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Later that morning I got up and pondered while dressing. I put on casual clothes and then fed the dogs and headed out to see how my guests were doing, the morning chill a little brisk but I didn't really mind, being mostly a cool-weather person myself. Bill, Fred and Earl were already up and sipping coffee from the old brewpot in the office. "About ready to head back out..." Fred said. "How are you this morning?"

"Not too bad," I replied "Thanks for your time, and hope the low pay wasn't too much of an inconvenience." I smiled.

"Aw, hell... it was fun anyway! Got to see a lotta neat stuff up here, too!" Fred said. "Ain't that right Earl?" he elbowed his companion. Earl mumbled gratitude and smiled meekly.

"Bill?" I asked. "Got that list of feed materials and times for these guys so I don't give them a gutache?"

"OH! Yeah... almost forgot about that..." Bill started scribbling something on one of the legal pads I had there. "Guess you'll have to do some grocery shopping today, huh?"

I chuckled. "That's nothing unusual, really. About time I stocked up on chicken for the cats here anyway."

"I don't think I'd want your grocery bills, there, Jim" Fred said.

"Didn't used to be that bad," I replied. "But seems I keep getting more and more animals these days."

Bill chuckled. "Not too late to back out, y'know." he jested.

I shook my head. "No... I stick by the deals I make."

Fred looked curious to me and I explained. "I just bought all the animals and stuff that you three brought up from Bill's place the other day. I'll be seeing if I can help out a different group as well as helping Bill here a bit."

"So you've gotta start feedin' ALL these critters?" Fred asked. I nodded and Fred whistled. "That's gonna cost ya a bit!"

I nodded. "Yeah, but it's all for a good cause."

Fred and Bill chuckled. Soon they all were on their way - Bill heading to the bank, most likely, and Fred and Earl back to work running freight around the nation.

* * * * *

"How about we take a drive today, hon?" I asked.

"Where to? I'd want to dress appropriately." Julie asked.

"Just casual stuff. We're tourists today." I smiled.

"Can we take a dog along?" Julie asked.

I thought about it... if I headed out to Bill's, that might not be such a good idea. If I followed the equipment down to the circus museum, that'd be something else. I already figured I'd leave the Case at the zoo for the time being, and run it home either tonight or tomorrow. "I suppose we can, if you like, but it'll be a little tight in the truck." I finally said.

"What do you mean?" Julie asked.

"I was thinking of taking the '48 for a cruise. Think you'd enjoy that?" I replied. Julie waffled a bit at that. "Fine... we can take Maverick. He seems to do well on car rides. But don't complain if he's in your lap most of the time!" I winked and Julie giggled.

We piled into the Blazer, which I knew Julie wouldn't have any trouble driving, and parked it at the gravel lot in town. Being as it was Friday, and sort of a holiday weekend, there wasn't as much going on downtown in some respects, and more in others. The Parade the day before had the street at full capacity with people, and it likely stayed busy downtown all day. The weather had been fair for the time of year so the retail businesses likely did a good amount of business, or at least plenty of lookey-loos at the goods. Today wasn't much different, with a good amount of foot traffic on the street.

We walked the half-block to where I'd parked the older Ford at the dealership lot, I put the couple of empty coolers and other detritus up by the cab and the we all piled in.

"This one IS a lot smaller than your other truck." Julie noted as Maverick half-sat in her lap.

I laughed. "I told you, but now you've got to share the seat with the dog so I can drive."

Julie smiled. "I don't really mind..."

I hit the starter and the old Ford roared to life... soon we were puttering along Main heading further downtown, past the stoplight, the fire station, and heading for the one older gas station by the parks to gas up.

I pulled to the pump and started filling the tank with gas, knowing we'd need probaly two tanks full to go down to Monroe and back, and that we'd better get a move on if we were to tail the equipment from the Zoo.

I swung the truck into the service drive in time to see the last wagon going up onto the second flatbed trailer, the Ahrens-Fox on an equipment trailer behind a regular pickup truck. "Hey! Jim!" Gerald called out, as I swung into a spot out of the way.

"Hey yourself, Gerry. How goes?" I asked, stepping out of the truck. Julie let Maverick out on his leash, as he went to inspect and anoint a nearby shrub.

"Not too bad. Gonna get this stuff back down to the museums. What are you up to today?" he asked.

"I figured I'd tag along and talk to the Plettenbergs about the critters to see if they'd like having live shows, and a pet-a-zebra setup." I smiled.

"I think they'd like that a lot... certainly wouldn't hurt as far as drawing folks in, that's for sure." Gerry agreed. "So you're gonna tail us in your old pickup?" he asked.

I nodded. "That was the general idea. Figured I could have a bit of a day off, get Julie out of the house for a bit, fart around some, and then stop by some supermarket and a Farm & Barn to get all the stuff I need to feed the extra dozen-and-some hungry mouths."

Gerald laughed at that. "I'm surprised you can afford anything, Jim. What with all you've already got."

"Oh... dipped into the emergency fund to get them, but... it'll all work out somehow. It usually does." I chuckled.

The lead rig started pulling out, grumbling down the driveway, causing Gerry to look around. "I guess it's time to get going. See you down at the circus museum?" he asked"

"See you there, Gerry. Drive safe!" I winked and he gave me a push-off wave as he walked towards his car.

I went back to the truck and Julie let Maverick in and I got in on the driver's side. "So we're gonna follow them?" Julie asked.

"Yep, all the way down to Monroe, then we'll take a look at the circus museum and talk to the directors there about the animals back home, whether they'd want them as a draw for the museum. Then... probably have lunch somewhere, get gas, then find a grocery store and a farm & barn to get all the feed I'll need for Bill's animals for awhile." I chuckled as Julie got in and shut the door, the second big-rig having started moving down the driveway, and the pickup with the heavy trailer and the steamer started rolling as well.

"Sounds like you've got the day pretty well planned." Julie said.

I just chuckled as I started the truck. "Oh... you never know what'll happen. That's just the general idea of what I'd like to get done today." I saw Chet stepping out of the door to the powerhouse. "Hey Chet! Can you keep the Case warm for me? Going to take care of some stuff down by Monroe," I called out to him.

"Sure thing, Jim. See you later, then!" Chet called out smiling and waved back, then lit a new cigar.

* * * * *

As the '48 Ford was old and not really built for the speeds of modern interstate highways, I parted company with the trucks downtown and headed south on the state highway rather than east towards the interstate and then south. I figured we'd arrive at the Museum at about the same time as the trucks or shortly thereafter, so it wouldn't be any big worry as I didn't really want to get in the way of their unloading the wagons.

We puttered south, first hitting one of the major cities of the area, then turning onto a number of different highways. There wasn't really that much traffic out and about once we got out into the country, and I pondered things as we motored smoothly along.

"Want to take a leisurely Sunday drive, hon?" I asked.

Maverick was sitting upright on the seat, wagging his tail against the back as Julie sat on the passenger side. "What do you mean, dear?" she asked, leaning forward to see me.

"We could take some of these country roads heading south and find out where they go, and eventually catch up with one of the main highways. Just as a scenic detour, since neither of us really have much to do today." I suggested.

"Sure! That sounds like fun." Julie smiled.

"Ok... pick one and we'll take it." I chuckled.

About 3 more miles down the highway, near the small town of Pine Ridge, she pointed to a county highway to the south, I flipped the blinker on and pulled onto the narrower road.

I seemed to recall having traveled it before, as some points of interest, like a delapidated old church, I was sure I'd seen before. We motored through one tiny township whose village hall was right up against the road with a very old municipal park. The swingsets straight out of the 1930s and still set up with an old-fashioned hand pump for water for travellers. There were picturesque churches with their stately cemetaries behind, buildings that once were country stores, feed mills, lumberyards... we puttered past it all and then at one point along the road Maverick started barking and twisting about so I slowed down, figuring he wanted out to do some business, as it had been awhile since we had left home.

I pulled to the side of the road into a field driveway and Mav jumped out over Julie as she opened her door and started padding back up the road.

"Come here!" I commanded. He looked back and continued padding until he came to a clump of bushes. I walked up the road while Julie stayed by the truck. Maverick was nosing the bushes and I heard a low growl.

"Maverick! Come here!" I commanded again, more firmly this time while pointing to the ground by my leg. He padded back. "Stay." He obeyed and sat down as I walked foward. Shakily getting to its feet, a canine got up from a hiding spot among the roadside flora and limped out enough so that I could see its head and shoulders among the overgrowth. I could see right away this wasn't any ordinary dog - amber eyes met mine and I smiled - I'd see the brown-gray fur like that before, and it wasn't on a Shepherd.

"It's ok... I'm not going to hurt you, and neither is Maverick." I offered my hand low, palm up and the canine limped forward another half-step. I reached up and pet its head.

I turned my head slowly, so as not to startle the canine. "Julie!" I called out as softly as I could. "In the glovebox there's a choke-chain collar and leash. Bring them to me slowly."

My voice didn't seem to startle the wolfdog too much. I touched its shoulder and it shivered a little, whether from nervous anxiety or what I couldn't tell. It let me hold its foot but it yelped and drew back as I started palpating the bones of its paw. Something was wrong, that's for sure, but with it being unrestrained I didn't want to press my luck. As Julie came forward Maverick padded up alongside her and the wolfdog started growling again.

"Easy there..." I droned, and the canine looked at me. "He's not going to hurt you."

I reached sideways for the collar and leash, which Julie had clipped together on her way up from the truck. I held the chain loop wide and gently slipped it over the canine's head. As I leaned forward it moved forward as well, and licked my cheek. I was a little startled by that, expecting tooth instead of tongue, but I sat back and laughed. The canine limped forward a little more and I fuzzled it.

"How about you take Maverick back to the truck and shut him in the cab while I tend to this one here? It seems to have something wrong with its right forepaw, but doesn't know quite what to do around Mav yet." I looked up to Julie. She smiled and clipped the other leash on Maverick's collar and with a lipsqueak started walking him towards the pickup.

I pet the wolfdog some more. "It's OK..." I stood up and it limped out a bit more, and then I could see the ribs and hips showing stunningly through the thick fur. I frowned a bit. "Been out on your own quite some time, huh?" I touched its back and it flinched. Running my fingers along the sides I could feel scars in the pelt, some little bump-like things in a cluster about as wide as my hand that I could only guess to be birdshot pellets as anything more would have penetrated deeper and probably killed it.

Julie had pulled the chainhooks and dropped the tailgate on the truck by the time we got there with the wolfdog limping along by my side. I stopped and ran a hand along the canine's rump and it twisted as my fingertips found and brushed against the dangling sac beneath the tightly-down tail. "It's alright there, buddy..." I crouched low and he licked my face again. "I'm going to pick you up to help you up, ok?" I asked, knowing full well he wouldn't necessarily understand.

He squirmed mightily as I embraced him and lifted him off his feet, but he didn't bite and settled down again as his feet touched the steel of the tailgate. I slid up beside him and pet him to assure him that things were alright. He seemed to settle out fine enough and wasn't nipping or anything. Maverick, for his part, was putting up a fair fuss in the cab trying to get through the back window to greet and play with this fellow.

"Lay down?" I asked him. He kept his lame paw up as he circled and then flumped down on the wood floor of the truck bed.

"Was he someone's pet?" Julie asked.

"Illegal pet if he was. He's intact and our state now requires all wolf hybrids be neutered. Irritating and irrational law, but it got snuck in by adding wording to a bill that was to protect migratory waterfowl." I said as I ran my hands over his stomach, checking for more wounds. He allowed me to feel him all over, apparently trusting me or being submissive, one of the two.

"Apart from being shot at with some birdshot at least once, and being at least 30 pounds underweight, he doesn't seem to be too bad off. Well, and the foot thing." I said. I tried to palpate the bones once again earning another yelp and this time a brief nip.

I climbed further up on the bed and knelt before the wolfdog. "I'm just gonna scoot you to the corner, alright?" I told him as I moved some of the goods around to Julie's side of the truck's bed, and then with my arms partially under the wolfdog, skidded him a couple feet so he was protected from the wind in the corner of the truck bed, and I lifted the recessed tiedown ring in the center and tied his leash short to it. Enough so he could stand, but not enough to put his head over the edge of the bed. The wolfdog made no complaint of any of it.

"We should get him something to eat, Jim," Julie said with a worried look.

I checked my watch... it was a little after 11am. "How about we all find someplace for lunch?" I suggested.

Julie smiled. "Sounds good to me."

We both got in and I started motoring down the highway once again. Soon we came to a T-junction in the highway. To the right was a larger town, and to the left was the unknown. I turned right and I was correct in my assumption that there was a restaurant right along the main highway through town. I pulled in and came to a stop with the hood of my truck facing one of the windows of what I presumed to be the dining area.

The waitress was polite and took our orders, a little surprised when I ordered two simple hamburgers and one big cheeseburger basket meal, I then pointed out the window. "Two are for the dogs out in the truck." I said and she smiled, nodding acknowledgment. Soon our orders came, the quarter-pound bacon double cheeseburger basket for me, two singles that the waitress wrapped and put in a to-go bag, and a grilled chicken breast burger basket for Julie. As we munched a meal a sheriff's deputy came in.

"Who's old blue Ford is that out there?" he called out from by the counter and cash register.

I turned to see who inquired and raised my hand. "Over here, officer." I called back after swallowing my mouthful of fries.

He walked over. "You the one with the wolfdog in the back of your truck?" he asked, getting a couple looks from others around me.

"Yes... found him injured on the side of the road up near Irving township hall. Something wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing's wrong as soon as I shoot that fucker..." The officer grunted.

"Not in my truck you're not, and not while he's in my custody either." I shot back in reply, my face dropping from a smile to a stern frown.

"Now I don't know who you are, Mister, but around here it's not too polite to smart off to a sheriff's deputy." The deputy said, shifting his gun belt a bit.

"Dear... I'll be a moment..." I wiped my face with my napkin. "Mind if we step outside and speak about this officer..." I looked at his nameplate. "Deputy Melvin?" I guestured towards the entrance.

"Suits me just fine... easier to cuff you then." The deputy sneered.

I rose, grabbed the to-go bag and walked out ahead of him. At the truck, I unwrapped one of the burgers and tossed it in the back for the wolfdog. "That was a waste, since he's not going to leave here alive." Deputy Melvin grunted.

"Well... even a prisoner on death row gets a last meal, though... it seems we two are at a bit of a legal impasse, huh?" I smiled.

"What's with the fancy words, mister?" the deputy inquired.

I chuckled a bit. "Sorry, it's just the way I speak. Now... would you mind telling me why you're intent on shooting this dog?" I asked.

"For one thing, he's not a dog, he's a wolf. They're illegal in this county, if you haven't heard..." he started.

"Actually, no I hadn't heard. New county bylaw or what?" I asked.

"You a lawyer or something?" the deputy asked.

"Or something." I smiled back

"No... health code. Wolves are dangerous, if you didn't already know that." the deputy shifted a bit, trying to look condescending.

I reached over and fuzzled the wolfdog's head. "Doesn't seem terribly dangerous to me. But you were about to continue telling me why he deserves to be killed."

"Livestock predation for one... threatening the public welfare... I could keep going. I don't know how you managed to catch him but if you'll untie his leash so I can finish him off then I'll be on my way and you can go on about your own business." He smiled in a spiteful manner.

"Well, therein is the legal impasse, deputy, as he happens to BE my business. Now at least. If I'd not have found him, that would be something different altogether, but now that I have, things are a little different. You've apparently forgotten a few of the laws you swore to uphold. That includes the state mandate that all stray animals shall be quarantined at a shelter allocated by the municipality or county for a period of no less than 7 days pending reclamation from their original owner or duly authorized agent thereof." I leaned against the truck.

"But that ain't no dog, mister. That's a wolf, and wolves are illegal to own." the deputy started shifting his gun belt all the more.

"Well, if that's the case and he IS a fullblood wolf, then different laws come into play. You're not a warden of the Department of Natural Resources, and only they can shoot wolves FOUND to be predating livestock or harassing the public. That's because wolves are a protected species under the 1974 International Treaty on Endangered and Threatened Species, as well as numerous other enactments on both the state and federal levels." I recited, smiling. "Not to mention he's in my possession and that makes things a little different still."

"What ya mean by that?" the deputy asked.

"You never asked my name, Deputy Melvin." I smiled.

"What's that got to do with the price of cow shit?" the deputy sneered.

I proffered my right hand. "I'm Jim Peters, head keeper at [name omitted] Zoo, and... I happen to also hold a USDA Class C permit individually which would cover any exotic pets or native wildlife I happen to possess. Not to mention the fact that I'm the regional agent to be called in the event of errant captive wildlife and in charge of their reclamation and containment pending legal disposition. So..." I smiled. "Your local animal control officer would be calling me to come pick up this guy if you were to follow proper state and federal protocols claiming him being errant captive wildlife."

"So you're some kind of big shot from the zoo?" the deputy grunted, seeming a little uncomfortable at the prospect.

"No. I'm just someone who knows what the law is, knows what my rights are, and happens to work with all kinds of critters and knows their behavioral habits and general mannerisms. I just _happen_ to also be someone of note in the social hierarchy." I corrected. "Now... since this animal is clearly in my custody. Since you clearly do not have a warrant to seize this animal, and since you've apparently run out of intimidation tactics, would you mind terribly if I went back in and finished my meal?"

"How about I just arrest you right now?" He asked, getting out his handcuffs.

"You could, if you so chose to. But I wouldn't bank on having your job much longer if you did." I suggested.

"Why's that, Mister Peters?" the deputy grunted.

"Because my lawyer would have me out before the day is through, considering it's a Friday and not Saturday. He'd also have a habeus corpus for the release of the wolfdog to my custody if you didn't shoot him, and if you had you'd be served with a lawsuit from me against the county sheriff's department as a whole and against you personally for unlawful detainer, unlawful seizure of private property, unlawful destruction of private property, and abuse of policing powers." I smiled smugly. "Trust me, deputy, you'd not have enough to pay the treble damages I'd be entitled to under both federal and state civil codes."

The deputy looked me up and down for a moment before putting his cuffs away. "I'll see about that..." he grunted and went off to his patrol car. I shrugged and went back inside to finish my meal, watching carefully what was going on around my truck.

"So he's still out there?" Julie asked worriedly.

"Both "he"s are still there, the wolfdog and the deputy." I replied calmly between bites of food.

"Why the hell you got a wolf there anyway?" One of the people nearby grumbled inquiry, I shifted in my booth so I could see them.

"Well.." I started, swallowing my food. "My dog found him by the side of the road, he was amicable to me, injured, and underweight. So I'm taking him with me to be checked out and who knows... Wouldn't be a bad pet for someone as he seems pleasant enough." I commented.

"Damned dangerous critters." the older man in a red flannel shirt and blue jeans grunted. "They should all be shot!"

"Mind if I ask what you do for a living?" I inquired.

"I'm a farmer! What else would I be?" he snorted.

"Dairy?" I inquired. He nodded. "Believe it or not, your cows are more dangerous to us humans than that wolfdog is."

"Bullshit." he commented.

"I thought I smelled something." I quipped, getting a laugh from others around.

"That ain't funny, mister." the farmer grunted.

"No, it's not. Neither is your errant perceptions. I don't have the facts for wolves, but for big cats, there have been more deer-hunting-related deaths in the state just this year than there have been deaths attributable to captive big cats since 1990. And as far as deaths and injuries on farms like yours, cattle account for over 3000 serious injuries requiring hospital treatment and over 20 deaths each year nationwide. So... that's quite a lot, wouldn't you say?" I said before taking another bite of burger.

"That doesn't mean wolves deserve to be around here..." the farmer grumped still.

"Bet you folks have a lot of car-deer accidents down this way, considering how wooded the county highway was where I found that wolfdog." I said.

Folks around me nodded and the farmer griped. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well... wolves are apex predators - the top of the food pyramid. They're the ones that keep herbivore populations in check - like whitetail deer around here. Without them thinning the herds each and every week, you have a boom-and-bust cycle for the herbivore population as it balloons up, the balloon pops because of foodstock declines from over-browsing, and then they go searching for food wherever. You have more deaths from starvation and more car-deer accidents because they wander wherever looking for food of any kind. If wolves were in the area, yes you'd have to contain your cows more, or whatever livestock one raises, but it would control the herbivore population better than hunting by mankind once a year ever could." I smiled. "It'd also help keep the deer from clobbering your cornfields every... 5-7 years or so seems to be about the natural cycle?"

The waitress refilling the farmer's coffee chuckled. "See Ed! Sometimes folks know more than you think!"

Ed grumbled a bit. "Seems you know a bit what you're talkin' about, but doesn't mean I have to like them damed wolves."

I shrugged. "Well... on behalf of the comestible world, I thank you for your damned cows. They're mighty tasty!" I winked and took another bite of burger, at which Ed burst out laughing.

"Do you really have a wolf in the back of your truck, Mister?" One of the younger folks asked.

I nodded. "Don't go out there right now and try to pet him. I don't know how he does with just random folks, since he's injured, but he didn't mind me so very much."

"Cool!" he chuckled and sat back down as Julie and I set about finishing off our meals.

The deputy came back in. "Peters..." he said as he strode back to our table. "Seems.... you know some things I don't. You were right about the law and stuff. But... just get that goddamned wolf out of the county, ok?"

"He'll be heading back with me and out of your county before nightfall." I smiled. "We have a bit of business to attend to down in Monroe, but then he'll head back home with us."

"Fair 'nuff." the deputy grunted and turned to go.

"Safe travels, Deputy Melvin." I called after him. He turned, looked at me, then headed out the door again.

"How was the meal?" the waitress asked as she put down the check, and another baggie.

"It was delicious, thanks." I said. "What's this?" I asked, pointing to the baggie.

"Another couple burgers. I overheard you tell Ed here the wolf was hurt and hungry, so a couple of burgers just happened to fall on the floor." She winked and Julie giggled.

"Thanks, miss. I appreciate it." I looked at the check and fished out my wallet, finishing off my soda and leaving the girl a good tip before heading forward and paying for the check.

Julie had taken the bag out to the truck and fed the contents to the wolfdog who, naturally wolfed them down faster than some folks can finish sneezing. She let Maverick out and gave him the remaining burger from before which he chewed on for a bit. When I got out the young man from before was standing at the tailgate of the truck.

"Wow, it really IS a wolf!" he exclaimed.

"Probably only part wolf, young man." I corrected. "There's some physical attributes, like his ears, that are a bit too doglike for him to be a fullblood wolf."

"So that's why they look different from the wolves at home?" Julie asked, and I nodded.

"You've got wolves at your house? Cool!" the youth commented.

I chuckled. "I'm a bit of an exception to things. I work for the zoo and I also have animals at home that you'd normally see in a zoo. Not everyone can live how I do, so not everyone is suited to having lions, or wolves, or bears, or whatever. But there are a number of people who can manage the animals appropriately and can live how they need to to be able to tend to those kinds of animals properly, so... some of us get permits and do just that. Others think they never can so they give up before they start and just dream about having whatever they like as a pet."

"And some of us just date folks who do, and enjoy things that way." Julie quipped and we all laughed.

"Well... time to head on?" I asked Julie.

"Yeah, it's getting later, isn't it?" Julie fretted a bit.

"See you later, mister, and thanks for letting me see your wolf." the youth said, waving.

"Take care and learn all you can in school. It helps!" I commented back as I got into the old Ford.

Maverick bounced up onto the seat, facing backwards to watch the wolfdog in the back, who had laid back down again. Julie climbed in and shut the door. I hit the starter and soon we were back on the road heading towards Monroe.

* * * * *

As we pulled into the museum parking lot I could see the trucks were unloading the last of the wagons towards the back of the building. The parking lot, though large, was surprisingly bare. I cracked open the quarter-window on my door and had Julie do the same on hers for Maverick's comfort, as he'd easily bust the side windows if we rolled them down even the slightest bit.

I shut the truck door behind me, fuzzled the wolfdog again, and opened the large glass door for Julie as we went inside the large industrial-style building.

"Hi there. Tickets to the museum?" A kind-faced, somewhat chubby older lady asked.

"Actually I'm here to talk to John or Jennifer Plettenberg. Are either of them about?" I inquired.

"Oh! Well... John's out back helping unload the wagons we had out on loan... um... I don't really know whether I should let you out back there... it's off-limits for visitors." Her expression had changed to one of worry and indecision.

"That's ok if you can't, we can wait here for him if you don't mind." I smiled.

"Oh..." she seemed a little flustered. "One moment, and I'll go get him for you." She flashed a bit of a smile as she let herself out of the ticket booth and toddled off towards the back of the building.

A tall man of average build with brown hair in a horseshoe haircut and neatly-trimmed pushbroom mustache strode my direction with the kindly lady toddling swiftly after him. "I'm John Plettenberg... you were asking for me?" the gentleman said, extending his right hand in greeting.

I shook it firmly. "I'm Jim Peters and this is Julie Purcell... I'd like to thank you for loan of your wagons for our parade." I smiled.

"Ohhh! So you're the folks Gerry was talking about!" He smiled broadly. "You're quite welcome considering the donation your sponsors made to our little museum here." He smiled and gestured to the gateway towards the museum, just past the hallway overflow of the small gift shop area. "Come... there's a lot more to see!"

I chuckled and started walking with John through into the main hall of the museum, arranged with displays of all description among the remaining wagons. "Actually, I came down here to make you an offer, if Gerry hasn't already mentioned it." I chuckled.

John looked curious. "He's not said anything, though we're still busy unloading. What sort of offer?" Concern showed on John's long face.

"Gerry mentioned you're not doing so grand here, and... I wondered... would you be interested in having some animals to display in addition to your wagons?" I asked.

John looked confused. "Like... what kind of animals?"

I smiled broadly. "Lions and tigers and bears, of course." I winked broadly. "Oh, and a petable zebra mare."

John looked really confused. "Where would you get animals like those?"

Julie giggled and I smiled broadly. "From home, of course. Gerry must not have mentioned that I'm the head keeper at [name removed] Zoo, and have animals of my own as well."

John's eyes got wide. "OHHHHH! Well... that's a different matter. I guess you COULD get lions galore if you wanted." He smiled broadly.

I nodded. "Easily. But that leaves the open question of whether you'd want display animals at all."

John frowned a bit. "I would really like it, but... I don't have much of a budget for that sort of thing. There'd be the fencing and other stuff that we'd need..."

I chuckled as we walked slowly around the displays. "No, there wouldn't. I just bought out a touring show, so there's a display tent, caging panels, transport trailers and cages, and the animals themselves. Well.. some of them. Some I'd want for the zoo, but you'd be getting the ones typically shown at a circus anyway."

John looked at me. "What about the relevant permits?" he asked. "I don't know if we can even do that."

"Barring anything unexpected, I think I can swing the permits under my name. All you'd have to do is find competent help, and figure out where you'd have a 60x100 space for the top." I chuckled.

"How much would this cost us?" John asked.

I pondered. "You likely carry a high-end insurance anyway, so doubt that'd go up very much. You'd have to feed them and maintain the fencing and such, but... that's not so very much. Probably... $100 a day at most? But that'd be covered by the increased gate revenues you'd get even if it's just display rather than any active performance show. The zeeb mare alone would get you that in photo-with revenues."

John looked confused for a moment, then his broad brow furrowed, his eyebrows almost touching each other, then his eyebrows raised high above his small, close-set eyes. "Hm... you're right there. I'd never really thought about that. And we have some retired performers and handlers around here that would be able to help out, whether as an employee or volunteer...."

I chuckled. "Gerry mentioned one or two, and all the animals are handleable. Especially the one Zeeb mare. She can give kiddy rides."

We'd wandered towards the back of the building and the large overhead roll-up towards the lot where the cage-wagons and music machines were currently parked as we talked. "What would it take to get them down here and set up?" John asked.

"Signing an appropriate contract with me, setting up the caging and having an appropriate food storage and prep area set up for feeding them to pass the initial USDA inspection for a Class C permit. That and three rigs to tow the trailers down here. Either that or one guy making six trips." I smiled.

Gerry had come in, a little out of breath. He saw us talking and came up. "Hi again, Jim. Been talking with John about the animals?" he asked.

John nodded. "You never told me he was going to offer me animals, Gerry."

Gerry shrugged "I didn't know until the other day when he bought out this other fellow's show stuff. If I'd have known anything was in the works I would have told you." He smiled and chuckled. "So what'd you say?"

John chuckled too. "I've not said anything definitive yet, only asking questions so far."

"Well, you don't have to decide today, but sooner the better for me economically." I chuckled.

"Yeah, you should see how many mouths he has to feed back home! And not just little housecats either." Gerry chuckled.

"I must either be blessed or jinxed, because Maverick found another wayward soul on the way here... wolfdog who's tethered to my truck bed out front." I smiled to Gerry.

"You've got a wolf, HERE?" John asked, incredulous.

"Part wolf, most likely, but yeah... want to see him? Should probably let Maverick out to lap at some water too." I said and nodded towards the front of the building.

"Let's go see a wolf!" Gerry chuckled and we all headed out front.

There were a couple other vehicles in the lot now, so a couple more visitors must have come to the museum, and I was parked far off to the side to discourage close inspection. The wolf got up on three of his four feet as we approached and started growling. "Easy boy... these guys are alright." I said to him. He stopped growling and I reached out slowly to pet him, which he readily allowed.

"It IS a wolf." John said with surprise.

"You expected a pygmy hippopotamus?" I quipped and John laughed.

"We could use one of those... have the tank wagon for one," John smiled. "Where'd you get him?"

"Found him stray and injured up by Irving township hall. Maverick there found him, really." I said, nodding towards where Julie had Maverick out on a leash, the malamute anointing the corner of the building.

I reached over and fuzzled the wolfdog, who proceeded to lick at my hand.

"He sure seems tame enough." Gerry chuckled.

"Around the right folks I'm sure he is, but I wouldn't advise just anyone reaching out... could get bitten, and since I don't have any vaccine assessment on him at the moment that'd mean only one thing for him..." I frowned a bit, causing the others to look confused. I explained. "He'd be killed, decapitated and his brain would be sampled for rabies. I already had a run-in with a sheriff's deputy on the way over here that wanted to shoot him."

"So this is the wolf "terrorizing" folks just north of here?" Gerry asked with surprise.

"I guess so." I chuckled. "Bundle up your kids and hide the chihuahua!" I winked and the others laughed. "But yeah... you can now see how things like this get blown way out of proportion. Pete Jackson's pretty good about keeping a lid on the bullshit up by me when something goes wacky, like the cougar prowling around that I helped catch the other day up by River Valley, but... it can spiral way out of control in a hurry if nobody around tries to keep a lid on creative journalism." I cautioned.

"I guess it can, seeing this guy here and having heard and read the news reports about everything. Vaaaaast difference." Gerry chuckled.

"Which is why it helps to know who you're hearing advice from. If someone like me would say "lock your doors and hide", that's different from someone less educated saying the same thing. Though I'd likely never say that myself. "Mind your pets when they're outside, be wary of elevated porches that animals can hide under, and keep the headphones in your pocket so you can be aware of your surroundings." would be more like my advice." I smiled. "That's IF something were to be out and about that I'd be concerned about. Usually people panic way more than is really called for, just out of fear of the unknown and unfamiliar."

"I guess that's true," John said, leaning against the Ford. "So... what sort of animals do you have for me?"

* * * * *

Julie smiled at me as we were heading back up from Monroe, taking more main roads than we did on the way down. "Thinking about something, hon?" I asked.

Julie nodded. "It's nice that you can do things for folks like the Plettenbergs, and Bill Peterson and... whatever we're going to call that fellow..." Julie pointed to the truck bed. The wolfdog again tethered at the front tie-down ring, the coolers full of frozen foods and meat, their plastic forms settled by the tailgate holding other bags of produce and foodstuffs from sliding around in the bed.

"Oh, that reminds me..." I fished my cellphone out of my pocket and scrolled through the numbers, then hit Send.

"West Side Animal Hospital, this is Dr. Bridger." came over the phone.

"Slow day, Jim?" I asked, half-laughing.

"Yeah... relatively. What's up?" he asked.

"Got something a bit unusual for you to check out when we get back to town..." I said, teasingly.

"Uh oh... what'cha got now?" Jim asked. "A polar bear?"

"Nope... smaller. Just the mystical horriffic disappearing wolf of Irving township that's out to eat your children and steal the soul of your pets." I chuckled.

"Got that a little backwards there, Jim?" He asked, chuckling.

"Perhaps, but somehow Maverick managed to find an emaciated but friendly wolfdog with a busted right forepaw, so I'll need to have him checked out." I said.

"Swing on by on your way... I'll be around. Michelle and Billy are visiting her folks for Thanksgiving so... just me for the whole weekend." Jim said.

"Oh... well... if that's the case, want to come out for a visit and to see some more critters? Bought out a traveling show, so there's bears and a zebra and hyenas and aardwolf and... lions and tigers of course. The tigers are named Ike and Tina." I smiled. "I think you can imagine that connotation."

Jim laughed heartily. "And here Billy is out of town! Dammit, Jim." He chuckled and I could almost hear his smile. "Yeah, just let me know when you're in town and I'll see your terrorist wolf and take a look at whatever else you've gotten yourself into."

"Thanks, Jim. I'll give you a call when we're closer to home. Around about Ridgeville now, so it'll be a little bit." I said.

"Bah... just pull in when you hit town. I'll hang around here in case some little froo-froo eats a turkey bone from the leftovers." the vet said.

"Ok. I guess I'll see you in about an hour or so." I replied.

"Ok, Jim. See you then. Goodbye." the vet said and hung up the phone.

Julie looked to me, slightly concerned "Think he'll be alright enough for Jim Bridger to take a look at him?" she asked.

I shrugged a bit. "He's been taking water fairly well. Might have to..." I sighed. "I wonder how he'd be in a crate, in case he doesn't get along well with the other troops."

"Why a crate, dear?" she asked.

"Well... there's the wolves outside, and the other dogs... he's not exactly a huge fan of Maverick... I can't really let him around Peaches, then there's Cleo and the cubs - you know how they're exploring more and more now -... can't really just have him loose in the kitchen or the playroom because wolves and wolfdogs can be quite destructive if they catch the notion to be, and I'll have to feed Squeaker separately, Bill said... so that just leaves someone either watching him literally all the time, or a crate and watching him most of the time. I'd want him to be in the house so we can keep a better eye on him. He's a lot worse off than he looks because he has a thick coat." I rambled. "Oh, crap... I'll have to let Jim know to use x-rays only. I don't think he has an MRI machine, but he might have a portable. I've not been back to his operating room in quite some time.... since I have my own."

"Why only x-rays?" Julie asked.

"The shotgun pellets could be ferrous-based... iron-based. The magnet for the MRI would pull them out and cause damage to both him and the machine." I replied.

"You mean someone shot him?!" Julie exclaimed, loud enough for Maverick to turn about and bark at her.

I nodded. "Yep... along his right flank and abdomen... must have occurred when he had more abdominal muscle and must have been a damp or old powder charge or it would have blown through into his abdomen and shredded him badly. The cluster of pellets is only about as big as my hand, so it was either relatively close range and a lousy powder charge, or a group just stayed in a tight pattern at distance for some reason."

Julie sighed a bit. "Why would anyone want to hurt someone as nice as him?" she whined a bit.

"You saw how things were at the restaurant... some folks just don't want wolves around their livestock. It's ingrained to them that they have to conquer nature rather than try to do things to mitigate its effects. Most of the time because mitigating the effects costs more money than just trying to eliminate the presumed problem." I reached behind Maverick and patted her shoulder. "But he's with us so he'll be as alright as he can be. I don't know how far gone he is already with the body wasting and the injured paw."

"You mean... he could still die?" Julie asked.

"It's a possibility, if he's lost far too much body mass, and if there's other things wrong, it's possible." I frowned a bit.

"I'd...." she sighed. "I guess if he has to go, it might as well be where he's loved rather than hated."

I gave her shoulder another squeeze. "He's not done yet... so quit fretting." I smiled some. "There's no need to mourn the living."

Julie looked at me for a moment, then laughed. "Jim, you're a goof."

* * * * *

"So what do we have here?" Jim Bridger asked as I walked through the front door with the limping wolfdog, and Julie walked in a ways behind me with Maverick.

"That's Maverick, one of the refugees, and this here is the terror of Irving township..." I chuckled and fuzzled the wolfdog's head.

"So it's this fella that's come to see me..." Jim smiled and kneeled, earning a growl from the wolfdog. I put my hand on his head and he twisted to nip at me but stopped once he realized who it was.

"Got a mikki muzzle, Jim? Don't want you getting chomped unnecessarily..." I commented. "Probably a... medium?" I studied the wolfdog's face carefully. "Eh... Yeah, Medium would do."

Jim was already through the divider door, leaving it open, and in one of the exam rooms. He was back nearly before I finished talking with a medium muzzle, which I took and gently slipped on the wolfdog's face, buckling the strap behind his head and cinching it up tight. "It's ok, pup... he'll not hurt you much, and even if he does it's not that he means to..." I droned, and led the limping dog into the exam room. "Got your magic wand?" I asked. "He might be chipped, or might not. He appears intact so he'd be an illegal if he's not a fullblood."

"Oh? Oh... that's right. That Natural Resources shit a couple years back that they snuck through..." Jim just shook his head and went to the lab and got his chip reader.

Julie watched from the door as he waved it all over the wolfdog without a beep. "No chip that I can find, Jim." the vet said.

"Figured probably not, but had to check anyway. I don't think this guy's a fullblood, but that just makes him illegal." I shrugged. I knelt down and murmured to him. "Going to let me lift you to the counter?" I asked, embracing him again. This time he didn't struggle much as I lifted him to the island-counter used as an exam table. "Lay down..." I said softly, at which the wolfdog did as I bid, with some difficulty due to his injured paw.

Jim started feeling all over his left side. "Right side flank and abdomen has some birdshot in it... so it'd be x-ray only." I commented.

"I don't have a MRI yet... though have been thinking of getting one. Wanting to see what the damage is for him?" Jim asked, getting out a thermometer and shaking it down.

I put my arms overtop of the wolfdog as Jim lifted his tail. As I figured, he tried to twist as the glass instrument invaded him, but my scritching and weight prevented him from doing too much. "Easy pup... eassssy..." I looked to Jim. "I'd like to know about the shot, yes... also to see if there's any obvious internal issues from it or other close calls. I know you can't check the gut without some contrast so we'll forget about that for right now and just check his paw and the position of the shot pellets. I might shave and nick him later to extract them one at a time before they become a problem."

"Sounds like a plan..." Jim said, then put the earpieces in his ears for the stethoscope and listened to the semi-restrained canid's breathing. "Good beat, no lags or murmur. No lung rattle... though possibly reduced sounds on the right... can't really tell. He's way bony, though... want me to run a blood panel?"

"Yeah, better check for heartworm and run a full blood panel in case he's hiding something. Include titers, and he'll need his vax to be on my card." I said, petting the wolf's ear as the vet extracted the thermometer.

"Normal here." Jim said. "So you're gonna keep him?" the vet asked as he got out a syringe and needle from a drawer. It wasn't too challenging finding a vein in the wolfdog's hindleg to do a blood draw, the syringe filling easily with dark red life.

"Might as well... he seems reasonably friendly." I chuckled as he capped the syringe and set it aside. "Want to go fishing or want me to?" I asked.

"I'll do it this time... you had the cougar." Jim winked and I chuckled as he pulled on gloves and squidged some lube on his right index finger.

"Eaaaaaasy pup... eaaaaasy." A hard twist upwards and a whine were his reaction as the lubricated digit stretched the wolfdog's rear. He soon relaxed and Jim felt around inside. I pet his side and shoulder as he relaxed and let Jim check him out.

"No problems back here as far as I can tell. I'll do a float test for parasites, though. If he's been on his own long, which is possible, he probably has worms at the least." Jim said.

"Makes sense... and I wouldn't doubt it." I said. Julie had a worried look. I changed position for Jim to come around me and try to palpate the wolfdog's right forepaw. He wriggled heavily and I put more weight on him "Easy pup... easy... he's just trying to figure out what's wrong." I murmured to the struggling canine.

"I... can't feel anything really wrong, but I'd not be able to tell without x-rays. The abdominal one I can probably get without bothering him too much, but... the paw I'd not be able to do without sedating him, and... given how thin he is... that'd be tricky." Jim frowned.

"Yeah... I figured on that. I'll just take him home with that one and see if it improves. Once he's put on a dozen pounds or so I can bring him back for x-rays." I said. I let the wolfdog up and he started chest-laying, panting a bit through his muzzled mouth. "Going to let me move you to the x-ray machine?" I asked him.

"Let me get the vax set first, Jim." the vet said, heading out the other door of the exam room to the lab area, and coming back with two preloaded syringes. He gently poked the wolfdog's neckscruff with the one, and then his left flank with the other, getting only a little flinch from the canine. "You said right side had the pellets?" Jim asked, moving out the other door again into the wider area behind the general exam rooms which served as lab space, holding the x-ray machine, and also a surgery prep area.

I nodded and lifted the wolfdog up, this time he didn't struggle at all. I set him down on the prepared bed of the x-ray machine, and Jim stepped on the pedal raising it up some already having loaded a photographic sheet in its paper covering into the tray moments ago. The wolfdog growled a little as I flipped him over so his right side is uppermost. "You can feel the pellet bumps if you want to... um... about 4 cm posterior to the last rib, about 2 cm below the spine over about a 5 by 15 area." I told the vet.

Jim put his hand on the wolfdog's abdomen. "Yeah... you CAN feel them... wow... didn't think I'd ever see a dog this thin outside of Pete's world." He put on a leather lead-lined apron and passed me one. "You've got the head, I'll take the hindlegs to stretch him. Julie?" he called out as I put the neck-loop over my head one-handed, keeping one on the wolfdog to make sure he didn't try to move much.

"Yes, Jim? I mean Dr. Bridger?" Julie popped her head out of the inner door of the exam room.

"I'll need you to work the fire button since I'm out here." Jim said, chuckling a little at the differentiation between us two "Jim"s.

"Just shut Maverick in the exam room. He'll be alright." I said and that's what Julie did.

"What do I need to do?" Julie asked.

Jim set three dials on the wall-mounted control panel. "There's a doorbell button just around the corner there right next to the surgery door. Stand in the surgery door, reach around and when I tell you push and hold the button. You'll hear the relay kick on, and then drop out after a bit. Don't let go of the button until you hear the buzzing quit after a thunk or we'll have to do it all over again." He adjusted the tray, the head, and ran the table up a little bit more. "Ready, Jim?" he asked.

"Ready, Jim." I chuckled in reply and leaned back but placed my one hand firmly on the wolfdog's shoulders, the other holding both forepaws stretched forward.

With one hind paw in each hand, he gently stretched the canine's hindlimbs out some. "Ok, Julie... Now." he said firmly but quietly.

The relay kicked on with a mighty snap and the buzz of high-voltage current. The wolfdog wanted to wriggle but my upper hand scritched his shoulder as it pressed him down firmly, calming him as best I could for the handful of seconds that seemed like forever before the relay snapped off again. Jim let go of the canine's hind paws and pulled the paper-covered x-ray film from its tray and headed into a closetlike space where the developer was, shut the door, and we could hear him thunking around in there.

I let the wolfdog up and he chest-lay, panting heavily. I took his muzzle off, if only for the moment, and he lay there as happily as possible. "Got somewhere here with a water bowl for this goofball?" I called out loud enough for the vet to hear.

"Take a small salad bowl out of the first upper cabinet next to the vaccine fridge. Sink is visible on the countertop. Both are filtered." I heard from the closet.

"Thanks, Jim." I replied loudly enough for him to hear, and moved about to get the bowl and fill it. The wolfdog tried to rise as soon as I stepped away. "Lay back down." I said, and he obeyed, even with Maverick yelping some as he heard my voice and saw my shoes pass by the door to the exam room as I filled the stainless steel bowl with cold water and brought it back over to the canine.

"Think he has a name?" Julie asked.

"I'm sure he does." I commented as he lapped happily at the water. "Though just what it is, I'd have no idea."

"Well.. what will you call him?" Julie asked.

I thought about it for awhile. I stepped back a bit to lean against the wall behind which the vaccine and sample refrigerator stood. I smiled. "Washington!" I called out, and the wolfdog looked at me, wagging his tail a little.

"Washington?" Jim asked with curiosity, stepping out from the closet. "The x-ray is hanging up drying. Why "Washington"?" Jim asked. Julie looked curious as well, nodding to Jim as he inquired.

"Ever read "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?" with the main character Ichabod Crane?" I asked. Julie and Jim both nodded.

"What's that got to do about anything?" Jim asked.

I laughed heartily. "Here's a modern-day legendary monster, who doesn't turn out to be much of a monster at all. I bet you two don't know or remember who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow..." I smiled wide.

Julie looked confused. Jim thought for a moment and then shook his head and groaned. "Damn, Jim... I should have known."

"Huh?" Julie asked.

"The writer's name was..." I started out. "Washington IRVING." both the vet and I said simultaneously.

"He's from Irving township, Julie." the vet finished up and Julie just shook her head.

"It's not THAT obscure of a reference, hon. Just takes a little bit of knowledge." I said.

"You're still a goof, dear." she smiled.

* * * * *

When I pulled in at home, with Jim Bridger right behind me, I had a rather confusing surprise sitting on the porch waiting for me. The wolves raised their heads as I pulled in, but remained nestled against the sleeping form of Pete Jackson. Maverick kind of spoiled the surprise as he padded up to Pete and started licking his nose, causing the ACO to snort and start grumbling, aimlessly pawing at his face to lightly smack Mav's muzzle in his sleepy stupor.

"Private Jackson! TennnnnHUT!" I called out, causing Pete to immediately jump to his feet and snap to attention with a salute, the wolves and malamute scrabbling for escape when Pete started moving quickly.

"God DAMMIT, Jim! Why you gotta do that all the time?!?" Pete grumbled as soon as he realized where and what he was, likely his blood pressure and heart rate slowly returning to normal.

Jim Bridger was doubled over laughing as he stood in the drive. "I'll have to remember that for sometime..."

Pete grumbled. "Hey, I can't help it I had the brains drilled out of me once upon a time."

I patted Pete on the shoulder and unlocked the front door. "Keeping the wolves company, or out here for something specific?" I asked as Jim and Julie lugged the coolers into the house, and the other dogs spilled out and started milling about the old truck.

"Yeah... two reasons, actually. It started out as one." Pete smiled and started rubbing his rump, likely aching a bit from the hard planks of the porch.

"Let me guess... a call from an ACO south of here griping about me having a wolfdog." I smiled.

"Sheriff, yes, that was one..." Pete looked over to the truck, Washington standing up and wagging his tail as Reggie had his paws on the side of the bed, nosing at him with the others milling about.

"Ain't nothing wrong with him that a couple million calories and some minor surgery wouldn't cure." Jim said, coming back out through the storm door.

"With you, and seeing that Jim already saw him, I have no problem believing that." Pete smiled.

"You said there were two things." I reminded Pete.

"Yeahh...." he sighed deeply. "Well... I know you're pretty much full-up here what with those Peterson animals, and all these dogs, and now one more...."

I was half-sitting on the porch railing. "Got a special come through?" I asked.

Pete shook his head. "You like bigger dogs, I know. And... I have a good idea why." He started walking down the steps and waved for me to follow him as he made his way to the dog-truck.

I followed him and the vet tagged along out of curiosity. Pete opened the back door of the truck where the larger cage compartments are. "I was having lunch over on the east edge of the county and... this younger couple came up to me asking if the shelter puts down dogs for folks. I told them that we do, at times, but that most of the time we try to find homes for dogs. The woman went back to their SUV and started dragging this girl towards me." He reached in and pet the female Saint's head through the bars. "Her husband explained they were tired of her making messes in their condo, and wanted her killed." Jim patted Pete's shoulder as the ACO looked down a bit. "Anyway..." he took a deep breath. "They gave me a hundred dollar bill to cover expenses, signed the form, and handed me an envelope with her AKC registration and other paperwork saying they wanted nothing more to do with her. They just left her with me and drove off."

The dogs started all milling around us, and Reggie jumped up to sniff. I noticed a red spot on the aluminum plate where she'd been sitting and looked to Pete. "Yes, she's in heat." Pete smirked a little. "That's what made me think of you, and then I got this call about you so figured.........."

I chuckled. "Leave her here for right now while I get the knuckleheads inside." I sighed and smiled broadly. "What's one more so long as you don't make me get her spayed."

Pete laughed a bit, fuzzled the wagging female Saint as he shut the door again. "She's not even on the books so there's no way I COULD make you do that, even if I were inclined to in the first place." He went to the cab and handed me the envelope, the surrender form, and the Franklin.

I looked curiously at the money. "Pete.... you could keep this. They gave it to you."

Pete smiled. "You've eased my conscience more than a few times... just consider it a contribution to the cause. Especially since you help out so many people. Including Christina now..."

"That's her name?" I asked, and Pete nodded. "What you choose to do.. that's up to you, but I know if you do part with her you'll find her a good home where she'd be loved. Just like this wolf that will just disappear, officially. We both know you disagree with that natural resources ruling so... I'll just dance a little on my end."

"You two want to help me feed the menagerie?" I asked, smiling and tucking away the information and money.

"Only if we have fun afterwards!" Jim poked me in the ribs and we set about cleaning the rest of the foodstuffs out of the truck and then feeding the greater number of animals. I tethered Washington to the power pole by the scalehouse so he could watch us while we fed Bill's menagerie. Squeaker, to my good fortune, came right out the cage door as I had the bowls of meat for the hyenas, milling about my feet as she wanted her dinner too.

"She seems nice, Jim." Pete said. Squeaker started growling as he started petting her as she ate and he quickly drew his hand back. I laughed and the vet looked confused.

"Yenas growl when they're pleased, kind of like how lesser cats purr. They'll yip-laugh if they're anxious or unsettled about something. They also have this sort of soft squeak for with their young and companions." I explained, which prompted Pete to smile, then looked concerned at a loud yipe as Mandy nipped one of the others over possession of one of the food bowls.

"They do that, but Bill told me how much to feed them so there's enough for everyone. Mandy - the largest female - will settle down some in a bit as soon as she's full letting the others quibble over the rest. Squeaker there forever gets left out, so that's why she has to be fed separately." I explained as I threw some hay in with the zeeb and dropped a half-scoop of grain on top of the hay, which she immediately started munching.

"Whatcha gonna do about that if you have these at the zoo?" Jim Bridger asked.

"I don't quite know what I'll do about that yet... Bill said she's at least halfway used to being inside, so I think she'll probably end up a pet." I smiled, and Pete laughed.

"You're gonna need a bigger house, Jim," he quipped, chuckling as Squeaker finished the meat and began licking the bowl.

"I already do... but that's beside the point." I started pondering. "Hm...."

"Uh-oh. Pete! Why'd you get him thinking? You know that always means trouble..." Jim jested.

I chuckled and shrugged a bit, then realized. "Oh, fuck!" I grabbed for my cellphone and quickly scrolled through the numbers.

"Chet Malin." came the response over the phone.

"It's Jim... would you mind terribly having someone keep the Case warm overnight again?" I asked. "I kinda got... stuck doing a whole bunch of other stuff I didn't plan on."

"Already doing that, Jim." Chet chcukled. "I'll need your help with the Corliss in the morning. Kody did something and it just sits there and rocks on the forward half of the cylinder."

I rolled my eyes a bit. "That means he somehow screwed up half the valve gear. Is anything actually broken?" I asked, causing Jim to look at me slightly concerned.

"Not that I can see, so I just shut off steam and let it sit for the time being. I'd figured you'd be back to get the Case, but I guess that'll be tomorrow." Chet said.

"Well... don't give Kody too much hell... he doesn't screw up that often and at least has some clue how to fix some stuff." I cautioned good-naturedly.

"Yeah, well... he gets to babysit your toy tonight. Hopefully he won't screw THAT up too badly." Chet grumped, good-naturedly.

"Want to come out? Movie night. Pete Jackson and Jim Bridger are out here already." I offered.

The phone was silent for awhile. "Hell, I'd love to, Jim, but Brit'ny's got her mother over for the holiday and.... they'd both bitch up a storm if I cut out on dinner."

I chuckled "Your loss, but I'll drag your ass out here sometime for a good evening's fun rather than just working on my stuff."

Chet laughed at that. "I might just hold you to that sometime, but workin' for you ain't that much of a problem anyway. I always end up learning something or having fun anyway even if it is work."

"Ok... I'll catch you later and thanks for minding the old iron for me." I said.

"See you later, Jim. Bye." Chet said and the call ended.

"Something wrong back at the zoo?" Jim asked as I put my phone away.

"I'd intended to run the Case home today, but that kinda fell through. Kody, one of Chet's workers, messed up something on the big Corliss engine, so he assigned the kid to watch my Case overnight, which was what I was calling about in the first place." I explained.

"Something broken?" Pete asked as he put Squeaker back in with the other hyenas, them having finished off the food while I'd been on the phone.

"Probably not... there's a couple adjustment clamps on the eccentric rods to help set the engine up to start... I'm guessing one of those came loose, or something fairly simple happened. Jammed cam, one of the governor rod cams flipped around, or one of the valves came partially unscrewed or something. Wouldn't necessarily take too long for me to fix." I replied, then turned my head as iron clanging was heard overtop of everything.

"What's that?" Pete asked, causing me to laugh.

"Dinner bell, Private Jackson." Jim winked and teased.

"C'mon... let's get our grub now that these guys have theirs." I said, and headed out of the tent to untie Washington on the way back to the house.

* * * * *

"How come you named him Washington?" Pete asked with a mouthful of pasta.

"Should I tell him or should you?" Jim Bridger asked.

"Well.. you've heard of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow where a being terrorizes a tiny hamlet?" I asked.

"Yeah. I think pretty much everyone has." Pete murphled through a bite of garlic bread.

"Not so much kids these days, it seems, but that's beside the point. Do you remember who wrote the story?" I asked.

"No clue." Pete said, clearly this time.

"Washington Irving was the fellow's name." I smiled.

Pete looked confused, so I further offered "Irving township, Pete."

"Ohhhhh. Ok. I see he answers to it anyway. Then again, most of your critters seem to be willing to jump off a cliff at your direction." Pete chuckled.

"Wrong author, that was Jack London." I chuckled.

"Huh?" Pete went instantly confused and Jim laughed heartily.

"You never read much, did ya Pete?" the vet quipped.

"Sure I did! He-Man! E.T.... uh... Back to the Future?" Pete chuckled. "Yeah, I know... I didn't read much. Why do you think I went into the Army instead of going to college like you two."

"One." I corrected.

"Oh... I thought..." Pete backpedaled, looking worried he'd insulted me.

I laughed. "I'm just self-taught, Pete. Jim here went on to be Mr. Idjukatud."

"Yep, and where would you two be without me?" Jim jested.

I laughed. "Haranguing some other vet for cheap services." I winked.

"With you, I wouldn't doubt it." Jim laughed and Julie giggled.

"So what'd I miss before with that "wrong author" stuff?" Pete asked, munching another piece of garlic bread.

"Jack London wrote "Call of the Wild", about a German shepherd dog named Buck that's abducted from his home in California to be shipped north as part of the Alaskan Gold Rush to be a sled dog. He's worked nearly to death, as they tended to do back then, and is taken on by a young prospector. I can't recall what he was named in the book. Anyway, at one point the man points off a cliff he's sitting near, and orders Buck to go. The dog starts to obey and the prospector has to tackle him to keep him from actually obeying and jumping off the cliff." I explained some.

Jim Bridger nodded. "He's right about that book, and you're right about the loyalty many animals have for their owners. Right now I'd bet those two sheps would do just about anything for you. Peaches, not so much." Jim winked and we all laughed.

"Maybe Washington too." I offered, the wolfdog laying semi-comfortably in a big wire dog crate near the stove.

"Maybe..." Jim reached down and wavered his hand, at which Cleo padded forward and laid with her front against his chair so he could pet her head. "Thanks for the food, Jim, Julie..." he offered.

"It's nothing much but figured it'd go down well after today's fun." Julie smiled.

"Oh, it's not over yet, hon." I offered.

"Well, yeah, there's still the movies," she admitted.

"And something more." I reminded.

"Oh?" Julie asked.

"Oh! That's right... you weren't outside. Pete brought us another gift." I chuckled and Pete just shook his head.

"Don't blame me... Jim coulda said no." Pete joked.

"What'd he bring?" Julie asked.

"Christina... a female Saint Bernard. I suppose next I'll have to find a companion for Maverick." I chuckled.

"Somehow I have the feeling you'll be having more fun with Christina right now than Reggie will." Pete joked.

This prompted Jim to comically stick his fingers in his ears, close his eyes, and go "la la la la la" like a child, so Pete dropped a noodle down Jim's back.

Jim jumped at the noodle slithering down his back so he punched Pete's shoulder fairly firmly.

"You two... act your age, not just what it adds up to." I quipped and everyone laughed.

I helped Julie rinse the plates then shooed Peaches towards her room, putting her behind a kiddy gate, even though if she really wanted to she could easily jump over it. The Akitas padded into the livingroom with me, so I put up another kiddy gate there in the kitchen doorway and let Washington explore some there, which he did for a couple moments then just laid down in the doorway to watch us.

"You three can pick out some movies for tonight... I don't mind how many. I know Pete doesn't mind staying over, and you can stay, too, if you'd like Jim, since you said Michelle was out of town." I commented.

"I dunno Jim... I'd figure you'd want to break in Pete's gift the first chance you'd get." Jim quipped, causing Julie to blush.

"There's enough dogs for everyone to have a go without sloppy seconds." I grinned to the vet, causing him to just shake his head.

Jim turned to Pete. "Never try to out-squick the master. He's damned near unflappable with goo."

"Comes from years of shoveling shit, Jim, you should know that. You've shaken hands with a lot of it up close and personal!" I winked.

"See!" Jim said, pointing to me.

"I'm going to bring in Christina to see how she gets along with the regular crew... " I said, heading to the door and grabbing a leash from the hook.

"And then what?" Pete said, turning some from his seat on the armchair next to my recliner.

I thought for a moment. "Well, both you and I are strong enough to shove Reggie off, or anyone else, should they try... so... I think everything should be relatively alright." I thought a bit more and looked to my jeans. Oh, right, I WAS in jeans for a change. No worries whatever then. I smiled and headed out the door, then back in shortly after doing a quick tour of the front yard letting Christina do her business... several times. She definitely was in heat "advertizing" all over like that.

The moment I brought her in there was a jumble of barking canines at the door, and I shuffled my way through them. Ghost and Noble both tried mounting Christina and I pushed them off. Reggie tried, too, as I rounded the corner of the couch, and he took a bit more effort to remove from the mounted position.

"She's going to be trouble." Jim offered.

"Wait and see... if my guess is correct, she's likely never been allowed on furniture if her owners were as preppie as Pete implied." I stopped by my recliner and sat down. Ghost tried mounting again until I shifted her rear towards me and lifted it into my lap.

Pete chuckled as I backed her up, sat her rump in my lap, and then lifted the footrest on the recliner, the joints groaning under the greater-than-usual weight of half a Saint Bernard being raised up. I leaned back and latched the whole chair into a locked position, Christina laying with her rump in my lap and forepaws on the footrest, panting and seemingly happy. I smiled both inwardly and outwardly. "See... no problems now." I offered. I knew there truly were no problems as her immense twitching twat was smushed tightly to my crotch, and I could feel each muscular contraction of the estrus-swollen organ, even as it made a heatblood pussyprint on the crotch of the jeans. No one saw it, though... at least not at the moment. "So what are we going to watch tonight?" I asked.

Jim, Julie and Pete went back to poring over the catalog of materials, soon settling on League of Extraordinary Gentlemen to start out with. Christina seemed pleasantly sedate as she snoozed along my legs, shifting about some now and then, once to lay her head on my left foot, and again to lay out straight with her chin on her forepaws. I idly scritched her rump, and from time to time her femaleness twitched pleasantly against me.

Julie brought out drinks after the last of the movie and all talked about what movie we should next watch. I pondered the same thing quietly to myself... White Fang? Naw... though appropriate I'd rather things of that nature be for when it was just Julie and I, lest I get emotional. Same with Balto, Never Cry Wolf or Iron Will. And even with my lapful of Saint, I didn't think I'd be quite in the mood for any of the Beethoven movies.

"How about Dr. Doolittle?" I suggested, knowing Jim would shoot that one down, which he did with a few zoophilic remarks directed towards me.

I thought long and hard, then a smile spread across my face and I chuckled. "Snowball Express."

The trio turned to me and looked curiously. "What movie's that?" they asked.

"Diz... mid 70s. Dean Jones' character inherits the Imperial Hotel in a backwoods town in Colorado that used to be a big mining town. He quits his job with an insurance company and moves his family out there, including their cowardly Saint Bernard, only to find a prospector, played by Harry Morgan, squatting at the hotel, which hadn't been a hotel in decades. They start cleaning it up to run the place as a ski lodge and lots of silly things happen. Eventually, as they're about to lose the hotel to the local banker, they come to find out that they own half the town's property and a good share of the mountain the hotel is located near." I responded.

"That sounds fun." Julie said, snuggling up to me as she sat on the sofa.

"Any lions in it?" Pete asked, jokingly.

"No... but we could always put on The Lion King if you want to snuggle with Cleo." I smiled.

I pondered a bit more.... "Oh! Well... naw... that's sort of an Inspector Clouseau thing that maybe Pete wouldn't like." I chuckled.

"What's that?" Pete asked.

I sighed deeply, and pet Christina's rump more, earning a heavy tail-thumping. "Oh... another movie. "Won Ton Ton: The Dog that Saved Hollywood" It starts out "It was a bad day for dogs in San Francisco..."... decompression chamber." I frowned a bit. "There's a couple bumbling dog wardens in it." I smirked a little bit, remembering one scene.

"Yeah.... I don't think.... we should really go there. Not for the bumbling part but..." Pete frowned some and waffled until Cleo lifted her head and knocked his chin with her muzzle.

"Ok.. umm...." I thought some more.

"Got any more sci-fi?" Jim asked.

I chuckled "Fifth Element?" I asked.

"Yeah, that'd work!" Pete said, laughingly, and everyone settled out as Julie looked up the disc number in the master index.

* * * * *

After the movie finished Christina wanted to go out to do her business, so I took her out on a leash, all the other dogs following suit with the males wanting to pester her, but my presence discouraged them of those ideas fairly well... for the most part. Everyone followed back inside as I came in. Well, everyone but Washington. Julie had let him out through the mudroom to the small area between the gates between the house and the garage so he could do his business without irritations from the others.

"So... another movie?" I asked as I plunked down in the chair. This time Christina tried to climb up front-first, her forepaws in my lap. I fuzzled her head and nodded as I foot-shoved Ghost off of her again. "Ok girl..." I said, and she climbed up the rest of the way to sit on my right leg (for the most part) and her forepaws on the left armrest. Being easily 175 pounds she was a bit heavy, but not terribly uncomfortable apart from the occasions she'd put the majority of her weight on a single paw.

"Um..." Pete yawned. "Getting a little tired here," he said while seated on the floor in front of the sofa with Cleo's head in his lap and Wendy having seated herself to curl up against his other side.

"It's up to you guys when you want to get to bed. You've got schedules different than mine." I suggested.

"Got anything short?" Jim asked.

"Squeaker" I quipped, getting a chuckle from the others and a one-fingered salute from Jim. "Um...." I pondered for a bit. "BBC put out a series "Seven Wonders of the Industrial World"... you all might find that interesting." I suggested.

"Sure, why not." Pete smiled drowsily.

"I think it's 240 Julie..." I suggested as she started going through the index.

"It is... ok." she smiled and popped up from her spot on the sofa seat. Reggie followed, but turned to sniff Christina's rump. I gently bapped his nose when he became a little too assertive. I popped the footrest back up and Christina apparently enjoyed laying out like that, having caught on rather fast, she shifted about and crawled forward so her chest was supported by my legs, her forepaws on the footrest, and her hindlegs off to the side as her rump remained in my lap.

We watched the first episode "The Great Ship" about the Great Eastern, the last project of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of the greatest British engineers of all time. The Great Eastern as a vessel was a design marvel, but it wasn't a business success. Its only claims to fame were that it was the last Brunel project of his lifetime, and that it was used to lay the second transatlantic telegraph cable, the first having required two ships and burned itself out after a relatively short duration of use due to a lack of understanding about the nuances of electricity at that time.

As we watched, I idly snoozed, petting Christina's flank, Julie seated next to me in her usual spot on the sofa with Reggie's head in her lap. Pete was on the floor with Cleo and Wendy, and Jim was in the armchair with Maverick and Ghost curled at his feet. I took the liberty of curling my thumb around and caressing over Christina's Y-shaped vulva, earning a bunch of twitching and she raised it to breeding location - in line with the rest of her vagina for the male to enter smoothly. Her tail was pinned under my left arm as she'd been thumping the chair with it nearly constantly, but I could feel the muscles tense to curl it along her left flank if she could have. No one seemed to notice, so I slipped my thumbtip into the moistened opening, earning more spasmodic twitches and she shifted her forepaws about a bit. In more slid... I could feel how puffy her insides were from her estrus, and could definitely feel the moisture. Past her urethral opening my thumb moved and then I felt the constrictive ring of tissue. Not just the "knot ring", as some term it, but more to it than that... she was a complete virgin with her circumferential hymen still intact at her vestibulo-vaginal junction. She whined a little bit as I pressed against it with my thumbtip, but quieted her with more scritching to her flank from my fingers. I gently let my thumb slip from her and wiped the estrus blood off on my pantsleg faking an itch. I pondered just what I'd like to do with Christina whenever the opportunity presented itself. She was indeed quite attractive as Saints go, and her sedate and demure personality seemed to make me like her all the more from the get-go.

I lazily noted the time on the old box regulator and pondered, closing my eyes again as I listened to the gentle ticking of the clock and the program on the TV. What an interesting day...