked at Nathaniel. Nathaniel smiled. "It usually doesn't last more than three days when I'm excited like this. I promise I'll get better."

Max thought about it for a moment. "I'm not sure I want you to. There's a sizeable gap in my education. Maybe you're just what I need in my life."

"That's the spirit, Max," Kris said happily.

Will had been rummaging through the junk drawer during the conversation. "Ahh, here they are," he said. He looked up at Nathaniel and tossed a box his way. "These are for you two. Consider it a welcome home present from your father."

Nathaniel looked at the box. "Extra-large, extra-strength condoms?"

"There are more ways to prevent the transfer of DNA than abstinence or that Changeling voodoo."

Eric looked at Will. "Interesting. I hadn't thought of that."

"Well, I did, Husband," Will replied. "I know the human won't last the day without needing our boy inside him, and vice versa. So I figure we help them as best we can."

Nathaniel looked perplexed as he stared at the box. "It says there's only twenty in this box."

"You love a human, Son," Kris said, pulling at his white beard. "Time to realize there are limitations on that body of his."

"I'm willing to try to break a few records," Max said shyly.

Will laughed and reached out to hug the human. "Pilot, I'm loving you more and more each day."

Max realized his initial discomfort with another man hugging him was fading the longer Will held him. His arms reached up, and he returned the hug. "Oh," Will added, "ignore the boner. That's for the pup, not you."

"My boner is for you, Human," Nathaniel interjected.

Max turned toward the young man. "And mine is for you, Bear."

"Well," Derrick said, rising from his seat erect as everyone else in the room. "Now that we have all the boners sorted out, why don't we head off to the woods and do something about them? You boys go one way, and we'll go the other."

Both Nathaniel and Max nodded happily.

"One last thing, Son," Will said sternly. "You practice your training. You're in this for the long haul and one-day condoms won't be on the menu; just the two of you doing what comes naturally. You make sure what's natural for you is protecting the one you love." He tossed a plastic bottle toward the human. "Lube... make sure he uses lots of it and that he takes it slow." The mountain man looked at his son. "And you, Son. Don't you forget that you're with a human. You can't take him the way you would take one of us."

"I promise," Nathaniel said. He grabbed Max's hand and pulled him toward the cave's entrance. "Let's go. I have a wonderful place to show you where we can watch the stars come out." He started falling forward and before his arms hit the floor, he was a bear.

"It's not even noon," Max said, laughing.

"I know, but we'll just think of this as a quickie," the Changeling giggled.

As the two walked out the door, Max brushed his hand across the fur of the short-faced bear. "So, how many others have you taken besides me?"

"Well, I haven't taken you yet, so that's not exactly a question I can answer."

"Well, by the end of this day, I can guarantee you will have. So, what's the answer?"

"Does it make a difference?"

"Not really. I was just curious."

Nathaniel stood up and started counting on his claws as he looked upward in thought. When his foot rose and the paw touched each of the lower claws, Max laughed.

"Okay, okay, I get your point. I'm in love with a seriously horny bear."

"I might have dabbled a bit."

The human hugged the bear. "That's okay. I could use a husband with a bit of experience under his belt."

"I don't wear a belt."

"Human cliché, Bear. Look it up in that database brain of yours."

The bear smiled. "Oh, okay."

When they arrived at Nathaniel's secret spot, the pilot looked around. "It's beautiful," he said in awe. He looked back at Nathaniel. "You're beautiful... It's all so beautiful."

The bear shook himself and became the redheaded lad. Max pulled him to the ground. "Bear, I have a request to ask of you, but you can say no if it disturbs you."

"What, Human?"

"This," the human said, raising his prosthetic arm and clasping the claws together. "This isn't me. It's just a tool I use." He tapped the carbon fiber pylon of his leg. "This isn't me either." I don't want what isn't me to come between us now. I want it to be just the two of us."

Nathaniel smiled. "What do I do?"

"Want to help me out of this stuff?" Max asked. Nathaniel nodded, and Max guided the young man's hands to the shoulder sling. "Everything I'm wearing today is really old school... it comes off easily... Just slip the sling off my right shoulder... yeah, like that... Don't worry, you're doing fine... and then follow it on through... See? It all comes apart with very little effort... There's a little valve key that controls the vacuum... just turn it and... there you go... It's off except for the sleeve. You're going to roll that back and it breaks the suction, freeing it all... and that's it," Max smiled. "You did, great." He pointed to a metallic plug at the base of his bicep. "The dock here is for the robotic arm. It's embedded, but I can live with that."

"Me too, Human. I can live with you any way you want to be."

Max sat down and leaned over, depressing the release button on the socket attached to his leg. It slipped off easily. Nathaniel took both devices and walked them over to a tree, where he placed them down carefully. He returned to the side of the human and stroked his face. The remaining upper arm of the human reached up and touched the young man's face. "You are so beautiful," Max repeated.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Yep. I never had a doubt about that."

"And today we're both virgins."

Max leaned into a lengthy kiss as the redheaded lad reached for the lube and condoms. "But not for long, Bear. Not for long."

Chapter 4

Nathaniel and Will sat by the creek lazily, splashing their feet in the water. The family's adventures apart had lasted through the night and had required a bath for all involved. The two of them remained after the others had returned to the cave for breakfast.

"I didn't think Max would let Dad hug him naked, let alone carry him home," Nathaniel laughed.

"He's getting used to us. Honestly, all things considered, he's a pretty quick study," Will responded. "That and he was freezing his ass off and the bear is astonishingly hot-blooded. That fur of his warms up a body very quickly."

Nathaniel laughed and then grew serious. "I don't get it, Father." He paused.

"Don't get what, Son?"

"You of all people bringing Max back here."

Will smiled. "I know I'm not always an easy read, Son, but of all the people on this highland, I was the most likely to bring him back here." He stood up and pulled the arm of the bear. "Come on, let's go back home. I have something to show you." Will turned into a wolf, and the two raced off to the cave together.

Once inside, the two looked around. Max stood naked, alone in the kitchen, nibbling on toast. He pointed toward the bedroom. They heard Derrick giggling. Will looked to the bedroom, back to Nathaniel, then to the bedroom. "Okay, Son, we're going to have to make this quick. Your father has some very unserious business that needs attending to," the old wolf said.

Nathaniel laughed. Will reached into a drawer and pulled out a large, flat tablet. "Gotta have a big one. Eyes aren't as good as they used to be."

Nathaniel sighed. "You stare at Papa Wolfy's ass from across the glade."

"Well, yeah, but that's an incredible ass," Will replied. "I have selective seeing. I see important stuff just fine. Most of the crap that shows up on this thing... not so much." The old wolf fixed his gaze on the tablet as his finger flipped through screens. Eventually, he stopped. "Look at the guy in the middle of this crowd photo."

"It's Max," Nathaniel said happily. He looked up at the human and smiled. The human smiled and waved.

"Yeah," Will said, flipping the tablet back. He scrolled the image. "Now read the headline."

"Air Force Vet Fights for Peace Instead of War." Nathaniel stared at the image and the smaller headline below. "Canada's representative to the United Nations, Maxwell Templeton, begs the world to find a better path." The bear reached out and touched the image on the tablet lovingly. He looked up at Max. "I love you, Human. I didn't know. I don't read the news very often." Max smiled and nodded his understanding.

"I don't blame you either, Son," Will interjected. "I try to read as little as possible. This thing has a vast database full of names. It goes looking for any mention of the names of Weres and family members in any media. If the name pops up, it flags the source. Sadly, until recently, I spent most of my time looking at obituaries. Fucking war. But when this came up, I knew I had to track him down."

"Weres and family members?"

"Since day one, Son. You loved Max. He was family," Will responded. "Like most families, we have our disagreements and fights. But we never stop loving, we never stop trying. When we stop trying, we stop being family."

Nathaniel reached out and hugged his father. "You're right. You're not an easy read... until today."

Will squeezed the bear tightly. "Well, now you know. Why don't you take your fiancé out and do whatever it is you bears and humans do?" Will sniffled slightly.

"Are you crying?" the bear asked. Nathaniel tried to wiggle free from the hug to see, but the old wolf held fast.

"I'm allergic to your fur, damn it."

"You're crying." Nathaniel pushed back and smiled at his father. "You are such a softie for one who talks so tough."

"Well, there, you see, Son? You still have plenty to learn before you can read me."

Nathaniel hugged the wolf again. "I love you, Father."

Will returned the hug. "I love you, Son." He looked toward the bedroom. "So you remember all about that whole 'old wolf and the sex thing', right?"

"Yeah. I don't need a news report to tell me about that."

"So, we're good?"

"Go," the bear commanded. "Keep your husbands happy."

Will shook into a wolf and leaped back into the cavern.

Nathaniel looked at Max. "I'm sorry. I wish I had known sooner."

"It's okay, Bear. I had a few months to be with your family before you came back. I think I needed that. They're an unusual lot, to say the least."

Nathaniel laughed. "They are that."

The human walked over and hugged the bear. "And I love them almost as much as I love you, Bear."

"So, breakfast was a wash, I assume?" the Bear asked.

"Yeah, the three of them didn't even make it to the cave before they were playing again," Max said, laughing. "Your dad is really warm when he pulls you in close, but dang, if he gets aroused when he's running upright, he can slap you silly with that dick of his."

Nathaniel laughed aloud. Max held out a piece of toast. "Breakfast?" Nathaniel leaned over and nibbled the toast out of his hand. Max snickered. "I sure hope there are no rules about feeding the bears in these woods."

Nathaniel looked up and grinned. "I know something you can feed me."

"And I will, I promise, Bear. But first I have things I want to show you."

"Oh... I like this... show me, big boy."

"God, you are just like your fathers... and I am sooo grateful," Max said as he pushed up on his toes to kiss the bear. "Let me grab my arm from the bedroom," Max said as he went back toward a new cavern opening. He came out holding a robotic arm. "Watch this, it is so RoboCop cool." He placed the arm up to his bicep, twisted it a half turn onto the dock, and the locking clamp moved automatically into place, followed by a line of five other wide, flat anchors pushing into his flesh. "Ta-da!" Max said wiggling the prosthetic fingers nimbly.

"The human part is cooler."

"Well, thank you. I'm glad you think so." The human tugged at the bear. "Come on, we have places to go and people to do." He paused and slapped his head. "Damn it. Will is wearing off on me."

Nathaniel laughed as the two walked out onto the glade. Max pointed to the rice paddies carved into the mountains. "Those were the first changes Gaia made. It was a gift to the temple dogs. She heard them asking for a part of the glade to flood and plant their rice."

"Who's Gaia?"

"Your dad's companion. I was talking to her one day and mentioned that she had a lot in common with Gaia, who was the mother of the earth and its protector. She liked that idea and decided she wanted to be called Gaia so that she would remember what her purpose was and what she was becoming."

"She?"

"Well, let's face it; your people don't have a gender per se, so it's just as easy to use a female pronoun as a male one. It's obvious that your fathers are anything but gender-neutral. Gaia seems to be the same. She has a strong sense of female identity. I figure we all get to call ourselves what we choose. Why shouldn't she?"

"True," Nathaniel said. "But since when did you start talking to the companion?"

"Oh, that," Max said. "I don't talk to her the way your dad does. When Will brought me back here, I went out to the forest to thank the companion. I wanted to let her know I wouldn't forget the charity she showed me by letting me live." Max paused. "I looked down and there was a little blue flower blooming at my feet."

Max pulled Nathaniel off again, dragging him in another direction. "To tell the truth, I don't know if it was there all along, but I took it as a sign the companion heard me. From that day forward, when I was working out in the field or just walking, I would talk to her. That's where the whole Gaia thing came from."

"I didn't know she had chosen the name until your dad came up to me and asked what was going on. He was thrilled about it. It meant his companion had made peace with staying here and calling Earth her home as well. And that's when she started shaking things up."

"First the southern rock face of the crag collapsed and built itself back up in the terraces. The melting snow from the top of the mountain flows into creeks and seasonal waterfalls. They fill the paddies in spring and slowly dry up in late summer. It's like clockwork... well, it is clockwork. She times it all so that the fields are producing as if they have been here for centuries."

"And look at this," Max said, standing before the pagoda-shaped bell tower. "You'd think she'd never allow a building on this land, but here it is." He pulled Nathaniel into the lower chamber. "Of course, this is the second one. You're probably going to hear about Will and the temple dogs' wild night. It was an accident, but, boy, was Gaia pissed. She kept throwing up roots and rocks in front of Will and the dogs for weeks, tripping them every time they walked outside."

Nathaniel looked up at the tower. "It's trees and vines," he said with amazement.

"Yeah, I'm not much of a pilot, but I'm a damn fine architect and engineer. I showed her how we could make the structure by growing the plants together, and she made it happen. I don't think it's just wood anymore. If you rub it, it's almost like stone, but whatever it is, she's made it beautiful."

The two looked upward into the pagoda, watching the light filter down through the branches and leaves. "This is my favorite place to come to on the highland," Max said with a smile. "Although I have to admit I'm growing rather fond of your secret place." Max looked at the bear. "Nathaniel, ever since I met your family, I have wanted to be a better human being. I have tried to be a better human being."

"If you can make Father love you, you've done that, Max," the bear interjected with a smile of his own.

The human laughed. "But there has always been something that eluded me, something that I needed beyond that satisfaction of doing what I thought was right. For four years, I've done everything I knew to make this world a better place. But since the day we parted company, I have known what was missing."

Max reached out and grabbed the bear's paw. "I need someone in my life full time that I love and who loves me in return. I need that special someone who shares my life, who works beside me, who shares my passions and my bed."

"Can that someone be a Changeling?"

"God, I hope so, because I'm asking you to be that someone. There is so much I want to do, so much I hope to accomplish. I want you to be there to help me, and for me to help you do whatever it is you dream of doing. Bear, I want it all. I want you to be my husband, my mate."

"Do you know how Changelings mate?"

The human shook his head in disbelief that he had forgotten. "That's right. Your dad told me. How about I forego that mating idea and I just ask you to marry me?"

"I will say yes."

"Marry me, Bear?"

"Would you say yes if I asked you to marry me, Human?"

"Of course," the human said.

"Then, yes, Human, I will marry you."

"I will try to make them good years, Bear," Max promised as the bear fell onto all fours and the two kissed.

Nathaniel broke the kiss when he said, "I have one condition for my total and complete committal to the idea of marrying you."

Max looked incredulous. "And that would be?"

"We have six condoms left from last night," the bear said with a wide grin. "I want to make sure Gaia doesn't get pissed off at me for damaging the pagoda."

"Say no more, Bear," Max said as he pulled on the neck of the bear, dragging him back outside and toward the forest.

When the bear realized at last that the human was nodding off between his advances, he pulled him close and kissed him goodnight. The sun had fallen on another day and try as he might, the human could not sustain the level of activity the Changeling brought to their lovemaking. The young man shifted, and the bear wrapped himself around the human and closed his eyes.

Throughout his brief time on Earth, the bear had learned the pleasures of sexual play with his friends and family. They were moments he cherished. However, in the last few days, he had learned the bliss of bonding with another. He understood what he had sensed in the air as his fathers mated the day of his birth. He sighed contentedly, knowing that what he had found was what he never realized he was looking for all along.

Chapter 5

"Hold still or I'll never get your damn tie straight," Will growled.

"I'm trying, but your claws, Old Wolf," Max said.

The old wolf shook himself into his human form. "There is that better?" he asked, grabbing the tie and twisting it into position.

"You're naked, Will. I've got a naked man at my wedding."

"Well, you're gonna have one on your honeymoon. Just consider this a practice run." Will shook back into a werewolf. "Better, Pilot?"

Max reached up and grabbed the wolf, pulling his head down and kissing him firmly on the lips. He let go and smiled. "Much better. Thank you."

"Cock tease," the old wolf said, smiling.

"Do I look okay?" Max asked.

"You look very handsome," the wolf replied. "Come on, let's get you out there to say hello to everyone."

"I so hate mingling."

"Then why did you get in front of the entire world to tell them to stop the war?"

"Well, that was a necessity. This is just a legal marriage ceremony. We've already been together for weeks. We should have eloped."

"You are marrying a Changeling, Pilot. Trust me, if you don't want to start another war, you will go out there and mingle with the Weres. They have some serious doubts about humans after the war, so one of your kind marrying a Changeling is a very big deal."

"Oh, that's great. I can't just marry the bear I love; I have to win over the heart of the entire Were Nation. Will, I have butterflies that are eating the butterflies inside me."

"Just wedding day jitters. You'll get over them as soon as you see the bear."

"I just hope I'm doing the right thing. He deserves so much better."

"You are all he's ever wanted, Pilot," the wolf said. "Trust me when I tell you this because you know how I feel about humans; you are the one for him. He wants you in his life and more importantly, because you don't always see it, you are meant for each other."

The two walked out from the master bedroom, into the hall, and through the carved doors of the great room of the Montana ranch house. The crowd turned to watch the human. Everywhere he looked were people he had never seen, and scattered among them were the familiar faces of Jean Pierre's pack and his future father-in-law bears towering over everyone. "I don't see any Weres but our family, Will," Max said, panicking.

"You'll be fine," Will said. "Relax; this is going to all turn out well."

"Easy for you to say. You've already got three husbands."

"I mated with them, remember? Easy isn't the word I'd use, but hey, if you want to mate with the Changeling, we can all just bow out and let him at you."

"You're supposed to be my best man, Will," Max complained. "Where's all that moral support you're supposed to give?"

"You think I suck at that now? Wait until you hear my best man's toast at the reception."

"Oh god, Will, this is too much."

The wolf grabbed the human and hugged him tightly. "Calm down, Pilot. You'll be okay."

"Will, what a pleasure to see you," a voice from behind said.

Will turned and smiled. "Hello, Padre. Good to see you. The human is in a bit of a panic."

Max looked at the man before him. He wore a traditional long black coat with a red satin interlining and a clerical collar. "What are you?" Max asked.

"I'm a werewolf. We're both gray wolves. He's an Iberian wolf and I'm a timber wolf, though. We go back a long way."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that," Max said, shaking his hands to wipe away the comment. "I meant what denomination are you?"

"Oh that," said the padre. "I was Catholic, but I suppose nowadays you could say I'm non-denominational. Human gods haven't been too kind to the Were Nation." He shrugged and looked upward in thought. "Or to the humans, for that matter." He reached out and put his hand on Max's shoulder. "I'm officiating at the ceremony because Nathaniel hoped it would calm you to see a bit of religious tradition in front of you when you take your vows."

"To be honest with you, I wish I saw the timber wolf. It's way more calming than that outfit."

The padre laughed. "I like you, Human. I wish I had the time for you to see the one in front of you instead of what your mind has created."

"Me too, Padre," Max said. "I hope you can forgive me for not seeing you the way I should."

"The protections run deep, Max. You have nothing to apologize for. Shall we get you to the altar? We have a very nervous bear as anxious as you are to have this done."

Max sighed deeply. "Yeah, let's get this done."

"I agree," Will interjected. "The sooner you're married, the sooner we have cake."

The padre grabbed the hand of the human and pulled him gently through the parting crowd. "Hi, Uncle Max," a young girl said, smiling.

"Sarah, what are you doing here?" Max said, hugging the young one.

"Nathaniel invited me," Sarah responded. "I'm your flower girl."

Max laughed. "Finally, a familiar face in the crowd. Is your mom here?"

"Yeah, and my brothers. Mom says you're coming home. That you're going to live in a lighthouse on an island. Is that true?"

"Yes, it's true. Have you seen Nathaniel?"

"Yeah, he looks really nice. He's sooo huge."

"You see him, Sarah?"

"Yeah, of course. But don't worry. I never told anyone. We pinkie swore on it."

Max leaned over and kissed Sarah on the cheek. "Thank you for keeping the secret."

"It's easy. I know you love him, so I'm cool with it." Sarah looked at the aisle that was slowly forming as the padre pushed back the crowd, allowing space for the groom to walk. Organ music filled the hall. "That's my cue, Uncle Max. You just follow me, and this will work out just fine." The young girl began scattering the rose petals in front of Max and he walked forward. From the side, two massive bears moved forward, holding the paws of their son between them. The black wolf clung to the white bear and smiled as he saw Max step in front of the altar.

Nathaniel had dressed in a tuxedo that matched Max's down to the spats that covered his hairy feet. His red tie clung to his neck and the white shirt struggled to stay in place as the bear walked upright. A pair of suspenders peeked out from the tuxedo jacket, holding the bear's pants in place. Wrapped around his massive waist, the pants looked as if only luck was keeping them in place. But to Max, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The bear had never told him he would wear the tuxedo, and in this moment, the offering to dress as his mate was enough to bring tears to the human's eyes.

"My god, you're beautiful, Bear," Max said as he took the paw of the bear.

"You are too, Human," the bear replied. He turned and looked at the padre. "Can we break tradition and let me kiss this man? I don't think I'll make it through the ceremony without one."

The padre shrugged. "Who am I to stand in the way of your ceremony?"

The bear reached out, pulled the human close, lifted him off the floor, and kissed him. As they kissed, they heard the crowd cheer and broke their embrace to face the padre. The padre smiled. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this Changeling and this human in the bonds of holy matrimony, but we all know that bond was made long before this day and will live long after we have left this room. We are here merely to pay witness to such a beautiful thing unfolding before our eyes."

The padre looked to Will. "Do you have the ring?"

Will smiled. Extending his paw, he revealed a small gold band. He handed it to the short-faced bear. He looked at Max. "You won't find a band that will fit both man and beast, so we've made an accommodation."

Nathaniel fumbled to place the ring on the human's finger. Eventually, he was successful. Max smiled and spoke the words. "I wear this ring as a symbol of my vow. With all that I am and all that I have, I honor you and will love you for always."

Nathaniel pulled up his left paw and there, on the first claw in from the outside, was a band of gold permanently fixed to the claw by carving into the keratin and pouring molten gold into the hollow. Max stared at the brilliant shining band. "I love you so much, Bear," he whispered.

"And I love you, Human," the bear whispered back. The Bear spoke the words, "I wear this ring as a symbol of my vow. With all that I am and all that I have, I honor you and will love you for always."

"Maxwell Liam Templeton," the padre spoke, "do you take this Changeling to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, to honor and cherish him, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, and to be to him in all things a good and faithful husband as long as you shall live?"

"I do," Max said, wiping back his tears.

"Nathaniel of the Terran Verital, do you take this human to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, to honor and cherish him, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, and to be to him in all things a good and faithful husband..." The padre paused for a moment, "...And for you dear one, a reminder of what this truly means... for as long as he will live?"

Nathaniel nodded. "I do."

The padre smiled. "Then by the power vested in me by the state of Montana, I now pronounce you husbands." The padre turned the couple toward the crowd and raised the joined hand and paw into the air. "I present you Maxwell Templeton and his husband Nathaniel Templeton."

There was a cheer from the crowd and thunderous applause. Karen Templeton looked down at her daughter and said, "Those were the strangest vows I think I've ever heard."

Her daughter shrugged. "Oh, they'll all make sense once you get to know Uncle Nathaniel like I do."

Her mother smiled and nodded. "Well, they make a beautiful couple no matter what they call themselves."

The padre lowered the paw and hand. "And now, if the young bear is anything like his fathers, I would suggest you all stand back before my next pronouncement as the fur is about to fly... Gentlemen, you may kiss your husband."

The newlyweds proved the padre to be a wolf of prophetic vision.

Chapter 6

Four hours of reception saw the joy of Nathaniel dancing with his fathers, the newlyweds' first dance, the cutting of the cake, and Will eating his twelfth piece of that cake. Later, the newlyweds raced from the great hall through a shower of rice and toward the helipad. Tiff and Tuff were already seated and readying the Red Wolf as the two raced up the stairs and into their seats. "Congratulations," the twins said. "Let's get you off and onto your honeymoon. The trip is going to be about forty-five minutes, so try not to start the honeymoon too early. We'll have a bumpy enough trip as it is coming in over the Atlantic."

Nathaniel tilted his head. "We're going over the Atlantic?"

Tiff nodded. "The Red Wolf uses the earth's rotation to get around. It's faster to hit low orbit and let the world go around us than it is flying against that rotation in a longitudinal move. If we go east, we have to do so subsonically, and that just turns us into a fancy-looking airplane."

Nathaniel smiled. "That makes sense. I hadn't given it that much thought." He looked at the man next to him. "Are we going to the lighthouse, Max?"

"Yes. The island is still a mess, but there's been a caretaker there for the last four months, and the lighthouse has a service building next to it. I had it fixed up a bit to accommodate us until we decide if you're up for the challenge."

"The challenge?"

"Can you wait until tomorrow? We'll walk the island together, and I'll show you."

"Of course," Nathaniel said. The redheaded youth cuddled up close to his balding husband and sighed. "You're not naked, and I am. I don't think that's fair."

"You're the one whose outfit didn't fit when you changed to get on board. Mine still fits. Besides, when we get there, it's going to be night. It gets pretty cold on the Island after dark. So you decide: do you want a naked husband now, and deal with his frozen balls when we reach the service building, or do you want him naked after we climb into bed?"

"I can't have both?"

"Nope, this is an airline flight. You can have the peanuts or the pretzels; you can't have both."

"Well, we need to find a better airline."

Max leaned over and kissed his husband. "I love you, Bear; now and forever."

"I love you, Human." The young man said. In his head, he heard the padre's words again, "for as long as he will live". The Changeling fought back the fear and tried to come back into the moment. All too soon, he heard the twins telling them to buckle up. They were preparing to land, and the moments had fled by far too fast.

The rain was a deluge as the newlyweds stepped off the aircraft and onto the landing pad. Nathaniel shook himself into the bear to block the icy wind. A small creature with two umbrellas stood watching at the far end of the pad. They dashed toward him, and he tried his best to hold out the umbrellas for the two to grab.

Under the cover of the umbrella, Max looked at the soaking wet creature. "Hi, I'm Max," he yelled over the rain and wind. "Oliver isn't it?" he said, extending his hand.

The wet mop of fur stood still, hands at his side. "Yes, Master."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"It rains a lot here," the little mammal said.

"Where's your umbrella?" Nathaniel yelled over the cascade of rain pounding on his umbrella.

"Already wet. Don't need one."

"Well, let's get to the service building and get you dried off."

"Don't need to go, Master. I have my own place down in the tunnels. It's a good home for a badger."

"You're not going to get flooded out?" Max asked.

"No, Master."

Max looked at the badger. "Okay, let's get one thing clear. We're not your masters. We need to come up with something different for you to use."

"Yes, Sir."

Max rolled his eyes. "Okay, that will do for now. Are you sure you don't want to come with us? We could have some coffee or something while you warm up?"

"I will be fine, Sir."

"Okay then," Max said. "We'll see you in the morning. Nine o'clock sound okay?"

"That will be fine, Sir. I will meet you at the lighthouse."

The two turned and dashed toward the service building, with Max going first. Just as Nathaniel was about to break through the door as a bear, he became the young man and rushed in. "Does it always rain like this?" he asked.

"Frequently. This is Northeast Canada and we're on the ocean. Rain is pretty much a staple."

"Well, I suppose I can get used to it. We had a fair share on the highland."

"Well, this is a bit more than a fair share, but it sort of grows on you after a while."

"Like moss?"

Max laughed. Nathaniel came up to the human and loosened his tie. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes." Together with a minimal amount of fumbling, the young man stripped his husband and kissed him. "We're virgins again tonight. This is my first time with a married man."

"Oh, I like the sound of that," Max said, grabbing the naked young man's rounded butt. "A bit of scandal."

"Whatever will we say when the tabloids find out?"

"I don't know," Max said, kissing Nathaniel tenderly across his hairy chest, "but I say we give them something to write about tonight."

Nathaniel kissed the top of the human's head. "I like the way you think. I have some ideas I'd like to try."

"Sounds good," the human said, pulling the young man down onto the bed as their bodies wrapped around each other. "Just don't let my husband find out. He's a bear to deal with."

In the morning, the knock on the door came as a surprise to the couple. "Oh crap, it can't be," Max said, bolting upright. "He looked at the clock on the dresser. "It's nine fifteen. Oliver must have been waiting for us at the lighthouse."

"I'll get the door," Nathaniel said. He shook himself into a bear. "It's easier for me to get dressed," he said smiling.

When Nathaniel opened the door, the little badger stood soaking wet again. "On the good side," the badger said, "rain stopped two minutes ago."

"Oh, Oliver, I'm so sorry. We sort of got sidetracked. Please come on in and dry off."

"Nah. I'll stay out here. Smells like naked in there. Don't want to disturb you."

"No, No, Oliver. Max is getting dressed. He'll be out in just a moment."

"You sure? I can come back another day. This is your honeymoon."

"I know, but we were going to tour the island today. It would help us so much if you came along. You've been here for about four months now, haven't you?"

"Yes, Sir. Been taking care of things. The white bear told me to come here, so I did."

"Oh, he's my papa," Nathaniel said happily.

The little badger's eyes widened in what almost looked like terror to Nathaniel. "I didn't know a Changeling was gonna live on the island. Just heard about a human and a beast. Never saw no one but the human and the werewolf."

"Max is my husband. Will is my father," Nathaniel said.

"The werewolf is your father, too?"

"By mating."

"Never thought he'd mate. Hope he's happy."

"He is," Nathaniel said. "Now please come in and let us get you a towel."

"Yes, Sir," the badger said, avoiding all eye contact.

Nathaniel looked into the linen closet and found two sets of towels; one for a human, and another set obviously for something much, much larger. He reached in and gingerly picked up the human-sized towel and unfolded it. It was larger than the little badger by half. He looked at the badger. "Okay, Oliver, you're never going to be able to wield this towel on your own. Do you trust me?"

"I suppose so, Sir. Ain't got no reason not to."

"Turn around," Nathaniel said, holding out the towel.

The badger looked worried but complied. As soon as he had turned, Nathaniel gently put the towel around him and began drying him off. As the cloth rubbed vigorously over him, the little badger shook while laughing uncomfortably. "It tickles some," he said.

Nathaniel pulled him up into the towel and spun him around. "Front side, Oliver," Nathaniel said as he rubbed down the badger again. When he pulled the towel away, the badger was a frizzy ball of fur with an erection poking through it. "Oh my," Nathaniel said with a smile. "You're just cute all over aren't you?"

The badger looked down at himself, shook his head, and apologized. "I'm sorry, Sir. We badgers don't get touched much and we tend to be kind of sensitive. I don't mean nuthin' by it. I promise."

Before Nathaniel could comment, Max came into the room, flipping pages in his portfolio. He looked up to see his husband and the badger standing together. He leaned over and kissed his husband. "Good morning, Bear." He took a look at the badger and then leaned down and kissed him as well. "Good morning, Badger."

The badger's eyes widened. "You kissed me."

Max looked at him nonchalantly. "You're standing in front of my husband with a hard-on. I figured that meant you were family. His family is always kissing, and they're always getting wood around him."

"Didn't mean nuthin' by the boner. It just happened. I'm sorry."

Max looked at the badger. "It's okay. As I said, Nathaniel gets all of us hard. It's in his genes."

"The bear don't wear jeans."

"No, he doesn't," Max replied. He smiled at the badger. "Oliver, if you're upset that I kissed you, I'm sorry."

"Whaddya do if I weren't upset?"

"Well, I kind of enjoyed the first kiss, so I might be tempted to do it again from time to time," Max said, folding the portfolio and securing the closure. "That is if you were willing."

"I guess then I ain't upset."

"Wonderful," Max said. "So, Husband, can I interest you in a little walkabout?"

"Of course. I've been looking forward to it all morning."

Max took the hand of the bear and walked toward the door. Bear-Human-Bear came the transitions as Nathaniel moved through the doorway. The human's hand went right back to holding the enormous paw as soon as they were outside walking forward.

Max's free hand dangled by his side. He shook it. "Come on, Badger, we have places to go, and I've got a free hand."

The little mammal stood for a moment in wonderment and then scurried off to catch up with the two. Once by Max's side, he reached up and grabbed the human's hand. He pulled up short and stopped the couple.

Max looked down at the confused badger. "Problem, Oliver?"

"It ain't real," the badger said, shaking the hand.

Max smiled. "No, it's not. The leg isn't either."

"How come?"

"I lost them in the war."

The badger stared at the hand. "Fuckin' war."

"Can't argue with you there," Max said. "The hand has sensors in it, Oliver. I can feel your touch." He resumed walking forward, pulling the bear and badger with him. "I like holding hands with you, Oliver. It's almost as much fun as kissing you." He looked down at the badger and smiled. "Almost, but not quite." Both Oliver and Nathaniel smiled.

It wasn't more than a few yards before Max said, "Here we are."

"'Twern't much of a walk, Human," the badger said.

"Yeah," Max agreed. "I was hoping it would be a bit more dramatic." He reached into his portfolio and laid out a large folding map laminated in plastic. "Can everyone see this okay?" Both beasts nodded yes. "Here's the helipad where we landed last night. By the way, Oliver, great job on upgrading it to a concrete pad. The old wood one was completely inadequate."

"Thanks. It took some doing to get it made. A wolf team came over and helped me. Even so, it took a while, but it's strong."

"It's perfect," Max said. He pointed to the map. "Anyway, here's the helipad... and the lighthouse... We were sleeping in the service building last night... That's here."

Max looked at Oliver, "And you, Oliver, you live here." He pointed to the curved concrete structure. "Those are where the gunnery tunnels are. In my opinion, you live way too far away, but I'm not pressuring you to move in or anything. If you're happy there, we have no problem with that." He rubbed the tunnels with his finger and then drew it out to the edge of the island. "Kind of close to the cemeteries, though, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Don't like that much."

"Well, we can consider other options if you choose to down the line. Okay, back to the map." Max said refocusing. "We're here. This was where the First Class Hospital was," he said, pointing across the way. He pointed to a well-worn path. "That used to be Old street. And across the way was the even larger Second Class Hospital."

Nathaniel looked over the map and then the terrain. "So, we're going to do what?"

"We're going to create a miracle, Husband. Look, the entire Were Nation has one place remaining where they can go when they're injured, lose their homes, or for any other reason brought about by humans, and that's the ranch. The highland is too small to take many more refugees and even those have to be special cases. I think Gaia knows it."

"Who's Gaia," the badger asked.

"She's the one who brought all the grave markers to the island."

"She scares me."

"You've seen her?" Nathaniel asked.

"No, that's why she scares me. Tombstones just showed up one day. Hundreds of them."

Max rubbed Oliver's shoulder. "She's kind of like a spirit, Oliver, but a good one. She can change things and move the earth and trees. It's nice to have her volunteer to help us out."

"That's a pretty big stretch of her powers, don't you think?" Nathaniel asked.

"That's what I said, but she insisted she wants to help. She promised she would never jeopardize the safety of the highland. And you know her. She's like every other Changeling I've known; headstrong to the point of being bullheaded."

Nathaniel huffed. "Okay, so where is this going?"

"Sorry, I got sidetracked." Max pointed to the west. "Okay, the ranch is in the middle of the U.S. Not a real problem for the twins if they can provide transport, but a definite one for anyone who can't get to them. Crossing borders, visas, passports, all of that just to get into the center of the U.S. What we've always needed is somewhere along a coast that provides us easier access to hospital care and housing for refugee werebeasts until we can get them back on their feet, get them back to their homes, or find them new ones."

Max waved his hand over the map. "Enter Partridge Island. This was one of Canada's first immigrant stations. It has a sad history for humankind. Saint John has dreamt of turning it into a memorial for all those who have died here for decades."

"Good idea. Why are we involved? I thought we didn't interfere in the doings of humans."

"Well, you do. You just pretend you don't. Remember me?"

"I love you. That's different."

"And I love my people, but I love the Were Nation as well. Including the little one who lives here," Max said, looking at the badger.

"We bought the island and we own all rights to it. But we did so agreeing to the city of Saint John and the Provincial Government of Canada that we would create a place where they can come to visit and honor the dead and to remember the terrible cost of war."

"Okay, I guess I can get behind that," Nathaniel said.

"Not me," the badger said. "I hates humans. Nasty lot. Don't' want them tramping around my home."

"Only for the summers, Oliver," Max corrected. "It's in our contract that we preserve this land as a wildlife refuge as well. That means most seasons we're letting the land recover from the visits and leave the animals alone to do their thing. After summer is gone, we take back the moorings to the island and we live with only the Weres who find their way here."

"What?" Nathaniel asked.

"Here's the great part, Bear. We build the hospitals we need to take care of the sick and wounded. We rebuild the old houses on the island and the barracks to house the refugees who need a place to stay on their way to their new homes. And we do it all under the noses of the humans who see us going about our lives as some sort of spectacular reenactment group. Do you get it? You're Weres. We humans never see you, we see other humans doing what it is we think they should be doing. You walk down the street stark ass naked and we see business people or construction workers or god knows what, but we never see you."

Max waved his hand around the area. "We build old-style facades to modern-day hospitals. We build a period corridor inside the First Class Hospital that the tourists get to walk through learning the history of the island. Inside the hospital, we go about our day-to-day business of healing the Weres. But what they see are people reenacting the story of this island. You hide in plain sight."

"It could work," Nathaniel said, thinking over the idea. "No, it's an amazing idea. Is this your idea, Human?"

"Yeah, and once I showed it to Will, he laughed so hard he said we had to do it. Best of all, we involve humans in the work. The war has decimated this part of the country. People are desperate for jobs and we can help them. That part of the plan is my job. I will oversee the building and construction. They put up the facades and homes. When it comes to fitting the hospitals, we bring in the werewolves. I will make sure we keep the island protected and safe from the humans, even when they're here visiting. But at the start, I will also help my people recover from this war."

"And you two, you help your family. You're a doctor, Nathaniel, you can heal. It's about time we found a way for you to do the job you were born to do."

"You're a healer?" Oliver asked, looking at the Bear.

"I have helped my Papa from time to time. He's a doctor, and I'm learning from him. But yes, I can help the Weres who pass through this island."

"That would be a good thing. Saving Were lives would be a good thing," the badger said.

"So, do I get a kiss or what?" Max asked, gloating.

"You get a kiss, Human," Nathaniel said. He leaned over and kissed Max.

When the kiss broke, Max looked at the badger. "Well?"

"I suppose I could kiss you," the badger said reluctantly. "But none of that tongue stuff you does with the Bear."

"Well, that just ruined my day," Max laughed.

The little badger shuffled his feet, one foot making a small circle in the mud. "I don't wants to ruin your day, Human. I suppose we can use a little tongue."

Max leaned over and shared a long kiss with the badger that both enjoyed.

Chapter 7

Later that night as the newlyweds snuggled into their bed, they talked about the day.

"It's a marvelous idea, Human," the bear said.

"Thanks. We'll get started on it tomorrow. I'll set up some calls. Jean Pierre is lining up a work crew of werewolves to work with the humans on the construction of the two hospitals. If we push, we should have the work done in less than two years."

"That seems overly ambitious even by the most optimistic of standards," Nathaniel said.

"Well, humans don't normally have Gaia working on their crew. Now that you're behind this, she will have the foundations for both hospitals in place by tomorrow. And more importantly, she will begin healing the island itself."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Years of coal burning and heavy metal use have left a third of this island essentially a toxic waste site," Max answered. "Gaia can do what we can't. She can restore the land back to the way it once was. I think it takes a greater toll on her than I prefer, but she insists on the safety of our family."

There was a lull in the conversation, and then Nathaniel spoke. "You seemed very sweet on Oliver today."

"Oh? Is that a problem?"

"No, actually. More a curiosity."

"Yeah for me too," Max agreed.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw him from the moment we stepped off the Red Wolf. It was dark, and I had no clue what kind of animal he was, but I saw that tiny little animal in the rain from the get-go. So what's up with that? I love you, and I didn't see you for over a week."

"Well, you were on a morphine drip, so you might have had a slower reaction time. Maybe we should tell Dad."

"I wouldn't worry about it. I kind of feel sorry for the sad little guy. He seems so beaten down by the world. Maybe that's why I see him. "

"Maybe. You've always had a soft spot for stray animals," Nathaniel said with a laugh. "He does seem sad. And he seems especially afraid of me."

"Not you, Nathaniel; your papa."

"I wonder what that's all about? I don't think I've ever heard Papa mention a badger before."

"Well, all I know is I feel sorry for him. So I figure a bit of kindness thrown his way by the two of us couldn't hurt island relations."

Nathaniel nodded. "That makes sense."

"Besides, for a badger, he kisses pretty well." The nudge the human received from the bear knocked him out of the bed and onto the floor.

The next day, the humans were invading the island. At least that's the way Oliver explained it to the breakfasting couple.

"They are everywhere," the little badger fumed. "They came down in my home and said there ain't no homeless kids allowed on the island."

"What?" Max yelled. "Oh, hell no, they did not. They're not even supposed to be on that side of the island, let alone rummaging around in buildings they have no right to be entering."

"They did."

"I'm so sorry, Oliver," Max said. "I will make sure that never happens again."

"You can do that?"

"This is your island as much as ours, Oliver. I will make sure they know that. There's going to be a bit of adjusting here. It would be nice to have the humans helping with the construction, but not at the price of you being accosted." Max grabbed his satchel and leaned over to kiss Nathaniel. "If they can't follow the simplest of orders, I will have the Were Nation build everything. I'll be back in a bit, Bear. Can you take care of Oliver while I'm gone?"

"We can have sex while you're out."

Max shook his head and laughed. "Well, take video. That would be hot."

The badger looked at the two. "Ain't doing no video. Might consider the sex, though."

The first contact with the construction bosses did not go well for them. Max's call to the local municipal government brought profuse apologies from them. By the time he reached the site, all three bosses were incredibly solicitous and penitent. Max considered having them drop by and apologize to the badger, but then thought better of it when he contemplated Oliver's distaste for humans and the fact that his husband might have been serious about having sex with the badger.

When he dropped by for lunch, Nathaniel was waiting for him outside. "They're already here," the bear said.

"Who?"

"The werewolf crew," Nathaniel said, handing his mate a sandwich.

"Really? Jean Pierre pulled it together much faster than I thought."

"Are you sure about this, Human?"

"We need their strength, Bear. They can do the work of five men, plus it gives you something sexy to look at while they're working."

Nathaniel looked at Max. "That's incredibly sexist and objectifies an entire species, you know."

"Then don't look at them," Max said, biting into his sandwich. "Where's Oliver?"

"He said he was going to go home. Oliver doesn't want any more unexpected visitors. He was asking about a lock."

"Oh god, Bear. My first day at the job, and I already alienated the one person on this island who deserves to be left alone." Max threw his satchel on the table. "I'm going out there. Did you want to come?"

"Why don't I help get the werewolves organized and introduced to the humans?"

"You would do that?" Max asked, leaning up to kiss the bear. "I married a keeper."

"I know. Me too. A lighthouse keeper. Now, go take care of our favorite badger."

Max made his way hurriedly across the island. When he got to the Gun shelters and their underground magazines, he was taken aback by what he saw. Everywhere was the decay and vandalism that he had seen a year earlier. Four months had seen nothing done to improve the area. Having only given the area cursory inspection on his previous trip, he now paid close attention to the crumbling edifices.

"We can't salvage this place," he said out loud. "It would take more money to repair it than to just remake it from the ground up." He crawled past the debris and navigated the crumbling steps until he reached the gunnery tunnels. "These aren't tunnels; they're fucking catacombs. No one should be living here."

"Oliver," Max called out. "Oliver, where are you?"

"I'm down in the tunnels."

"I know that, but where in the tunnels?"

"I lives behind the iron door."

Max stepped past a set of outer rusty doors and moved into the darkened corridors. One wrong turn, and Max realized he was in total darkness. "Oliver, I can't see. You're going to have to help me. There was a creaking of rusty metal and the little badger grabbed onto the hand of the human. "SHIT!" Max yelled. The little mammal's hand slipped from the human's. "I'm sorry, Oliver. You scared me. I can't see a thing. Where is that hand of yours? Now that I expect it, I'm okay."

"You sure? Don't want to upset you."

"I'm sure, Oliver. You just scared me. The next time I visit, I'll bring a flashlight." The little hand slipped back into the human's. "Oliver, can you please get me out of here?"

"Yes, Sir."

Max felt a tug on his hand and he followed where it led him until he was back outside in the sunshine. "Thanks, Oliver, I appreciate that," Max said with a sigh of relief.

Max looked at the badger. "Oliver, you can't live down there. It's dangerous. There's so much trash and rubble everywhere. You could be hurt. I don't want that to happen."

"I'm a werebadger. I always heal."

"That's not the point, Oliver. I don't want you hurt in the first place." Max squatted down to look the badger in the eyes. "Look, come back to the service building with me for today. I need to make a few calls and see if I can get some changes made. If it all works out, you should be able to return home tonight. If not, we may have to ask you to stay away for a few weeks while we tear this down and re-pour the concrete bunkers."

"But what's about my things?"

"Before we do anything, I'll get a werewolf crew down here and they can help you move everything out temporarily, okay? At least they have excellent night vision."

Oliver looked dejected. "Yes, Sir."

Max reached out and hugged the badger. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I know this is your home and I'm trying not to inconvenience you, but your safety comes first for me."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then I guess it's okay. Besides, werewolves is sexy."

"That's what I told Nathaniel, and he went all 'oh, that's objectifying them' on me."

"Bear don't have to look if he don't want to."

"Well, at least we agree on that," Max said with a laugh. "I'll go get a crew together and be right back, Oliver. You wait here, and you can supervise what they move."

In half an hour, the work supervisor of the werewolf crew was staring at the badger's home. "Are you sure about this, Mr. Templeton?" the werewolf said, looking at the run-down bunkers. "I think you're right about just demolishing it and doing a complete rebuild. At least you would have new materials. This stuff won't hold up to regular traffic, no matter how much you try to repair it."

"We're going to have help," Max said. "That's why you and your crew are the only ones allowed on this side of the island. Some things are going to be changing, and rather quickly. The Changelings are getting involved with this to expedite the work. I need three of you to help Oliver move his stuff from the bunker. For now, just set up a canopy on the helipad and put everything under it. That should keep everything dry. Once that's done, give me a call."

"Yes, Sir. Then what do we do?"

"You get out of the way. Back to the hospitals. Work on whatever you like today, but your most important job is distracting the humans. Keep them working in the basement areas or along the causeway. Anything underground where they can't see what's happening."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Templeton," the werewolf responded. He looked at the human. "Mr. Templeton, Doc is the only Changeling I've ever known. He seems nice enough, but I've heard stories. Are they true?"

"I don't know. What have you heard?"

"That they considered wiping out the entire human race."

Max sighed. "I won't deny that there haven't been some tense times, but trust me when I say this, Greg; the humans need to worry more about each other than the Changelings."

"That's good to hear, Sir. I married a human, and I would hate to lose him."

"Understood, Greg," Max said, putting his hand on the werewolf's shoulder. "Now, why don't you get the badger moved out?"

"Will do. We'll be ready by two. I'll give you a call."

Later in the day, the call came just as promised. Oliver had complained a bit, but for the most part, cooperated with the werewolves. The turning point seemed to be when the badger had told a werewolf he had a cute ass, and the werewolf, without hesitation, replied he found the badger's ass equally entertaining. The badger shyly allowed the crew to do their job without interruption after that.

From atop the lighthouse gallery, Max positioned his redheaded human husband and badger beside him. "Okay, you two; be prepared to watch something amazing," Max said. He pointed toward the Gun shelters and gunnery tunnels. "She's going to start there, but over there..." he said, pointing to a multistoried building hidden partially by bushes and overgrowth, "... that's the radar battery observation post. Two observation posts on the island are still standing. However, the amount of vandalism and damage to them is extensive. Several of the houses and hospitals are identifiable only by their footings of partial foundations."

"The Celtic Cross memorial was over there, but vandals grew tired of just painting it, and one day they smashed it off its foundation. It's in three pieces," Max sighed. "We would be here for years repairing the damage before the restoration of those things. Gaia has decided our timeline needs to be pushed up."

Max looked at the badger. "And you, Oliver, are partly responsible for this. She agrees with me that your living conditions are completely unacceptable. And once she realized how she felt about your home, she realized others trying to find housing in the bunkers was equally unacceptable."

"What's she gonna do, Human?"

"Just watch, Oliver," Max said as he smiled. He put his arm around his seated husband and the three dangled their legs over the side of the gallery.

Slowly, the land began moving over the far side of the island. Rising and falling like waves on the ocean, the land made an audible groan. As each wave moved across the land, changes, both subtle and major, were taking place. The Gun shelters heaved up out of the earth and the tunnels followed. The large rusty metal doors fell from the concrete as they seemed to melt into gray pools of liquid and rusty rebar.

The tiny hand of the badger slipped into Max's. "Ain't never seen her work before. Always happened during sleeping time."

The second cluster of waves took the razed buildings and rebuilt them. The observation towers reared up again, looking out over the ocean. But now they were clean, new concrete void of years of neglect and graffiti.

The gun shelters returned, but not to their original luster. Instead, the iron doors and windows had the same rusted look they had when the first wave took them away. Years of vandalism were gone, but the concrete batteries and munitions bunkers still looked faded and weathered.

"She doesn't want war to look glamorous," Max said. "Everything is safe, but it still has the look of a place deserted and left behind from the outside. To those who visit here, it will be easy to see the buildings of war are no longer needed on this island for fighting."

"What about my tunnels?" the badger asked.

"Well, go check just as soon as the earth stops moving. They should look quite nice. She's restoring the insides back to habitable and clean. You might even notice a few amenities that weren't there before."

"An anemone? One of them green, squishy critters down by the tide pools?"

Max laughed. "No, Oliver, amenities. Things like lights, fans to keep the air circulating, a bathroom, and shower. Stuff like that."

"That'd be nice. Won't have to borrow your shower no more."

Max looked at the badger. "You use our shower? Like you get all naked and soapy? Do we get to watch? We might have to rethink the whole shower part."

"You's just weird, Max. I'm always naked."

"Yeah, but all that soapy fur... now that's hot."

The little badger shook his head in disbelief as he stared at the ground and drew circles in the air with his right foot.

Greg came up from the stairway behind the trio. "Boss, it's starting to shake on our side of the island. The werewolf stared out on the rolling earth and gasped. "Holy shit, nothing like that, though."

"I told you the Changeling was going to be making a few alterations."

The white Celtic cross rose from the ground, slowly healing the shattered stone back into one piece. In only a few moments, the cross regained its prominence as a landmark of the island. The werewolf watched, amazed. "Why do you even need us, Mr. Templeton?"

"Because what's happening right now comes at a very high cost to the one making the changes. We can't let her continue to do what we should do," Max replied. "And because it's time we realize the family of Weres and the family of man can live and work together."

The werewolf sighed. "But only if we're invisible to them. It's don't ask, don't tell, don't show. Like the old US military back in the nineteen nineties. You're fine; just don't let us see you. Not much of a shared peace, Sir."

"I know, Greg," Max said, nodding his agreement. "But you have a human husband and I'm crazy in love with the bear here, so there might be hope somewhere down the line. Baby steps, for starters."

The werewolf smiled. "Baby steps." He looked out at the altered landscape. "It's stopped moving."

"The cross was the last thing Gaia said she would change. Sort of like an all-clear signal." Max stood up. "We can head back down now." The four climbed down the spiral staircase and, once clear of the lighthouse, Nathaniel shifted back into the short-faced bear. Max reached out, and the bear put his paw into the human's hand. Max looked down at Oliver and smiled. "I have a free hand if you want it, Badger." Oliver reached up and shyly took the hand in his paw.

Greg looked out on the island that had so radically changed from only moments ago. "Well then, I guess we get back to work," the werewolf said. He tapped a ComLink clipped to the fur on his chest. "Hey Brad, tell the crew it was just a tremor. Nothing to worry about. We're on solid rock here." He paused, listening. "Well, that's the story we're telling them. Even you won't believe the truth." Again, a pause. "Okay, back to framing on the First Class Hospital and I want to get the causeways covered by the end of the week. We can't have those flooding every day it rains here." He paused. "Oh, and Brad, could you send Ryan and... what's the guy's name with the cute ass? Yeah, Steve. Can you send them back up this way? We have a badger that needs to have his home put back together."

The werewolf turned and looked at the badger. "We'll get you all taken care of, Oliver. The werewolf with the cute ass is even coming back to help."

Oliver smiled. "You're a good man, Sir."

"No, I'm a good werewolf," Greg said as he pointed to Max. "Now that's a good man."

The little badger looked up at the human whose hand he held and nodded.

"Greg?" Nathaniel said, looking at the werewolf. "Can I have you help me out a bit? I seem to have missed something in my education."

The werewolf looked at the Changeling. "Sure, Doc, if I can."

"I chewed out my husband today for objectifying the whole werewolf crew, and you just went and asked your team leader to send the guy with the cute ass here."

"Yeah," Greg said, smiling. "Steve does have a cute ass."

"So where does this objectifying stuff come into play?"

Greg took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "Most guys are pigs. Gay guys are pigs that can be piggy with each other because we understand our nature as pigs. Werewolves are pigs on overdrive." The werewolf looked upward. "I wonder if we actually have any boars in the Were community? Those tusks would be hot." He shook his head back to his conversation. "So, objectifying comes into play when we look at someone as purely an object without regard to their personality, desires, or feelings. If we devalue their autonomy, their right to exist independent of what we want, then there's a problem. It's the same problem with denying anyone freedom for any reason."

"Okay, so you're saying you're not offended when my husband says you have a nice ass?"

"Hell, no. I work hard to keep my glutes rock solid. If he comments on them, then I'm doing it right. Pig to pig, I'm happy that he noticed."

"And Steve?"

"Ask him. But I'm pretty sure he got a major thrill out of the badger saying his butt was awesome."

"He don't seem to mind," the badger added. "Besides, he said my ass was cute too. I don't mind someone pointin' that out."

The werewolf laughed. "Pig to pig. It's kind of what we do."

"Okay," Nathaniel said. "Individually: objectifying might be good, might be bad... based on context. Globally: stereotyping an entire group or thinking a group doesn't deserve consideration of their rights to choose, bad no matter what."

"Sounds about right," Greg said. "It's a tricky business. Humans are always redefining where one group's freedoms end and another's begin. I guess we all hope that overall they're heading in the right direction. Werewolves, being one big fraternity, can go over the top, but we care about each other. So, if we cross the line, we have family to pull us back or smack us down; whichever needs doing. Besides, we're a small group of only a few thousand at best. Policing us is a lot easier than trying to keep the entire human race in line."

"Thanks, Greg," Nathaniel said as two other werewolves came up the path.

"No problem. Looks like I'm back to work," the werewolf said. He took a few steps. "By the way, Doc, smoking hot stub-tail you're wagging there. Bear butts are the best."

Nathaniel laughed. "Thanks. Nice ass on you, too." The werewolf smiled and waved to his coworkers.

The badger looked back and forth between the werewolves, the bear, and the human. "Everyone here's got nice asses. Even the human, though he don't show his near enough."

Max laughed. "I'm shy about that, Oliver. Besides, there are humans on the island, remember? They'd see me without pants on."

"I suppose. Still a shame."

Steve came walking by and scooped up the badger. "Now, you Badger, you start walking around in pants, and you will have the whole werewolf crew to answer to. We all like ourselves some tight little badger butt."

The badger laughed as the werewolf placed him over the top of his head and onto his shoulders. "Let's go get you back in your home, shall we?"

Chapter 8

The badger and the human watched the short-face bear at work tearing apart the breakwater. The bear leaned over and pulled up one of the massive concrete slabs from the water. Tossing it easily up onto the shore, he smiled at them and waved. The two waved back, and Nathaniel returned to his chore.

Max heard Oliver take a deep breath when the bear bent over again. "You gotta very handsome husband there, Max," Oliver sighed.

"Yep," Max agreed. "You want to play with him?"

Oliver shook his head. "Nah, ain't nothing like that. I'm a badger, ya know. We ain't blessed with the most even of dispositions. We're better off living alone. Just acknowledging beauty when I sees it." The bear bent over again, and the badger pulled up his hand and bit into it.

Max laughed. "Badger, are you trying to dupe a human who has lived his last five years with your kind?"

The badger looked at the human, "Is it working?"

"No, it's not," Max replied. "Look at him. Isn't he just the most beautiful creature in the world?"

"Oh hell, Max," the badger sighed. "I'm three and a half feet tall. I can't even reach that ass, but I want it so bad." He looked at Max and blurted out, "I promise I ain't never... I mean I won't never... he's your husband and..."

Max pulled the badger into a sideways hug. "That's okay, badger. I know what the bear does to us without even trying. Besides, when you're in your Were form you're over six feet aren't you?"

"Just barely," the badger sighed.

Max looked at the badger. "What say we go talk to him about arranging a bit of playtime for you two now and then? I think the work we do will continue just fine with a few more breaks in it."

"Have you ever seen a badger fuck? It ain't a break, Max. We go at it for hours."

"The bear goes at it for days with his dads and the pack," Max replied. "And after he wears them out, he wants to play with me for hours." Max exhaled deeply. "And that's when he's trying to go easy on me."

"Oh fuckin' god. You've gotta be kidding me."

"Nope. If ever there was a satyr, that bear is it."

"We badgers don't want mates, Max. We just needs to get off every now and then. I promise you I won't never come between the two of you."

"I was never worried that you would, Oliver," Max said, smiling. "You're our friend. A friend with benefits isn't that big a stretch."

"Friend?"

"We've been on this island for four years now, and you spend most of your time with us. What did you think you were?"

"I don't know. A coworker, I guess... or something. I try not to think of it too often. Sort of the way I try to avoid staring at your husband's ass."

Max laughed so loud that the bear turned and looked at the two. Max waved again, and the bear waved back. When the bear reached down to grab another slab of the broken concrete, the human looked back at the badger. "You do know that I see you as a badger because I love you, right?"

"What?"

"That's how it works with humans. If I don't love you, I see another human. I've helped more than a fair share of Weres through relocation without ever seeing them as their animal avatars. I mean, I love them as a nation and as a people, but I don't love them individually."

"Really? Love?"

"Love. I'm pretty sure my husband feels the same. You're an exceptional individual and we couldn't do the work here without you. What's not to love?" Max tussled the three-foot-tall badger's hair. "Besides, you're kind of sexy."

The badger smiled demurely. "You think so? You mean as a human, right?"

"I admit learning to see the sexy side of avatars has taken some time, but you make a handsome badger and a cute human."

The badger sat thinking about what he had just heard. "I ain't never been used to living with someone who loves me. I'm sort'a used to one-night stands."

"Well, I might tease you a bit from time to time, but you probably should know that the proclivity that the Weres and Changelings share for sexual interplay doesn't exactly transfer to me."

"I'm not going to bang your ass?"

"Not in this lifetime."

"Shame really."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I meant it as one, Max."

"So, what do you say, Oliver? The bear is working on a project that Gaia will be taking over tonight. By tomorrow, the breakwater will be gone. We're breaking our link to the mainland. After four years of construction, we no longer need it as a way to bring supplies onto the island. The bear is just having fun playing. He might as well be playing with you as with those rocks. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, he's fonder of that rock between your legs you're sporting right now than the ones he's tossing. Shall we take a little walk and see if my other half is a bit more amenable to that whole ass banging thing?"

"You really don't mind? I like you both too much to want to screw this up."

"I really don't mind. You, however, may regret this day when you find out the bear is pretty much a top."

"Ouch," the badger said, thinking through the logistics of copulating with the bear. "You'se probably right. I'm gonna regret it, but I'm willing to waddle even funnier than I do now just to find out."

The human stood up. "Come on, Badger. Let's go." He reached out his hand toward the badger. The badger stared at the hand, looked up at the human, back to the hand, and put his paw into the human's hand and squeezed it tightly.

From the distance, the bear turned around to watch the two walking toward him. He smiled and waited for their arrival. For a few brief moments, the three talked. Then the bear let out a roar, grabbed the tiny masked mammal, and twirled him around as he pulled the badger in for a tight kiss. The rest of the day's chores were lost to the two's first play day. Max sat on the far side of the island, watching the waves and working on sketches for larger lodging near the hospital.

Chapter 9

The family of the Human and the Changeling had seen twelve winters come and go on the island and now spring was returning. The hospitals had been operational for nine years without an incident between the humans and the werebeasts. Max's plan was an unqualified success. With the new season, preparations were well underway for the return of human visitors to the island in the summer. Max looked up from his plans at the white wolf standing over him. He smiled. "Hi, I don't think we've met before, have we? I'm Max. I'm the resident human."

The werewolf laughed. "I'm Lewis Green; soon to be your resident lighthouse keeper." He paused and handed Max an envelope. "My paperwork and credentials should all be in order. The Canadian Coast Guard will have a final say once the new lighthouse is in place, but I believe I can convince them I'm qualified."

Max bolted up, extending his hand. "You're here. I'm sorry. I thought you were a worker with a construction question. Every year they return and work on projects. We have quite a few items on the docket, including replacing the lighthouse. You got here much faster than I thought you would."

The wolf grabbed the human's hand in his paw and shook it. "You know about the Red Wolf, right?"

"Yeah, I just forget sometimes that the twins are out there doing their thing. I'm an old-school pilot. I still think Mach 4 is fast."

"That's understandable. I'm fond of older things, myself. I like the way life used to be before it all got so hectic."

"I don't know a time in my life where it wasn't hectic," Max said with a smile. He tapped his ComLink. "Bear." They waited. "Hi, Bear. We have company... Yeah, Lewis Green is here about the lighthouse job... We'll try to wait... Love you, Bear." He looked at the white wolf and smiled. "He's on his way."

"I've heard about the Changeling."

Max shook his head. "Boy, rumor in the Were Nation is..." he said, trailing off and shaking his head again. "So, what have you heard?"

"That he took on the French wolf's entire pack, the Montana ranch hands, and his entire family. Rumor is that three days later, he still wanted more."

Max smiled. "Oh, well, that one's true."

"I'm looking forward to meeting him," the werewolf said with a smile.

"Well, you won't have long to wait. That's him running up Old Street," Max said, pointing to the bear hurdling toward them at full speed. Max watched lovingly. "I suggest you don't try to hug him until he's come to a complete stop."

The werewolf laughed and waited for the galloping bear to stop in front of him. "Hi, I'm Lewis Green," the werewolf said, extending his paw.

"I'm Dr. Nathaniel Templeton," the bear said grabbing the wolf's paw, "But a lot of the guys call me Doc or Bear. You're free to call me whatever you like."

"I'll call you my next late-night snack if you're going to give a werewolf that much leeway with innuendo."

Nathaniel smiled. "We're going to be together a long time. I figure we all need to feel comfortable with who we are and who we live with."

"I agree," said the werewolf. "You might see me around from time to time in human form. There are parts of a lighthouse that are too small for me to work as a werewolf." He shook himself into his human form. The couple looked at the muscular black man with his gray beard. White, curly hair covered his chest and tight belly. At five foot seven, he was slightly shorter than Max, but far more muscular. The older man's broad chest and muscular arms reminded the two that Lewis's life was one of hard work and time in the sun.

When the human and the bear looked back at each other, Lewis noticed their surprise. "I was turned when I was fifty-three. The years show on me much more as a human than as a wolf."

"It wasn't that so much as we both saw our father's mirror image in you," Max said. "Papa Wolfy is a black wolf but a white human."

"Is he one with a difficult past or a shy one?"

"He had a very difficult and abusive life before his turning, and he's still terribly shy in most situations," Nathaniel responded.

"Yin Yang," Lewis said, smiling. "He and I are two of a kind. We don't feel comfortable in the company of most others. I've had a few centuries to learn to hide my past well, but my guess is he's a young one."

"He is that. Hardly half a century old," Nathaniel replied.

"It isn't uncommon for those who are painfully shy to want to be the opposite of what they appear in human form. Their avatar is the one they wish to be; the beast that begs to be freed. It's not that they hate who they are so much as they know inside there is something... someone... better than their shyness or regret ever reveals."

"So, when they free their inner-self..." Max asked, letting the question trail off.

"Exactly," Lewis said, shifting back into his werewolf form. "They become a visual representation of that dramatic change. Black becomes white, white becomes black, and the shy becomes bold. The person who was once searching for wholeness finds it in becoming two separate creatures."

Nathaniel looked at the white wolf. "And how many centuries have you had to get over your shyness?"

"I have never been shy, Bear. I am one whose polar opposite reflects a desire to be something different from what I once was. My history is more complex than your Papa Wolfy's I imagine." The white wolf paused as if recounting the centuries. "But to answer your question, I have lived more centuries on this spinning orb than I care to count. I have been a lighthouse keeper for many, many generations. In the beginning, it was a life full of people operating and maintaining the lighthouses. It was almost a city unto itself. But eventually, as lighthouses became more solitary, they became my way to escape humanity."

Nathaniel reached out and pulled the wolf in close. "You have lived so long and seen so much, Old One."

"You can see that in me?"

Nathaniel maintained his hug. "The firstborn are all known to the Changelings, but we don't know your stories. We lost them as each of your mates died without ever becoming one again with the Unity. But we feel your presence. We know who you are, and we mourn the death of those you loved."

"I am grateful you remember, Ancient One," the wolf said quietly. "And that the Changeling is remembered as well."

"Perhaps one day you will share with us the stories of life in the great Lighthouse of Alexandria."

Max's jaw dropped. "Pharos?"

The wolf smiled. "The same. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world."

"You were there?" Max asked.

"I helped design it."

"Well, I'm looking like the fool. Here I was thinking I was going to help you design a new lighthouse, and you helped create the mother of all lighthouses."

"It would honor me to work with you. I have seen some of what you have already done on this island, and I am impressed."

"Well, I can't take credit for much of what you see here. I had a Changeling help me with much of what we've done. She knows more about the history of this place than I'll ever know."

"She?" the white wolf asked.

"Perhaps we all need to sit down over dinner and explain her to you," Nathaniel said.

"That sounds like a good idea. It would appear that there is much to learn about the return of the Changelings," the wolf said, smiling. "But perhaps today we should work on the task you hired me for."

Max laughed. "Well, you've already seen the current lighthouse. It's a standard issue self-contained unit. It's not much to write home about, but the lighthouse has a history and the love of the Saint John's people. When we arrived here, it was the only surviving structure. We were waiting for your arrival to choose what would replace it with. Preferably something that's under the budget of recreating Pharos."

"I was told this new lighthouse is to commemorate the tenth anniversary of human visitors returning to the island," the wolf said. He reached behind him and grabbed a metal attaché. "I was hoping for a bit of a departure from what you currently do when restoring the island." He flipped up the latches and a set of legs dropped as the lid opened. A three-dimensional image of a lighthouse sprang up and began to slowly rotate, showing all sides.

The wolf looked at the two. "What? because I'm thousands of years old, you didn't think I would keep up with technology?"

"Actually, it's embarrassing," Max said, staring at the rotating lighthouse. "I have old-style blueprints, and you're throwing up holograms."

"I have blueprints. This little trinket is a bit of smoke and mirror magic to impress my new bosses."

Max watched the spinning lighthouse. "It impresses me."

"Me too," Nathaniel said with a smile. "So tell us about the lighthouse, because I'm pretty sure we're it won't be one that twirls around like that."

The wolf laughed. "True, that's not the idea. Everywhere you look on this island, we are recreating the past. The hospitals, the barracks, the gunneries, even the homes. Everywhere except the lighthouse. It has a helipad, Enhanced RACON telemetry, radio, and cell equipment. It has the latest technology to protect the boats in the bay. If you ask any lighthouse keeper, that's the way it should be. We can't go slipping back into the past to show off an old oil burner at the risk of it not doing its actual job."

The wolf pointed to the hologram. "This lighthouse would be state-of-the-art. It would be slightly higher and larger than the current lighthouse, so that people can see it from the bay and the mainland a bit more easily. All the communication options on this island we give over to the Changelings. They show us how to make them work without them being visually overbearing the way they currently are. We create the quintessential lighthouse that people expect to see, complete with an attached keeper's house. And, we bring back the steam-driven foghorn on the far side of the island, because the people of Saint John miss it."

The hologram moved outward, showing more of the island. Two houses reared up from the base near where the breakwater once was. "These are two of the old keeper houses. We recreate those and I live in one of them. When I'm not working, I spend time there with visitors, telling them stories about the history of lighthouses. The lighthouse keeper's house, along with the lighthouse itself, becomes a museum with the history of the Partridge Island lighthouses and the steam-driven foghorn. It's not only a functional lighthouse but a place where visitors can see scale reproductions of all the lighthouses that have come before."

Nathaniel reached out and touched the area where the service building now stood. "I notice our current home is gone."

"Oh, that," Max said. "I sort of told him that was going to happen." He pointed to the field between the two hospitals. "You've probably noticed the new foundation they've been working on between the first class and Second Class Hospitals. We're rebuilding the Hospital Steward's Home," Max said, pointing to the map near the wharf. "It's located between the two hospitals, so it should be just perfect for a gigantic bear who likes to sleep in late."

"The trick to the building is that only the front room of the house will show the way the hospital steward lived. Behind it will be a much larger open space where that bear and his husband can live without bumping into each other all the time. Front doors, visitor's area. Back doors, husbands."

"Now, I realize you're the resident surgeon on this island, but the Hospital Steward's Home will be the perfect place for us to live. The hospital steward was a young man responsible for the apothecary. You fit the bill if people see you coming in and out of the house. You're young, you look Irish, and you know I love a man in uniform, Bear."

Nathaniel looked at Max. "I won't have a uniform on, Human. The other humans might see one, but I'll just be a bear or a naked man to you."

Max smiled. "Naked is good. I like naked, too." Max looked at the wolf. "Sorry for the interruption. You were saying?"

The wolf pushed a button, and slowly artwork crept up the lighthouse. "And here's where I hope we decide to let the lighthouse say something about the history of this island in a way that speaks to its more recent past. We put out the word that there's a contest for all the graffiti artists in Saint John to create designs that show the history of this island, or the futility of war, or whatever will spark their imaginations and remind us all of a time when this was a deserted island left to a bunch of slackers with paint cans.

"We skin the lighthouse with their artwork. We let them know there is still a connection for them to the island. It won't be open to vandalism anymore, but we won't forget the years when their artwork was one of the few colorful things on this island."

Nathaniel looked at the miniature lighthouse. "I like it. We could even do that with the nearby battery observation post. Add a bit of color to what's always been an otherwise pretty stoic looking recreation of old times."

"Okay," Max agreed. "We're all on board with the idea. I'll bring it up with the municipal government and they'll get an okay from the provincial guys. I'm sure they'll love the idea. They're fond of anything that gets people back on the island." He looked toward Nathaniel. "I know Gaia can pull a new lighthouse together, but do you think we might give her a break? After all, you share a collective understanding of pretty much everything she ever does. So, what say we take this project on ourselves?"

Nathaniel looked at Max. "You want me to design the tech for the lighthouse?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of your dad. He has the last say in what tech gets used. Besides, he doesn't visit nearly often enough, and I miss his hugs."

Nathaniel smiled. "Me too." He leaned over and kissed his mate. "I think it would thrill him to come out here for a few weeks."

The white wolf looked at Nathaniel. "Another Changeling on the island?"

"Our fathers travel a lot," Nathaniel replied. "We have close ties, so you'll see most of the family sooner or later."

"Then that will be something to look forward to as well," the wolf said, smiling.

Later in the evening, as the bear and human lay in their bed, Max sighed.

"What's wrong, Human?"

"Me, I suppose," Max answered. "Bear, I don't see humans when I see werebeasts anymore."

"Ever?"

"Ever. At first, it was just my family that I saw. Then the badger. It was hit or miss for a while with refugees coming through. Most of them were human, but still, some were werewolves. The entire construction crew, I've never seen them as anything but werewolves after the first week. And today, Lewis came up, and I saw him as a werewolf from the very start. I thought I was supposed to see humans."

"I did too," Nathaniel said. "Maybe my husband has a heart that loves so much that what my dad did never clouds his vision."

Max laughed. "Well, let's hope that's it." He rubbed his hand over the muzzle of the bear. "I'm glad I see you, Bear."

"Me too, Human," the bear said as he leaned into a kiss, and turned out the light.

Chapter 10

The Red Wolf touched down on the far side of the island, using the Gun shelter's circular top as a landing base. Early on, the work crews flattened the top to act as the secondary landing site for the Red Wolf when the helipad was inaccessible. A white bearded man stepped out into the rain. He laughed, looking up at the deluge. "Does it ever do anything but rain here?" he yelled, running toward the badger as the Red Wolf lifted off the ground and pivoted into position for assent.

"Not so much," the badger replied. He shoved an umbrella toward Kris, as Santa became a bear.

"Where are the rest of the family?" the Kodiak asked.

"Max is in town working with the humans," the badger replied. "Nathaniel is helping the work crew on the inside of their new house. Somethin' about what room's gonna be what and wider doors."

"Where's Lewis?"

"He's got a crew working on the lighthouse," the badger said, pointing across the island. A large crane appeared in the distance, moving a part of the lighthouse into position. "They already got most of it built. Them werewolves work fast."

"Well, it's good to see it setting up so nicely," the bear said. He looked down at the little mammal. "So, last month on my first visit, my family told me you kiss really well."

The badger looked away shyly. "Might. Don't kiss all that many bears. Only one so far."

"Would you like to kiss another?"

"I suppose."

The bear picked up the badger and kissed him. When their lips finally separated, the badger sighed. "You gonna take me like Nathaniel does?"

Kris looked at Oliver and smiled. "That is a tempting proposition," he answered. "but I have appointments that I should attend to."

"I understand."

The bear raised the badger until his stout hard-on was bobbing in front of the bear's nose. "Maybe a snack, though. I'm sure I have time for a snack." He slipped the cock into his mouth and pulled the little mammal in close.

The badger groaned happily. "Yeah, you's got time for a snack, I'm sure."

Two hours later, the Kodiak came racing up to the lighthouse site with the badger riding on his shoulders. Lewis waved to the bear, motioning him up to the construction zone. The Kodiak stopped short. Shifting position, he lifted the badger off his shoulders. "So, Oliver, did you want to hang out here or go visit my son?"

"You don't mind if I go visit him?"

"Not at all. It will be much drier in the house. It may not have walls on the inside, but it does have a roof," the bear responded. "And I'm pretty sure Nathaniel will have a towel for all that wet fur."

A concerned badger looked at the bear. "Do you Changelings know everything about everyone?"

The Kodiak shook his head. "No, Oliver, we don't know everything. All I know of you is that my sons care for you." He took a few steps. "Well, that and you taste great."

The badger looked away shyly, shuffling his tiny foot in a circle. "You don't taste so bad yourself, Bear."

The Kodiak gave the badger a gentle shove. "Now off you go, Oliver. I'm sure Nathaniel is already waiting for you with that towel."

The badger smiled. Turning, he ran toward the Hospital Steward's Home.

On top of the lighthouse foundation, the Kodiak surveyed the progress. Lewis showed him the design plans and waited for a response. "It seems easy enough," Kris finally said.

"A month ago I asked you to create technology that doesn't exist, and today you say these fresh changes seem easy enough?" The white wolf laughed.

"The technology has existed for over three billion years, Lewis," the Kodiak said. "It just hasn't existed on this planet."

"I've gathered together everything you said you needed from the last visit. Is there anything else I should do?"

"How many of the work crew are humans?"

"About half."

The bear looked down at the electronic pad the wolf was holding. He took his finger and began drawing. The blueprints on the screen shifted. "Here... I want them to work on this. The wiring will be what they expect they need to install a high-powered light inside an old-style Fresnel lens."

"But we're not doing that?"

"That would take too much energy. You're better served by shifting electrical resources to the hospitals and outbuildings. However, the wiring is part of the illusion that the lighthouse has standard run-of-the-mill fixtures. That has to get back to the mainland. They know we have some pretty advanced tech, but we don't want it to look beyond human capability."

"About the Fresnel lens," the wolf queried.

"I agree with you that some things are worth having. They are more than lenses. They are works of art. From the ground, it will look beautiful. Even if you allow access to the lantern gallery, it will look like a first-order Fresnel lens close-up. Of course, what's powering the light will be different and the lenses won't be glass. The RACON transponder uses typical RADAR positioning. We're keeping that tech, but it will be smaller than before. Nothing too fancy; we only need enough to bring everyone safely into port. As for the radio and cell towers..." The bear's finger moved across the blueprints again.

The white wolf stared at the shifting image as the impossible became possible. "You can do that?"

"Sure, but don't tell anyone. It will be our little secret. You'll have your postcard-perfect lighthouse. One with a roof capable of generating all the power it needs through the solar cells that look like slate tiles."

"That sounds wonderful," the wolf said, staring at the changes in the blueprint. "We'll have the wiring done within the month. I'll have the electricians in doing their work as soon as we attach the lantern room ventilator."

"Well, that all worked out in short order," the Kodiak said, smiling.

"Indeed," the wolf agreed.

The two looked at each other and paused. "Changeling, you smell like sex," the white wolf sighed. "It's very distracting."

"And you smell like desire," the Kodiak replied. "Equally distracting."

"If you give me a few minutes, I can pass along the updated changes to the crew and free up a bit of time."

"How about a day or two?"

"It has been centuries since I have been with a Changeling, Ancient One."

"We're like bicycles, Wolf. You always remember how to ride one. Only we tend to ride you as often as you ride us."

The wolf smiled. "This won't interfere with your family reunion?"

"Not at all. My sons know that saying hello to old friends is always a part of coming home." The Kodiak leaned in and kissed the wolf. "Go get your business taken care of. I'm sure there is somewhere dry on this island we can share."

Chapter 11

"Come on, Badger, we can't be late," Max said, brushing back the badger's hair.

"I can't walk no faster than this, Human," the badger complained. "Besides, gonna be humans there. Ain't fond of no human but you."

"Well, this isn't working," Max said, looking down at the little mammal holding onto his hand. "Come on, Badger. Time to put ourselves into gear." Max reached down and pulled the badger up and over his head, and placed him on his shoulders. He began running toward the lighthouse. He looked back to the badger and yelled, "I remember seeing the werewolves do this once and you didn't seem to mind, so I'm hoping a human can get away with it today."

"You can, 'cause I like you."

As they raced past the helipad, Max took Oliver off his shoulders and placed him on the ground. "Okay, so try to ignore the humans and hang out with the werewolves if you like. This ribbon cutting ceremony for our lighthouse is a big deal. It's our tenth anniversary for humans visiting the island. You know me with these things. I'm panicked about everything. I need my family here with me."

"You think of me as family?"

"Of course."

"Like Lewis and Tyler is family?"

"Well, sort of. But Lewis is the lighthouse keeper, and Tyler is the hospital administrator. They're family because we live on the island together. You, you're family because you're family; always have been."

The badger shook his head in disbelief and twirled his foot shyly. "There gonna be stuff to eat here?"

"Yep, lots of stuff."

"Okay, I should be good."

Nathaniel smiled as he came up to the pair. "My two favorite people in the entire world." He kissed both. Grabbing the badger, he said, "Come on, Oliver. Let's go raid the hors d'oeuvres."

As Max watched the bear and badger head off to the large tent, he smiled. "God, I love you, Bear," he whispered. Turning toward the lighthouse with its brightly colored ribbon, suited humans, and camera crews, he sighed. "Well, let's get this over with."

Two days into summer, and the weather barely cooperated long enough for the visiting dignitaries to cut the ribbon. Before the officials could make any remarks, the heavens opened up and everyone rushed into the tent set up for such a contingency.

Later in the evening, the couple retired to their home as the rain poured down. "All things considered, I think it went pretty well," Max said.

"It was wonderful," Nathaniel said, rolling over on his side. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Does it involve me mounting a bear and fucking him silly?"

The bear paused a moment. "I was going to ask you to scratch my back, but if you can do that whole mounting the bear thing while scratching my back, I'm good."

Max laughed and dug his fingers into the back of the bear. He scratched vigorously through the fur, moving up and down the spine of the oversized beast. Nathaniel started shaking one foot like a dog in ecstasy. Max shook his head, laughing at the little things that had become traditions for them.

There was a light knocking on the door. Max looked at Nathaniel. Nathaniel shrugged. "Come in," Max yelled. The door opened and a small silhouette stood in the doorway holding an umbrella. "Hi, Oliver," Max said.

"Hi"

"Is there anything we can do?"

"There's a storm brewing out there."

"Yeah, we can hear it."

"It sounds even louder down in the tunnels. Kinda like a banshee crying. That new foghorn don't help things much. Sounds like the wailing dead."

Nathaniel gave Max a nudge, and Max laughed. "Oliver, would you like to spend the night with us? The house is quiet at night, and this bed has plenty of room."

"Would that be okay?"

Nathaniel smiled. "Of course, it would be okay," he replied.

The little mammal waddled over to the bed. Nathaniel reached down and picked him up. He pulled him in close. "Do you need a blanket or anything?"

"No, no, this is good," the badger answered. He snuggled into the bear's chest and sighed. He looked up at the bear. "Somehow, I thought you two would sleep together as humans."

"I fell in love with the bear," Max responded. "I like to sleep with Nathaniel this way. It's comforting."

"I fell in love with the human in this form," Nathaniel agreed. "It's comforting for me, too."

"Although, I am glad he doesn't toss in his sleep," Max said with a chuckle, "or there would be different sleeping arrangements."

As he pushed his way closer to the bear, the badger said, "That's good to know."

"Good night, Oliver," Nathaniel said.

"Good night, Nathaniel."

"Good night, Oliver."

"Good night, Max."

There was a quiet pause. "I might snore. Not sure. Haven't spent the night with no one for ages."

"That's okay, Oliver," the bear said. "We'll survive."

After a moment of silence, the badger whispered, "I think I loves you two. That ain't easy for a badger to admit."

"Then we're honored, Oliver," Max said.

There was another pause, and the badger added, "Thanks for being my friends."

"Thanks for being ours," Max responded. "Now go to sleep, Badger."

"What do I do about my boner?"

Max sighed deeply. "Oliver, I'm pretty sure the bear has one, too. You both can wait until morning to deal with them."

"He's right, Oliver," Nathaniel giggled, "on both accounts. Let's go to sleep."

The badger pushed in closer to the bear, feeling the warm fur as he closed his eyes and dreamed of what the new day would bring.

The new day brought calamity.

The pounding on the door roused the threesome from their sleep. "I'll get it," Nathaniel said. He rose out of the bed and headed for the door.

The Hospital Steward's Home was essentially a shell. Two stories high from the outside, but only one story inside; it had four rooms. The front parlor with its lower ceiling was a prop for the tourists to learn about the hospital steward. It had the apothecary, and even a staircase leading up to a perpetually locked door that went nowhere.

Behind the apothecary for the tourists was the actual home of the Templetons. Accessed from the back porch, there was a large main room with its super-sized bed. A bathroom off to the right had a shower big enough for the bear and a few guests. Only a dining island separated the kitchen from the great room. The home was functional but left little room for entertaining guests. Navigating the house was easy for the bruin. He gently pushed down on the door handle and pulled back. Greg stood on the back porch with a look of panic in his eyes. "Fuck bear, we've gone and done it."

"Done what?"

"We have a human who sees a werewolf."

"Oh, fuck is right," Nathaniel said, slapping his forehead. Max staggered to the door naked, leaning on a crutch under his missing arm. Oliver stood next to him, holding his hand.

The wolf looked at the two, back at Nathaniel, and then back at the two. He smiled briefly, and then the frown returned. "I'm sorry to bother you guys. I didn't know what to do."

"I'm not sure what we do either," Nathaniel said. "I'll call Dad." He went over to the screen on the wall and tapped it. "Home... Dad," he said.

The screen remained blank for some time and finally flickered into life. Kris stood looking sleepily into the camera. "You do know what time it is here, right, Son?"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Nathaniel said. "This is important. One of our human workers sees a werewolf."

"Well, we know what that means," the Kodiak said, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, but what am I supposed to do?"

"Tell your dad you're sorry you woke him up and go fix it," the brown bear said.

"But, Dad," Nathaniel protested.

"No buts, Son," the Kodiak interrupted. "You two have a life out there, and it comes with all the messy details of life that you two need to take care of. I trust my sons to make the right choices." The bear looked at Max as he came into view, clutching the badger by his side and leaning into the crutch to balance his missing leg. Kris looked at the two and his eyebrow arched. "Hello, Max. Hello, Oliver."

"Hi, Dad."

"Hi, Bear."

"Okay, Max, I told Nathaniel, and now I'm telling you. That's your island. You know what's best for it. You know what's happened, so now you decide what to do about it."

Max looked at the Kodiak. "Will do, Dad. Sorry to wake you."

The brown bear smiled. "I'm thinking it was worth it to see the three of you together."

Nathaniel smiled. "Thanks, Dad." The screen went blank and Nathaniel turned to Max. "Best get dressed, Human."

Max let go of the badger and tottered to the closet. "On it," he said. He reached into the closet and pulled out his newest leg. Slipping it on, he yelled, "Form feet and legs," as the leg attached itself to his body. "Form arms and torso!" he yelled out again as the arm locked into place. He looked down at the badger. "Okay, this is where you yell, 'and I'll give head.'"

"Ain't doing it, Human."

"Oh, come on, it would be so funny."

"Stupid robots. Just make one big one and be done with it."

"Okay, pick me out a shirt while I get some pants," Max said with disappointment.

In short order, the group was standing on the porch of the Second Class Hospital. In front of them were a confused human and his werewolf companion, now in his human form. The human tried to ease the tension. "Look, I only saw it for a second. We've all seen things that weren't there. I lost it, but I'm fine now. Please, I need this job; I promise that I'm as sane as anyone else in this room."

"I agree with you there," Nathaniel said. "Let's sort this out as quickly as possible."

The human and the werewolf nodded their agreement.

"Who kissed who?"

The werewolf looked sheepishly at the human. "I kissed him."

"But I wanted him too," the human added. "I really wanted him to. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Do you know what's going on..." Nathaniel paused and looked at the human. "How about some names?"

"Ethan," the human responded.

"Bartholomew," the werewolf said.

The human looked at the werewolf. "Seriously? Bartholomew?"

The werewolf shrugged. "It was a popular name at the time. Everyone calls me Bart."

Nathaniel smiled. "He's older than he looks, Ethan."

"Bart looks like he's twenty-five max, Doc."

"I shifted as soon as I realized what was happening," the werewolf said. "That seemed to kick the protections back in enough that he sees me as clothed."

Ethan looked at the naked man standing beside him. "Wha... what?" the confused young man stammered. "What's going on here?"

Max looked at the other human in the room. "Ethan, you're about to bump up against some pretty heavy-duty weirdness, so I'm going to ask you and Bart here a few questions. Please humor me and answer them."

"Sure, Mr. Templeton."

"Do you love Bart?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Bart, do you love Ethan?"

"Yes, Sir."

Ethan looked at the werewolf. "You love me?"

"Yeah," Bart said. "I'm sorry I messed this up."

The human shook his head. "What mess up? I just got told the man I love, loves me."

Max smiled. "I'm glad you two have a good foundation to work from." He looked at the human. "Ethan, what if what you saw wasn't a hallucination? What if the man who loves you is, in reality, a werewolf?"

Ethan laughed. "Yeah, that would be one for the books. From what I've seen in movies, werewolves kill humans, not kiss them."

Max smiled. "Ethan, you and I are the only two humans in this room."

"What?" Ethan said angrily. "Look, this joke has gone on long enough."

Max looked at Bartholomew. "Your call here, Bart. If you love him, it's time you started being honest with him."

"But, Mr. Templeton," the werewolf protested, "If he knows, how could he love me?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Bart? I love you. What makes you think that's going to change?"

Bartholomew shifted. The human hit the floor before anyone could catch him.

It took two more tries before Ethan remained conscious after seeing the werewolf, but after the third time, the human was ready to talk. "You're telling me Greg and Doc are werewolves?" Ethan asked Max. "You're married to a werewolf?"

"My husband is actually a bear, but long story short; you and I are in love with shapeshifters." He reached out and held Oliver's hand. "This one is a badger. I have no clue who you see when it comes to him."

"I've always seen him as your kid," Ethan answered.

Max looked down at the badger, who was shaking his head in disbelief. "Sorry, Oliver."

Oliver frowned. "Ain't no difference to me. All humans is crazy anyway. Excepting you, Max."

"Okay, you two," Nathaniel said to the human and the werewolf. "I'm putting this into your hands. You two decide how you're going to deal with this. I trust you to make the right choices because, at some point, that's pretty much what we all have to do."

The human reached out and touched the paw of the werewolf. "Bart, I can't say I've dealt with this as well as I would have liked to, but I do love you. Fur or no fur, I want to be with you."

The werewolf leaned in and kissed the human. "We have a lot to discuss," he said.

"Take the rest of the week off," Greg said. "You boys work it out, and whatever it is you choose, know that your jobs are waiting for you when you return."

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Greg. That means a lot to me."

"It's okay, Ethan," Greg said, smiling. "I'm married to a human. I know we werewolves take some getting used to."

The werewolf helped the human up, and the two headed toward the docks. Greg smiled. "They make a nice-looking couple."

Nathaniel nodded in agreement. "They do that."

"Oh, and by the way, you three look cute together, too," Greg added.

"I'se only sleeping with them 'cause it's scary down in the tunnels," the badger said.

"That's fine with me. You're still cute." The werewolf replied, as he walked down the porch stairs. "Oh, and Max..."

"Yes, Greg?"

"The badger was right about you all those years ago. You really should show off that ass of yours more often." The werewolf hit the bottom of the stairs and turned toward the hospitals.

"Well, they's gonna be talking about us now," the badger said sadly as he watched Greg walk away. "I should go back to my tunnels."

Max looked at the sad-faced badger. "Nonsense. Let them talk. I like our sleeping arrangements. Frankly, I think we should have been sleeping together years ago."

"I agree," Nathaniel said. "I don't care what they say. But I care if you return to those tunnels. We'll have the apartments soundproofed when the work crews can get to it, but until then, I'm not letting you go back to them." The bear looked up in thought and then back at the badger. "Honestly, I'm not sure I ever want you going back to them."

The badger looked up and smiled at the Templetons as his foot slowly drew circles on the wooden porch.

Chapter 12

Nathaniel watched as the crane maneuvered the first gun into place. Max shook his head, watching it as the heavy cannon rocked back and forth. With a loud clang of metal, it dropped into place on the battery's concrete deck. The badger frowned. "Ain't no good coming of this, Max," he said.

Lewis looked on disapprovingly. "I have to agree with the badger," he added.

Max sighed. "I don't disagree with either of you, but it's a gift from the city. It's in celebration of our fifteenth anniversary being open to the public. Somehow, they thought putting back the two six-inch naval guns would make the old battery more interesting to the visitors."

"Ain't good having war things here," the badger protested.

"No, it's not," Max agreed.

"I suppose we couldn't have said no without offending someone?" Nathaniel asked.

"That's the gist of it," Max replied. "We own the island, but we still have a relationship with the town."

"Well, it's sad that guns now overlook the cemetery. I just don't get humans sometimes," Nathaniel said.

"Me either," Max agreed.

The four watched as the crew secured the second gun from the truck bed and hoisted it into the air.

"On the plus side, the third battery is a listed emergency landing site for helicopter evacuation. They can't put anything on that," Max said, trying to sound optimistic.

"We couldn't make them all emergency landing sites?" Lewis asked. "You know, fudge the data a bit."

"I wish I had thought of that before they went and purchased the stupid things," Max apologized.

There was another clang of heavy metal, and the second gun fell into place. The crane swiveled around and reset itself into the dock of the truck. The driver waved to the crew and headed out. With that, the remaining crew began bolting the guns into place.

"I guess I best get down to the wharf so I can make sure they get that rig back onto the barge safely," Max said dejectedly.

Nathaniel came up and put his furry arms around his mate. "It's okay, Human. You did the best you could."

"Yeah, Bear, I tried. But sometimes that's a cold consolation." He stood on his tiptoes, the bear lowered his head, and in the middle, they kissed.

"Ribbon cutting tomorrow," a crew member said from on top of the gunnery tower with a wave.

Max waved back. "I'm beginning to hate ribbon cuttings," he mumbled. He looked at the three. "How many can I rely on to provide a bit of moral support tomorrow?"

Lewis looked at the guns. "There is nothing moral about those things, Max. But I will be with you tomorrow."

Max hugged the white wolf. "Thank you, Lewis. You know how much I appreciate that."

"I'm wherever you are, Human," the short-faced bear replied. "I promised to be a faithful husband, remember?"

Max hugged the bear. "I love you, Bear." He turned to the badger. "Oliver?"

The little mammal folded his arms across his chest. "You had better give me one hell of a goodnight kiss tonight."

"I promise."

"Okay, then. I'll be here tomorrow. For you, Max. Not for nothin' else."

"There will be snacks."

"Okay then, for you and snacks. And nothin' else."

Max picked up the badger and kissed him. "Dinner is on me," Max said. "I'll make whatever you guys agree on."

"I have rounds to make, gentlemen," Nathaniel informed the group. "So I will see you all later for dinner." He kissed the three, lingering a little longer for his distraught husband.

The next morning was the typical bedlam the Templeton household dealt with every day. The bear and badger lost track of time while soaping up in the shower. Despite warnings of time restraints, they were now trying to rinse off while Max waited impatiently. Nathaniel and Max ran to the docks, while Oliver went to do a last-minute check on the guns. By the time the two arrived at the wharf, they saw Lewis, Tyler, and Michael shaking hands and welcoming the guests. Max and Nathaniel fell in line and got their hellos out while catching their breath.

The camera crews did their requisite filming, and the crowd began moving up the slope onto the island. As they neared the picket fences on the outer edge of the cemetery, Oliver came running up, waving his hands. "No, no!" he yelled, "you can't go there. Ain't nothin' to see, trust me."

Max stopped the little badger as he tried to run by. "Oliver, what's going on?"

The badger looked up and smiled. "She's been busy," he said.

Max rolled his eyes. "Oh crap, Gaia, what now?" he mumbled to himself.

The camera crew was trying to figure out what to film when they saw guns. All cameras pointed away from the dignitaries and toward the battery as they rushed toward the newly set cannons.

Standing bright and gleaming the day before, both rusted naval guns stood silent in the morning sun. Each of their barrels was tied into an impossible knot. Nathaniel and the werewolves all burst out laughing, and Max fought back a smile.

The members of the provincial and municipal governments stood dumbstruck, and the camera crews had a field day. As they rounded the corner, they found a large bronze placard fixed to the side of the battery. It read, "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. -- Isaiah 2:4"

A reporter cried out, "This is amazing! I can't believe our government would be so bold." The other reporters nodded their agreement. "Okay, let's get some footage. We have finally got a fluff piece with some teeth to it tonight," the reporter said, rolling her hand to the camera operator.

Before the government officials could voice a word of protest, the wave of positivity for the avant-garde artistry caught them up. Max let the officials create their own stories of how they arrived at the decision for the display. Nathaniel came up to his side and wrapped his arm around Max's shoulder.

"Well, despite my apprehension, this worked out very well," Lewis said, smiling. He saw Oliver hiding behind a bush. "Come on out, Badger," the white wolf said. "You are the bearer of good news. No one shoots that messenger."

Oliver stepped out into the open. "I ain't in trouble?"

Max laughed and picked up the badger. "Why would you be in trouble? This may be one of the best days of my life, and you're a part of it."

The morning went well for the islanders. The extended skiff finally shoved off from the dock, returning the mainlanders to Saint John. The news crews gone, the beasts prepared for the rest of the day. Soon, tourists would arrive, and Lewis headed back toward his lighthouse to welcome the guests. Nathaniel said his goodbyes and began his walk back to the hospital. Rounding today would be a pleasure. He would retell the story of the knotted guns to his patients, who were eager to hear any word of life beyond the hospital walls.

Max and Oliver sat on the top of the unadorned battery pedestal and watched the waves moving over the bay. Max put his arm around the badger and smiled. "Thank you, Oliver," he said. He looked up into the sky and yelled, "And thank you, Gaia! You are the absolute best."

Oliver looked at Max. "They seems to like the changes."

"I certainly did."

"Me too. I used to be afraid of her, but not no more."

Max pulled the little badger in close. "That's a good thing, Badger. Did you get enough to eat?"

"Not so many snacks as when they did the lighthouse."

"I agree," Max said. "Come on, Badger. Let's go get some lunch." He reached down, grabbed the badger, and flung him up onto his shoulders.

"Max?" Oliver asked with a question in his voice. "Do you think of me as a kid?"

"Nope. I think of you as a very small adult who waddles way too slowly when I want lunch. I can put you down if this is embarrassing for you. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, I'm okay with this. I actually kind of like it. I only wanted you to know that I was older than you. Much, much older than you."

"Yep, I'm aware of that, Oliver," Max said, increasing his stride. "Besides, if I ever doubted you were an adult, I'm pretty sure the hard-on pressing up against the back of my head would remove all doubts."

"Oh, jeez," the badger groaned. "I didn't know you could feel it."

"Every time you piggyback with me. In a way, it's kind of flattering."

The badger laughed. "Then you're okay with it?"

"Sure, I'm okay with it." Max stopped and pulled the badger up over his head, letting him dangle in front. The badger's dick pointed straight at Max's face. "Yep, I'm okay with that poking my head," he said, rubbing his nose against the dick. "I still don't know what you and Nathaniel do when you run off together, but you're both too handsome not to think it's something fun."

"He's never told you?"

"I've never asked. It's something special between you two. I like the forbidden nature of your clandestine meetings."

"We always tell you when we's going off to play," Oliver said with a frown.

"Damn, Badger. Can't a human have a minor bump up with his fantasy life at your expense?"

The badger shrugged. "Sure, knock yourself out. But if you ever wants to expand your fantasy playbook, I sez you join us one day."

Max laughed. He flipped the badger around and put him back on his shoulders. "I might do that, Badger. I have often..." the human broke in mid-sentence. He let out a painful groan and dropped to his knees as the badger went toppling over Max's head.

"Max," the badger cried out, trying to right himself. "What's wrong?"

"Don't know," Max said between labored breaths. "Pain in the stomach. Feels like fire..." Max coughed, and blood spilled from his mouth. "Badger, get the bear." With those words, the human fell to the ground, unconscious.

Chapter 13

When the human awoke, the first thing he heard were the monitors beeping their telemetry. He opened his eyes and saw the bear looking over him. He smiled. "Seems we keep meeting like this. Me passed out, you over the top of me."

The bear looked at him lovingly. "We should stop doing it."

"How long have I been out, Bear?"

"Three weeks."

"Am I in our hospital?"

"No, you're on the mainland," Nathaniel said. "I can't have you as a patient. It's not wise for a doctor to be that close to his patient when it's something serious."

"Well, so now I know it's serious. Did the doctors say anything about a diagnosis?"

"Yes," the bear said, choking out the words.

"Ah, Bear. Don't cry," the human said, putting up his hands and wiping the tear from his mate's eye.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know. Why don't you go find a doctor and let us talk together for a while? Is Oliver here?"

"Of course," Nathaniel said. "He won't let me drive. He says I'm too emotional."

"Well, he has a point, Bear," Max laughed. He coughed. "Ow, that hurts." He looked back at Nathaniel. "So, how about the two of you go find a doctor? I need to catch up on the last three weeks." The bear shook himself into a human, and after a quick kiss, he walked out the door.

The conversation with the doctors went as the human expected. Pancreatic cancer, stage 4. It was inoperable, as it had spread to so many other organs already. The doctors were almost angry that his husband wouldn't let them do anything but the most palliative of interventions. Didn't he know that the human might survive for months with the proper chemotherapy? Soon enough, the human grew weary of the droning doctors who couldn't fathom why he too was declining treatment and asked them to leave.

The most shocking revelation of that day wasn't the news, but his sitting up by the side of the bed and seeing the gaunt man who looked back at him in the mirror. "What the hell happened to you, Human?" Max asked aloud. He looked up and saw Nathaniel in the doorway.

"Hi, Bear."

"Hi, Human."

"Thanks for honoring my wishes."

"You don't know how hard that was to do. They said I could add as much as two months to your life."

"I know it was tough. But I still want to thank you. I realize it means I won't be here for very much longer."

"They said there were new treatments, ways to prolong your life."

"Weeks, maybe months, but at the cost of me not being here with you. I would be in so much pain and so nauseated at the end of every treatment, I wouldn't even know you were in the room. We can't afford that, Bear. I have to be with you now more than ever."

"You could let me help," the bear pleaded.

"Have you seen what I look like, Bear?" Max asked. "If I wouldn't let you turn me when I was a handsome young buck, what makes you think I would let you turn me now?"

"You would get better."

Max extended his arms, and the young man pushed himself into the hug. "I'm sorry, Bear. I'm sorry for all this means."

"What am I going to do, Human?" the young man asked as his tears welled up. He shook himself into the short-faced bear, pulling the human up along with his growth until the human lifted off the bed and dangled in the bear's arms. "What am I going to do if you die?"

"You're going to be fine, Bear. Not right away, but in time." Max kissed the nose of the bear. "Do you think you could put me down, Bear?"

The bear stretched out his arms and looked at the frail human with wires coming off his chest and arms and a nasal cannula shoved in his nose. He lowered the human to the ground, and Max sat back on the bed. "Bear, I'm dying. I know you don't want to hear this, but it will happen regardless of what you want."

The bear nodded. "I know."

"I don't want to die here, Bear," Max said. "You've got to get me out of here."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Nathaniel asked between his sobbing.

"I can help with that," a female voice said from behind the bear.

The couple turned toward the door. A young woman in a white lab coat and bright tie-dye scrubs stood holding the hand of the badger. The badger shuffled his feet. "I made some calls. I hope I wasn't out of line."

Max smiled. "Not at all, friend."

The young woman looked at the two. "What? You don't recognize me? I know the last time you saw me was at my brother's wedding, but that was only six years ago."

The two looked closer. "Sarah?" they asked in unison.

The young woman rushed to her uncle and hugged him. She pushed back and looked at him. "You look like crap, Uncle Max. And trust me, I'm a senior fellow here, so I know what crap looks like."

Max and Nathaniel both laughed. The young doctor reached out with the pinkie finger on one hand extended. The bear extended one claw and shook it. "That's my bear," she said, reaching in to hug him. She kissed Nathaniel's furry cheek and smiled at him. "Now, you, Nathaniel, you're gorgeous. No wonder why my uncle was so smitten with you. Have you put on a bit of weight? It looks good on you. Any chance I can get you to change into that cute little human version of yourself? You're not getting out of this room in that body."

Nathaniel shook himself back into his human form. Sarah looked at him and smiled. "Naked, huh? That's interesting. But on the plus side, I see a few more reasons why my uncle loves you."

Again, the two laughed. Sarah took on her mantle as doctor and liberator and began working. "We need to get this old IV out and the telemetry..." She looked behind her. "So, Badger, do you have a human form too?" The badger nodded yes. "Is that human going to be naked?" Another nod yes. "Okay, do whatever it is you do. I need another patient here."

The badger shook himself into his human form, and Sarah smiled. "So, Uncle Max, you sure have a thing for the short chubby ones, don't you?"

"It's an acquired taste," the gaunt human replied, struggling for his words.

"Yeah, I know," the young doctor said, waving her wedding ring in front of her uncle. "He's five foot ten and weighs two hundred and fifty-three pounds." Without missing a beat, she removed the IV, replaced it with gauze, and wrapped Coban around the arm. "He's got an ass that makes you want to bite it. Kind of like the bear's." She looked at the other short human and smiled. "Sorry, Badger. Your ass is cute, but honestly, that bear, you know what I mean?"

Oliver nodded in agreement.

She grabbed the short, naked human and pushed him next to her uncle. "This is going to hurt coming off, Uncle. On the plus side for you," she said, looking at the badger, "you won't know how much they hurt until you try to take them off." Her hands pulled one of the telemetry patches from her uncle's chest, applied a new adhesive patch, and placed it on the smaller man. "You need to sit very still through this. These patches need to stay in place. But you're one hairy human and we don't have time to shave you. If you wiggle, that hair will mess up everything." She paused. "Have you got a name, Badger?"

"Oliver,"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Oliver. Thank you for the call."

Oliver looked down. "I love them."

The young doctor transferred another telemetry patch to Oliver. "Well, that makes two of us. I've loved the bear since I was eight and Uncle Max even before that." She leaned over and kissed Oliver. "And I love you because you made the call."

Oliver smiled. "Family is hard to come by for a badger," he said.

"I would suspect so." With one last flash of her hands, Sarah completed the telemetry transfer from the patient to the willing victim. "It's hard to come by for most of us," Sarah said. "They're lucky to have you."

"I'm lucky to have them."

"Oliver, you're going to have to say your goodbyes to my uncle now. I have to get him out of the hospital, and I'm afraid what strength he has left is going to be sorely tested."

"Is he going to die, Doctor?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, Oliver, he's going to die."

With deft hands, she placed another IV into the hand of her uncle. A small tube led to a clear plastic bag that she fixed to his forearm. "This is morphine. You press on this button when the pain is too great, but you be careful, Uncle Max, too much, and you won't be coherent enough to say your goodbyes. Do you understand?"

Max nodded.

Sarah looked up at Nathaniel. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. I can't change this for you two, no matter how much I wish I could."

Nathaniel wiped his arm across his eyes and said, "I know you can't, Sarah. I need to get us back home."

"I can do that. Now if we can figure a way out of this room past the cameras so I don't lose my medical license."

The young ginger man lifted his head and closed his glowing green eyes. Elsewhere in the hospital, the screens that security guards were monitoring turned a bright green that shifted to static. Inside the digital recorders, the memory crystals melted into a dripping liquid. "That's taken care of," Nathaniel said, opening his eyes, which had returned to their warm brown color.

The young doctor grabbed the nearby wheelchair. "Come on Uncle. It's time to go." She looked back at Oliver. "The nurse will round in another twenty minutes. You wait here for ten minutes, you pull off those telemetries, and you run like hell out the back way. Got that?"

"Yes, ma'am," Oliver answered. The badger looked at Max. "I will miss you, Human."

"And I will miss you, Badger," came the reply. Max smiled at Oliver. "Help me out of this stuff, Badger?" he asked, tapping his artificial leg with the robotic hand.

The little badger nodded. "Form Feet and Legs." he said as he pressed the unlock button for the human's leg and Nathaniel pulled it off. "Form arms and torso," he whispered as the arm released. He looked down through his tears at the human. "And you's supposed to say, 'and I'll give head.'"

Max coughed through a laugh. "And I'll give head. You know, you would have been amazed at how good I am at that, Badger. I think if we had a bit more time, I would have joined you and the bear."

"I would have liked that," Oliver said as he reached out and hugged Max. "Safe travels wherever you go, Human."

Max held the badger tight. "You take good care of yourself. I know this won't be easy, but you have a family now. They'll get you through it." The two kissed a goodbye that would have to last a lifetime for both and let go.

"Nathaniel, could you please take Uncle Max? I have my car waiting outside." She paused. "Is everyone going to see you naked?"

"No, they'll see me clothed. You see me as I am because you love me."

Sarah smiled. "I remember that now." She pushed the wheelchair into Nathaniel's arms. "If you can convince everyone you're an orderly, we're out of here without a hitch."

Nathaniel nodded. "Call me 'orderly' now and then and their brains will do the rest." He kissed the top of Max's head and placed a warm blanket around him. "You ready to go, Human?"

The human nodded, "I'm ready, Bear. Let's go home."

At the Saint John marina, Nathaniel gave a shake, and the bear picked up his husband. Sarah put her arms around both and looked into Nathaniel's eyes. "I will wait for you both to return."

Nathaniel stared as Sarah got back into her car. The bear waved his paw, and the sleeping human bounced with each step Nathaniel took toward the docks.

Nathaniel walked over to the extended skiff and released its moorings. He stepped into the boat and sat down with his husband still cradled in his arms. His claw pressed against the ID lock and the engine turned on. Halfway to the island, the lights of Saint John faded and Max woke up. He looked up into the sky. "Bear," the human said feebly, "stop here." The engine went silent, and the boat rocked with the incoming tide.

"Look at all those stars, Bear," Max said in awe. "It reminds me of the highland." He was quiet for a time. "We've done pretty well for a couple of novices, haven't we?"

"Yeah, we have," Nathaniel replied. "My husband talked in front of the world and helped broker peace for the humans. The temple dogs have a new home. And we've created a remarkable gathering place for the Weres of the world to come when they have nowhere else to turn."

"Well, you know New Brunswick has always been the social hub of the Were universe, right? We Canadians know how to throw a party, eh?"

Nathaniel looked at his husband. "Eh?" He shook his head. "How many times have I heard you say I need to avoid stereotyping you, and you say that?"

"I'm dying. I get to say whatever the hell I want."

Nathaniel frowned. "That's not funny."

"No, probably not. But just because death isn't funny doesn't mean we can't have a few laughs at its expense before I go."

Nathaniel smiled. "I suppose not."

"So, how are you doing, Bear?" the human asked.

"I've had better days, Human," the bear responded.

"And you will have better days again," the human promised. "These are the hard times; the ones where we have to say goodbye. The temple dogs tried to teach me about letting go, about not clinging to the material plane."

"Did it work?"

"No."

"Did they figure out why?"

"I kept clinging because I was in love with a bear. Everything else I could let go of. Well, maybe not chocolate. That might have been a deal breaker, too."

Nathaniel laughed. He took a washcloth and rubbed it over his husband's forehead.

"That feels nice," Max sighed. He looked up at the bear. "I have no more hours to spend with you, Bear."

"No, don't say that," Nathaniel begged.

Max shook his head. "Bear, we need to talk about how you help a human die. If you fall in love with another one somewhere down the line, I don't want him pissed off at me because I didn't teach you what you should know."

"I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry. I'm your first. There's bound to be a learning curve."

Max grimaced as a wave of pain pushed past the morphine. Nathaniel held him tighter but said nothing.

Max smiled when the pain subsided. "Good instincts, Bear. We can't stop the pain, so we wait for it to pass. That much I learned from the temple dogs. Everything changes. Nothing lasts forever; not even the pain."

Nathaniel smiled as the human began talking again. "First off, it's okay not to want to let me go. But you have to trust me. When I say our time is short, that's for you. I'm drawing my immortal lover into the moment because this is all I have left to give you. Don't fight this change. Embrace it. Be here with me until the end."

"I'm not that strong."

"You are that strong. I married a giant. Not only physically, but in spirit as well. I know that when we part, it will feel as if you can't endure the pain. But you will. You will because it is in your nature, and you will because you know I want you to. You've held onto my heart for all these years, but I'm asking you to give it back so that I can let it stop beating. And in return, I'll give back the Changeling heart I've held close so that one day you can give it to another."

Nathaniel remained quiet as he rocked the human gently in his arms.

"Next, and this is the tough one, Bear. Give me permission to go. I've held on as long as I can for you. And now, I have to know you'll forgive me for leaving you to deal with this singularly human activity. The one time I should be by your side to help you cope with the impossible, and instead, I will be responsible for creating it."

"I forgive you, Human. I will always forgive you."

"That's good to know," the human said, struggling to get out the words. "Last of all, we have to say goodbye."

"That's too hard. I can't."

"Can you tell me you love me?"

"Of course. I love you, Human."

"And can you hope I go to some better place?"

"Yes. But there is no better place for you than next to me, so you're going to be looking for a very long time."

Max laughed. "You see, Bear? You can say goodbye better than you know." The human squeezed the paw of the bear holding him and closed his eyes. "You know what I regret?"

"No, what?"

"Absolutely nothing. I have had the most amazing life and a most amazing husband." Max took a moment to catch his breath. "Would it be too much to ask my husband to sing for me?" he requested.

Nathaniel nodded his head. The young bear began singing of his life with the human, of his love, and of all the days that had flown by far too soon.

In the words of the Changeling, Max could only hear the melody of a song whose words were unknown to him. Yet, in the night's calm, he understood every emotion the bear felt. "It's beautiful, Bear," Max whispered. "You're beautiful. It's all been so beautiful."

As Nathaniel sang, he felt the life ebb from the one he loved until, with one last gasp from the human, he was no more. Nathaniel pulled Max's lifeless body into a tight hug. His head bowed and his song stopped. "No, Max, No. Please don't leave," Nathaniel sobbed. "What am I supposed to do without you?"

In the quiet, Nathaniel felt the change in his life take root. On this tiny insignificant speck of dust in the vastness of space, for the first time in his life, he felt alone. He let the tears flow across his furred face and wondered how he could go on living without the human in his life.

He realized now why Max had made the choice he had. In some ways, he envied the man and his finite span of years. Being ephemeral had forced him to cherish each moment and live more fully in an unknown space of time. For humans aware enough to see those moments as precious, life became sacred by the very nature of its brevity.

The giant bear raised his head in a pain known only to the survivors of such loss. He sang of desire, sorrow, and the unbearable void thrust into his life. He sang of a love so deep that only he understood it. Alone on the ocean, he clung to the human and sang his song.

Then, there alone on the ocean, from across the continent, Nathaniel heard the song of the white bear. In Nathaniel's grief, he had forgotten his papa knew all too well the frailty of human life and love. The polar bear sang of experiences so different from his. The song spoke of pain unlike his and a grief almost unrecognizable from his own. Yet, it was so familiar, so akin to everything the young bear felt.

The song shifted, and the words became almost indecipherable through the tears of the white bear. Nathaniel realized his Papa wasn't trying to share his story with his child. But in his song, the young bear heard the overwhelming flow of feelings that both shared in their loss. He was not alone. There was one who understood. He looked out into the vastness of space and sang with his father as the waves gently rocked the boat; pushing it inexorably back to shore and home.

Chapter 14

"Dr. Templeton, your family is here," the airman said.

Nathaniel reached up to his temple and switched the viewer off. It mattered little; as hours ago the tears had made everything he watched a clouded blur of his life with Max. Now the real world pushed itself into his vision, equally cloudy and blurred. Still, the mammoth shapes of his fathers were unmistakable, even through the tears.

The airman stood between the fathers and their son. "I'm Airman Martin Hernandez," the human said, extending his hand to Will. "I'll be helping you with the paperwork and transport of your son-in-law." He looked at the other fathers and said, "This is a difficult time for your son. I'm glad to see his fathers here. It's important to have family nearby during times like these."

Will nodded. "Thank you, Airman. I'm glad he has had an understanding soul watching over him until we could get here."

"It might get complicated. There's a police officer here to ensure we obey all the laws. He seems unduly upset that Colonel Templeton passed under unusual circumstances and that there was no autopsy."

"Our son died of pancreatic cancer, Airman," Kris said. "I don't see that as unusual."

"Nor do I, Sir," Airman Hernandez agreed. "And I see nothing wrong with a patient leaving the hospital anytime he feels so inclined. However, you must admit the circumstances of his leaving were unusual."

"Will this be a problem?" Derrick asked.

"Not by me, Sir," the airman replied. "I'm here to honor your loved one. He means a lot to the people of Canada. I'm sure you can understand why spiriting him away might make our mourning more difficult. But I understand the urgency and the unique circumstances. You have my full support."

The polar bear nodded. "We're grateful for your help, Airman."

The fathers, one by one, greeted their son with hugs, kisses, and condolences that they knew the son would never remember. Their job was to take care of tasks that their son couldn't; to be there when the darkness was unbearable. Derrick sat beside the bear and put his black-furred arm around the bear's shoulders. "I'll stay here with Nathaniel," he said, looking at the others. He pulled the bear in close. "How are you doing, Son?"

"I've had better days."

Derrick kissed the bear on the cheek. "And you will have better days again."

Nathaniel looked up. "That's what Max said."

"He's right, you know. You don't have to believe it for now. It's so hard to feel anything but what you feel now. Looking to the future isn't something you need to do. Be whatever it is your heart tells you to be now. That's good enough. Grieving is a unique proposition for each of us. Stay with whatever you're feeling."

"Thank you, Papa Wolfy," the bear said, putting his head on the werewolf's shoulder.

The airman watched the signs of affection and smiled. "Let's get the hard part done. The constabulary awaits," he said, pointing to the back room.

The fathers followed the airmen into the room. Off to the left, the simple pine coffin lay in a metal box surrounded by dry ice. The fog lifting from the vaporizing carbon dioxide made the scene almost comical, as if from a low-budget horror movie. "Per your requests, Sirs, we didn't embalm the body, but we've taken good care of him."

Kris looked at the coffin and reached out, touching it gently.

"Don't go touching things until you've completed your paperwork," the police officer barked.

The airman stepped forward angrily, but the polar bear motioned him back. "We'll be happy to do whatever needs to be done."

"Which one of you is the father?" the policeman asked.

"We all are," the polar bear responded.

The police officer stared at the men. "Which one can sign the papers instead of the guy out there?"

The Kodiak stepped forward. "That would be me." Kris handed the officer an envelope. "The power of attorney," he said, pulling a paper from the envelope. He reached into the envelope again. "The release form for the body, authorization to transfer the body to a private vehicle, and copies of the death certificate. This should be everything you need."

"I'll be the judge of that," the officer said curtly.

"So the airman told me," the Kodiak said. "However, your job is to process paperwork, not to open an investigation."

"Look," the officer said, "I'll do my job any way I damn well please. Your kind can get so pushy with your equal rights nonsense."

"My kind?" the brown bear queried. "You have no idea what my kind is, but whatever it is, it's getting a bit fed up with your attitude." Kris lifted the policeman up into the air. "Didn't we just fight a war to protect the rights of people to choose how they will live their lives without the interference of others?"

The terrified officer looked down, not understanding how he was dangling above the ground while in the hands of a white-haired old man. The airman rushed toward the two. "Please, Sir," he begged. "If you could put the officer down, I'm sure we can get through these proceedings without violence."

Kris looked at the airman and put the police officer down. "I had no intentions of violence, Airman. I was simply using a bit of dramatic aerial emphasis."

"Well, you've landed your fag ass in jail," the policeman fumed. "You've assaulted an officer of the law. You and your kind need to know your place."

The police officer was stunned when the airman slammed him against the wall. The airman's angry face was within inches of his. "Officer, I'm going to make this crystal clear. If I hear one more word from you, I will take you down. And so you know, I'm not talking about filing a report. You are tasked with upholding the law, not making it. You have no right to treat a grieving family as poorly as you have this one."

The airman gave another shove to the policeman. "On second thought, there are two words you can say, and after that, you have the right to remain silent, and I strongly suggest you opt for that right." He pivoted the police officer around. "Say, I'm sorry. And if I don't sense genuine remorse, I am in a position to sucker punch you hard enough that you'll be on leave for a week."

The police officer stared at the family in front of him. He realized that no one in the room would ever testify over anything that happened to him in the moments to follow. "I'm sorry," he said, choosing an apology over a broken spine.

The airman pivoted the police officer back into the wall and glared at him. "So that there's no misunderstanding, I am under strict orders to facilitate the transfer of this airman's body back into the hands of his family." The airman took his free hand and reached into his briefcase on the table. He pulled out a paper. He snapped it open and showed it to the policeman. "These are those orders, officer."

"Shit," the officer said, as his eyes widened. "Is that the..."

"Yeah, it's that Prime Minister," the airman said. "You've stepped into it deep today, and rest assured, I'm going to make you wallow in it. How much will depend on how soon you get this family on their way."

The airman felt a warm paw placed on his shoulder. "Airman, he understands his obligations. You can stand down now." The airman turned around and looked up into Kris's eyes. "Yes Sir. I'm sorry, Sir. I seem to have caused a commotion. That was not my intention."

"Understandable, given the circumstances. Why don't we let the officer take care of his business and get him out of here as quickly as possible?" the Kodiak begged.

The police officer jumped into his seat and silently performed his tasks. Occasionally, he would point to the places where documents needed signatures and say, "sign here." In short order, they sent the police officer on his way.

Airman Hernandez looked at Kris. "A few more papers to sign and this will be over. I understand the burial will be private at an undisclosed location. I can't say I blame you. You need somewhere you can go to be with him without having to push past tourists." He set a paper in front of the Kodiak. "This is an authorization for us to build Colonel Templeton a memorial at the National Military Cemetery. He was a war hero. More to the point, he was a hero who helped end that cursed war. Canada needs somewhere we can go to remember him and mourn our loss as well."

Kris smiled. "Of course, Airman. Where do I sign?"

The airman showed the bear where to sign and then folded it up with the other military paperwork. He placed the papers in his briefcase. "There are medals and awards he's yet to collect. I will have them forwarded on to wherever you would like."

"Thank you, Airman," the polar bear said.

"I'm sorry for what happened today. You have all been more than understanding," Airman Hernandez said. "I am sorry for your loss."

"Well, you're a different cut from most of the military we've come in contact with, Airman," Will said. "Except for our son."

"I'm a draftee, Sir," the airman replied. "I was a commercial pilot, and they had jets that needed flying." The airman latched the briefcase. "I wasn't born to be in the military. I took this duty to get away from the warring side of the air force, but I'm not sure I'm cut out to help others through this much pain."

The polar bear smiled. "You did very well, Airman. We're grateful."

"Here's a card with our address, Airman," Will said. The two bears looked at the werewolf with raised eyebrows. "For the medals and stuff, remember?" the wolf said, answering the unasked question.

"Thank you, that would be helpful," the airman answered.

Will pulled the airman in close. "Hold on to the card, Airman," Will added in a whisper. "You're not always going to be conscripted. When you get out, give that number a call. You're not alone."

"Thank you, Sir," the airman said, extending his hand. "It's been a pleasure meeting you all."

One by one, the family shook the airman's hand. The airman walked out to the front room and approached Nathaniel. "Everything is ready for the transfer, Sir. I'll meet you at the airbase with your husband's body." He rubbed the bear's shoulder. "You'll make it through this, Sir. You have a wonderful family to see it through with you."

Nathaniel looked up. "I do that," he agreed.

"Please thank your dad for me; he kept me from assaulting an asshole police officer, and that saved me from having to fill out a boatload of paperwork."

Nathaniel laughed. "Which dad?"

"You know, I was so busy preparing to bust the cop's face, I forgot to ask for names. The big one with the ruddy brown hair."

Nathaniel laughed again. "That would be my dad, Kris. I'm glad you didn't bust anyone's face."

"Me too, Sir." the airman said as he turned and walked out of the building.

Chapter 15

The trip to the highland was only a matter of minutes, but for Nathaniel, it was unbearable. He had lost his love, and now he committed himself to acknowledge it in a way that both calmed him and filled him with dread. The aircraft touched down on the stone slab, and automated straps lowered the casket to the ground.

Derrick leaned over the casket and, with his powerful arms, tore open the lid. Beneath, Max lay in his decorated military garb. He looked almost asleep. On his left side, the CAF honor guard had pinned the uniform at the knee and elbow of his missing limbs. The young werewolf leaned over and picked up the body. He walked to Nathaniel. "I can carry him if you'd like, Nathaniel," the black werewolf said.

"No. This is our last journey together, and I told him I would be with him in all things." The bear lifted the lifeless body into his arms and walked to the pagoda. Nathaniel entered the shadowed interior. "He's home, Gaia," he whispered. "He's home."

Nathaniel laid the body of his husband down on the grass. The bear watched as light and shadow filtered through the branches and moved across Max's body. "He's yours now, Gaia. Be good to him."

Nathaniel watched as the grass grew up and around the pilot's body. There was a moment when it seemed as if his husband was no longer there, only a green statue of grass, and then it, too, faded away as the grass receded.

The bear fell to his knees and cried out in such pain that those outside had to hold each other back from racing into the pagoda. "We stay, husbands," Kris said. "This is his wish, not ours. We honor our son's wishes."

"But..." Derrick said.

"No, Pup," Will interjected. "When he comes out, we will be here. This is his time to say goodbye, and we will not pressure him to end it by our presence."

Before the short-faced bear stumbled out of the pagoda, the shadows had grown long. Still in tears, he tried to regain his balance after so many hours on his knees. His fathers stood patiently as he took his first steps away from the pagoda.

Nathaniel turned back when he heard the creaking of limb and branch. Growing up through the doorway, a hemlock weaved its branches around the emptiness. Vines filled in the gaps. The door to the pagoda was no more. What was once a bell tower was now a shrine to the fallen pilot. At the foot of the hemlock, a small blue flower bloomed.

The young bear turned back to his fathers and extended his arms. "Come to us, Son," Kris entreated. "Come home." The young bear took a step, and then another. Soon he was in the arms of his fathers. The Kodiak lifted his head and began singing. The polar bear pulled his son in close and added his voice to the song. His wolf fathers hugged the young bear and added their voices to the song. Nathaniel remained mute except for the sobbing that lasted well into the night.

Chapter 16

The phone ringing startled Kris. Will turned his back to the bear, reached down, fumbled for a bit, and put a small, old-style cell phone to his ear. "Hello, Airman."

For Kris, the conversation was one-sided, but he understood what was happening.

"Yes... No... Actually, I was expecting the call," the one-sided conversation continued. "Yes. The offer remains on the table. It would surprise you how many things I've had on the table," Will said. He listened and then laughed. "Yeah, that would be me. But count your blessings. At least you didn't get Kris. That bear would talk your ear off." The nudge the werewolf received from the Kodiak almost knocked the werewolf off his feet. "No, he's standing here listening. I had to tease him. He's my husband." Will paused, listening. "Look, I have your number on my phone now. I'll call you in a few days, and we can make arrangements." The wolf listened again to the airman talking. "No, nothing to worry about... I have to clear this with everyone, but this won't be a hard sell." Another pause. "You too, Airman... we'll talk to you soon... bye for now."

Kris looked at Will. "Where was that phone?"

The wolf grinned. "We wolves have this handy dandy pouch for holding all sorts of things," he said, rubbing his sheath. "Wanna put your hand in and see what you can find?"

"I might take you up on that later, Old Wolf," Kris said, smiling, "but, for now, are you finally ready to talk about this? It's been eight months since you handed that card to the airman. It's not like you to hold a secret for that long."

"I suppose not. Let's go find our husbands."

"This should be good," the Kodiak said as he put his arm around the werewolf.

"You don't know the half of it, Husband," the old wolf replied.

Moments later, Derrick rose out of his seat. "You're thinking of bringing another human to the highland?" he asked. "You, Will? And the military, to boot?"

"He's special," the old wolf replied. "Trust me on this one. He's different."

"We trust you, Will. But I don't understand why he needs to come here," Eric said. "Wouldn't the ranch be a safer place to house him in the beginning? Something akin to a probationary period. We can watch him there and see what happens."

Kris leaned over the table. "Eric might be right, Old Wolf," he said, putting his paw on the Will's. "We have some individuals on this mountain that should remain secret from all humans. The ranch at least has the advantage of being managed by werewolves."

"No, husbands. This is where he needs to be. You saw how he treated us when we were there to pick up Max. You know how protective he is of the fallen. The boy will grow and flourish here."

The polar bear rubbed his chin. "Well, at the very least, we should involve Nathaniel and the temple dogs in this discussion."

"The temple dogs already know about this. They've given it their blessing. As for Nathaniel, we can't tell him."

Derrick looked at Will. "Old Wolf, are you doing what I think you're doing?"

Kris laughed. "You're trying to set up our son."

"No, Husband," Will said, shaking his head. "Not exactly... well, maybe... but not the way you think."

The old wolf retreated from the table. "Look, he's my son, and I love him as much as anyone in this room. He has been on this highland for eight months and he is healing. I don't deny that. But he has not sung since the night Max died. We go on runs where we invite him, and he declines. You have sung your songs to the night sky, and he has never joined in. Your family from across the galaxy has sung to him and he has never replied. It is tearing at my heart, and we have to do something."

"He needs time to heal," the polar bear said.

"No, Old Bear. It's not the time he needs. It's what he does with that time. He is grieving, but he is new at it, and it's our job to help him grieve properly. Nathaniel doesn't need to heal; he needs to learn how to carry his grief. We need to help him see beyond his loss. He needs to put weight on that broken heart of his."

Kris raised his eyebrow. "Weight?"

"When you break a leg, you set it and you put a cast on it. You protect it and allow it to heal. But there comes a day when you take off the cast and you walk. You put weight on the broken bone, or it will never heal."

The wolf paced anxiously. "Look, I know grieving isn't a wound. It isn't linear. You don't heal and move on. My analogy falls apart if you think about every aspect of grief. But there is a part of Nathaniel that won't venture out again into the world around him. We try to be understanding, and we try to support him.

"But we love the boy too much. We protect him too well. He's a Changeling. You thrive on togetherness. You're the Unity, for crying out loud. He needs to find that core of himself, and we're not the ones to help him with that. We're his fathers, and we can't stop being that. We're overprotective. It is who we are and what we will always be. We have temple dogs living on the hill. Our boy lives in Shangri-La, for Christ's sake. We need to bring something into his world that will challenge his heart to open up. It doesn't have to be love, husbands. But it has to be something different... someone different."

Kris pushed back from the table. "The wolf has a point." The Kodiak extended his paw toward the Iberian wolf. "I agree with my husband. We are a family in need of some outside contact. It might benefit us all to have a unique soul on the highland. The airman's actions make him at least worthy of consideration."

"I agree as well," Derrick said. "I miss our son singing in the night. Maybe we should do more than wait for his broken heart to heal."

"Old Wolf, promise me I won't regret casting my lot with you," the polar bear said.

"Have I ever done anything that you regretted?" Will asked. He paused as all heads nodded yes. "Okay, fuck that question. Have I ever done anything where my family didn't come first above all else?" The three shook their heads no. "Trust me on this one, please. Our family needs this boy."

"Then done, I say," the Kodiak said, standing up.

"Yep. Done," the black wolf agreed.

"Done it is," said the polar bear.

The Old Wolf smiled. "Anyone want to fuck the brilliant mind that came up with this idea?"

Kris leaned over and pulled the wolf close. "Not his mind, but I'll fuck his ass."

"Done it is," smiled the old wolf as he kissed his husband.

Chapter 17

"This place is beautiful," the airman said. "I can't believe something so pristine survived the war."

Kris rubbed his braided white beard. "We were fortunate to have support protecting it," he said.

"I can't imagine anyone not stepping up to that task."

Nathaniel came around the corner, balancing a huge rock on his furry shoulder. He stopped when he saw the airman. With his free arm, he waved hello. "Hi."

The airman smiled, waved hello, and said, "Hi. Remember me? It wasn't the best of times, but I remember you."

"You were the airman who almost punched out a policeman in front of my family."

"I'm retired from the Air Force now. But wow, when you say it that way, I sound like a putz. I'm sorry. I know it was a tough day for all of you." The airman paused. "Especially for you."

Nathaniel smiled. "It was a pretty noble gesture, to be honest. And our conversation was one of the few that made me laugh when I didn't think I could. I'm grateful." Nathaniel tossed the rock onto the pile he was making and walked up to the airman. "I recognize the uniform. I thought you said you were out of the military."

"Oh, this?" The airman replied, looking down at his outfit. "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of clothes. The Air Force discharged me last week. I've never been fond of clothes, so this is pretty much it until I find a town and buy something new."

"There's no hurry," Kris said. "We're rather flexible about clothing around here."

The airman looked at the naked Changeling's crotch and smiled. "So I noticed."

Kris raised an eyebrow.

"By the way, you are rocking the Santa thing, Sir."

Kris smiled. "Well, thank you." He paused a moment, looking at his son. "I think I'll leave you two alone for a bit. Having time to get to know each other is always pleasant during introductions." As he walked away, he waved at Will from across the glade. He motioned back and forth with his hand to tell the wolf he wanted to talk.

The airman looked at Nathaniel. "Your dad's a nice guy. They all are."

"Yes, they are." Nathaniel paused a bit. "You don't seem surprised that I have four fathers."

"Hell, if I could have four men like that in my life, I would."

"Easy as that?"

"Pretty much. I don't see any reason we can't make the families we want. Too many of us are born into the tough ones, the violent ones. It changes us. For some of us, it makes us appreciate a family that works when we see it. Your family works."

Nathaniel smiled and nodded in agreement.

The airman looked at the bear, and the bear looked back in silence. It was as if the airman was etching the bear's face into his memory. Nathaniel wasn't sure if it was flattering or if he was uncomfortable with the attention, but the airman's smile abated his concern.

The airman shook his head as if coming back awake. "Okay, I know this is going to sound like some sort of stalker come-on, but do you know that you have the most beautiful eyes?"

"Thank you," Nathaniel said with a slight melancholy grin as he thought back to the first man who had asked him that question. "What color are they?"

The airman laughed. "You don't know?"

"Different people tend to see different colors."

"Oh, okay," the airman shrugged. "They're brown, of course." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Martin."

The bear put his paw into the hand of the human and shook it. "I'm Nathaniel."

"Awesome claws," the airman said.

"Thanks. I don't believe anyone has told me that."

"Well, I see things others overlook," Martin replied, looking at the bear.

"Most people don't even see me as a bear," Nathaniel remarked.

"I noticed that the first time we met. No one panicked with a bear in the room. It took me a while to figure out they didn't see a bear."

"You didn't panic."

"Why should I? A bear was sitting in a room grieving over the man he loved. Any bear with a love that deep wasn't a threat to me."

Nathaniel smiled. "You have a strange way of looking at things."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot from people," Martin replied. He paused a moment. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," he mumbled. "So, Nathaniel, would you ever consider dating another human?"

Nathaniel looked away shyly. His hand still in the grip of the human, he answered, "The first one was kind of special. I'm not sure I'm quite ready to date again."

"Understood. You take as long as you need to honor him." Martin paused. "How about a friend? Could you use a friend? I'm new here and I could use one. Do you think we could at least be friends? You know, hang out together. Throw big rocks around. Help those big yellow dogs on the hill harvesting their rice. That kind of thing?" The airman took a deep breath. "Oh, and by the way, I babble when I'm nervous if you haven't already noticed."

Nathaniel smiled. "My Papa Wolfy does that sometimes. But to answer your question, yes, I think I would like a friend." He squeezed the human's hand a bit tighter.

From a distance, Will and Kris watched the human and bear talk. "Here we go again, Husband."

"Really? Are you so sure?" Kris said. "It might just be friendship."

"Nah, he sees the bear."

"Really? When did that happen?" The Santa doppelgänger asked.

"He saw us all the first day he met us."

"How do you know?"

"Trust me. Watch his eyes next time you see him. Do you notice when you're a bear that the humans look wherever they think your eyes would be if you were a human, regardless of where your eyes are?"

"Yeah, it can be unnerving having someone talking to your belly the entire conversation."

"Exactly. So watch the airman. Notice his eyes. Regardless of whether you're in your human incarnation or you're a bear, he will always look you in the eyes."

"Hmmm," Kris said thoughtfully. "You're right. He always looked us in the eye when we first met. I wondered about that. Then today, I told him we were pretty lax about clothes around here and he stared right at my crotch and said he noticed that. He should see me clothed, but I'm pretty sure he sees me naked."

"Well, there you go," Will said. "You already figured it out for yourself. Oh, and by the way, I stare at your crotch all the time, so at least we know the airman has good taste."

Kris laughed. "He seems like a good man."

"He is. The airman saw us that day and he didn't say a word. He treated us like regular folk who were there to pick up their loved one. A bear with four fathers, each of them different animals. He saw that and didn't flinch. It was as if he saw bears and werewolves coming in all the time to pick up a dead human."

"That shouldn't have happened. I wonder why it did?"

"There are certain humans born with a gift... or a curse... I guess it depends on how you look at it. They see the truth of what's in front of them. Most humans put blinders on early in life, and they're more than happy. But not these folks. Once they open up to that truth, they can never turn it off. They're forced to see the world as it is."

Will looked away wistfully. "It drives most of them mad. Those sorry souls you see on the street crying out that the end of the world is coming. They're the quiet ones talking to themselves nonstop in shelters. Those lost ones, never able to break out from the horror they see every time they look into the eyes of another human being.

"There are a few who are fortunate enough to have someone there to ground them when the change happens. But they still see it all. They see a grieving bear and his fathers and all the pain that flows through them. They're a man that sees a bigoted police officer hate what he doesn't understand. And he struggles with whether to deck the bastard or continue grieving with a bear in the middle of so much anger. They see too much for any human to bear, but they bear it nonetheless."

Kris looked into the old wolf's eyes. "That can't be easy. One would think it might make you turn your back on a world such as this."

"Yeah, or have a heart that bleeds your whole life, knowing that there's nothing you can do to save your people from themselves." The old wolf took on a look of even deeper sadness that quickly left his face. "On the plus side, I suppose they have no problem finding the horny ones for a date on Saturday night. I wouldn't know. I'm going through this life full speed ahead with blinders on." He rubbed the brown bear's arm lovingly. "I'll catch you later, Husband. I have chores to do."

"Later, my love," replied the bear. The Kodiak's eyebrow arched again as it often did around Will, and it left him thinking as the wolf walked off to his chores.

Chapter 18

The days turned to months. Life on the highland kept its familiar rhythms, but the fathers could sense the friendship growing between the bear and the human. Of them all, Will was the one to watch it most closely. He would go about his chores, but from time to time, he would turn to watch the two who had become nearly inseparable. By the third month, there was a growing sense of playfulness between the two. The touching lingered longer and was more relaxed. Yet, it skirted around the areas that two in love would explore. Will would smile, shrug his shoulders, and say, "Kids."

However, not every father was content to watch life unfold, disengaged from the outcomes. Martin was fishing down by the creek alone when Derrick came up beside him. "I'm surprised to see you without Nathaniel."

"I'm sure he'll be out this way soon. He was waylaid by the temple dogs when we were coming here."

"Is there room here enough for two?"

"Sure. Try not to spook the fish."

"Fair enough," Derrick replied. He sat and watched the cork bobbing in the water as Martin tugged at the line.

After a time, Martin looked at Derrick. "Well, Sir, you've come here to talk to me about something, and the temple dogs won't keep Nathaniel occupied forever. Is there a way I can make this easier for you?"

Derrick, as always, was the quiet one. His werewolf stature and muscled body appeared almost threatening compared to his retiring nature. While Martin had won his confidence, there were still bridges that needed building. Martin sensed that every time they interacted.

"I hope you know I'm very fond of you, Martin. I'm glad you came to the highland. The months you've been here have helped our son heal more than I can tell you."

"Thank you. I'm glad I could help. I care a great deal for your son."

"I'm glad. It's time our son had some happiness in his life again."

"He's happy living with his fathers here," Martin said.

"No, he's content living here, but he's not happy. There is a world of difference. For Nathaniel, this is a way station. It will always be the place he returns to when his life is in crisis, but his heart is in another place, even if he can't see that."

Martin looked at him. "Partridge Island?"

"It was his life for over seventeen years. I know that's short by Changeling time frames, but it is nearly his entire life in human chronology. He doesn't realize how much that affects him now. He can't acknowledge or finish the work that needs to be done there."

"The reconstruction seems on target without his direct intervention," Martin said.

"Not that work. I couldn't care less about that. There is a badger on the island that waits for his return. I'm talking about the other one in Nathaniel's life who loves him the way you do."

"What? I knew that Oliver and Nathaniel were friends, but no one talked about love. Do you mean love with the capital 'L' love? I was unaware of that."

"Maybe that's because you don't deal with a shyness that borders on dread when you meet someone new. I've been with Oliver. We talk, one shy guy to another. It's never been my place to bring this up. Until now; until you."

The two were quiet for a time. Martin finally spoke. "I promise I will help finish the work, Sir."

"It won't be easy, Martin. There are ghosts on that island that moved in the day the badger did. Will won't even go there. Will never returned the day Oliver moved in. For seventeen years he hasn't said why, but there are layers to this that will unfold like an onion being peeled back." The young wolf paused. "And I fear as many tears to be shed before it's all done coming apart."

The black werewolf stood up. "I'm pretty sure the temple dogs have run out of chores for Nathaniel by now. They're horrible at this kind of distraction."

"I've noticed. But thank you, Sir. I'm glad that Nathaniel has so many fathers looking out for him."

With that, the werewolf took his leave. For a few moments, Martin pondered the conversation. Then the short-faced bear cannonballed into the water, snagging his butt on Martin's fishhook.

As Martin struggled to free the furry beast from the tiny hook, the bear yanked him into the water. Temporarily submerged with a floating mass of bear on top of him, the human tried to think of a way back to the surface. Then he felt the wide paws of the bear grab him and pull him up.

Martin sputtered, coughing out water. "Okay, I deserved that," he said, laughing.

"Yes, you did," Nathaniel agreed, still holding onto the human with one paw as he pulled the hook from his butt and tossed the fishing pole up onto dry land.

"This water is freezing, Nathaniel," Martin complained. "My nuts are in my throat. I need to get out."

The bear pulled him in close. "Stay. I can keep you warm." He pulled the human in close, and there they lingered, looking into each other's faces. Their heads moved slowly closer, until, with a twist of each, their lips met.

Nathaniel pulled away, dropping the human back into the water. "I can't," he said as he backed away.

Martin reached out and held him from leaving. He knew there was nothing his slight frame could do to stop the bear, but the simple tug on his furry arm was enough to immobilize the bruin. "Stay, Nathaniel. Please. I know this world is new to you. The body and the feelings you have are all new, but there is something Max didn't have a chance to teach you before he died. Humans deal with death in many different ways. We all grieve when someone we love dies. And we either do it well, or we do it poorly. The ones who survive such a loss don't do it by burying themselves with their dead. They honor the ones they loved when they realize the love didn't die with their loved one. It is always inside us waiting to be reborn. We humans honor our dead by loving again."

Nathaniel glared at the human. "What do you know of surviving the death of someone you love?"

Martin looked back at Nathaniel. "Too much, Bear. Much too much."

Nathaniel looked away. "I'm sorry, Martin. That was cruel of me."

Martin stroked the bear's back. "This isn't a contest to see who wins based on some sliding scale of awfulness, Nathaniel. There is pain enough to go around for both of us. We will carry our grief with us for a lifetime. But that doesn't mean that we have to suffer for a lifetime. There is also love enough to soften that pain and help us through it. Max didn't give you his love for eighteen years so that it would be enough to last you a lifetime. He gave it to you so that you could share it with the world; so that he would live on through you."

Martin sighed. "I know this sounds self-serving, and it might be because I want to be a part of that world, Nathaniel. I want to be more than your friend, but if a friend is all I will ever be, I will grab that and hold on to it, because that's how much I want you in my life. But at the risk of losing that friendship, I will tell you the truth. I will always tell you the truth.

"Nathaniel, it is time to honor your dead. It is time to let go of this place where his body lies and return to where his heart and yours never left. Bear, you can't stay here. You can't become a cloistered monk like the dogs up on those paddies. They chose that life... not out of pain, but out of conviction. Bear, they aren't hiding from life. They are more a part of it than any of us.

"Nathaniel, you had a life, an amazing life on an island on the other side of this continent. I know a part of that life is gone... he's gone. But that doesn't mean there isn't life still there waiting for you. It's there in the work for you to do, Dr. Templeton. It's waiting in the homes and memorials that the werewolves are still creating." Martin's hand reached out and stroked the face of the bear, pulling it back toward him. "And it's waiting in the heart of a little badger."

Nathaniel looked at Martin. "Oliver?"

"He waits. He waits the same way I wait. We're two of a kind, the badger and me. We're both waiting for the one we love to see us."

Martin pushed Nathaniel toward the shore of the creek. "Bear, you're a Changeling. Your people are one. You were never born to live alone. You were never born to let the loss of a human hurt you so badly that you turned from who and what you are. Don't let Max's legacy be your death. Don't let his love die with you. Find a way to be reborn back into a world that loves you. A world that needs you."

"I can't," Nathaniel said, backing away. "I can't let him go."

"Bear, I'm not asking you to let him go." The human grabbed the bear's left paw and held it up, exposing the band of gold cut into the bear's claw. "He's a part of you, Nathaniel. He will always be a part of you. I can spend my whole life sharing you with the memory of his life," Martin said. "But I'll be damned if I stay another day on this highland sharing you with only the memory of his death."

Martin let the paw drop. "My memory of him means too much to me. Colonel Maxwell Templeton was my hero. He was everything I ever wanted to be. He was the airman who rose above the war, the man who stepped away from the violence and hate and said there had to be a better way. I will not lose my memory of how noble a life he lived to a memory that only sees how he died."

Martin stood up and pulled himself from the water. "If that is all you have, I guess I have arrangements to make to get off this highland." He pushed past the short-faced bear and walked out into the glade.

"Martin, don't go," Nathaniel begged. "Please don't. I don't know what to do. I don't have the heart to watch another human die." The bear paused. "Especially if that human is you."

"Then turn me, Bear," Martin shouted. "Turn me so that I'm not human anymore." He walked back toward the bear. "But you look at the monument to the fallen in Montana before you turn me. You read the names of those immortal werewolves who died to save the twins. And the Changelings, Nathaniel, all thirty-nine of them that died leaving only your Papa; ask yourself what became of them? You ask your Papa where his brothers are."

Martin drew up face-to-face with the bear. "I can't promise you I'll never die. No one on this highland can do that, not your fathers, not the temple dogs. We have seen the death of too many loved ones to be that naïve. We know the price we pay for living on this planet all too well. And all we can promise you is what Max promised you. That we will love you, and we will cherish you all the days of our lives. And that has to be good enough, Bear, because as much as I wish it were different, that is all you can promise us."

The short-faced bear grabbed the human in a tight hug and wailed. Martin put his arms around him and stroked the back of his neck. "Let it out. You finally know now why you're crying. Don't hold back, Bear. You're not crying because Max died. You're crying because there was nothing you could do to stop it." The human held the bear even tighter. "For the first time, you realize your immortality is on the chopping block right there with the rest of us. I'm sorry, Bear. There's not a damned thing anyone of us can do to change that."

Nathaniel continued to sob as Martin lovingly stroked his neck. In time, he whispered, "Bear, I love you so much. Sometimes I am terrified of how much. I'm like you. I'm afraid something might happen and I will lose you. But then I look in your eyes and I see that smile, and I'm willing to lay it all down for the chance to be with you no matter how long I have." Martin clung to the bear. "I love you, Nathaniel. I love you."

The bear hugged tighter. "I love you, Martin, but I'm so scared."

"That makes two of us," Martin said with a slight laugh. "Turn me, Bear. If that's what it takes to move you from this place; turn me. I can be anything you want as long as I'm beside you."

"You're okay with that?"

"You really love me?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, I'm okay with that. Just say the words, because I have to hear them from you."

Nathaniel pushed back and let the human go. He stood up as he wiped his eyes. Towering above the human, he said, "I love you, Martin."

"Those aren't the words I mean, Bear."

Nathaniel staggered back, realizing what the human meant. Quietly, he asked, "Be my mate?"

The human hugged the short-faced bear around his waist. "Forever if I can," he said.

"A lifetime is enough," the bear whispered as he picked the human up and kissed him.

When the kiss ended, the human felt the bear squeeze him. "Okay, Nathaniel. A couple of things I need to sort out here. First thing; are you going to fuck me with that thing?" he said, pointing to the monolith of flesh sticking up from between the bear's legs.

"I can turn you while I'm a human if you want, but when we mate, can it please be as short-faced bears?"

"Sure, animals it is. I guess I'm good with that." He looked at the bear. "But since we've waited this long before you turn me, can I at least ask your fathers' blessings? It's a longstanding earth tradition."

"Of course. I think they would like that." Nathaniel kissed the human. "It would mean a lot to me as well."

"Okay, I'll talk to them tomorrow," Martin said. He let go of the embrace and fell back onto the grass. He patted the space beside him and the bear fell next to him. Martin rolled over and pushed himself back into the bear's chest. "Stay the night with me, Nathaniel. I don't want to sleep alone tonight."

The bear pulled the human in close. He rubbed his muzzle on the human's neck. "Neither do I."

Chapter 19

Martin sat down beside Will. Stretching out over the rock ledge, he dipped his feet into the water and pulled them back up. "Seems easier when you do it."

"I'm seven foot tall, Kid. It is easier when I do it." The wolf waved his feet through the water, making figure eights.

Martin was quiet for a moment and then said, "I wanted to come and talk with you. Nathaniel asked me to mate with him."

"I know."

"He told you?"

"I knew it the first day when you took his hand. One or the other of you was going to ask one day."

"You have it, don't you?"

"Have what, Kid?"

"I don't know what to call it. It's like a second sight... you see things... things people are trying to hide... things people don't know... things they can't get past... events that are going to happen."

"Yeah. Back in the day, we called it the Sight."

"Do you hear the voices, too?"

"Yeah, but what the hell do you call all that screaming?"

Martin laughed. "I don't know. But somewhere along the line, we should come up with a name for it."

Will laughed in return. "It sucks, Kid. I'm sorry you have it. At least it's easier in the company of Weres."

Martin nodded. "It is. It's quieter here. I thought it was because there were fewer people. But that's not it. Your voices are quieter."

"Well, humans are totally fucked up, so that accounts for the noise. Most of us werebeasts are only partially fucked up, so it makes it quieter."

Martin looked at Will. "So will it make me as cynical as you are, Will?"

"If you take Nathaniel up on his offer to mate, I suspect you'll become an asshole like me in a few hundred years."

"I suppose I could live with that if I loved as deeply as you do."

"It's a two-edged sword, Kid. We see the good and the bad. Just when I think there's no one else worth saving, along comes some frigging airman who falls in love with my son. I know where this world is heading, and I can't stop seeing it. But I can't stop shoveling sand against the tide, either. I'm too vested in the ones I love to ever stop trying."

"Well, if we shovel hard enough, even if we don't stop the tide from coming in, maybe we can keep it from flooding our little place on the beach."

"I used to think that, too, Kid. About year three hundred, I realized I was shoveling under two feet of salt water and barnacles were taking up residence on my butt."

Martin laughed. "I know how you feel. I already have days like that." He paused. He put his arm around Will's shoulders, leaned in, and gave him a brief kiss. "We might have a chance if we shoveled together."

Will looked at him and smiled. "I could use the help, Kid. Thanks for the offer."

"Well, I want to be on good terms with my father-in-law."

"So, you decided?"

"Yeah, I said yes the day he asked me. I wanted the blessings of his fathers first."

"Well, you know you have mine. I suspect you know you have the others. But it's nice of you to involve us in the formalities."

"Will," Martin asked, "will I ever be able to turn it off? Have you ever had a moment where you didn't see it all unfolding?"

"You know I have a reputation for liking sex, right?"

"Oh yeah. Word got to me about that pretty quickly. The temple dogs think of you as darn near legendary."

"One reason I like it so much is that for me, it's a moment away from the world pressing in. Humans, Weres, and Changelings, we can all get lost in sex. It's a time when we can turn off the brain and be in the moment." Will smiled. "A very pleasurable moment."

Martin shook his head. "You don't hear them worrying about how much teeth they use on the blow job, or if their hair is getting messed up, or if their wife is going to find out?"

"Or if they have time to get a burger after it's all done?"

Martin laughed out loud. "God, you too? Doesn't that drive you crazy when they're making plans before you've even finished?"

"That's why I love my family. They're right there with me. I used to use sex with the humans to try drowning out the noise, to push back the visions. It didn't work that well. But the Changelings, the Weres, they drag me into that place where I only hear their hearts beating. They stay with me in that moment, and for a few hours, all I can hear is them."

"A few hours?"

"Or days," the old wolf added. "We should have mentioned that. Why do you think we take so long to get anything done around here?"

Martin grabbed Will in a tight hug. "I am so going to love this family."

Will hugged back. "And we are so going to love you." He paused. "Raw... pretty much we're going to love you raw for the first few weeks until you get used to it."

Martin laughed as he let the werewolf slip from the hug. "I have to go talk to your husbands, and then to my future husband."

"Good luck," Will said, smiling.

The conversations went well with the other fathers. In fact, surprisingly well with the father bears. They almost seemed aware of the announcement even before he told them. It wasn't until he was talking to Derrick that Martin bumped up against his first obstacle to the idea.

Martin looked nervously at the black wolf. "So what do you think, Papa Wolfy? Do I have your blessing?"

Derrick looked up and smiled. "It will take some getting used to having someone else call me that, but yeah, I'm okay with it."

"Then I guess we should move on to our mating as soon as we can," Martin said. "Papa Wolfy, Nathaniel and I have talked about the two of us returning to Partridge Island. We're going to take your advice."

"I'm glad for you. Your happiness and his lies there."

"Do you have the Sight, too, Papa Wolfy?"

"The Sight?"

"Something akin to precognition. You seem very confident that's where we need to be."

"Oh, I think you knew that all along, Martin. If there's anyone who has the Sight on this highland, it's you." Derrick paused. "And Will, of course. But not me. Kris and I are more alike. We sit and we watch. We try to sort it all out. Sometimes we see things, patterns in the fabric, so to speak. But it's not supernatural. It's us doing the math."

"Well, that's a pretty amazing gift all by itself," Martin said with a smile.

"It comes in handy. And that's why I'm going to give you a piece of advice everyone else has probably overlooked because you seem so on top of things."

Martin looked at the black wolf. "What's that?"

"Martin, a Kodiak has thrown me into a tree from twenty feet away. A ton and a half of black bear meat covered in white fur slammed me against a rock wall. I mate with two husbands who have sledgehammers for hands, and both have pounded me into the ground." The wolf made a circle with his fingers on one paw and then shoved his index finger on the other in and out of the hole. "And I mean pounded."

Martin laughed. "I guess I never thought about it."

"Well, you better, because if Will hadn't reminded me of what I wanted most the night he turned me, my life might be very different from what it is now. There was no way I was confident enough to become this," the werewolf said, waving at his body.

"The moment of your change, it will be your thoughts, your intentions, that will push you to become what you become. You can't wait for that night to know what you will be. You need to know before it all starts unfolding. Because believe me, when you're being turned by a Changeling, you won't have time to think. It has to be instinct for you before that moment. There's no time to be considering your options in the middle of it all."

"I guess I better be reading up on the short-faced bear."

"Yeah. Everything you can get your hands on. You don't have the advantage of that encyclopedic brain of Nathaniel's helping you out with this one."

Martin leaned over and kissed the black wolf. "Thank you, Papa Wolfy. Thank you for being there for Nathaniel." The human paused. "And for Oliver, too."

"And for you, Son. I will do my best to be there for you too," Derrick said, smiling back. "Now, go on and tell our son that you have our blessings. I'm sure he's nervous, waiting for the news."

Chapter 20

The lingering kiss between the two ended. "They all said yes," Martin said, smiling.

"They did? Even Father?"

"He and I have always seen eye to eye on this. We want what's best for you. And for now, I'm pretty sure that's me."

"Oh, really?" Nathaniel said, laughing. He gripped Martin even more tightly. "I'd call you cocky if deep down I didn't agree with you."

"Be my mate, Nathaniel."

"So, you're asking me now?"

"I figure we both need to hear the words," Martin said as he kissed the bear. "I want you to know this is all I have ever wanted since I came to the highland, and that I'm scared, too."

"Should we wait on this? We may need more time to make the right decision."

"No, I know we're doing the right thing. I'm letting you know that with any great leap of faith, doubt comes along to try and mess it up."

"I'm terrified, Martin."

"The greater the leap, the greater the doubt. Because with a great leap comes great responsibility."

Nathaniel burst out laughing. "You're going to quote Spider-man?"

"Is it going to work?"

The bear kissed the human. "Actually, it is. Whenever I think there is nothing that could ever make me laugh, you are there making me laugh." He kissed the human again. "I love you."

"So, what's a guy have to do to get a bear to fuck him around here?"

"Ask?"

"Will you please fuck me, Bear?"

"This change is forever, Martin. One last time. Are you sure you want this?"

"This is the part I don't have any doubts about, Bear. I want to be your mate. I will do whatever it takes to be by your side, even letting that thing you've been rubbing up against me for the last half hour inside me."

Nathaniel smiled. "I'll change."

"No, Bear. Don't change. I'm not taking the chance that we fuck up this whole DNA transfer thing by using the wrong body." Martin grimaced in thought for a moment. "First, let me clarify some things. Werebeasts heal fast, right?"

"With a normal injury, yes."

"So, when a gigantic bear with an oversized dick fucks a novitiate human, as he turned into a werebeast, that healing would already be underway, right?"

"I guess so."

"And no matter what, as he turned, the novitiate would be in incredible pain, right?"

"Right. The first time is always tough. There's so much realigning within the new body."

"So, and here's the tough part, Nathaniel," Martin continued. "Can you fuck me no matter what I yell out if you know it is what I want now, and it will be what I want after I turn?"

"But not in the middle?"

"Yeah, not in the middle."

"There's only one way I could do that, Martin."

"And how is that?"

"If we mate with the change," Nathaniel answered. "Instinct will take over when we mate. It gets rough, and I'll lose most of that part of me that is most protective of you until we've both mated. And once you've turned, you'll lose your protective nature toward me as your drive to mate takes over."

Nathaniel waved his arms aggressively. "From the outside, it will look like we're fighting for dominance, but that's not what happens. Domination of another isn't a part of our mating. It never has been. The first part of our mating affirms that we will go through any amount of pain to be with each other. It's symbolic. I won't kill you, and you won't kill me, but we will run each other through the wringer."

"Yikes."

"Yeah, yikes. Big fucking bear yikes."

"Okay. We don't have to have the wolf pack here the way they did with Papa Wolfy and the twins, do we?"

"Nope. There's a difference between a novitiate and an initiate. One is the change, the turning. The other is the adoption into the pack. We're Changelings. The wolves adopt only other canids into the pack. We're more like shirttail relatives with familial and occasional conjugal rights."

"Whew," Martin said, wiping his brow. "Taking your dick and the dick of everyone in the pack on the same night was a concern for me."

Nathaniel frowned. "Uh-oh."

"What uh-oh?"

"Changelings in musth give off pheromones, lots of pheromones. On the plus side, they help ease the pain and greatly increase the pleasure. On the downside, we're surrounded by a whole family of Changelings that are highly responsive to those pheromones."

"You're saying while we're banging, your fathers are going to be getting all worked up... as in 'hey, we're horny, let's fuck those two' worked up?"

"Yeah, kind of," Nathaniel said. "Well, more like yeah, definitely. And the temple dogs, too."

"Fuck!"

"Yeah... a lot of fucking before it's all over. And it all involves some pretty big dicks. I mean, Papa Wolfy and Father are the smallest guys on the highland." Nathaniel looked at Martin and rubbed his chest. "We don't have to do this. I know you thought you were signing up for me, not the whole family."

"No, Nathaniel," Martin said. "I have always known I was signing up for the whole family. Don't forget that I'm the one who believes in creating our own family. I don't have a family of my own, but if you let me, I will make your family mine."

"You sure?"

"Nathaniel, I want you as my mate. I want a family. I'm getting all that tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Why wait? I love you. You love me. Your family is always horny. So, I don't see any reason to wait."

"They won't have time to plan a reception. Father won't get cake. I'm pretty sure he expects cake from my marriages."

"We'll buy Father his own cake. Be my mate, Nathaniel. Take me tonight." Martin leaned in and kissed the bear. "Fuck me, Bear. I've waited four months for this night. Don't make me wait any longer."

The bear returned the kiss. Martin knew he had his answer when the paw slipped into the human's crotch.

Will bolted from his chair. "Those crazy kids. They've started."

"What?" Kris said, looking up from across the table. He dropped his cards and sniffed the air. "You're right."

"Well, husbands," the polar bear sighed. "Best get outside. We don't want to break any furniture on our way out by waiting too long."

The black wolf laughed. "You're forgetting whose son is mating tonight. We could be outdoors a few days before he calls us to his side."

Kris laughed. "This is mating, Pup. You're talking about sex. There's going to be a novitiate pushing to get through the transformation and a bear trying to mate. It may be hours, but it won't be days."

"He's right, Pup," Will agreed. "Remember your matings?"

"Okay, Okay. I forgot," Derrick said. "So, first the turning, then the mating, then the sex with the family that lasts for days."

"Sounds about right," said the white bear with a smile.

The family stepped outside the cavern and looked up at the star-filled sky. "Nice night for a turning," Will said, smiling. His nostrils flared. "Damn. That boy puts off the pheromones like nobody else."

"He's young," Kris said with a wide grin. "Everything about his is easily aroused, including producing pheromones."

"So," Derrick asked. "How does that explain your pheromones kicking into overdrive?"

Kris smiled shyly. "I'm in the company of the men I love. My son is getting ready to mate with the human he's turning. It was inevitable."

"He's right, husbands," Eric said, laughing. "I won't be able to hold off for much longer."

"So," Will said with an air of frustration. "You Changelings are getting all hot and bothered, throwing off pheromones that drive us crazy, and we're supposed to wait here for our sons to call us?"

"That's the tradition."

"Well, we've always played fast and loose with everything else, Old Bear. How about tonight you take your husbands and save them a bit of frustration in the waiting process? After all, you mated with us. That's in your job description now."

The polar bear leaned over and kissed the Iberian wolf. "It is that." His thick white paw slid along the wolf's sheath and tugged gently. "What say we break another tradition, husbands?"

Eric looked up from his kiss to see the black wolf and the brown bear already on the ground, well on their way to accomplishing that break. The wolf's legs were over the Kodiak's shoulders and the bear was lapping at the pup's dick. When the bear's tongue slipped into Derrick's hole, Eric smiled. "I love this family."

"And this family loves you," Will said. "Now, how about you return the favor?"

The white bear grabbed the wolf while remaining upright and shoved the canid onto his cock, pulling him to the base. "Timber," he yelled as he leaned forward and both began falling toward the ground.

Will's eyes widened at the thought of hitting the ground with the mass of the polar bear on top of him when he pushed into the thick fat and fur of the Kodiak. With his massive white paws using the Kodiak for support, the polar bear began driving his cock into the Iberian wolf. The Kodiak looked back. "I hope you brought enough of that for everyone, Old Bear," he said.

The polar bear nodded, never hesitating in his thrusting as he picked up the impaled wolf and laid him on the ground. "Oh, I did, Husband, and you're going to find out how much I brought when you're next."

"Not until he's done with me," the black wolf protested.

The Kodiak's head bobbed as he returned to rimming the young wolf. "No worries, Pup," he mumbled. "I brought plenty for everyone, too." He rose, dragging the black wolf into the air. Kris wrapped his arms around Derrick and lowered the wolf onto his cock. "You good, Pup?" the bear asked.

"You'll find out soon enough how good I am," he said, giggling. He clamped his legs around the bear's girth and began humping the cock embedded deep inside him. Kris's eyes rolled back into his head and he made a gurgling noise that said so much more than words ever could.

A loud roar came from the woods shortly after the young wolf and Kodiak came. It was deeper and throatier than Nathaniel's. Will smiled. "He's turned. You're right, he was pushing for it."

The second roar was clearly Nathaniel's. "Well, boys, I guess our game is getting called on account of the reigning bears," the polar bear said.

"Yours might be," the upright Kodiak said, still clinging to the wolf. "Not mine. I'm more than happy to bide my time inside the pup." The bear's hips pushed forward and up into the black werewolf, and the pup gave out a joyful bark.

There was a calamitous smashing of bush and tree, and the short-faced bear stumbled out of the forest and into the glade. What followed was a giant beast standing at least thirteen feet tall. It had a flat narrow muzzle surrounded by heavy jowls that looked nothing like the short-faced bear.

The bear hurled himself into the other before the fathers could glimpse the behemoth. The bear tried to go for the other's neck, but with a shove of the other's clawed hand, the bear stumbled backward. With a roar, the other spun around. A broad muscular tail, nearly a third the size of the beast's body, swung around and slammed into the bear. The bear went reeling into the ground, followed immediately by the massive girth of the other pushing up against the rear of the bear.

From the short-faced bear's roar of pain, his fathers knew the other beast had penetrated the bear. The other lowered his body on top of the bear, immobilizing him. Bending forward as his head inched closer to the bear's neck, the beast's jaws opened wide. There were no fangs, only a wide, open space dotted with flat molars. The creature bit down into the neck of the bear.

Kris laughed aloud. Still embedded in the young wolf, he yelled, "You go, Martin!"

"You go, Kris," growled the black wolf, begging the bear to resume his thrusting. The bear looked down and obliged his partner.

"Come on, Old Bear," the old wolf begged, still impaled on his husband's cock. "They're going to be fine. Let's leave them to the night, and they'll call us when they're ready. But for now, I'm ready, and you're what I need."

The white bear spun the wolf around and Will, ever the consummate bottom, made the pivot without ever letting go of the cock inside him. Eric dropped to his knees and shoved Will to the ground. Having never slipped out, the bear remained deep inside the Iberian wolf. Leaning in, the bear bit lovingly into the back of the wolf's neck as he resumed his thrusting. Only a guttural moan told everyone of Will's satisfaction.

Thirty minutes later, out on the glade, the beast rose. A long cock pulled back, dripping its ejaculate onto the bear's rump. The beast took two steps to the side and reached down, grabbing the bear's arms.

"Son of a bitch," Will said, pushing up from the ground. "Look."

The fathers watched the beast help the bear upright. Once up, the bear roared, preparing to resume the battle. Instead, the other beast lowered itself onto all fours and exposed his neck to the bear. The bear staggered back for a moment, confused by this yielding without a fight, and then, pitching forward, he bit into the neck of the beast. There was no scream of pain, no fight to throw the bear off. It was a total submission of body and will that only the black wolf fully understood.

The blood of the beast poured from his neck as the bear tried to find access to mating. The creature lifted himself with the bear still clinging to his neck. He rolled backward, extending his tail. As the beast pushed his massive head toward the ground, he forced the bear to release his hold. As he did, the beast grabbed him and placed the bear into position to mount him. Confused but willing, the bear entered the beast. Soon, the beast's erection returned, slapping against the furry bodies as they mated. At the moment that the bear roared through his orgasm, the other's cock spurted cum across the beast's face and chest.

"Da-aamn," Will said. "The boys pulled off a simultaneous orgasm on their first go-round."

Kris laughed again. "That boy has skills. I am amazed he lasted four months without using them."

Derrick rolled out from under the brown bear and looked toward the two in the glade. "I'm not. He waited for what he always wanted."

Kris pulled the black wolf up and kissed him. "As have we all, Pup. He was just visionary enough to see it all along."

Will smiled. "Truer words have never been spoken, Husband."

The polar bear cleared his throat. "We have guests," he said, pointing off toward the rice paddies.

Three temple dogs stood gazing at the two in the field, their massive erections bobbing along with their anxious bodies. They watched as the two now gentle creatures touched and felt their way across each other.

"Poor guys," Will said. "They didn't have the advantage of breaking with tradition."

"They're probably going insane waiting for those two, and it doesn't look like the newlyweds are going to come up for air anytime soon," Kris added.

"Well, I'm willing to sacrifice myself for the sake of our family," Will said, slipping out from under the polar bear. He shook into a wolf and dashed off toward the temple dogs.

"Me too," Derrick said as joined his wolfen husband. Together, the wolves danced around the temple dogs, nipping at their feet and barking playfully. Two of the temple dogs reached out and grabbed the wolves, pulling them into a kiss. The wolves turned into werewolves, and the remaining dog mounted the Iberian wolf from behind.

From their vantage point, the two father bears smiled as they watched the two fields of play. Kris looked at Eric. "Well, Old Bear, I have an itch I believe only you can scratch."

The polar bear smiled and kissed his husband. "How do you want to go at this?"

"Well, in honor of the temple dogs, I say let's go doggy style."

The brown bear rolled over onto all fours and the polar bear stood up. Turning his head back to his mate, the brown bear smiled, wagging his stub of a tail. "Woof," he said, as the polar bear lunged forward into him.

Chapter 21

Sunrise over the highland found the family gathering from their night of nontraditional family bonding. The temple dogs now sated, kissed the wolves, and waved goodbye to the other massive beasts on the glade. They promised to return later in the day, but for now, they granted the family the time they needed to act as they saw fit.

"So, was this your idea, Nathaniel?" the polar bear asked.

"I had nothing to do with it, Papa. Honestly, I thought he was going to be a short-faced bear."

"Well, the tradition continues," Will said dejectedly. "Our family can't turn Weres for shit."

Martin looked at Will. Even seated, the beast was a foot taller than the werewolf. "As far as I'm concerned, it was a perfect turning. I'm exactly what I intended to be."

"And exactly what is that?" Will asked.

"A Megatherium," Kris said, clapping his paws together.

Martin tapped his nose with a long, curved claw and pointed to Kris. "He wins the prize."

"What the fuck is that?" Will said, shaking his head.

Martin smiled. "A giant ground sloth. They died out over ten thousand years ago, but they're baaaaack."

Will stared at Martin's new incarnation. "Really, Kid? A ground sloth? We have two sons and they both opt to be extinct species?"

Martin leaned over the werewolf and grinned. "I figured being a short-faced bear like my husband would only confuse you, Father. You're still struggling with the red wolf twins, so two short-faced bears were only going to make matters worse. The Megatherium was one of the few animals that could stand up to the short-faced bear and walk away alive. I'm in love with a Changeling. If I have my way about it, he'll never have to hold back when we make love. As a ground sloth, I've seen to the physical part of that equation."

"You have a point there," Will said, nodding his head in agreement. "Changelings can get rough when their inhibitions drop. You made a wise choice, and thanks for making it easier on me."

The sloth looked at the werewolf and grinned again. "Oh, and one other thing, Father." The sloth opened his mouth wide and an enormous tongue slipped out and dangled far below his chin, touching the wolf's nose. It curled upward, seductively moving across the lips, and slid back into his mouth. "Prehensile lips, Old Wolf. The tongue is still controversial in paleontological circles. But all you need to know is that it's a tongue that borders on the flexibility of another limb."

The wolf stared at the sloth, mesmerized by the potential of what he saw.

"It may take me a while to get around to you, what with a new husband and all," the sloth said, "but when I do, your ass is mine, Old Wolf." Martin paused. "Well, mine and Papa Wolfy's. And Dad and Papa Bear's, too." He sighed. "Nathaniel will probably want it, and if I'm not mistaken, Jean Pierre and both sets of twins are kind of hot for it. And come to think of it, I saw what those temple dogs did to it." He looked at the wolf. "Oh, what the hell. I'll take a number and stand in line, okay?"

Will stood there in rapt contemplation over the idea of prehensile lips and a tongue longer than his cock.

Derrick grabbed Will into a tight hug. "Husband's getting a woody," he laughed.

Will nodded. "Can you imagine?"

Nathaniel leaned over and kissed his father, lingering long enough to stroke the old wolf's cock into a full erection. "I don't have to imagine, Father. I already know." He giggled like a young schoolboy. "And you are going to be amazed. My power bottom father has met a power top who has one big bone that you won't find on the fossil specimens."

Derrick looked at Nathaniel and then over at Martin. "Don't forget, there are two power bottoms in this family."

The sloth reached over and pulled the pup into a tight embrace. The thick prehensile lip worked over the lips of the black wolf, while only Derrick knew what magic the sloth's tongue was doing inside his mouth. When they broke their kiss, the sloth whispered to the wolf, "What say I take you first and drive the old wolf crazy?"

Derrick rubbed the face of the sloth. "I have to admit, I'm tempted. But he's my husband, and I can't stand to see him suffer like that. He goes first if it's okay with you."

The sloth rose, towering above the family. "Nathaniel will always go first, but we will be happy to share our affections with the whole family anytime you visit."

"Visit?" asked the white bear.

"We're returning to Partridge Island, Papa," Nathaniel said.

The white bear smiled. "A wonderful idea. The family of Weres will be happy to see you again. And I suspect one little badger will be overjoyed."

Nathaniel nodded in agreement.

The Kodiak smiled as well. "And you seem to have kept your departure plans secret to yourself, Son. I see you're learning on many fronts." The brown bear extended his arms. "Come, give your dad a hug. I am going to miss you. Remember, we're not the only ones who can visit, you know."

Nathaniel entered his dad's embrace. "I won't forget, Dad. I'm already missing you."

Kris put his head on his son's shoulder. "I'm afraid you'll regret pointing that out, Son. If I know my son is lonely for me, I'm likely to visit far more often than you care for."

"I have a family that has never left me with regrets," the young bear replied.

"Best not wander off this highland too soon," Will said. "You would disappoint one old wolf and three temple dogs if you left without honoring the traditions of newly mated couples."

"Two wolves and three temple dogs," Derrick said, waving his hand shyly.

Nathaniel looked to his Changeling fathers. Kris shrugged. "You would probably disappoint two bears as well."

The Megatherium laughed out loud. "Didn't I tell you I was going to love this family?" He grabbed Will and brought him into a close hug as he pressed his lips up against the old wolf's. The others looked on in bemused silence as the wolf's entire body went limp, except for one organ. "I can jack that off with my tongue," the sloth said, rubbing his curved claw over the wolf's cock.

"Temple dogs," Will muttered. "Get the temple dogs."

"They're already here, Old Wolf," the polar bear said, motioning to the three staring at the sloth and wolf anxiously.

"Good," the old wolf said. "The family is all here. Let the games begin." The Iberian wolf's legs reached down, stroking the Megatherium's hard cock. "Dibs on the bottom bunk."

Chapter 22

Three days later, the badger stood in the rain watching as the Red Wolf touched down. From the window, he saw the twin red wolves wave. He waved back, averting his eyes. The hatch opened, the stairs extended, and Nathaniel stepped out into the rain. He bounded down the steps in his human form. As soon as he stepped onto the concrete, he shook himself back into the short-faced bear. Martin followed, but when his feet touched the landing strip, he remained a human. Nathaniel looked at him quizzically. The human raised and lowered his flattened palm, marking the size of something large. "I figure I'd give him a bit of time before the way too big reveal."

Nathaniel nodded. "That's a good idea." He extended his arms out, and the badger came running to him. "Oh, you're all wet and squishy."

"I'm sorry. Been waiting for you," the badger said, pushing into the bear.

"I like it," Nathaniel said. "Brings back happy memories." The bear put down the badger and turned to the human. "This is my husband, Martin."

Martin extended his hand. A look of horror spread over the badger's face, and he started stepping back.

Martin watched the badger's retreat. "Is there something wrong, Oliver?"

"You're like the old wolf," Oliver said, half in awe and half in fear.

Martin leaned down so that he was eye to eye with the little badger. "What do you mean?"

"You gots the Sight."

"Oh, that," Martin sighed with relief. "I was afraid you thought I was horny all the time or that I treat humans like crap."

"Are you?" the badger asked inquisitively.

"Am I what?"

"Horny all the time?"

"Yeah, that's true. I'll probably treat humans like crap eventually, but for now, I'm pretty ambivalent about them." He leered at Oliver. "Now badgers, on the other hand, have my full attention."

The badger laughed uneasily. "I'm asking about the Sight thing 'cause I can't say I likes the idea of someone rooting around in my brain. It's kind of scary."

Martin nodded his head. "Yeah, it is. It's even scarier to hear all the voices and see all the visions. Maybe we can help each other through it."

Oliver thought for a moment. "I never thought about your side of it. Can't be easy. I can try to help if you like. What do I do?"

"Well, the old wolf says tons of sex helps."

The badger laughed. "You'se teasing me."

"Actually, I'm not," Martin replied. "But what I could use is a friend who helps keep me grounded. Nathaniel has his work cut out trying to help me. I could use a friend willing to help pull me back when he sees I need it. The same as you do for Nathaniel."

"I don't do nothing for Nathaniel."

Martin reached out and rubbed the shoulder of the badger. "You do more for the bear than you realize."

"I like Nathaniel." The badger paused. "Is it okay to say I love Nathaniel in front of you?"

"I love him. I can't see a reason for you not to feel the same."

"Well, it ain't like you and the bear. That's mate love. I'm more like friend love."

"Friend love it is."

"You gotta problem with a 'friend with benefits' kinda love?"

"You gotta problem with me being there when you're benefiting from your friendship?"

"No. Kinda wanted his other husband there when we played, but I couldn't convince him. I thinks we was both afraid of what it might mean between the two of us. Still, it woulda made me feel better about it all."

"So, do you have a problem with me being a benefiting friend from time to time?"

"Don't know. What kinda beast are you?"

"I'm a Megatherium."

"A what?"

"A giant ground sloth."

"You gonna start speaking a language I understand anytime soon?" the badger complained.

Martin shook himself into the Megatherium. The tiny badger looked up into the pouring rain at the giant beast, and his jaw dropped. "Jesus H. Christ, Boy, what the hell are you?"

"The guy who's married to your best friend."

"Well, yeah, you gots me there. But I ain't never seen nothing like you before. You's huge."

"Yeah, I am that. I have to be big to love the short-faced bear."

The badger shook his head no. "I love the bear and I ain't no monster truck with fur."

"Do you see me as a monster?" the sloth asked.

"Nah. You know what I mean. You're big. Monster-size big. You ain't no monster, though. You're kinda pretty in a weird way. And you're kind. Monsters ain't kind. Monsters are cowards and cruel."

The sloth thought about the badgers' comments for a moment and then pushed back in a different direction. "So, you're okay with me being a ground sloth?"

"It might take some getting used to. But yeah, I get horny enough, and you're gonna start looking right hot."

"You know I have a dick that's over half your size," the sloth mentioned.

"R-r-really?" the badger stammered, staring at the sloth's crotch. "Did I tell you I'm a top?"

Martin laughed out loud and grabbed the badger. He pulled him up into a warm kiss and the sloth's tongue explored the inside of the badger's mouth. As Nathaniel watched the two, he saw the sloth's tongue slipping from the slack jaw of the badger. The prehensile lip tugged at the badger's lower lip one last time before letting it go.

The badger groaned with closed eyes. "Gawd, you can fuck me, Beast. Just let the bear have me first to loosen me up."

Nathaniel smiled and slipped his paw up along the tiny mammal's stiff rod. The claw scratched at it roughly, and Oliver groaned. "Ahhh, Bear, you know how I love that." The little animal's recognition of his own words brought him back from the place he had slipped into, and his eyes opened to see the bear smiling at him. "B-b-bear... I didn't mean to... I mean, I wanted to ask you..."

The bear leaned in and kissed the badger. "Change, Oliver. Change or I'm using you as a jack-off sleeve."

The tiny mammal shook himself into his Were form. His increase in size and weight scarcely affected the grip the great sloth had on him as he dangled in the air. "Okay, boys," the sloth said, lowering Oliver to the ground. "It's been a year since you two had any quality time together. So, I'm going to leave you two and let you enjoy getting reacquainted."

Nathaniel's disappointed look was obvious. "No, you can stay."

"And one day I will," the sloth said, "but for now, you two enjoy your reunion." He looked at the badger. "You ride him hard and put him away wet now, you hear?"

The badger smiled. "I can try."

"It makes him horny. And you know what horny means," the sloth said, smiling back.

"I ain't gonna see you for two days."

"You two know I'm standing right here beside you, right?" Nathaniel broke in.

"Of course, Husband," Martin grinned. "We're just talking shop."

"And I'm the shop?" Nathaniel asked indignantly.

"Yep," the sloth answered. "Now get in there, rev up your motor, and fire all your pistons."

Nathaniel glared.

"Vrooom, vroom. Gentlemen, start your engines," the sloth continued.

"You know, if you two don't stop this pillow talk," the badger groused, "I'm gonna lose the boner you gave me."

The sloth grabbed the badger and gave him a quick kiss. "Can't go having that." He put down the badger and kissed his mate. "Go on, relive that day in the rain together. I'll catch up with you later." With that, he turned and walked off the helipad.

The sloth lumbered slowly across the island. He soon reached the far side, where row upon row of white gravestones surrounded the small chapel. "So many ghosts," he sighed. He shook himself and became human. He tapped the small bud in his ear and said, "Home... Papa." He looked out over the bay, shivering while he waited. When he heard the greeting of the white bear, he paused. "Papa, we need to talk."

Chapter 23

The following morning, the giant sloth was outside the gunnery tunnels, pulling down branches from the trees and biting into them. The werebadger stumbled out from underneath and blinked back the sun. "Damn stairs. Shoulda made a ramp so little legs could come out of them tunnels." He looked at the sloth. "What are you doing?"

"Multi-tasking," the sloth replied. "A bit of tree pruning and a bit of breakfast." He looked down at the badger. "You look like hell, Badger."

"Didn't sleep much."

"You miss cuddling up to the bear?"

"Might be that."

"You could have slept with us. It hurt Nathaniel that you turned down the offer."

"I didn't mean to hurt him none. But it's better this way."

"No, Badger, it's not. You confused Nathaniel. He thought you loved him."

"I do. That's why I'm sleeping in the tunnels. They fixed them up right nice, so you don't have to worry. It's that it always ends bad when I love someone. When they sees the monster. When they sees the awful."

"What monster? What awful?" the two heard Nathaniel ask.

The badger turned to see the bear standing behind him. "God, no," the badger cried out. "Please, god, no. Don't let me lose this, too."

"Lose what, Badger?" Nathaniel asked.

The badger screamed out in pain. "Please, god, I just wanted a little taste of life. Don't beat me down for wanting just a taste."

Nathaniel looked at his mate. "What's going on? What have you done to Oliver?"

"It's not me; it's what's inside the badger that's causing this grief."

Nathaniel stood between the two, confused. "What is going on?"

The badger slowly backed up toward the gunnery tunnels. "Bear, block that staircase!" the sloth yelled. With a side step, the massive bear's girth blocked the tunnel stairway.

"Please, Beast," the badger begged. "Please, let me go. I promise I won't bother you two ever again. Let me go back to my tunnels. Let the monster live. I ain't no harm to no one if you let me back into my tunnels."

The sloth rose and glowered at the little mammal. "No, Badger. Today we kill the monster. Don't you see? You're not the monster. The monster is inside you, feeding on your guilt. I will not let that happen to someone I care about. I will not let it destroy the love you and my mate share."

"It ain't gonna end well, Beast," the badger said, trying to find a way past the bear into the tunnels. "Sometimes there ain't no way past the awful."

Nathaniel looked back and forth between the two in front of him. "What's he talking about, Sloth? What awful?"

The sloth leaned protectively toward the badger. "You, Bear, remember your feelings for the badger. Don't let the love of yesterday's reunion escape your thoughts. Not now; not in the moments to come. Never lose sight of those feelings." The sloth looked down at the werebadger. "And you, you tell the story. You kill the monster inside that's killing you!"

The werebadger shrank back into the badger and cowered. "You know," he cried out.

"Of course I know, Badger. I have the Sight, remember?" He picked the badger up and stared into Oliver's eyes. "I have known since the first moment we locked eyes." The sloth shook the badger. "And I love you. I still love you. You need to trust that there is forgiveness to be had in this world. Let us bring you home. No more living in the tunnels. No more hiding. Today, the truth comes out."

"I can't," the badger cried out. "I can't."

Nathaniel stared at the two. "What truth? What can't you say, Oliver?"

"His confession," the sloth said. "Oliver, it's time. Trust that there is forgiveness."

"Oliver?" Nathaniel asked.

The sloth put the whimpering badger on the ground and the tiny creature rolled up into a ball. "Oh god, oh god, I was there," he sobbed. "I was there when your papa fled the Great Plains. I was there when the red wolves died."

"You fought alongside the red wolves?"

"No," the badger cried out through the pain. "I was there! I was human!"

Nathaniel's face turned from concern to anger. The sloth reached out and grabbed his paw. "Stay here, Nathaniel. Don't forget your feelings for the badger; don't forget what is true."

"You killed the red wolves?" an angry Nathaniel asked.

"I never fired a shot at them, but I might as well have been the rifles that took them down. God forgive me, I might as well have been them rifles."

Nathaniel's face softened. "Tell me, Badger. Tell me the story."

"I was a tracker for hire. I had a knack for it, and it seemed like easy money. One day, I got hired to take a group of hunters on an expedition for a great white bear. They was heading toward parts of the West that weren't even the United States yet. They said they seen it heading north into lands owned by the French. I figured a few days riding, and they'd lose interest. After all, there weren't no such thing as white bears."

The badger stayed huddled up in a tight ball. "On the third day, I found your father's tracks, along with eight others. There was a bear, six wolves, and two humans. Those marks in the dirt hooked the tracker in me. What band of critters was it that left such tracks? I had no idea the merciless hell I was riding into, but since that day, I have lived there."

The badger lifted his head slightly. "I spotted the bear running from us through my spyglass, a glimmer of white with something on its back. The chase was on. They was fast, but the hunters' horses was faster. As we got close, I pulled up and used my spyglass again. That's when I saw the two young Indians clinging to the bear's back. They was called Indians in those days, and for the humans, they weren't one step above the animal they held onto.

"And then there was the wolves. They turned likes they was one, and through my spyglass, I seen the alpha look at me and nod. I could tell he was asking for help. From so far away, I felt him look into my soul, and he found it wanting. I yelled to the hunters to come back. I told them to break off the hunt. I tried to tell them there was demons involved in all this. I had no idea that it was me that brought the demons to their prey."

Through his sobbing, the badger continued. "I held up on a knoll and saw it all. The wolves stood there waiting for the hunters. The bear with them two young men clinging to him continued on toward the grasslands. He never slowed. He never looked back.

"But the wolves held their ground as if giving the bear time to escape. I realized too late what I had done. Them wolves swore to protect the bear and the little ones, and all I could do was watch. I ain't never seen nothing so fierce, nothing so loyal. They took out half the hunting party before the gunfire began wiping out the pack. And then they rose up. Like giant beasts, half man and half wolf, they tore into the remaining hunters. They was covered in their own blood and they was dying, but still, they fought on. When it was over, no man or beast was standing. The wolves had done their duty. They saved the bear and the two boys. But at such a cost... such a cost.

"I stood there on the knoll watching a battle between man and beast, praying to God to let the beasts win. But God has never heard my prayers. I had a long rifle, but the coward in me couldn't take a stand and defend what I knowed was right. Them humans was my own kind. They taught me never to kill my own kind. But, I was like them. We was monsters, cruel and heartless, worse than any beast I ever knowed. I become the awful I despised."

The badger was quiet for a moment. "I buried them all that day on the plain. I made sure no one never found them. After that, I spent years tracking the Weres. It ain't that difficult, actually. And when I found them, I knowed what I had to do. Someone had to protect them. I had to save them from my kind. I may have not used my long rifle that day, but I learned right quick to use it defending the innocents, and I never stood down. My life has seen so much of dying. I ain't able to sleep at night for fear the dreams will come.

"I never stayed nowhere for long. They all saw the awful eventually. It bleeds from you like some poison, and when they seen it I left. I had no home. I pushed on, never looking back. Never in a million years did I think I would become one of you."

Nathaniel looked at the badger, still crouching in a ball. "How did that happen, Badger? How did you turn?"

"I met a lone wolf, and we traveled together for some time. He said he was going home to family, but his family lived so far apart. He was coming home from the human wars. I never understood why he'd save a one of us.

"We was together for months, moving back north from Mexico. The night he asked me to join him, I accepted. I thought as a great wolf I would be able to protect you all. But you sees, I gotta soul that has always been in hell. Even the wolf couldn't pull me from the pit. I became this pathetic little animal that burrows in the dirt. I'm a badger, and everyone hates badgers."

Nathaniel reached out and pulled the curled-up ball of fur into his chest. "You're not hated by everyone, Oliver. Some of us love you."

"How can you love me?" the badger asked. "How can anyone love me that knows the truth?"

Nathaniel held the badger tighter. The sloth reached down and stroked the head of the badger. "It's time, Badger. It's time to ask forgiveness of the bear."

"What would I forgive him for?" Nathaniel asked.

"Not you, Bear," the sloth replied. "That bear," he said, pointing to the white bear standing on the gun shelter above the tunnels.

"OH GOD, NO!" the little badger screamed. He pushed away from the young bear and fell to the ground. He stood up, trying to find an escape. "I've done everything you've ever asked of me," the badger cried out. "I come here to exile. I live in the tunnels. I don't hurt no one. Oh please, god, let it end."

The bear leapt from the battery and hit the ground inches away from the badger, knocking the little one back from the impact.

"Kill me, Old Bear," the badger screamed. "Kill me and make this end."

The bear reached down and pulled the badger up into a tight hug. He held the shaking badger tight until, at last exhausted, the tiny mammal went limp. "I am so sorry, Oliver. I thought you knew. This isn't exile. I sent you here because this is a sacred spot for the Weres. This is sanctuary. This is where the wounded and the hurting come to find healing, to find a home when they had none."

The badger's heaving chest calmed slightly. "Sanctuary?" he asked.

"A place where you could heal. A place where you could finally kill the monster that has haunted you your whole life. I entrusted you to my son because I knew you would be safe in his care. When you moved in with Nathaniel and Max, I thought you had healed from all the hurt. I had no idea that the awful was still lying dormant under the surface."

The bear let go of his hug and looked the badger in the eye as he dangled in the bear's arms. "But Nathaniel is still here. He still loves you. The fact he loves you so deeply is a bit of a shock, but then he has always surprised me."

"He loves me?" the badger asked, looking up.

"Very much so, it seems," the white bear responded.

The badger felt the soft pads of the short-faced bear stroke the back of his neck. "I've grown accustomed to you being in my life. There was more to our friendship than I saw. All these years I didn't know you were hurting so. I hope you can forgive me. I have a lot to learn about life on this planet."

The badger clung to the great white bear, "Forgive me, Old Bear, forgive me for not being strong enough to join in your fight."

Two familiar voices spoke as one. "We can view your inaction in different ways," the twins said in unison. "It is true, you didn't join in the battle with the wolves, but you had a long rifle and you didn't use it to take down the animal they paid you to hunt and kill. Your hesitation allowed Notaku to escape. You spared his life and ours, even if you could do no more."

The badger began to cry again. "I'se so sorry, boys. I couldn't... I couldn't..."

"You did what you could," the twins interjected. "You need to forgive yourself for what you could not do."

"Forgive me, red wolves, forgive me, Old Bear," the badger pled.

"We have forgiven you long ago, Oliver," the white bear said. "It's time for you to find forgiveness in your own heart. Allow the past to be the past. It's time to come home to your family."

"Come home," Nathaniel begged.

"But nothing can forgive the awful. Nothing can forgive."

Tiff stroked the badger's head lovingly. "We can never forget the awful, Badger, but we can forgive you. It's time, Oliver. Take the hand that has reached out to you. You are not the awful. You never were."

"One moment of indecision shouldn't destroy a life," the Megatherium said. "You've worked your entire life seeking forgiveness. Now let it be there for you. You've earned it, Badger. You only have to believe you deserve it."

Nathaniel lifted the face of the badger and kissed it. "We can't be having a husband who can't move on from the past. We're immortals, after all. That's a lot of living in the future to be so clouded by the past."

The badger looked confused. "Husband?"

The sloth rubbed the badger's head again. "Be our mate, Badger. Leave your past behind. Start living now." He transferred the badger from the white bear's arms to his. "Be our mate."

"Like he said, Badger," Nathaniel added. "Be our mate."

"I'm a badger, you know," Oliver said, wiping his eyes. "Surly disposition, kinda rank breath in the morning, way too small a dick for the two of you."

"There's no such thing as too small a dick," the sloth said.

"Spoken like a guy that's got a huge one," the badger retorted.

"So," Nathaniel interrupted, "you haven't answered our question. Will you be our mate?"

"I ain't saying no, but can I sleep on it? It's been a rough day and I'm still pretty shaky. I has a lot to think about. I wants to make sure I do right by you both."

"You take all the time you need," Nathaniel said. "We'll wait for you."

"And for the record, Oliver," the polar bear said, "You have my blessing and the blessing of my husbands. We hope you find the peace you so justly deserve."

"And you have the love of the pack, Badger," the twins said. "Your family wants you to know there is always a way home. You have only to put out your hand, and we will be there."

The badger looked back at the white bear and the twins. "I will tries to be worthy of your forgiveness."

Eric smiled. "You already are, Oliver. Now the challenge is to find the love inside you worthy of my sons." He stretched out his arms, and the sloth passed the little mammal back to the white bear. "I love you, Oliver. You go easy on yourself. It's time to heal." The bear kissed the badger and put him down.

Tiff leaned down and kissed the little mammal on the top of his head. "Time to embrace what might be instead of what has been, Badger."

Tuff brushed the hair on the badger's top. "Come down soon to Montana. Let us show you how a single act of kindness on your part has flowed out like ripples on a lake. This world is a better place because you are in it."

The badger smiled, brushing back his tears. "Thank you. Thank you all."

The sloth breathed a tremendous sigh of relief. He reached down and grabbed one of the fallen tree branches. "Can I interest anyone in some breakfast?"

"It's a tempting offer," the polar bear said with a chuckle. "But we have husbands that are waiting for our return."

The badger looked at the bear and wolves. "You came here just for this?"

"Not for this," the white bear corrected, motioning his hand for all that had transpired. "We came here just for you, Oliver. You are our family. We never stop loving, we never stop trying. When we stop trying, we stop being family. The old wolf taught me that."

"How is the bastard?" the badger asked.

"He sends his greetings. I believe the exact message I was to relay is, 'it's about fucking time, Oliver. It took you long enough.'"

"I really hates him."

The white bear smiled. "He loves you, too. You both just struggle with how to say it."

"Can you asks him to come visit?"

"Of course. I'm sure he will be happy to hear that," the polar bear said as he stretched. "Well, Pilots, can I beg a ride home?"

The twins nodded, and the bear turned and waved as he and the twins headed for the helipad.

The three watched as the Red Wolf lifted off the ground in the distance. It rose into the sky and within seconds had disappeared from view. "That is something I ain't never getting used to," the badger said.

"It is amazing," the sloth agreed. He looked down at the badger. "I know this has been a rough day, but will you go for one more walk with me?"

"You and me alone? No Nathaniel?"

"For a while. I promise to get you back to him soon."

"I walk too slow to keep up with you. You take two steps and you already outpaced me for a block."

"That's true, but I have a contingency plan for that." The sloth's long arms scooped up the badger and put the little mammal on his shoulder. "There are you comfortable?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Well then, so off we go." The sloth leaned over and kissed his mate. "We'll be home soon, Hon. I love you."

"I love you, too. I don't have to worry about you the way I worry about Father, do I?"

"Nope. We're two of a kind, but we're nothing alike."

The badger looked down at the sloth. "You has a funny way of saying things, don't you?"

"Yeah, I hear that a lot from people," Martin answered as he pivoted his bulky body and headed off onto the trail toward the cemetery.

As they walked, the sloth was silent, and in his silence, the badger worried about everything. At last, the sloth spoke. The badger breathed out a sigh of relief for anything that would keep his brain from turning over and over every mistake of his life. "You should talk to the temple dogs about that brain of yours, Badger. They can help train you to quiet it."

"Do you hear it?"

"I try to give you your space, but it's practically screaming."

"I'm sorry, Beast. I don't know how to make it stop."

The sloth reached back and pulled the badger forward, placing his lips up against the badger in an unrelenting kiss. Minutes later, when their lips parted, the sloth smiled. "There. Quiet at last."

"Ain't gonna last for long," the badger warned.

"That's okay," the sloth said, flipping the badger back onto his shoulder. "I know how to take a break now if I need to." He began his journey anew and then stopped a few paces into the walk. "Is that your boner pressing into my neck?"

"Yeah. Is that going to be a problem too? Because you kiss crazy good."

"No. I like the feeling. It's kind of flattering, in a way."

"Max used to say that."

"Well, I agree with Max."

"I miss him, Beast. I miss him something fierce."

"I know. Both you and Nathaniel will always miss him. And I will always miss not having the pleasure of knowing him. It's who we are. It's not a bad thing. But it's not a simple thing either."

The sloth lumbered forward again. The badger looked out from his top view. "We going to the cemetery?"

"Yep."

"Don't much like cemeteries," Oliver said. "I don't like being spooked."

"Understood. I suspect it's even worse with me bringing you here, what with me having the Sight that spooks you so much."

"Ain't spooked by it no more," the badger replied. "Sort'a glad you have it, actually. I know it ain't easy for you, but I'm grateful for what you done today."

"I love you, Badger. I will do anything to ensure your happiness; even if it means dragging you through hell in the short term."

"Is this walk going to drag me through hell?"

"I don't know. Truth is, you're a difficult one to read," Martin replied. "It might, but as I said, I hope in the long run it gives you some happiness... or at least some peace."

The sloth walked to a grassy area in the far corner of the island. He lifted the badger off his shoulder and put him down in front of a large carved stone. The badger quietly read the six names carved into the granite. Underneath each name, he saw the same red wolf insignia embossed on the twin's aircraft. Underneath the insignias were the words, "For love, for honor, for family, they gave all."

The badger fell to his knees. "I never knew their names."

"Papa did. Now you have somewhere you can go when you need to talk to them. They were wondrous creatures, Oliver. You need to know that they would never have wanted you to suffer this long over their deaths."

"I wish I could believe that," the badger sighed. "Are they here?"

"No, they have long since become the dust that fed the grass, which fed the rabbits, which fed generations of both humans and wolves. In turn, all those fed died and returned to the dust. That dust mingled with the dust of the red wolves. In death, the family of man and the family of the Weres always comes home together."

The sloth rubbed the head of the kneeling badger. "This is their memorial. It's the same as the one in Montana. But this one is for you. They will always be with you, Badger. The red wolves, Max, the old bear, the twins; every soul you ever touched." The sloth fell to the ground with a loud thud. He planted his head on the ground in front of the markers. "One day, even we will become a part of that dust, a part of that union with all that has ever been or ever will be. On that day, you will reunite with the red wolves and Max. You will be there, and not one speck of that dust will challenge your right to be there beside them. Let go, Badger. Be one with them now, while you still have the opportunity to enjoy the peace they offer you."

"I'll try, Beast. I swear I'll try," said the sobbing badger. He looked at the sloth. "You have a way of making me cry more than I want to."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot from people," the sloth said. "Are you good with this?"

The badger touched the stone. "Yeah, I'se good with this. Thank you, Beast." One by one, the badger read the names on the marker and said, "Forgive me. Forgive me for not being as brave as you." When he finished, he fell on his belly like the great sloth beside him.

"Rough day, huh?" the sloth said.

"Yeah. But I'se good with that."

"I love you, Badger."

The badger looked over at the face that was larger than his entirety and smiled. "I love you, Beast." The two lay on the ground, listening to the wind move through the grass until the shadows on the stone grew long. "Take me home?" the badger asked.

The sloth smiled and, raising his bulky body, he snagged the tiny mammal and threw him up onto his shoulder. "Home it is," he said and began his walk, never stopping for a moment as they passed the gunnery tunnels.

Later in the evening, the threesome found themselves out in the grass as the stars began appearing in the night sky. They listened to the call of the sea birds and the splashing waves. From the forest came the sounds of the owls and night insects. From the other side of the island came the rhythmic sounds of the foghorn. "Same stars. Different sounds," Nathaniel said.

"Yeah, I like the sounds here," Martin replied.

"Been all that I've heard for years," Oliver joined in.

"Do you like the sounds?" Martin asked.

"Yeah, they's kind of peaceful. Well, not so much in the tunnels. Down there, if I gots a window open, they sound like the wailing dead, but up on top they's right beautiful."

There was a lull in the conversation as the fog crept onto the island. "Can I sleep with the two of you tonight?" Oliver whispered. "The tunnels ain't got the attraction for me the way they used to. I ain't sure they ever did."

Martin looked over at Oliver. "You asked me to take you home tonight. I brought you home, Oliver. This is your home -- not the tunnels. Your home is here with us."

"I agree," Nathaniel said. "You never need to ask if you can sleep with us. You belong in our bed." Nathaniel rolled over and looked into the face of the badger. "So, when are we going to bed tonight?"

"I'se kinda tired right now, but if you two want to stay up, I'm good with that."

"Nope," Nathaniel said with authority. "Tired ones always get to call dibs on the bed and bedmates." He grabbed the badger and raced off toward the Hospital Steward's Home. Flinging the door wide, he became human for an instant and dashed through the doorway. He flung himself into the air, never yielding his grip on the wide-eyed badger, as he became bear once more. He bounced onto the bed, cradling the badger against his chest. "Big spoon!" he yelled.

Martin passed through the door as a human and became the lumbering sloth. With a tremendous thud, he fell onto the bed. The sound of breaking timber was unmistakable as the bed shifted downward. "Sorry, guys. I'll look into getting that fixed tomorrow." He grabbed Nathaniel and yelled, "Bigger Spoon!"

There was a quiet pause. "Big spoon," Nathaniel repeated, shaking the badger.

"Really, Bear? You're gonna make the three-foot guy say it? Ain't I suffered enough today?"

The badger felt himself shaken again. "Big spoon," Nathaniel said once more.

The badger sighed. "Little spoon," he said reluctantly. "And you two better not get used to this, 'cause I will kick your asses, so help me."

Nathaniel leaned into the badger and kissed the top of his head. "Good night, Badger."

"Good night, Bear. Good night, Beast."

"Good night, Badger," the Megatherium said.

The badger pushed himself into the warmth of the big bear. He did his best to keep the tears silent, but as they fell from his face, he wondered if he could ever truly forgive himself. Nathaniel pulled him tighter. "You've had better days, Badger. But there will be better days again."

The badger rubbed the back of his head against the furry chest of the bear. "I hope so, Bear. I really hope so."

Chapter 24

The giant sloth rolled out onto the floor and surveyed the damage he had caused the night before. The bed was gone except for the part his husband lay sleeping on. It was still there, at least in materials, but they had collapsed under the additional three tons of flesh and fur.

"They don't make them beds like they used to," the badger said from the doorway.

"Oh, you're up, Handsome," the sloth said. "I doubt they ever made a bed to fit six thousand pounds of me jumping on it."

"I suppose not," the badger said with a smile. "Still, it was nice having you in the room. We can find a way to house you proper. Don't change to a human to be with us."

The sloth returned the smile. "You're no fonder of humans than the old wolf is, are you?"

"I guess we have that in common."

The sloth plodded toward the door. He changed to a human and walked through the doorway. Once outside, he shook again and became the Megatherium. "You two have a lot in common. That could be the reason you piss each other off."

The badger followed the ground sloth outside. "Maybe."

"It's definitely why you love him."

"Don't love the bastard. He's a pain in my side; always has been."

"You love the bastard." The sloth replied as he started walking again. He moved down along the pathways toward the gunnery tunnels.

"You know, I may need to rethink living with a beast that has the Sight," the badger griped. He followed the Megatherium as fast as his tiny legs would take him.

"I don't need the Sight to see when you love someone, Badger. You've got a tell."

"What?" the badger stammered. "I ain't got no tell."

The sloth stopped and turned around. "When others mention someone you love, your right foot makes a little circle."

"Does not."

"Nathaniel."

The badger's right foot pivoted in a small circle. He looked down at his foot. "Bastard limb. What you go do that for?"

"Martin."

Again the circle. "FUCK."

"Will."

The foot made the tiny circle again. "Stop it, Beast. You've made your point."

"I think it's cute," the sloth said, laughing.

"Well, don't go getting used to it. I can always hack it off."

The sloth stretched out his arms. "Come hug me, Badger. I promise no one but you and I will ever know."

The badger waddled over to the sloth and jumped into his arms. The two hugged and after a lingering kiss, the badger sighed. "Why did you have to be so big?"

"I'm sorry, Badger. When I chose my beast, I was thinking of Nathaniel. I wanted to make sure I could keep up with him."

"But your cock, Beast; it's almost as big as me. I want you inside me so bad and I realize that ain't never gonna happen."

"That is a frustration, for sure. I don't know what we can do about it."

"Well, I ain't never gonna give up trying to find a way," Oliver promised. The badger paused. "And you're sleeping as a beast. That's a rule. So we find a way for you to sleep with us."

"Sounds reasonable. Speaking of sleep, how did you do last night?"

"Ain't never slept so well."

"Are the nightmares gone?"

"Seems they might be," the badger said. He looked at the sloth and rubbed his hand across the huge muzzle. "I should have known that Nathaniel would bring back someone as good as he is."

"I hope I can be that good," the sloth said with a smile, "but he's a tough act to follow."

There was a moment of quiet, and then the sloth spoke. "Oliver?"

"Yeah, Beast."

"I'm curious about how you came to know about the Sight, and how you identify people with it."

"I thinks I heard about it from someone."

Martin rubbed his chin with a claw. "That's interesting because I haven't discussed my abilities with anyone on the island. I haven't even discussed them with Nathaniel."

"Okay, so I just made that up... the part about me hearing about it. Didn't know if I could lie to you without you knowin', but I figured it was worth a chance." The badger paused in thought. "You know how you see me with all the voices and visions and stuff?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I see you different-like." The badger fidgeted slightly. "You got a kinda glow, and once you use the power, I can see it clear. Once when I was in town, a man in the street came running up to me screaming, 'Badger! The Badgers are coming to take our souls!' I told him I didn't want no souls, I wanted peanut butter. It calmed him right down. But he had the glow. Same as Will. Same as you."

"Same as you, Badger."

The badger looked up at the ground sloth. "No. I don't want it. No one deserves them visions. I don't want no voices."

"I'm not sure that is a choice for you anymore. When you were on that knoll so many years ago, you said you saw the alpha look into your soul. You said you knew he wanted your help."

"Yeah, like we was talking face to face."

"That's what we see, Badger. We see their faces, we hear their voices. You were opening up to the Sight that day."

"But I don't hear voices no more. The red wolf was the only one."

"Your guilt may have buried it. But you still see us the way we see each other."

"But you never saw me with the glow. I ain't got it."

"You do now."

"I can't have it. Badgers ain't worthy of nothing. What good did it do that alpha to call me? I ain't worthy."

The sloth picked up the little mammal. "You're worthy of so much more than this, but this is what you have. And whether it's a blessing or a curse depends on how you embrace it." The sloth cocked his head. "He's here." He paused. "They're both here. He brought the pup."

The badger shook his head. "No, no, I don't want it. I'll go insane like that man on the street. I'm a badger... a tiny little badger."

"Who sees his oldest friend coming over the ridge even before we can see the wolf."

"I don't see nothing. I don't want to see nothing."

"Remember the part about lying. We can't lie to each other, Badger."

"I don't want to see no old wolf. I don't want to hear his voice."

"Well, that's a fine hello, Oliver," Will said as he approached the two. "I'm not all that thrilled to be traveling around the world in that damn spaceship to see you, Oliver. But what the hell? I get to see the sloth again, so it's not a total washout."

Will reached out and grabbed Oliver, pulling him into a hug. "I'm sorry, Oliver. You've had such a rough life; you didn't deserve to have the Sight added on top of it all."

"I don't want it, Old Wolf. You was my best friend, and it turned you into a bastard. I'm already a bastard. What kind of awful will I become?"

The old wolf laughed. "Oliver, I've always been a bastard. Even before the Sight. You were always the rock in our relationship. I just never told you. I knew you were a sorrowful man, but I was too close to you to see what the sloth saw. He saw a path away from a place I didn't even know you were in. Can you forgive me for not seeing what I should have seen all along?"

"You still gonna be a bastard?"

"Old dogs don't learn new tricks. I'm pretty sure I'm a bastard for life."

"Well, good then. I can forgive you 'cause now I might not become a worse one." The badger went quiet and then whispered, "You forgive me for becoming a badger?"

"In my four hundred years on this planet, I have only successfully turned one werebeast, Oliver. I wasn't upset with you, because all you were was another in my list of failed transformations. Pup is the only one who ever turned right for me."

The little badger looked up at the black wolf. "You're a beautiful one. Ain't never seen eyes so blue or fur so black."

"Well, thank you," Derrick said. "You're the first badger I ever met. You were beautiful the first day we met, and you're still beautiful today."

The badger looked away and smiled. "Ain't nothing beautiful about me."

"I beg to differ," Derrick asserted. "They say good things come in small packages and you are definitely good." Derrick extended his hand. "It's good to see you again, Oliver."

The little mammal grabbed the wolf's paw and shook it while his right foot made a little circle in the dirt.

The movement didn't go unnoticed by the sloth. "Well, now, on to the important reason for this visit."

"And what is that, Sloth?" the old wolf asked. "Exactly why did you call me here?"

"You know why, Old Wolf. You both know why," the sloth said. "To repair the rift between you two."

"Ain't no rift between us two," the badger protested. "He hates me, I hates him. We's hunky dory."

"You love him, he loves you."

The two looked at the sloth and glared. "REALLY?"

"Really."

Will looked at the badger. "Is that true?"

The badger looked away. "It might be, sort of." his small foot made a circle in the dirt once more.

"Oliver," the old wolf growled. "You left me the very night I turned you. No goodbye, no letter, nothing. I bit your neck, and you ran. You ran out of my life and I didn't hear a word from you. Two hundred years and not a word. I thought you had died. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have the old bear find you after two centuries in some godforsaken Nevada town? Did I mean so little to you that you wouldn't even say goodbye? If you loved me, why the hell did you leave me?"

"Cause you deserved better than me, Old Wolf," the badger said. "You deserved someone like the black wolf there. You didn't need no critter that dug into the dirt to get himself closer to the hell he lived in."

"How could you think that?" Will yelled. "How could you think that someone I loved enough to turn wouldn't be good enough for me? And not only turn you, Oliver. I bit your neck. How could you think someone who bit your neck didn't love you?"

"Cause you seen me, Old Wolf. You have the Sight. You seen the awful."

"I saw one of the most loving men I ever knew. He was a protector of our kind when no other human I met had been. What awful could I possibly see?"

"You had to've seen it, Will. You had to've seen me run from the fight. I seen you had the Sight, and I knew you seen the red wolves die because of me."

"I never saw that, Oliver. All I saw was you. I saw a man I loved so much I couldn't stand the thought of being without him."

The sloth cleared his throat. "Maybe love is blind, you two. Maybe you never saw Oliver's past because you loved him so much it clouded the Sight. And perhaps Oliver loved you so much he couldn't see that even the most awful thing in his life wasn't enough to dissuade you from loving him."

"All these years, Oliver? All these years?" the old wolf said angrily.

"I didn't want you to have to live with the awful. I thought I could escape my hell by the turning until it changed me into this." The little badger rubbed his hands over his body. "I knew that I weren't never going to be a wolf. I were only this tiny creature that couldn't defend no one."

"Oliver, I... I..." the wolf paused, his fist clenched. "Oh fuck this," he reached out and grabbed the badger.

"No," the little one screamed in terror moments before he felt the lips of the wolf press against his. The black wolf sat and watched his husband kiss the badger; a kiss revealing all the passion the old wolf reserved only for those he deeply loved. Derrick smiled. "Family," he whispered.

When the kiss ended, the badger looked at the wolf. "You didn't hit me."

Will sighed. "Why would I hit you, Oliver? I love you. But so help me, if you ever, ever run away from me again..."

The little badger sighed. "I ain't running no more. I found sanctuary."

"Well, that's good to hear," Will said as he put the badger back on the ground, "because you move from this place without telling me and I will hunt you down."

"And do what?" the sloth asked.

"Oh, no you don't, Sloth. You don't get to bring up my love for him when I'm trying to threaten him."

"I had no intention of it, Old Wolf. But since you brought it up."

Will looked at the badger. "Oliver, please, please never leave me like that again. My heart can't take being broken by you again."

The badger looked up at Will. "I broke your heart? Like love broke?"

The wolf looked at him. "Like love broke."

"I never meant to..."

"But you did, and you need to promise that won't ever happen again."

"I can't break your heart again, Old Wolf. I'm a badger. Ain't nothing about a badger anyone can love."

"You were a badger the first time you broke my heart, Oliver." The wolf reached out and brushed back the fur from off the brow of the badger. "Haven't you noticed? The night I turned you, I called you Badger. The way I call him Sloth, or the way I call him Pup. When I called you Badger, I could tell it hurt you to the quick. I never saw such a look of disappointment on your face. From that moment forward, I have never called you anything but Oliver because I couldn't stand to hurt you. Oliver, you've been nothing but beautiful to me."

The sadness in Will's eyes was unmistakable. "We have hurt each other so much over the years, haven't we, Oliver? We're like damaged goods." The old wolf's voice faded as he said, "I never could after you. I never could bite another neck after that night. I couldn't take the chance that the ones I loved would leave me. Not with the old bear. Not with the pup. And you, you bastard. You hide out all these years suffering for sins long since forgiven." He shook his head. "We make a fine pair, don't we?"

"I never knew I hurt you, Will. I was too busy running away from you."

"Stop running. Oliver. Stay long enough for us to become friends again."

"Friends?"

"Maybe more. That neck bite is still on the table. Let's try to take it a day at a time."

"I'd like that, Old Wolf," Oliver said. The badger reached his arms outward, and the wolf took him up into a warm embrace. They kissed again, and this time in the middle, they chuckled. The wolf pushed the badger back and stared at his erection. He raised the badger up and licked the little one's cock with his tongue. "Friends with benefits," he laughed.

"Definitely friends with benefits," the badger agreed, giggling happily.

"Well, you two seem to have found something you can finally agree on," the sloth said, smiling. "While I loathe making any suggestion that sends you back into the gunnery tunnels, Badger, why don't you show Will your old bedroom?"

Oliver looked at Martin, then at Will, and finally at Derrick. His little foot circled three times in the air and his brain raced where desire was pushing it. "Pup?" he asked.

"Finally," Derrick said, exasperated. "I thought you would never ask." The black wolf grabbed the badger from his husband's arms and kissed him.

"Well, this turned out better than I hoped," the sloth said, laughing. "You men have fun on top here or down in the tunnels. It doesn't matter to me. But it's going to rain later today, so I say opt for cool and dry down below. I'm off to wake my husband." He turned and began the walk back to the Hospital Steward's Home.

"Son," Will said. The Megatherium turned his head back. "Thanks for helping me shovel the sand. For the first time in a long time, I know what it feels like to be on dry land."

"It's been a pleasure, Father," the sloth said, smiling. "Not as pleasurable as where you're headed, but a pleasure nonetheless." With that, he returned to his plodding journey home.

The sloth became human to cross through the door, then shook himself into the Megatherium and leaned over and kissed his husband. Nathaniel rubbed his eyes and stretched. He rolled over and looked into the eyes of the ground sloth. "Morning, Husband."

"Morning, Husband."

Nathaniel looked around. "Where's Oliver? I don't even remember him slipping out of my arms."

"He's off boinking with your fathers."

"What?"

"Uncle Will and Papa Wolfy. They've dropped by to visit for a few days."

"And what prompted this visit?"

"I told your father that his old lover needed him."

The bear looked frustrated. "Am I going to spend my entire life walking into the middle of things with you?"

"We should discuss that," the sloth replied. "There's something folks that have it call the Sight. It makes people prescient. You know, they see stuff others can't. They see the future and the past." The sloth waved his hands as he sang a tune from a B-movie horror show. "Uncle Will has it."

"And..." the bear said.

"I'm pretty sure Oliver has it."

"And you know that because?"

"I kind of have it," the sloth admitted. "In spades."

"Oh? And when were you going to tell me about this?"

"I thought today would be a good day."

"Hmmm..."

"Have I fucked this one up, Hon?"

The bear's thick paw with its massive claws drew close to the sloth's face. "I suppose that depends on how well you fuck me now."

"Really?" the sloth said with a wide grin.

"If Oliver is with my fathers, he's gone for the day. We have the place to ourselves." The bear reached up and kissed the sloth. "You can tell me all about the Sight later. For now, let's be happy being mates."

The sloth fumbled awkwardly as he slid up alongside the bear. "Did I tell you I love you today?"

"Don't think so."

"I love you today."

"You are so strange," the bear laughed.

"Yeah, I hear that a lot from people," the sloth said. Leaning in, he let his longest claw slip into the bear's genital sheath as they kissed.

Chapter 25

The morning came sooner than anyone expected.

Martin stirred and found his husband's arm wrapped around his massive waist. "Oh dear," he said, rolling over. "Husband..." he said, nudging the sleeping bear. "Time to wake up. We fell asleep." The sloth pushed up on one arm and flipped his enormous body onto all fours. "Oliver and our dads aren't home yet. I'll go looking for them."

Nathaniel rolled over and rubbed his eyes. "If they look as disheveled as you, Hon, we're going need to make sure we keep the shower hooked up."

The sloth rubbed his matted chest hair. "Mmmm... dried cum. Breakfast of champions."

"Eww. Didn't need to hear that."

"You put it there. It's not my fault."

"It's your cum sloth. You can't blame me for that."

"You were shagging my ass when I came, thus you are at fault because you caused the ejaculation," the sloth said with a dispassionate voice. "I can show you the legal precedent if you would like."

"What I would like is for you to find our fathers and our future husband, if you don't mind."

"Fair enough," the Megatherium said as he moved toward the door. Sloth-human-sloth. The transition happened in a matter of seconds as Martin made his way outside. "Oh, Husband," He yelled back to the house, "I just found a great way to get cum off a sloth."

Nathaniel shook his head in disbelief and moved toward the kitchen.

"And it's raining, so prepare for the house to smell like a wet dog when we get back," boomed the sloth's voice from outside.

Upon his arrival at the gunnery tunnel entrance, the sloth banged on the rusty steel door. "Are you in there?" he yelled.

"Go away," came the voice of the badger. "We're sleeping."

"Oh, that's a pity. If you were fucking, I would go away. It's rude to interrupt Weres fucking, but sleeping? Pffft. I don't see any reason for civility when that's all you're doing."

The door creaked open, and the werebadger stared up the staircase at the Megatherium. "Are you going to be this perky in the morning when we're married?"

"Pretty sure that's going to be the case."

"The marriage is off. I'll pound your ass from time to time, but dealing with that every morning is asking too much."

Will came up from behind the badger and put his arm around his shoulders. "Marry the sloth, Oliver. You may regret the early mornings, but you'll never regret the late nights."

Derrick stumbled to the door and looked up at the sloth. "Morning, Martin."

"Morning, Papa Wolfy." The sloth looked down at the three. "Did you guys roll around in your own cum all night or what? Haven't you ever heard of swallowing?" The sloth threw his hands up in the air. "Okay, under threat of me sitting on you, everyone do exactly what I say."

The three nodded hesitantly. "Change to human." There was a shake and three naked men stood in front of the sloth. "Now change back to Weres." The three changed back again. "Perfect. Cleared up your cum fur without wasting a drop of water from the cisterns."

Will looked down. "Well, I'll be damned. That actually worked. We do that when we're wet. Never thought to use it for something dried on."

"I accidentally found out about that this morning. Oliver might need to vacuum later, but at least you're ready for breakfast."

The badger looked up at the sloth. "Did you say breakfast?"

"Pretty sure it's waffles and eggs, Badger. There might even be some sausage if there's any left in the fridge from your late-night raid two days ago."

"'Tweren't me," the werebadger said, climbing the stairs. "That was banshees. I told you this island's haunted."

"Banshees wail at you before you die. They don't haunt refrigerators."

"I can't see this marriage lasting long if there ain't no trustin' your husband's word."

The sloth thought about it for a moment and nodded. "Damn Banshees." He leaned down and kissed the werebadger. "It's Badger-time."

With a shake that moved through his entire body, the werebadger became the smaller mammal. In one swoop of the sloth's large forearms, the badger was on the shoulders of the beast and heading back home. "If you want breakfast, dads, you best follow me."

The four headed off toward the Hospital Steward's Home through the rain, their noses sniffing for the smell of breakfast cooking.

Back home, Martin remained human after walking through the door rather than filling the entire kitchen. As they sat down for breakfast, Will looked around. "Nice place, but it's going to be small for you three, isn't it?"

"We've already given that some thought," Nathaniel replied. "We need a building near the hospital big enough to warehouse these bodies and our visiting family from time to time. But it also has to make sense to the locals."

Nathaniel wrestled the last waffle away from the badger and shoved it in his mouth. "Max always felt we would outgrow this house, but he also wanted me to be close to the hospitals. We've been thinking it's time to build a larger home where the Marine Officers Hospital used to be. There are enough hospital recreations, so we're hoping to fudge the traditions a bit, and build ourselves a museum. It will be a much larger building with the history of Partridge Island and Saint John, but with a nice comfortable downstairs for the caretakers."

"Don't know as I want to live underground no more, Nathaniel," Oliver said, reaching for the last sausage.

"We didn't think you would, future husband and love slave to the sloth," the Megatherium replied. He looked at the frowning badger and smiled innocently. "The building will be thirty feet high. Skylights and windows will afford visitors a beautiful three-sixty-degree view of the island as they tour the museum on the top floor. The lower floor with an eighteen-foot ceiling will be our home. Our husband will never go back underground unless he wants to. And with a commercial garage door on the back, I won't need to duck when I enter my own home."

Will and Derrick looked at each other and smiled.

"So this marriage would be a forever thing, right?" Oliver asked.

"Yep," both the short-faced bear and Megatherium agreed.

"And I spend my nights in the bear's arms?"

"Or mine," Martin said, "I'd be your husband too. I will demand equal cuddle time."

"Is this going to be one of those neck-biting, ass-humping things like the wolves do?"

Derrick and Will fought back their snickering unsuccessfully.

Nathaniel shrugged. "Probably. We could make accommodations for you if you'd like."

"Nah, I'm good with that. Kinda like the neck biting part." Oliver looked over at Martin. "Not so sure about the ass pounding from him, though. I need to walk most days."

Martin laughed. "Okay, barring a better solution, how about I mate with you as a human? It would mean the same to me. I love you, man or beast."

Oliver thought for a moment. "Yeah, that could work. But I wants the bear to bite me. The little human Nathaniel is cute, but I wants to remember the day."

"Well, then that's settled," the sloth said. "We both get a new husband. I get to find out what badger sex is all about. And you," he said, looking directly into the eyes of the badger, "You get to say 'hell no' when I ask you if I can mount you."

"We gonna wear rings?"

"Would you like to?"

"Seen the wolves' rings. Kinda like them."

"Rings? I don't think I've ever seen our dads wear rings."

Derrick stood up and pushed back the fur, exposing the bright silver ring wrapped around his cock and balls.

"Come on now," the sloth said disbelievingly. "I know I would have seen those. I mean, I have been muzzle to cock with you both and I never saw those."

"We wear them when we travel together. It helps everyone know we're a mated pair."

"That is so cute," the sloth said. "Honey, can we have those?" He looked earnestly at the short-faced bear.

"Sure. Get yourself a barrel hoop and you're good to go."

"Why does everyone make fun of my cock size?"

Will looked up. "I don't make fun of it. I think it's perfect."

"See, Will thinks it's perfect, and he knows cock," Martin protested. "I mean, he really knows cock."

"I think your cock is perfect, too," Nathaniel said, smiling. "It was only a joke, Honey."

"Ah, hell, Beast," the badger said. "even I like your pecker. But short of putting it in a wheelbarrow and taking it for a walk, there ain't much I can do with it."

The Megatherium smiled. "I'm never going to stop trying to figure a way to get the two of us together, Badger."

"Me neither," the badger said, smiling.

Martin looked up. "So, if you two are here for a few days, would you like to go on a tour of the island?"

"That would be great," Derrick answered. "It's been years since I've been here. It will be fun to see all the changes."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to my first visit with the island up and running," the old wolf said. "Maybe Oliver can show us some of his other favorite spots on the island. You know, like the other rooms in the tunnels."

Oliver laughed. "I forgot why I likes you so much, Old Wolf."

Will leaned over and kissed the badger. "I never forgot why I love you."

"Me, I remembers more why I piss you off," Oliver said.

"You promise not to leave, and I'll forget all about those things."

"I promise I ain't going nowhere."

"On the contrary, Badger," Nathaniel said. "You're going with me and the wolves on rounds."

"Don't like hospitals."

"Neither do I. But I like the Weres who are healing there. It gets lonely inside that big building. It's time you met some of them and bring a little change into their lives."

"They ain't gonna like me."

"Will you let them decide that?"

"You gonna be with me?"

Nathaniel reached down and pulled the badger up onto his shoulder. "Wouldn't want it any other way. Today, my patients meet my future husband."

"Don't know if we rightly settled that yet."

"I don't care. You'll come around, and I'm a patient bear. I've waited four billion years for husbands. I'm willing to bide my time for the ones I want."

"Marry him, Oliver," Will said. "Changelings always get their way. Fucking Changelings."

Nathaniel looked askance at his father. "Seriously?"

Will smiled. "I mean that with the utmost love and affection. A Changeling who fucks me regularly has rocked my world for centuries. His fucking Changeling dad has been doing it for years. Few things are as wonderful as a fucking Changeling."

Derrick nodded in agreement. "Fucking Changelings."

Nathaniel smiled. "Try to remember it's a family tradition."

The little badger watched the interaction with fascination. "Fucking Changelings," he said with a smile.

Nathaniel laughed and shook the little creature on his shoulder. "Fucking Changelings, indeed. Come on family, let's go say hello to the troops." With a deliberate stride forward, the bear moved toward the door of their home. Bear-human-bear. The transition happened without the little badger ever losing balance.

As the foursome approached the hospital steps, Will noticed the second, larger hospital off to the left. "Why don't you use the larger hospital?"

Nathaniel looked over at the building. "We do. I'm not sure exactly why, but they called that the Second Class Hospital, and the smaller one is the First Class Hospital. We liked the idea that our convalescing patients get to stay in a First Class Hospital." He pointed to the larger hospital. "We built underground causeways between the two during construction. They are effectively one hospital." Nathaniel looked at Oliver. "We don't call them tunnels anymore, do we, Oliver?"

"We sure as hell don't," the badger replied.

"The outside of the Second Class Hospital is a facade of the old hospital building that was once here. The first-floor windows and doors are all false fronts. Tourists can't access the building even by accident. It houses our imaging equipment and other advanced medical interventions. It also has the ICU and critical care wards. If you're injured, we don't want you near the visiting humans. The Second Class Hospital acts to quarantine our critical patients from human intervention. Each of the hospitals is a recreation of the hospital that once was on the island, but they are from different eras. The causeways between the two never existed, but then neither did the buildings at the same time."

"The First Class Hospital is for patient rest and recuperation. They know when they're transferred here that they're close to leaving. It's also the only hospital that humans can visit in the summer. Because most of our patients get bored here, like in any hospital, they seem to enjoy the company. They're welcome to come down to the first floor and visit with the humans. Sometimes will slip a patient into a bed on the first floor and let them play the part of a bygone-era patient. They'll tell stories about what happened here on the island, straight from the journals of folks who lived here."

"Sounds like a win/win combination for everyone," Will said at the bottom of the steps that led to the hospital's entrance.

"It is unless we get crowded and all our patients want access to the first floor. Then Tyler does some very fancy rotation schedules. Fortunately for us, all our patients are in the First Class Hospital today and there are only five."

As they entered the hospital's main doors, they heard the voice of an angry woman yelling. "I don't care what the humans see, Tyler, you will not shove me into some Florence Nightingale outfit from hell just to keep them happy. I'm a doctor, damn it. It took fifteen years to get me where I am today. I'm not putting on a nurse's dress to placate some snot-nosed kid who paid five bucks to visit this place."

"But... but... Doctor, there were no female doctors on the island. It's necessary to help maintain the illusion for the tourists," the werewolf begged. "You're the only one of us they can actually see. It's for the patient's protection as much as yours. The wall between our worlds is strong, but little incongruities like female surgeons in tie-dye scrubs make it weaker."

"Oh, you didn't go there, did you, Mr. Administrator? You're going to use the patient's protection to convince me to wear this mess?"

"If it's going to work, then yes, I'm going to go there."

"All right. Have it your way, but I am never swatting your ass again when you walk by. Nurses never did that."

"We all must make sacrifices, doctor. I guess that will be mine. But I hope you reconsider. I like it when you do that."

"Fine!" the woman yelled. The mock nurse came around the corner fuming. "It's a frigging skirt. Who wears a frigging skirt nowadays?"

"I like her," Will said as she watched the woman fussing with the long gown.

The badger leaned over from his position on top of Nathaniel's shoulder and said, "So do I."

Distracted by the outfit, the woman almost ran into the crowd of animals before she looked up, surprised. "Oh, Hi Uncle Nathaniel. Hi Oliver. Did you marry them yet?"

"Not yet, Doctor."

"Well, hurry up and do it, will you? I want to call you Uncle Oliver. I like the way it sounds." She looked at Nathaniel as he stuck out his paw, extending the far claw forward. The woman grabbed it with her pinkie, shook it, and then dove into a full hug around the bear's waist.

After the hug, the doctor looked at Will and Derrick. "Hi, I'm Sarah. We've met before."

"Sarah, the little flower girl at Max and Nathaniel's wedding?" Derrick asked. "That Sarah?"

"Yep, that Sarah, Handsome," she replied. "You haven't changed... Really, you haven't changed. Sort of pisses me off. You guys need to start looking older at some point." She looked at Will. "Didn't recognize you, Old Wolf. Two orderlies walked by here already and you didn't hit on either one. I figured you might be some other gray wolf."

Will smiled. "It's good to see you all grown up."

"Well, come on, give me a hug," Sarah said, extending her arms. She hugged Derrick and then Will and put her hands up as Nathaniel lowered the badger. "Mmm," she said, hugging the little mammal. "You are by far my favorite badger in the entire world."

"You don't know no other badgers, Doctor," Oliver said.

"True, but then you'll always have a leg up on any newcomers. I've seen you nekkid."

"So have I," Will said casually. "Multiple times in the last few days."

"Ahh... now that... that I recognize as the Will I met all those years ago."

Will laughed. "So you see us all?"

"Yeah, since I was eight," the doctor said. "And no, I don't have that Sight thingy you all seem to have. I've just seen you all since the first day Uncle Nathaniel showed me who he was."

Will looked at Nathaniel. "Son?"

"I might have... sort of... opened up the block for her."

"Oh, crap," Derrick said. "If your dad finds out..."

"Please, oh please, oh please don't tell him. I swear she's the only one I've ever done it to. I didn't want her to think her Uncle Max lied to her about me being a bear."

Will laughed. "Kid, you did it for love. In our family, we are always screwing with traditions and breaking rules for love. You take after your daddies. I don't see a problem here."

"Well, I, for one, am glad he did what he did," Sarah said. "Rounding with the patients here is the happiest I've ever been in my career."

"Do they know you're a human?" Derrick asked.

"I'm pretty sure they do," Sarah answered. "They always look shocked when I walk in the room the first time, but they get over it pretty quickly. You all have good instincts when it comes to danger, and I sure don't pose one to any of you unless I have a syringe in my hand." She fumbled with the nurse's outfit she was wearing. "Uncle Nathaniel, is there any way we can get rid of this?"

Nathaniel frowned. "It is hideous. But I'm afraid Tyler is right. It helps maintain the illusions the humans see when they visit." He thought for a moment. "But I tell you what. Any other time of the year when you visit, I don't care what you wear."

"Okay, then I'm getting out of it now. The tourists don't start coming until this weekend." She reached down and pulled the dress up over her head. She was wearing a pair of black running tights and a bra-less tank top that left little to the imagination. The four stared at her. "What? You're standing there with your dicks hanging out and you're going to get all weird on me because of this?" she said, waving at her outfit.

"Looks nice," the old wolf said.

"Thanks, Will," Sarah replied. She punched Nathaniel's arm. "Patients are all doing great, but it will thrill them to get a visit from all of you; especially you, Dr. Templeton. I think they get a buzz when you take out your stethoscope and play with their chests. You know how those werewolves can get sitting around all day waiting to get better."

Nathaniel smiled. "We'll visit them all, Sarah. Are you heading out?"

"Yep, back to the Mainland. I'm rounding there today as well."

"Thanks for dropping by," Nathaniel said. "It's always good to see you." He hugged his niece and then looked at her. "You have Max's eyes."

"That's biologically impossible, Uncle Nathaniel, but thank you. He had beautiful eyes."

"He did," Nathaniel said with a bit of wistfulness.

"I miss him too, Uncle. I always will. They were good times. Try to remember that."

"I will, Sarah," Nathaniel said with a half-smile.

Sarah reached down and grabbed the badger. "No, no," the little one cried out.

"Yep, it's that time, Badger." Sarah gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "And I will continue to do this until you return the favor and hug me back."

"I hugs you," the badger said as Sarah lowered him back to the ground.

"And a kiss."

"I ain't ready to do that," the badger said shyly.

"Then I will continue to do it for both of us."

"That'd be okay, I guess," the badger said, looking away as his right foot made a small circle on the stone floor.

The day flew by, introducing the Montana wolves and badger to the island's refugees. The patients heard stories of heroism and sacrifice. For the first time since his arrival, Oliver talked to the patients living on the island. It was awkward at first, but he found himself enjoying it more as the day progressed. As the sun approached the horizon over Saint John, the family looked out on the Bay of Fundy to the south.

Martin leaned in toward the view and he felt the badger climb up along his massive tail and onto his back. As the little mammal reached his shoulder, the sloth rose, and the badger sat down, watching the waves with his family. Oliver smiled and realized smiling was something he had done more times in the last few days than he had in years. He looked at the face of the sloth. "Where was you today? I thought you was gonna tour the island with us."

"I had hoped to," the ground sloth said, "but I got a call just as you were heading to the hospital this morning. It was some wonderful news. I've been making arrangements for a few new permanent residents to move onto the island with us."

Nathaniel looked over to the sloth, "Who's moving in, Hon?"

"I was waiting until now for dramatic impact. Had to get everyone in place."

The sloth stood up, allowing the badger time to shift his position safely. "We're ready for you," he yelled.

There was a faint tinkling of metal on metal as a golden blond canine, almost as large as the short-faced bear, pushed his way past the bushes and waved hello. He walked with a limp and supported his leg with his Khakkhara, the sounding cane used by Buddhist monks for both prayer and defense. But his flat muzzle, curly, bushy mane, and muscular legs were unmistakable and familiar to the group.

Will bolted to his feet immediately. "Li Wei," he cried out, running to hug the temple dog. "I heard you were alive, but when you weren't with the others... It is so good to see you."

"I am fortunate to be alive, Old Wolf. It is good to see you again."

"Where have you been? Why haven't you joined your brothers on the highland?"

"I have been seeking a home for my charges, Old Wolf. The highland cannot house them." The temple dog reached out and touched Will with an easy familiarity. "When the war came to the temple, the Brotherhood made me the protectorate of the surviving ancient ones. But there was nowhere to run that didn't pose a threat to all our lives. I moved my charges down to the Yellow River. The bombing of the upper river dams was a tragedy for humankind, but salvation for us. The floods poured out onto the plains and killed tens of millions of Chinese. But for the first time in decades, the Yellow River flowed all the way to the Bohai Gulf. We rode the crest of the flood until it left us in reach of the Yellow sea and from there out to the great ocean."

"You've been living in the ocean?" Will asked.

"It was difficult, but Dá Lóng would not waver from the goal of finding a safe haven for his mate. We arrived in Scotland and the Weres gave us sanctuary in Loch na Cairidh. It was a blessing to be sure, but Dá Lóng could not stay hidden in such a place forever. When I learned that my surviving brothers moved to the highland, I contacted them. They put me in touch with your husband Kris, who told me of Gaia, and the possibility that a permanent home might be within our grasp. We have been working our way here for over a month and today I met with Martin. It has been a long and harrowing journey, but we pray that today we have finally found sanctuary."

The little badger looked into the eyes of the temple dog. "This is sanctuary. The old bear said so."

"I thank you, Little One. We are grateful."

Nathaniel looked to Li Wei. "You say we. Are there more temple dogs seeking sanctuary?"

The temple dog shook his head. "No, my charges are rarer still." He lifted his cane and rapped it three times on the rock below. There was a sound almost like large pumping bellows coming from behind the group. It was the sound of wind moving up the cliff face. Over the top of the crest rose a large beast of scale and wing and feather.

Its size was incredible. Larger than any winged creature the family had seen, it hovered above them and then landed on an outcropping of rock. The scales on the top of its head were an iridescent blue covered sparsely by bright pink feathers. The wings were twenty feet from tip to tip. They were a combination of feathers flaring out in bright orange and yellow across the same iridescent blue scales. When the wings extended fully, a patch of red shone from beneath. It was a bird and yet not. The beak and head looked more like a turtle's, and its stout, scaly neck and thick legs spoke to it being something far different.

"In my native tongue, she is called the fenghuang," Li Wei said. "She is the mate to Dá Lóng."

"She looks like some huge, gay Archaeopteryx," Will said, rubbing his head.

"A fairly apt description," the temple dog said, smiling. "She and her mate are the last of their kind. They breed only once every eight or nine hundred years, so we are protecting them as best we can from the world so that a new generation might be born."

"She's beautiful," Nathaniel said. "But those talons and beak look pretty formidable."

"I understand your concern," the temple dog said, "but she is the most gentle of creatures. Do not always assume that because a creature is frightening that they are a danger to you." Li Wei reached out, and the creature lowered its head as he scratched it. "Any more than you would think that because a bear is cuddly and cute, he cannot be a formidable warrior."

Nathaniel bowed his head. "I apologize for my presumption."

Li Wei smiled. "As with every introduction, there are things to learn."

The little badger leaned toward the fenghuang. "Can I touch it? I ain't never seen anything so pretty before."

"Of course, but she is not an it," the temple dog said. He paused. "She has never been an it."

The sloth took the badger from his shoulders and placed him on the ground. The badger reached out and touched the top of the fenghuang's head. He immediately recoiled with a look of horror on his face. The temple dog looked at the badger and said, "Now, Little One, try that again and let her share her images with you instead of you finding them on your own."

"I'm sorry," the badger said to the fenghuang. "I'm Oliver. Sometimes I ain't the best at meeting new folk. I didn't mean no offense by none of what I done. You ain't an it, and I'm sorry about that. Never seen nothing like you before. I thought you was a bird. I guess I gots a lot to learn. If I could touch you again, I will try and let you show me whats you want."

Li Wei bowed to Oliver. "We all have histories of both beauty and ugliness. She has seen horrors beyond imagining, but she has also been a part of indescribable beauty. Your history makes you predisposed to find the worst and ugliest of all that we are. Let her teach you a different path."

The badger reached out again and touched the head of the fenghuang. He petted it gently and his eyes closed. When he pulled back his paw minutes later, there were tears in his eyes.

"As for her mate," the temple dog said, "he should make an appearance soon now. When the sun sets, his feeding begins. Every night as the darkness comes, his first act will be an offering to his mate." The temple dog pointed to the churning out in the bay. It swirled in circles, becoming a whirlpool, pulling the water down into it. "There he is."

Like a great whale, the dragon breached, dragging with it fish that flew out into the air. Without hesitation, the fenghuang leapt into the air and dove toward the bay. The dragon fell into the water with a thunderous splash. His mate took advantage of the wave to scoop up a fish in either talon. As quickly as she had left, she returned with her catch and began eating.

"That was a dragon," Nathaniel said. "A Chinese water dragon. But they're a myth, aren't they?"

"Of course," the temple dog said. "As are werewolves and temple dogs. But here we are."

"He was beautiful," Derrick said. "I never knew they would be so colorful."

"And like his mate, he is the most gentle of creatures. Unless you are a fish at feeding time." The temple dog turned toward Nathaniel, Martin, and Oliver. "We seek asylum. I offer my hands and my back to whatever work you need to be done, but my charges can offer nothing but the miracle that they exist at all."

Nathaniel bowed. "It is an honor that you have come here. And we have the perfect place for you. Come walk with us before it gets too dark." The group headed toward the lighthouse. The fenghuang bounced along the pathway with the beasts until she saw the building in the distance. Pushing her wings first into the ground, and then shoving upward, the fenghuang lifted her wings. With a jump and two graceful flaps, she was airborne. She lit on the top of the building, clinging to a metal railing at the top.

Nathaniel smiled. "Seems she has already found it. It's the old radar battery observation post. Some people call it the birdhouse. Saint John's youth painted it with the story of the island's creation. The images are Glooscap smashing the dam that Big Beaver built at the Reversing Falls. It's an old First Nations story."

The temple dog smiled. "I will look forward to you telling us the story one day."

Nathaniel nodded. "We've refurbished it to be lodging for those passing through. But if it meets with your approval, it should afford the fenghuang a good vantage point to watch for her husband in the evening. All we need is a wider entry door, and we can give you access to your new home."

"It is wonderful," Li Wei said, beaming. "Is it true that the spirit of Gaia inhabits this island as well?"

"She has been a part of several projects," Nathaniel said. "The Changelings will be happy to create a safety zone for the dragons around this island. I realize dragons are not genetically linked to us, so I can see where their presence in crowded areas might concern you. But our family has taken on greater challenges than hiding two such beautiful creatures. We will find a way to offer you sanctuary."

Nathaniel bowed his head, and for a moment his fur fluoresced with a faint green glow. His glowing fists raised in the air. High above their heads, the transparent green dome stretched out beyond the horizon. When the short-faced bear lifted his head, the green glow from his eyes was fading. The sloth reached out and pulled him into a hug. "I see your Papa isn't the only Changeling you are learning from."

"My husband once told me I needed to be here to continue my work. I'm only now beginning to understand what that work is."

"I love you, Bear," the sloth said as he kissed the bruin. When the kiss ended, the sloth looked at Li Wei. "Your charges could not be in safer hands."

"I cannot thank you enough," the temple dog said, bowing. "Thank you all so much."

"Welcome to the family," Derrick said. He hugged the temple dog and when they separated, Derrick looked at the dog. Having watched the reunion, the young wolf's curiosity pushed him to ask the question. "Li Wei, How does my husband tell you apart from the other temple dogs? He can't even tell the twins apart after decades of running with them. You are all beautiful, but I can't tell which one of you is which. I'm always making mistakes up on the highland."

"The answer to that is a somewhat embarrassing tale," the temple dog answered. He looked at Will. "With your permission."

"It's your story."

"We temple dogs have a long history of captivity. From the dawn of our existence, humanity has sought to subjugate us; to make us their slaves. With such a history, it is easy to see why we gravitate to his free spirit. He is a rebel, one that the world cannot confine. William is an irrepressible force of nature and we find him irresistible despite the calamity he brings into our lives. William can tell who we are by the individual scars we bear from our encounters with him."

"My most visible is here on my arm," Li Wei said, lifting his arm. He showed them the bare spot where there was no fur, only a thick line of reddish flesh against the pale skin. "It came while hanging from a tree in a most impossible sexual position with the wolf. I was one of three dogs when the tree uprooted from our weight. While we can heal the same as all beasts, we have kept our scars as reminders of what the wolf brings into our peaceful lives."

Li Wei leaned over and kissed the wolf. "And yet, we return time and time again. At the cost of adding fresh scars, we will always return because he makes us feel free."

Derrick smiled. "I know what you mean." He pulled the old wolf close to him and bit the furry muzzle.

Li Wei looked at the badger. "And you must be Oliver. I have heard a great deal about you."

"Beast said I should talk to one of you."

The temple dog smiled. "I can help with the whirlwind in your brain, Little One. There is peace to be found, and a power yet to be born inside you. I can help train you to quiet the voices if you so wish."

The badger looked at Li Wei. "Does it involves lots of sex like the Old Wolf always says?"

"Would it help if it did?"

"Guess it couldn't hurt."

"Well, then, certainly we will make sure it involves lots of sex."

"We badgers goes at it for hours."

The temple dog cocked his head and looked at the badger. "That should not be a problem. We can work on your stamina as well."

There was dead silence from Oliver's family. The badger looked up at them. "Go on and laugh. Hell, even I thinks that's funny."

The family roared. And the temple dog wondered if his English was incorrect.

When the laughter had stopped, Will grinned at the temple dog. "Interested in getting a few new scars breaking in your new home?"

The temple dog smiled. "There seems to be more than enough forest on this island that we might spare the building."

"Is that a yes?" Will asked, his grin spreading even wider.

The temple dog sighed. "Have we ever been able to say no?" He motioned the wolf back toward the forest. "Bring your husband, Old Wolf. I see you are a mated pair." With a wave goodbye, the temple dog, the old wolf, and the pup headed back toward the trees.

"Well, we won't be seeing them for a couple of days," Nathaniel said. "That's perfect. We'll have enough time to get the radar battery observation post retrofitted for a temple dog." He reached down and grabbed the badger and placed him on his shoulder. "Come on, Husband and Husband-to-be. I'll give Greg a call and have a crew working on the house first thing tomorrow. After that, I'll make you dinner. And then, I will show you exactly how the old wolf and a pack of temple dogs toppled a tree." He looked at the ground sloth and smiled. "You and I will be the temple dogs and you, Oliver, you'll play the old wolf."

"Is I gonna have scars after this is over?"

"You might."

"Okay, I'se in."

Chapter 26

Two days later, the little badger was glad for his strong claws. Digging out from under the tree, he looked around, trying to find the bear and sloth. "Over here, Badger," he heard the sloth call. The branches of the fallen tree pushed aside, and Martin waved hello with a mouthful of leaves. "I'm eating the evidence. Give me a few days and no one will be able to prove what we did here," he mumbled as he chewed. "Not too bad. Kinda tastes spermy in spots, though."

"Where's the bear?"

"I think he went to get Papa Wolfy and Father. We're going to be interrupting them, but the twins called. They're bringing a wounded werewolf in from the Balkans. Seems they're having a skirmish over border rights. I guess humankind will never learn. It hasn't even been thirty years."

"What's wrong with the wolf?" Oliver asked.

"Poor guy zigged when he should have zagged. Ran right into an exploding mortar shell. He's lucky, though. There's extensive damage, but Nathaniel will be there to help patch him up. His husband is coming with him. They sound like a friendly couple. They don't speak a word of English, though."

"Maybe I'll go visits them when they's feeling better. Nathaniel can tell me what they's saying."

"I'm sure they will like that," the sloth said, grabbing another branch and biting into it.

Nathaniel walked over the hill, with Derrick, Will, and Li Wei in tow. "Okay, gentlemen, I've corralled our unwilling guests and explained the situation. Tiff and Tuff are going to be here in a few minutes, so once they land, I'm afraid I'm off to the hospital until we can get the werewolf patched up. I'm going to have to say my goodbyes now."

The family did their hugs and kisses quickly as they prepared for the arrival of the Red Wolf. Nathaniel picked up the badger and kissed him. "I had a wonderful time these last few days. I'll see you later today, okay, Badger?"

Oliver looked at the bear. "Okay." Nathaniel put him down, and the badger looked back up at the bear. "Nathaniel, Martin, I've been thinking about what my heart has been telling me. I'm thinking it's time I said yes to you two."

Nathaniel looked shocked. "Yes? As in yes to mating?"

"Yeah. You bites my neck, I bites yours. We fuck a bit and then we have a party the day after so the old wolf can have cake."

Will laughed. "Thanks for thinking of me, Oliver."

"I loves you, Old Wolf."

"I love you too, Oliver. Now we..."

The black wolf's ears pricked, and his tail rose. "They're here," Derrick interrupted.

Will didn't miss a beat. "Nathaniel, go. We can say our goodbyes over the ComLink. You have a patient who needs you now."

From out of the sky, the ship appeared, gliding in from the east. The flaps shifted and blue flames pushed downward, slowing the descent. Nathaniel grabbed the badger and kissed him. "I am the happiest bear on earth, Oliver," he said, placing the badger in the Megatherium's arms. He kissed the sloth and dropped onto all fours as he raced toward the lighthouse helipad. By the time it had landed, Nathaniel was there to greet the Red Wolf.

Back at the fallen tree, the rest of the family was congratulating the badger and sloth. The old wolf hugged the badger. "You three get ready for your mating and let the two of us plan your reception." He looked into the badger's face. "I'm happy for you, Oliver."

The badger looked at Will. "You can call me Badger if you likes."

Will smiled and kissed the little mammal. "No, it may not seem like it to you now, but you'll learn that Oliver is my term of endearment for you, the same way those two who love you call you Badger."

"That's okay then. I likes hearing you say Oliver."

Derrick pulled on Will's shoulders. "Time to go, Husband." After another quick round of hugs, the two werewolves shook into wolves and raced toward the helipad. Moments later, the Red Wolf launched into the sky and disappeared. The sloth, the badger, and the temple dog stood staring into the empty blue sky.

"I love you so much, Badger," the sloth said, kissing the tiny one's mouth and letting the tongue tease inside.

"We mates as humans, I guess," the badger said sadly.

"I guess so," the sloth said, equally dejected. "You know I wish it were different, don't you?"

"Yeah. I knows. But at least we mates. I wants you inside me even if you has to be a human to do it."

The sloth smiled. "Well, I have to head out and join your future husband at the hospital. We have company coming today."

"Okay," the badger said, smiling. "Can I gets me another kiss?"

Without hesitation, the sloth pulled up the badger and leaned into a kiss that lasted for minutes. When they separated, they both were erect. The sloth lowered the badger back to the ground. He stared at the badger, stammered something incoherently while looking toward the hospital. Then he looked back to the badger. Oliver pushed the sloth in the hospital's direction. "Go be with your husband. I can catch up later. I ain't never running to a hospital."

"Okay, but this hard-on you gave me. You're going to fix that later, right?"

"Yeah, Beast, I'll fix it. Now go."

Martin turned and began his plodding walk to the hospital. The badger smiled as he watched the tail bouncing back and forth as the sloth crested the hill. "Nice tail," he yelled.

"Thanks," the sloth replied. "You ought to get yourself a piece."

"I will one day soon," the badger answered back.

The little badger watched the retreating sloth and let his right foot draw two circles in the dirt. The temple dog smiled. "I will go as well. I have overlooked my morning meditations for far too many days." He reached down and hugged the little badger. "But it seems you will have a visitor soon. She's taken a liking to you. That is good luck where I come from."

When Oliver heard the flapping of wings, he turned to see the fenghuang land beside him. He smiled and waved to her. "Hi there. What brings you here?" the badger asked. The fenghuang bumped her head up against the badger's hand. "You wants me to pet you, fen... fun... gooey... Oh, hell... Dragon. You know I ain't never gonna get your name right. I can'ts even pronounce Beast's name and he's gonna be my mate."

The fenghuang pushed against Oliver once more, and the badger complied. "You sure have a pretty family. Your husband is one big critter. I thought the whales that swim in the bay was big, but he's something special, that's for sure."

As the badger stroked the head of the fenghuang, she made a gurgling sound that Oliver took to imply happiness. "I hope you start your family soon, Dragon. Don't wait, 'cause you never know what might come along to shake things up. You gots sanctuary here, but so did I, and I should'a let it start healing me way sooner than I did."

Oliver stopped his petting, and his hand settled on the top of the fenghuang. "You go make yourself some babies. Don't you wait no eight hundred years. I'm thinking that husband of yours would be more than happy to get together every two hundred years or so. Besides, you got to make more of you beautiful things..." the badger's words trailed off and his eyes closed tightly.

When Oliver's eyes opened two hours later, he laughed aloud. "It ain't possible, is it? No, it is," he yelled. He looked at the fenghuang. "I loves you, Dragon," he said as he kissed the dragon's beak. He paused a moment. "Not the mate kind of love. The friend kind of love. Don't want your husband getting upset with me." He turned toward the hospital path. "Thank you. I ain't got words to thank you enough." With that, the badger's tiny feet began scurrying up the pathway toward the hospital. He shifted to the werebadger and used his newfound size to cover more ground.

When he reached the hospital, he was running as fast as he could. He pulled the hospital door open and yelled, "Beast, I knows a way you can fuck me. I had a vision. We can get your pecker inside me as a beast, after all."

Oliver looked to see the sloth surrounded by forty human beings staring at the badger with their mouths open. "I probably shouldn't have said fuck," the badger muttered.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen," Martin said without missing a beat. "Here we have a lunatic immigrant who escaped from his straight jacket. This was the world of the Partridge Island hospital before psychiatric care was available. Once doctors thought such foul language to be a sign of insanity. Today, we know these poor souls suffered from treatable illnesses. This old man has Coprolalia, which manifests by uncontrollable swearing."

The humans stared at the badger seeing a strange, disheveled man. "Fuck, damn, fuckety fuck, fuck," he said, trying to be helpful.

The humans applauded, and the sloth rolled his eyes. He looked over at the reception desk. "Tyler, can you please take over the tour?" When Tyler could finally compose himself, he stepped out from behind the desk and led the humans out of the hospital.

"I'm sorry, Beast. I forgot today was a human day. But I was so excited I couldn't wait."

"That's okay, Badger, now what's this about a way for me to poke you?"

"I saw it clear as day. We was mating. You was small, and you was inside of me, and it was heaven."

"Did the vision tell you how I was going to do that?"

"Yeah, of course," the werebadger said. "I wouldn't have run all the way up here if it were some crazy dream." The badger began thinking of how to explain the vision. "Okay, change to a human."

The Megatherium shook himself and became human.

"See that? See what you did? You changed fast. We all change fast."

"Well, yeah," the sloth said with skepticism. "It hurts like hell if we don't."

"Yeah, I knows," the badger said, "But think about your first change. Remember how you sort of changed slowly? That you didn't grow huge before you grew claws and fur?"

Martin thought about the transformation. "You're right. There was a moment when the body began realigning itself to the size of the sloth, but before that, I was already sort of half human/half Megatherium."

"Exactly, Beast. You was human-sized, but mostly beast body. If you will't it hard enough, you can go from the body you have now to a beast, but never let the beast grow."

"It's worth a try," Martin said. He shut his eyes and concentrated. Slowly, the body shifted. Martin groaned in pain as the fur of the ground sloth appeared, and the fingers of the human became the curved claws of the Megatherium. As Martin's feet turned toward the sides, the sloth began growing.

"Hold it there, Beast. Don't let it grow. Keep the beast small. Let the human tell the beast what size it has to be."

"God, Badger, this hurts. I don't know if I can do this."

At a little over six feet, the werebadger was now almost the same height as the transforming sloth. He reached up and kissed the man-sloth. His clawed hands pulled the man-sloth in close. "Don't stop trying, Beast. We don't know how many times you can do this. I won't ask it for always, but be there for our mating."

The sloth moaned painfully as his tail grew and fell to the ground. Bone and skin twisted into the shape of the sloth, but the upward flexing was negligible compared to his normal transformation. In time, the transformation slowed and then stopped. Martin could feel his body adjust to his new shape, and a level of comfort returned past the searing pain.

Throughout the transformation, the badger remained locked in his embrace with the sloth. When their lips parted, he felt the Megatherium's tongue slipping out of his mouth and the prehensile lip pulled on his. "That's the tongue I love, Beast," the badger said. He pushed back to see what the human had become.

At seven feet tall, the Megatherium was only half his normal size. "It worked, Badger," Martin groaned. "But not for long. It's not a permanent thing. My sloth side is fighting to get back to what it is."

The badger sighed. "Then take me, Beast. Do me now. We don't have to wait."

"Oh, like hell you don't," said the female voice behind them.

The two turned and saw Sarah staring at them in her nurse's outfit. "You two break that up. If I have to wear this gawd awful outfit, I'm not letting you two hump your asses off in the middle of the hospital anytime you want. I suffer, everyone suffers."

"Sarah, please," the badger begged. "We is trying to mate. I want's Martin and Nathaniel as my husbands. The beast is tiny. We can mate now, but it ain't gonna last."

Sarah's face softened. "Oh jeez, guys, I'm sorry. Where's Uncle Nathaniel?"

"He was out of surgery an hour ago. I think he's in ICU following up," the sloth said. "Badger, I need to... I need you."

"Okay, you two come with me," Sarah commanded. She motioned to a door that opened not into a room, but a cargo elevator. "Come on, boys. We're going to get you to an empty room in D-wing, and I'm going to find Uncle Nathaniel."

The transfer from an elevator to an empty room accomplished, Sarah looked at the two. "Well, don't stand on ceremony, guys. I'm a doctor. I've seen it all."

"You ain't seen this," the badger said.

The sloth growled. "It's now or never, Badger. I can't wait."

"You boys go," Sarah said, heading toward the door. "I'll find Uncle Nathaniel; he needs to be here with you."

"Find him fast," Martin begged. "This is starting without him, but it won't end that way. If you don't get him here, we will find him. And trust me; you don't want that happening in this hospital."

"Understood," Sarah said, closing the door and running toward the underground causeway.

The small sloth grabbed the werebadger and bit into his neck. "I love you, Oliver, be my mate," he said through clenched jaws. The badger gritted his teeth. "I will be your mate now and forever, Martin." There was a guttural noise from behind, and the werebadger felt the sloth yank him into position. Heated and uncontrolled, it was exactly what the badger had seen in his vision. As the flat teeth of the sloth ground into the badger's neck, the sloth penetrated him. The two soon found their rhythm and began rocking in an ardent exchange. The minutes passed. All too soon for the badger, the roar of the orgasmic sloth filled the hospital.

"Come on, Uncle, in here," Sarah said from outside the door. She opened the door wide, and the Bear, already shaking with desire, changed into his human form to move into the room. Sarah saw it only for a moment, but like a moth to a flame, she could not turn away from what was happening beyond the doorway. "Well, that's going to be burned in my brain forever," Sarah said, laughing. "Go, Uncle Nathaniel. They need you." She shoved the sweat-soaked man through the door. "Congratulations, men. It's about time," she said as she slammed the door closed.

She leaned back against the door and heard the bear roar. She smiled and shook her head. A slam against the left side of the room shook the walls. Moments later, there was another shake as all parties slammed against the right side of the room. When the fist of the bear came through the wall, Sarah ducked and ran for cover across the hall. "And I thought having Paul's relatives at the wedding was tough," Sarah laughed. "These boys take it to a new level."

The roaring and thrashing behind the door continued for the better part of half an hour. Then the door and a large part of the wall fell into the hall and with it, the bear and the badger. The werebadger had embedded his teeth in the short-faced bear's neck, and the bear seemed intent on throwing the little mammal off. With a forceful shake, the bear flung the werebadger across the hallway and the small beast slammed into the far wall only feet from Sarah. She remained immobile, transfixed by what was happening. As the werebadger rose, Sarah knew Oliver didn't see her. He saw only the bear.

The bear rolled over, legs lifting into the air. The werebadger jumped toward the bruin, shoving himself as deep into the bear as his six-foot body would let him. Oliver's humping of the bear was fast and unrelenting. It was also in the sloth's way that was now at his full stature again and moving toward the bear.

The sloth flung the badger for a second time against the wall as he shoved the bear over and bit deep into his neck. Blood flowed from the neck of the sloth, showing that the frenzied mating had already taken him to where he was taking the bear. The sheer weight of six thousand pounds of flesh shoved the bear into position. The bear struggled to no avail to shake off the sloth.

When the massive cock of the sloth penetrated the bear, the bruin roared. But unlike their first encounter, this time, the Bear's roar seemed one of celebration. The badger, dazed at first, shook off the blow to his head and ran toward the sloth and bear. Oliver ran up the tail of the sloth and across the massive beast's back. The werebadger bit into the neck of the Megatherium and held on.

The sloth rose, slamming his head against the ceiling, and tore away the soundboard and lighting fixtures in his path. His spent cock pulled out from the bear. The bear rolled away from the sloth, gathering his strength for what appeared to be another assault. The badger clung to the sloth's neck until, with one massive shake; the badger flew through the air for the third time. However, this time the sloth turned, grabbed the little creature from mid-air, and rolled onto his back, carrying the little one with him. The sloth flipped his heavy tail outward and exposed himself to the badger.

The badger took no time in mounting the beast. He tried to use the creature's massive tail to steady himself as he pounded his cock into the willing ground sloth. Try as he might, the tail was too thick to stabilize the badger, and he began slipping. The growling bear reached out toward the werebadger. Sarah shook her head. "Not again, Oliver. You poor thing; you can't get a break."

Yet, instead of throwing the badger off, the bear gently placed his hands around the badger's waist. The bear straddled the tail of the sloth and formed a backdrop to steady the badger's thrusting. The bear was helping the badger mate with the sloth. When at last the badger screamed through his orgasm, the three fell into a heap of flesh and fur.

Sarah stood watching as the three began kissing and caressing all within their reach. The motions were now controlled and caring. The violent actions of the beasts were no more; only the passions of the three melding their bodies into one loving interchange.

Realizing that she was safe to move away, Sarah crept toward the stairway exit. As she walked down the stairs, she marveled at what she had seen. While she had always wondered what the beasts might do to show their commitment to each other, she never knew how incredible that labor would be. "Well, uncles, I have to say, you certainly deserve each other." She laughed. "And I mean that in the best way possible."

Sara waved to Tyler at the desk. "Tours over for the day?" She asked.

"Yeah," Tyler responded. "What the hell was going on up there?"

"The doctor had a consultation with his husbands. It will be fine. But for now, no one goes up to the second floor D-wing, clear?"

Tyler smiled. "You're talking to a married werewolf. Of course, it's clear."

Sarah returned the smile. "Thanks, Tyler. I'll see you tomorrow. Time to head home to the husband."

"Have a good night, Doctor."

"Well, it's been a pretty amazing day."

"I imagine. Chalk it up to a learning experience, and try to be kind when you ruminate over it all night."

Sarah laughed. "Tyler, those are my uncles up there. I have nothing but kind thoughts for all three."

"Patient in ICU is stable, by the way."

"Good to hear," Sarah said. "I'll be rounding tomorrow. Let everyone know that Dr. Templeton will be unavailable."

"Will do. Congratulations on your new uncle, Doctor. It's a badger."

Sarah laughed. "Thanks, Tyler. See you tomorrow." She pushed the wide front doors open, walked toward the stairs, and stepped out into the rain.

Chapter 27

From atop the lighthouse gallery, Martin watched the sun rising through the clouds in the east. "It's beautiful here," he said to the older man coming up the steps.

"It is that. Now you know why so much of my life has been spent as a keeper."

"I'm Martin," the human said, extending his hand.

"Lewis," the other said, shaking the hand. "You're the Megatherium, right?"

"That would be me," Martin said, smiling. "You would be the firstborn. I apologize for taking so long to say hello."

Lewis looked at Martin. "You say it differently than Nathaniel."

"Oh?"

"He says it to describe those humans who first mated with the Changelings. We are the frail link to the memory of their fallen."

"And how do I say it?"

"As if I was the first," Lewis replied. "I heard you're gifted with the Sight. I suspect you see what Nathaniel cannot."

"How is it everyone hears I have the Sight when I don't tell anyone?" Martin said with a laugh.

Lewis shifted and became the white wolf. He tapped his ear with his paw. "Wolves... incredible hearing, remember? You Megatheriums are also gifted with rather loud voices when you're upset. I did my best to let you work out your difficulties, but you can't expect me to ignore the last few weeks. Don't forget that I love Nathaniel and Oliver. The new kid in town had me worried."

Martin smiled. "Understood. I love them, too."

"I'm not worried anymore if that's any consolation," the wolf said, shifting back to human.

Martin smiled. "Thanks. It means a great deal to me." He looked at the old man. "You have lived alone for so many years."

"It was by choice, Martin. I watched the rise and fall of countless civilizations. As it is with so many of our kind, I reached a point where I turned away from humanity because I couldn't bear to watch it anymore. I learned the lesson that humans never learn. War doesn't make us better or stronger than our enemies. It doesn't bring enlightenment. It doesn't bring peace. All war brings is death and waste."

Martin looked at Lewis's face and saw the years etched in every wrinkle. "I doubt they will ever learn that lesson, Lewis."

"I wish I could believe otherwise. It was a hard lesson for me to learn. When I met the Changeling, I was a warrior, fierce and unrelenting. All who stood against me called me the god of war. I was the bringer of death. The Changeling did not love me. He hated everything I was. As a punishment, he tore me from my exalted throne and threw me into the middle of all the destruction and pain I had caused. He wouldn't let me look away as he shoved reality in my face. And when I could stand no more, when my human heart had shattered and was ready to stop beating from the horror of what I saw, he turned me. He gave me a heart that healed every time it broke. I became the firstborn, the only beast to be born without his consent. And I hated the Changeling for what he did to me."

"Then where does the love I feel in you come from?" Martin asked

"From the Changeling that never turned from me or my people. I hated him, and yet still he remained by my side." The old man looked out over the ocean. "I will never understand why I stayed by him. He was like the white bear, a healer. And I was so in need of healing. Somewhere amid all that carnage, I saw a creature reaching out to ease the pain, to lift the burdens of people who he owed nothing to. I hated him for what he had done to me, but I loved him for what he did for my people. He was Anubis, and he did what none of us should ever have to do. He took the dying children of war into his arms and protected them as they passed."

Martin looked at the wolf with doubtful eyes. "Anubis? Guardian of the dead? Guide to the afterworld?"

Lewis continued to stare out at the water. "Sometimes there are kernels of truth in legends. A Changeling who spends his time helping ease the pain of the dying is not unknown to your family, or to my life. Anubis, the black wolf protector of the dead and dying. His white wolf companion Wepwawet, who was once the god of war. Wepwawet, the son of Anubis. The wolf that stood by Anubis's side and helped him with his impossible task. I suspect there are tales of the white bear and his gray wolf companion shrouded in mystery, where only the old bear and old wolf know the truth."

The white-haired man sighed. "Perhaps in time, I would have forgiven the Changeling for what he had done to me. There is a strong bond between the white bear and the old wolf. They share a similar history to Anubis and me. I sometimes look out at the stars and talk to Anubis. I want him to know I'm sorry; that I regret my anger misplaced onto his shoulders. It was the wars I had grown to hate. It was who I was that I hated. I dream of a time and place so different from what surrounds us. I yearn for a place where he might teach me to live with the curse he thrust upon me."

"Life took him from you two soon," Martin said as he put his arm around the werewolf.

"Far too soon," Lewis sighed. "He was the first Changeling to turn a human and the first Changeling to die at their hand. The one wound of war that I could never heal from. Thousands of years ago, I became a warrior like you, Martin. A warrior like Max. We are anachronisms. We are the warriors yearning for peace."

"Perhaps it's no coincidence the old bear has led you to this place."

"I have thought the same these last few years," the old man said. "This is a place of sanctuary and healing. The white bear and his husbands are bringing the wounded ones they love to a place where they can be reborn."

"I'm glad you're here, Lewis," Martin said as he leaned over and kissed the old man. "We need warriors that yearn for peace."

Lewis smiled. "And I am glad you're here. I know you are fond of your animal avatar, but please don't let this be the last time we share a sunrise on this gallery."

Martin looked out on the bay. "How could I pass up such an offer?" he said, smiling. "And that brings me to the reason I'm here today. I have an offer for you."

"And that is?"

"I am inviting our family to our mating reception."

"Mating reception? That's a new one for me."

"We've decided we will live in sin like our fathers before us. Tradition is important in our family."

The white wolf laughed. "And family? Where do I fit into that?"

"We have also decided we're going to make our family as we go along. We'd like you to be a part of it. There's no rush, and where you fit in is up to you. We just wanted you to know you belong."

The old man looked at the younger and smiled. "You have a strange way of looking at things, Martin."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot from people."

Chapter 28

The Were Nation met the announcement of the third mating of the Changeling with great fanfare. Even those trying to plan the reception on short notice had no complaints. Will took it all in stride. A gifted businessperson, he understood plans that needed to change. One month after the mating, an invitation went out to the Were Nation to visit the Changeling and his two husbands.

The island had never seen so many Weres and Changelings as filled the halls that night. It was moving to watch Li Wei greet his brothers after so many years apart. As sunset fell, the crowd watched in amazement as Dá Lóng snaked up onto the shore of the rocky island. There he offered the fenghuang fish. Above the high tide mark, she carefully guarded the eggs beneath her. It surprised the crowd when Oliver leaned over the railing and waved to the pair and they nodded in return. However, it didn't surprise Li Wei, and he smiled knowingly at the affectionate display.

The lavish celebration took place in the halls of the First Class Hospital. Inside, the Megatherium delighted the crowd with the announcement that the trio would exchange rings. Sarah, the lone human on the island, came out in a beautiful white dress bearing three very special rings on a large pillow.

The giant ground sloth knelt in front of his husbands. He placed the two large rings on his mate's genitals in front of the entire gathering. By the time he finished, the crowd was in stitches. The laughter didn't faze Oliver. The little badger beamed proudly with his new jewelry fastened. It was equally memorable when he and his bear mate placed the largest ring around the ground sloth's cock and balls. Everyone noticed the clink of metal on metal as the ring locked into place with a magnetic clasp.

Still, nothing captivated the crowd's attention so much as what happened on the dance floor. The newly mated trio's first dance followed the ring ceremony. All watched quietly as the three danced. The two massive beasts moved their bodies gracefully across the hospital's stone floor, while the badger clung to the sloth's neck. It was enough to make the old wolf cry while his family pretended not to notice.

Later during the evening, heads turned when the little badger shifted to his six-foot stature and danced with the great white bear. Halfway through their dance, the old wolf stepped out onto the dance floor and asked to take the hand of the badger. The polar bear bowed and yielded his partner to the wolf. For a moment, the band stopped playing.

A plaintive single violin backed only by a guitar began playing the Tennessee Waltz. The two danced together, talking in voices so low that even the wolves couldn't hear their words. The dance floor cleared, leaving only the two swaying to the music. As the last notes played, all eyes watched as they kissed. The crowd spoke no words as the two walked away from each other and toward their individual husbands.

The band resumed playing with something upbeat and jazzy, but for a time, the party lost itself in speculation more than spectacle. Still, nothing could keep the joyful evening from returning in short order. The three husbands cut the mating cake. Oliver had the pleasure of shoving cake into the faces of each husband before the top tier fell on top of him at the hands of his mammoth mates.

As the last of the guests returned to their homes, the fathers said goodbye to their sons and promised to return when they could spend more time. Reviving a tradition from the highland, Jean Pierre and the pack made plans to deliver supplies to the island. With those supplies would come the real reason for the visits. The flights to the island were a way to carve out time from everyone's busy schedules. A ruse to ensure the family would always find time for the affections of the wolves and visits from the fathers.

The triad used the small lights that lined all the pathways on the island to find their way to an overlook on the bay side. Even the weather seemed to cooperate for their special night. The fog had held off and was only now moving across the bay toward the island.

"Well, that was quite the shindig, husbands," Martin said, taking a deep breath.

"I liked it. Ain't never been to a party so big," Oliver said.

The sloth looked at the badger and smiled. "Do you want to tell us what you and Will were talking about on the dance floor tonight?"

The badger looked at the sloth. "Don't make me no nevermind. We're husbands and I ain't never gonna keep anything from you two, ever." The badger hesitated a moment. "We was saying goodbye."

Nathaniel looked at Oliver. "No, Badger, you can't do that. You two love each other."

"I know," the badger said. "We was saying goodbye to who we was. Two hundred years ago, the old wolf bit my neck. We was supposed to be mated, but I ran from that night. A lot of years has come and gone since then, and we ain't the same wolf and badger we was then.

"The old wolf and I was saying goodbye to those two who never seemed to get a break from life. We is both different folks than we was then and we knows it's for the better. We has husbands who loves us, and we ain't hurting no more like we have been hurting for so long. So we let go of those two and promised to be something new to each other. Ain't sure what that will be, but we ain't afraid of it no more. We'se family, likes we should'a been all along."

Nathaniel pulled the badger in close and the Megatherium leaned into the two, pulling both into his chest. "I love you, Badger," both husbands said together.

"You sounds like the twins," Oliver laughed. "I love you both. And I loved tonight."

"It was nice. And now they've all gone home," Nathaniel said. "Li Wei and the dragons are sleeping. We have the island to ourselves. And I'm too exhausted to do anything about it."

"You wanna go home to bed, Husband?" the badger asked. "I'll even be the little spoon tonight."

"That sounds nice, Hon," Nathaniel answered, smiling. "For now, I'm content being here with the two men I love most in the world."

The three looked out across the bay. They watched the waves cresting over the riprap and against the floating docks. Tomorrow, they would store the docks for the winter and cut off the island once more from the mainland tourist traffic. The hospitals and outbuildings, once busy with refugee traffic, were enjoying vacancies.

But tonight, after all the festivities, the island seemed melancholy; wrapped in its robes of fallen leaves and barren branches. Autumn had arrived, and soon the snows of winter would cover the ground. "It's almost stark compared to the highland, isn't it?" the Megatherium sighed.

The short-faced bear put his arm around his larger mate while the smaller one sat in his lap. "Spring will return in a few months, and green will replace all this brown," Nathaniel said. The bear paused. "Do you ever regret this move?"

"No. It's beautiful here, too. It's a different beauty, though. Different is good. I have a family who taught me that. So much has changed here since the war. So much good surrounds us."

Nathaniel pointed back across the island. "There are three wartime arterial spotting lights on the far side of the island that have fallen into disrepair. They were mirrors that had steel gates protecting them, but those mirrors are long gone. They were at the edge of the cemeteries on the cliffs.

"Max worked up a design that incorporates the original foundations of the lights. There was to be an eternal flame inside each roundabout, and the names of all those who have died on this island etched into mirrored stainless steel. During the day, the names would rotate toward the island so that visitors could read them. And when the night came, the mirrors would rotate outward so that on a clear night, you could see the lights from miles away."

"Not that we get many of them nights. Mostly fog here," Oliver said. "Still nothing Max worked up that didn't look beautiful."

"I hope all those souls will find a bit of peace, knowing that we haven't forgotten them," Nathaniel said. "There will be no forgotten lives on this island anymore."

"It's all amazing, Hon," Martin said. "The hospitals, the gunnery, the outbuildings, and homes; it's been such a work of love." The sloth leaned over and kissed the top of the badger's head. "And sanctuary to one I love more than he will ever know."

The badger smiled shyly. "I know, Beast. I ain't never forgetting what you done for me, nor where I live. This is my healing place, my sanctuary. This is my home."

"It's too bad that the humans will never know what a remarkable work is happening here," Martin said with a touch of sadness. Through the leafless trees, he pointed toward the lighthouse. "So, are we settling into the idea that we're going to live next to the hospital in a museum?"

Nathaniel nodded. "I guess it's time to retire the Hospital Steward's Home as our living quarters and prepare to build a bigger home for the three of us. Unless we're all willing to stay human to live where we are now."

The badger fidgeted, and Martin coughed. "If I'm not mistaken, we have a husband who would miss sleeping with his favorite bear. Come to think of it, two of your husbands would miss that," the sloth said. "Besides, I made a promise to the Badger that even though he can't pronounce it, he would always sleep with the Megatherium. And I always keep my promises."

Oliver got up and walked to the giant ground sloth. He extended his arms, and the Megatherium picked him up, cradling the badger in one arm. Oliver looked down at Nathaniel. "I have to make sure you both get equal cuddle time." The two smiled at the badger and nodded.

"Okay, so we build the museum," Martin said. "It will take some doing, but we will work it out. I wish Max was here. I'm sure he would know what the building should look like."

Nathaniel and Oliver grew quiet and bowed their heads. Martin reached out and put one hand on the young bear's shoulder while his other pulled the badger in close. "Be there with him, husbands. We have nowhere to be and all the time in the world. His spirit lives on here in every building, every path, and every time we see the lighthouse beam as it moves across the island and out to sea. You can spend as much time as you need. On this day of all days, he will be close in your memories."

The two leaned into their mate and let the tears flow. When they ebbed, the sloth spoke. "Tell me about Max," he begged. He picked up the lowered face of the bear he loved and kissed him. Lowering his face to the badger, he did the same. "Let me build another place in my heart for him by hearing his stories from the ones who loved him most."

Nathaniel brushed back his tears and nodded. "I'm amazed between the war and my father that Max even survived long enough for any of us to love him. But I'm glad he did. He was the most beautiful human I had ever met." Nathaniel chuckled slightly. "He was the only human I had ever met until that day..."

The leading winds of a Nor'easter blew across the island, and the three pulled each other closer for warmth. In the days to come, they would help Lewis batten down the hatches of the Lighthouse and prepare the Hospital Steward's Home for winter. But for now, the stories of their past and their stories yet to be created unfolded.

As the morning light pushed back the darkness, the stories ended, and the three began their walk back to the house. Martin looked at Nathaniel. "You know, I've listened to your fathers so many times, but I've never heard you sing."

The little badger looked down from the Megatherium's shoulder. "You sings?"

Nathaniel smiled. "I used to sing a lot back when I was younger."

The badger judged his distance between the sloth's shoulder and the bear walking on all fours and leapt. He landed on Nathaniel's back and made his way up to the neck of the bear. "Would you sing for us? I ain't never heard a Changeling sing before."

"You have two votes for singing, Husband," the sloth said.

"It's been a while," Nathaniel replied.

"You'll be fine, Hon," Martin said, "Sing."

"Sing," the badger begged.

Nathaniel stopped and rolled back onto his haunches. The badger felt the long arm of the sloth pick him up and bring him close to the beast's chest. Nathaniel lifted his head, closed his eyes, and sang. It was a song of love; of all that he had lost and all that he had found. It was the song of every Changeling. It was a song of rebirth.

The song of the short-faced bear was returning. With it, two new songs moved through the frosty morning air; the beating heart of the Megatherium and the tiny pulse of the badger. On the far side of the continent, two father bears lay in bed with their arms wrapped around their sleeping husbands. They looked at each other and smiled.