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Blacktail Sanctuary - The New Keepers -

Chapter Three

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

2nd July, 2019

All Rights Reserved.

Kelly showed Kristen around the sanctuary, impressed with the young Vixen's knowledge and eagerness to learn. They explored the park, Kristen learning about the other animals in the sanctuary. She particularly fell in love with the Kangaroo's. Especially the orphaned Joeys, in their little pillow case pouches, hanging outside the veterinary office, on the fence.

"Do you, I mean, we, get many orphans?" Kristen asked, as she smiled and watched as the nearest joey, a little doe, gripped her fingers with her tiny paws.

"During their breeding season, sometimes we get a 'rush' of them, but we try to rehabilitate and release all that we can. Some, obviously, are never able to be released so we keep them here in the sanctuary - or pass them on to other zoo's, sanctuaries, etc." Kelly smiled, watching the Joey as it started to make the cry they done.

Flicking her ears, Kristen moaned softly. "Did I do something wrong?"

'No," Kelly smiled. "It's alright, she's hungry, its about time they got their bottle - would you like to hold her and feed her?"

Kristen's eyes widened. "Could I...I've never - "

"Sure!" Kelly chuckled.

Kelly led Kristen into the clinic, both of them watching as the orphan's milk was prepared by the staff.

"Depending on their species and their age, kangaroo joeys receive a 'certain' type of milk, this stuff, is specifically crafted for their age and species."

Kristen watched, wide eyed and interested. Kelly chuckled, then handed Kristen a bottle with a long, slender teat.

"Come on, the others will feed them, you can go feed the little grey doe!"

Kristen followed obediently, then Kelly slipped the little joey from her pouch, laying it on its back in Kristen's arms.

"What...do I do?" Kristen whispered, feeling the joey squirm and cry.

"Just hold her bottle like so - " Kelly smiled, demonstrating.

Kristen obeyed, and quickly, the little joey stopped fussing and gripped the bottle with her tiny paws and began eagerly nursing.

"So hungry!" Kristen moaned, then giggled shyly. "I know little one, its not like drinking from mum's pouch..."

Kelly sat back, watching with interest as the little joey suckled the tear, Kristen's paws lightly shaking the bottle. All too soon, the joey finished and looked up at the vixen, then her eyes slowly closed and she dozed, happy and content with a full belly of the warm marsupial milk.

"They're so adorable, aren't they?" Kelly whispered quietly.

"They are...why do people hunt them? It - it just seems so cruel!"

Kelly nodded, then gestured for the pouch. Another staff member come over, and crouched down, holding the makeshift pouch open as the little joey woke up. She made some unindentifable cry and quickly slipped out of Kristen's arms and back into her pouch, where she went straight to sleep.

"It never fails to amaze me - " Kelly chuckled. "Animals have such, amazing ability to drift off, almost instantly - and to wake up the same way!"

Kristen smiled, politely thanked the staff member, then stood up and dusted off her khaki shorts. "I guess we should get on with our job..."

'This is part of our job - " Kelly chuckled.

"It.,.is?" Kristen murmured. "I thought..."

"After I seen you with that kangaroo joey? How she took to you? I think I was quick to misjudge you my dear, maybe your skills are more suited to caring for these little ones..."

A crackle from the radio made Kelly jump instinctively, before she plucked it from her belt, giving Kristen a lopsdied grin of shame at being so twitchy.

"Kelly here!"

"Kelly, we've got a situation - " Come a voice, male, and sounding worried. "In the birthing suite, for the deer - "

"Copy, on my way - out!" Kelly spoke quickly, before she ran into the veterinary clinic, returning with a young human woman, about thirty years old, who wore the white lab coat.

"Whats - " Kristen asked, worried and confused.

"What we were afraid of - " Snapped Kelly, her voice suddenly worried and stressed, as she began running, her cloven hooves clacking loudly.

Kristen was left in their wake, Kelly outpacing both her and whom she assumed was the veterinarian, as they rushed back through the park. Confused, lost and panting, the vixen ran as fast as her booted feet could carry her, before Kelly skidded to a halt and rested her paws on her knees, panting heavily.

"In...in there - " Kelly gasped, her sides heaving and muzzle hanging open, as she weakly waved towards the door.

Kristen was torn between her wish to stay and find some water or something for Kelly, and her desire to see what was the emergency. Deciding Kelly would know her own body best, Kristen slipped through the door and into the dimly lit barn. She followed the Veterinarian, who moved with intent and purpose.

Down the hall and into a stable they went, where she ordered all but two humans out of her way, and polaced the stephescope on the whitetail doe's belly.

"Easy girl..." Whispered the vet, feeling the contractions of the doe making her twitch and cry out in pain.

"Whats - " Kristen began.

"I don't have time to give the details!" Snaped the Vet sharply, as she pulled over her bag and quickly withdrew a hypodermic, sliding it into the doe's neck and pressing the plunger. "Easy...easy girl, thats it..."

Kristen felt Kelly's trembling hand on her shoulder, before she glanced back and watched as Kelly fought to hold herself together.

"Kelly - what's..." Kristen whimpered.

"This poor doe, Aleisha, its her first fawn. She was old enough to breed, this being her second heat. From the way she's kicking and struggling, I think the poor fawn is breech. Its uncommon, but...deadly for both mother and fawn, if we don't do something quickly!"

"What can we do?" Kristen asked, horrifed and curious at the same time.

"Honey? We pray...that's all we can do - " Kelly sighed, then knelt down and plaed her paw gently on the convulsing doe's shoulder. "She's been given, I imagine, a mild sedative...but if the fawn is breech - then we need to make a decision!"

"You...can't we - " Kristen moaned, realisation hitting her between the eyes like a rock.

"No, it has to be here and now - Penny here, she's our day shift Vet, it's ultimately, her decision..."

"You can't!" Kristen moaned, slapping her paws to her muzzle.

"We may have little choice - now - please, either help...or get out of the way..." Kelly growled at her, the tears starting to flow down her muzzle. "We don't have time to get her to the clinic..."

To Be Continued...