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What is left?

Chapter 4.

Written by Wolfie Steel.

I set the Husky the task of making sure that the paddock area and stables are clean and fit for use, the Folf gets the job of checking all of the buildings to see what is needed to make good any repairs and also to clean the main house ready for the new furniture to be moved in, while The Doberman and I drive into town to begin one of the largest shopping trips of my life. I have my cell phone with me so that Makeria can call me to let me know what materials are needed for repairs.

My phone begins to ring and vibrate and so I look at the number displayed on the screen and find that it is Makeria, so I answer the call.

"Hi Makeria, what's up?"

I can hear a large sigh on the other end of the phone.

"Christian, when are you and Tyler going to be home?"

I close my eyes as I think about why the Folf could be sighing.

"Well Makeria, the new furniture for the house is ordered, I just have to finish the shopping for the repair materials, then I'm going to get some takeout food to bring it home for lunch, why do you ask?"

Another sigh is given before he answers.

"Taylor is seriously doing my head in, first of all I had to ask him three times to get off his lazy ass and start work, and then when he finally did start work he managed to completely snap a shovel in two, he then tripped over the old hay rake which made him stumble backwards sending him crashing through the wooden back wall of one of the stables"

It is now my turn to sigh.

"Is he okay?"

Makeria took a second to reply.

"He is, but damn it, I don't know how long I can keep my hand paws off him, seriously it is all I can do not to strangle the shit"

I wince a little at what Makeria has told me and I know full well that when Tyler and I return to the ranch there is going to be close to an all out war going on.

"Okay Makeria, I'll order some more wood and nails and stuff, I'll get the lunch sorted and then we'll be home, so about half an hour, now Makeria, please try not to kill Taylor before we get back okay, I know it will be difficult, but I don't need a murder on my paws"

Makeria assures me that he will try his very best and I end the call, Tyler looks at me and can instantly tell just by the look on my face that I am one pissed Horse.

"Don't tell me, its Taylor right? Man that guy is such a pain in the butt, why you ever agreed to take him on is beyond my comprehension"

I give a weak smile.

"I didn't have much of a choice, it was part of the deal that I made with the bank manager, without it I don't think I would have got the money that I need to buy and run the place"

The Doberman lets out a gentle laugh.

"So you were hoodwinked into giving his lazy assed, clumsy and all round spoilt brat of a step son a job"

I nod a little which earns me another chuckle from the Doberman. We both head back to the hardware store to order the extra materials that we would need to repair the stable wall and also to purchase some new shovels because something told me that we would need them. With the hardware store visit complete our last stop is the local fast food joint, I order four large burger meals and then Tyler and I head back to my truck to make the journey home to the ranch.

We arrive back at the ranch to find that the place is all quiet, maybe a little too quiet. Tyler and I climb from the truck and walk up the steps to the front porch of the house; I look through the glass of the door and see the Folf sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, his head held in his hand paws, I turn to Tyler.

"Tyler, go and find Taylor and bring him to the house, I want to find out exactly what has gone on here while we have been away"

The Doberman heads off towards the paddock and stable area while I head into the kitchen and over to where Makeria is sitting.

I place the four meal bags and drinks on the kitchen work surface and then I offer my hoofed hand to the Folf, he takes it in his paw and I gently lift him to his foot paws.

"Well boss, I did as you asked, I held myself back from killing the Husky, but as clumsy as he is he will have probably done himself in anyway"

I stand before the Folf and reply.

"I hired you to be my ranch manager, which means that you will be the one in charge of the guys on the ranch, now I know that Taylor is enough to try the patience of a saint, hell maybe even the good lord himself, but he is young enough to be moulded into one hell of a ranch hand given the right stimulation and help, we will all pitch in and help where we can but the bottom line is this, if you can't keep Taylor in line then I will have to find someone that can"

Just as I finish my chat with Makeria, Tyler walks into the kitchen with a very sheepish looking Taylor following behind. I slowly approach the Husky and he begins to quiver a little.

"Taylor, when you are on this ranch you will work as a member of the team, it is going to be difficult enough as it is to get this place up and running, I don't want to have to sort out feuds between my ranch manager and ranch hand, and I certainly can't afford to keep buying materials to repair stable walls, so I want you now to shape up or I am going to have to get serious with you"

I turn to Makeria.

"Now, firstly, I want you both to shake paws and make friends, and then we will eat"

I could tell that neither guy was up for making friends, but eventually they shook paws and then they each grabbed a meal bag and then sat on the floor of the kitchen and began to eat, Tyler and I also grabbed our own meal bags and followed suit.

Half an hour after lunch was finished the first of the delivery trucks rolled up the driveway, this one full of wood, paint, tools, nails and screws, the four of us helped to unload the truck so that the driver could get back on the road to allow the other delivery trucks to make their drops.

Finally, two hours later and all the deliveries have been made and so I hand out tasks for each and every one of us, I got to repair any woodwork, Tyler gets to start painting, while Makeria and Taylor are charged with building the furniture and setting it up in the rooms.

I decide to make my first job repairing the wall of the stable, I walk into the stables and I can clearly see a huge hole in the rear wall, I give the damage a closer inspection and realise that some of the wood is rotten anyway so needs to be replaced.

I look at my watch and see 18:00 showing on the display, I hear the sound of tyres rolling up the driveway and so I decide to investigate. I walk towards the driveway and I can see that the guy from the electricity company is here. The Lynx dressed in company uniform, steps from his truck and greets me.

"Mr Miles I presume, my name is Jack Finch and I'm here to reconnect your power supply"

I shake the Lynx's paw and lead him to the utilities cupboard. Five minutes later there is the satisfying gentle hum as the power begins to flow, I head to the house and flick on the kitchen light, suddenly the kitchen is flooded with the fluorescent glow.

Again I shake the paw of the Lynx and he makes his way back to his truck, well at least now we can see what we are doing tonight, and more importantly who we are doing it to. I walk through the house to check on the progress of Taylor and Makeria, each room that I visit has the furniture all prepared and in place, I then reach the room that will hopefully serve as the bedroom for me and Tyler and I find the young Husky and the Folf hard at work.

"Well guys, this is something I didn't expect to see, you two actually working well with each other"

Makeria looks up at me and giggles a little.

"Seems that the talk you gave us both earlier did something to change the way we see each other"

Taylor continues where Makeria leaves off.

"Yeah, look I know that I'm a lazy hound and sometimes a little clumsy, but this is your business we are talking about, and yes I know the deal that you made with my Step Dad, and I do want to try and toe the line, it's just that I'm finding it hard being the youngest guy here an all"

I look at the young Husky and for the briefest of moments I can see truth behind what he says, that is until the screwdriver which he is using slips and slices a gash in his left paw pad. Makeria speaks up.

"Christian, can you take Taylor down stairs and get his paw patched up; I'm nearly done here anyway"

I lead the young Husky back down stairs and we head towards the medical supplies cupboard, once there I get an alcohol pad and some bandage to take care of Taylor's paw, the gash is not a very large one and there is only a little blood so he should be fine by tomorrow.

Makeria makes his way into the kitchen and takes a seat at the new rustic looking dining table.

"Well boss, just think, by the weekend we will be able to have home cooked meals sat at this very table"

I blush a little as I realise that another of my secrets is about to be revealed.

"Well guys...I have been meaning to talk to you about that..."

Before I can go any further Tyler jumps in to finish what I am saying.

"What Christian here was going to say is that once we have all of the utilities back up, I will be doing all the cooking for the whole team"

I look at the Doberman and give him a weak smile. With the meal finished and all the trash from the takeaway thrown into the trash can outside I switch on the outside lighting so that we can continue to work on the ranch until bed time. Tyler and I go back to the newly repaired stables and I begin to help him paint the walls, as we work I bring up the conversation from meal time.

"Tyler, thank you for jumping in when I was about to reveal my embarrassment about the fact that I can't cook, but how on earth did you know?"

The Doberman winks at me and lets out a gentle snigger.

"Christian it was written all over your face, just the way that you were struggling to finish your sentence when the subject of cooking came up told me that you are one of those guys that hasn't really had to fend for yourself in a long time, and so I decided to save your embarrassment, and besides, if I do say so myself, I'm not a bad cook, and I sort of need something else to do around here other than answer the phone all day"

Of course I know that Tyler is right, but it is almost like he can read my mind, and I wonder if it can be possible that two guys from different backgrounds and different species, can actually be on the same mind wavelength.

After a while I again look at my watch and see that 21:00 is on the display and so Tyler and I finish up the last of the stable painting and head back towards the garage to store our painting gear away for the night.

With the painting gear stowed away for the night me and the guys head up towards our beds for the night, all with sore backs and all so very tired.