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The day had finally come. Most of the town had gathered at a sort of amphitheater, the place where most of these sort of events took place. Behind a wall on the stage, Kelsey sat on a log chair, elegantly dressed in the gold-colored dress, a twisted wreath of buttercups in her hair, and matching bracelets and anklets. It was unusual for her to wear yellow, but this was a special occasion, and she needed to look fresh. Backstage, she was trying her hardest to hype herself up. Her parents were with her, comforting her.

“I-I'm so nervous."

“You can do it, honey." Will patted her head. “You're brave, you know what you have to say, you've got this. Make the world know you."

She stood up and inhaled deeply. “Yes... yes, you're right." She stood, knees shaking immediately. “Oh boy... this is hard."

Gracefully, she strode out onto the center stage, no podium in her way, with her father on her left, and her mother on her right. The clamor of the crowd hushed as she appeared. They knew she was a beautiful sight, a striking young woman in gold and flowers. She nervously looked about to the crowd. Who was there? Her sister and brothers. Erik. Colton elsewhere. Of course he was there. Jarvis, Terry and Tom. They wouldn't miss an event like this. Lisa hid in the shade to watch, sleepily. Jan at the back, on Brutus' head. Even the Coyote Courier, always on the job, made a pit stop to watch the show. She had to speak, she had wasted too much time already.

“Good morning, Goldenmere." She said, after clearing her throat. “There comes a time in every girl's life where she finally becomes a woman. She grows to have needs that must be fulfilled. For many of you, that day has already come and gone. That day is now mine. Those of you who know me know I'm not much of a speech person. Being formal is weird to me." A light chuckle from the crowd. “I'd rather be out in the wide world, having an adventure, bringing back great things for us all to better ourselves with. But right now, my adventure is here, before all of you. I am Kelsey Decker, and today is the day of my suiting, where my love will become available to but one man." She threw her arms out wide. “Without further ado, I will open the floor to claims. If you wish to make your claim on my love, stand with pride now, or forever hold your peace."

“This is it. This is what she meant by standing, right?" The world seemed to stop moving as Erik thought to himself. His knees began to creak on their own, slowly, like an old mechanism was forcing them to open up from somewhere else. “Holy shit, am I actually doing this? We've only known each other for a few days. If I stand, I'm vowing to marry her. We've barely even dated. It's stupid to get married so soon, isn't it? There's so much we don't know about each other still..."

Colton stood proudly from the crowd, arms crossed, the white wolf towering over those who sat. His eyes were closed, showing off his ego, knowing he would be the only candidate. But the reaction was not what he expected. The crowd gasped in shock and awe instead, then fell to an eerie silence, like all of the air in the area had been sucked out. He looked around, unsure what the reaction was, and then he found it. Erik also stood out of the crowd, mouths around him covered with paws and hooves. Shirley was not surprised, but Will was.

“What the-?!" He snarled.

Kelsey couldn't think about her father. At that moment, she was fixated on the crowd, on Erik. “He did it." She thought to herself, incredulous. “That madman actually did it. He really loves me! Unless he's confused. Maybe? Oh, fuck it, I'm gonna marry him anyway!" She finally spoke, her initial syllable warbling in shock. “Y-You are all the witnesses today. The house recognizes Colton Donaldson... and Erik Barnes." Colton listened angrily, while Erik listened in stunned contemplation as Kelsey continued to speak. He didn't know what to expect.

“Colton. You earned a special place in my heart years ago when we met on a scavenge east of here. I could never forget the white wolf. You were strong, bold, and handsome, still are. You helped me find places I didn't know about, and taught me some of your tricks. We always knew we were destined to cross paths again and again, and always did. Your recent actions have deeply sullied your image in my eyes, and were it up to me completely, I would deny you, right now, in front of the world. But as much as it pains me, I'm still forced to recognize you, for the good of the world. Were we to have pups, I know they would be the healthiest pups around." The judgment was harsh, but realistically fair.

She turned her gaze to Erik finally. “Erik. Nobody has ever proven themselves to me so well, and so fast. You came to us just a couple weeks ago as a freak. A person with no fur, with the stigma of destruction and wickedness. A human. You couldn't even smell me properly, still can't, actually. Your nose-blindness, one of your many unique traits, aside... you worked hard. You earned my sympathy, then my respect, my admiration, and finally, my heart. You're intelligent, thoughtful, caring, and fun to be with. I could live forever with the way we've been the past few days, and wouldn't want for much else. Even if we're not compatible, if I could choose one man for my life, it of course would be you. I must recognize you, Erik, because... I love you." The sentiment was touching. There were surprisingly few dry eyes, despite the confusion from the crowd. She turned her attention back to the crowd once again with a heavy sigh. “I... believe I have made my choice crystal clear. But, such is the way of suitings... I now have two men before me. Two paths. Two contenders. Now, your choices must be made clear. I open the floor to protestation."

Colton immediately protested, jumping on the opportunity that Erik didn't really know about. “You can't marry the human! He's not one of us, never was, never will be!"

It was like a town hall, with the open protests. Erik wound himself up for this. “I've proven my worth time and time again." Erik argued. “No need for any trickery, no deception. Just good, honest behavior. Something you should learn."

“And you just met him. Who knows what he's capable of? You'd be a fool to not stick with the sure thing, Kelsey!"

“I think people know me quite well enough by this point. Have the Deckers ever had an issue with me? Has the town ever had an issue with me?"

“I am the one who earned her heart first. I am the one who has aided her most in her life. I have kept her safe from the wilderness when she was lost."

“And I'm the one who earned her heart best. I beat the guys you hired, for real, just to save her. I also kept her safe from the wilderness when we were lost, because of you, I might add. I have also shown her things that no other man can, because I have the wisdom of the past."

“I represent a merger between our two towns. The ease of cooperation between the two will benefit all of us in the long run. You've done nothing but help yourself. You're greedy, selfish."

“What?!"

“Yeah!"

“You just want her for the sex, you never cared about her!"

“You just want her so you're not a slave anymore!"

Vera stood up from the side of the crowd, shaky, but actually in public. “I am afraid that I must speak, as well."

“Elder...?" The crowd buzzed with anticipation.

“Far be it for me to interfere with young love, but I must protest that he has not been selfish." She shook her head. “He returned from his long scavenge with Kelsey, carrying a heavy and cumbersome object, just to show us both one, single, unnecessary experience." She looked to Erik. “I never, in a lifetime, would have expected such generosity. You literally moved me to tears in my own home, Erik."

Erik waved it off. “Vera, I didn't do that. Zepplin did. I just helped you get the Led out."

She cracked up and laughed, for the first time in a long time, a hearty belly laugh. They were the only two people who could possibly get the reference. “Hah! Oh, dear, my guts... Look at how he can even bring joy to my misery. This is not the act of a selfish man. This is truly a caring man."

Jarvis finally stood. With Vera standing, he believed his judgment to be relevant, as well.

“Pardon me, Elder, I mean no disrespect. But the suiting was not made for humans. He's living here as a servant, not as a citizen. As Colton has suggested, were he to marry the young Decker, would we be forced to consider him one of us? Or would she share his stigma? It would be irresponsible of me to not bring this up, and have her eternally suffer the ignominious mark of having wed the human." He shook his head. “I mean no disrespect to Erik, either. Indeed, he has proven to be rather noble. But I believe, for the greater good, that Erik's claim should be nullified." Colton grinned as Jarvis' verdict came down.

Another gasp from the crowd. The Elder, then a counter to her? This was the spectacle of the year, for sure. Erik looked at Jarvis, shocked, afraid that he would lose his claim. Kelsey, as tough as she was, nearly broke down in tears at that very moment. This couldn't be happening. She was so close. Shirley held her daughter's shoulder, as Will looked on with concern. He was initially concerned about Erik being able to stand, and being declared so close to her heart. But seeing his daughter so torn apart by a single voice in the crowd suddenly irked him, like he never had been before. Before Erik got a chance to protest Jarvis, Will stood up to defend his daughter, no matter how insane the situation.

“Jarvis!" He doffed his flatcap forward, ears flattened, tail straight an an arrow. “Get down here!"

“Mister Decker... this is your daughter's suiting. Hardly the place f-"

“ Get down here n ow!" His voice was booming, a surprising bark from the gruff little man. He called out as if he were shouting at the ramparts of a castle for the king to come visit the battlefield.

Jarvis just had to confront such a scene, and nodded to his entourage to let him, as he walked down to the floor, between Kelsey and the audience, who sat on their hands with rapt attention. His large hooves thumped lightly as he strode to the angry Aussie, who stormed his way past Kelsey, to intercept.

They began to whisper angrily, though all ears but Erik's were still able to hear it. “You can't do this, Jarvis, not to Kelsey, not on her suiting."

“You know I'm right, Will. I'm doing this for us all."

“I'm just as surprised as you that I'm doing this. But you're being a fat fucking shithead." Will was clearly angry if he was willing to swear that much.

Jarvis was taken aback. “Will, I'm surprised at you. You didn't care about him as much as I did at the start of this."

“Maybe I didn't, but this is about her. I didn't know it, but she knows it. He's been good to her - no, he's been great to her. Look at her." He snarled, motioning back to her. She looked lost on the stage, no speech to give, the awkward pause wrenching at her heart. “You think she's wearing that dress for Colton? Those flowers? It's part of the tradition to dress nice, but Kelsey would wear her fatigues if it was just Colton, they're both scavvers. She's wearing that for Erik. She wants to look beautiful for him."

“I suppose she has dressed up for the occasion, yes. But what about pups, Will? What are they going to do?"

“I don't know. That's her choice, that's what she wants to choose, and judging by how she described it, it's the right choice."

Jarvis shook his head. “I can't let her do it, Will."

Will suddenly grabbed Jarvis by some scruff of hair at the top of his chest and pulled the giant moose face closer. Will had absolutely no fear when it came to a bigger adversary.

“Fuck you! You owe me a favor. Remember? Did you think I was joking? Well, here it is." He let go, and poked Jarvis' big hairy chest with a claw, pushing him back ever so slightly. “Rescind your judgment. That's my favor. You drop your protest, and we're square."

Jarvis continued his silence for a moment. “You shepherds don't give up, I'll give you that. I don't know whether to respect you, or headbutt you." He groaned out in surrender. “You know... even if I do, there's still two claims."

“I know. If it comes to it, they have to settle this like men. And we have to let them. Just get outta the way, Jarvis."

Jarvis turned from the scene and walked back towards his seat on the benches, the crowd looking at him with rapt anticipation. “I rescind my earlier statements. Let the suiting continue." He conceded, then sat down.

The crowd didn't know what to think. With a human, the Elder getting involved, and Jarvis being rebuked by a surly father, no suiting had ever been so dramatic.

“I'm the obvious choice." Colton continued, finally, facing Erik. “She wants a healthy family, we all know it. You're a mystery. Stand down."

Erik shook his head. “Only I promise to provide love. We'll work on the family part. I'm the honest choice, she's said it herself, that I'm the one she wants. You stand down, stop trying to drag the poor woman down with you."

“I am not 'dragging her down'. You are the 'down' choice."

“No, I am the choice of her heart, the one she's already admitted to making. You're standing in the way of her wishes, of her heart. How can you oppose this at all? It's greedy. Stop doing this and let her follow her heart."

Both made persuasive arguments. But it was still at an impasse.

“This dispute clearly cannot be solved with words or platitudes, human. No, it can only be settled on the battlefield, where men belong. Erik Barnes, I, Colton Donaldson, challenge you to a duel for the right to wed this woman." He pointed his long, clawed finger at Erik, menacingly.

Erik was still a bit surprised what he was doing here. He wasn't just fighting to date Kelsey, that time had passed, their dating period was a few days in the bush. He was standing for the right to marry her. This was forever. He tried his best to be strong. “I accept your challenge. I can't rest happy knowing she'd be with someone like you."

The crowd, again, gasped. Even the Deckers gasped, though they expected he would challenge Erik. Colton laughed. He had Erik right where he wanted him. “Hah! You have guts, human, I'll give you that. I look forward to spilling them."

“I'll beat you, somehow. Just like last time."

“Tch! You have no fangs like a wolf, no claws like a cat, not even a shell to hide in like a turtle. You're weak, feeble. You don't think I'll let you hit me with a hammer, do you? I will know your moves."

Kelsey thought with panic, the subject from last night coming up again. She knew he was right, Erik wouldn't stand much of a chance man-to-man in a ring with Colton. And she knew Colton would use that to his advantage. She had to think quickly. “The challenge has been laid. But it's my right as bride to choose where and when that these two will fight over my heart." She huffed. “It's only fitting that the fight take place at the Goldenmere fight pit, where so many others have gone before me... In three days."

“ Three days?!" Colton asked with a growl. Such an outrageous delay hadn't been heard of often.

“You will fight at the Goldenmere fight pit, at high noon in three days, or forfeit. Prepare yourselves to fight with honor. Dismissed."

The congregation was dismissed, and as people began to wander away with shock and surprise, Kelsey approached Erik with a whole slew of emotions reflecting on her face. She could hardly believe that all happened. She hugged him tightly and licked his neck. “Oh, Erik, I knew you loved me! I love you, too! Ah, I'm so happy!" Her tail flailed rapidly.

“I do love you, Kelsey. It's been a difficult grapple inside, what I'm supposed to feel, or am allowed to feel... but it doesn't matter, I love you. It's sudden, but I'm sure of it. I wish we could just get this over with and be together, but he just doesn't want to give it up... guess there's work to be done." He kissed her hairy neck as he joined her embrace.

“You're going to get yourself killed like this, Erik."

“I know... but I have to try. I want to be with you. And I don't want you to be stuck with that guy. I'll fight for that opportunity." He replied with determination. “I think I have a plan, Kelsey."

She smirked and pulled back from him. “So do I. That's why I gave us those three days."

“Gave us?"

“Well, yeah. If your plan is the same as mine - and knowing you, it is - you're going to need someone with you."

His confused huff turned into a smile. “Reading my mind like this... What a woman." She grinned in return.

“Kidding? I can practically smell it on you."

The rest of her family finally came up to her.

“Kelsey... are you sure about this?" Will asked, judging. “I don't mean any insult to Erik, I just stared down Jarvis about it, but... fighting against Colton?"

“I know, father. But I still love him. I have to let him face the challenge."

“I know he's earned your heart, but can he even have pups with you?"

“I don't know, nobody knows. We have to stop focusing on that for now." She looked back to Erik, into his eyes. “But I'll be the pioneer. I want to find out. No, I'm going to find out."

The family was all a bit uneasy about the subject.

“Sis, come on." Kerry groaned. “Too much information."

“You'll have your turn some day, Kerry. You'll get a man you love, people will think you're crazy, and you will just want to find out what the future holds."

Will shook his head. “Can we, uh, just go home? The ceremony is over, but now we have to wait three days for the end of all this."

Kelsey looked at her family, Erik included. “Yes. But Erik and I have to pack. We have somewhere to go."

“Running off already?" He shrugged. It all seemed so mysterious. “Any chance you could fill us in?"

“Nope. Sorry, it's a secret to everybody. But we have a plan- er, well, two plans, but they may be the same plan."

“Are you two eloping? You're eloping, aren't you?"

“No, no."

“Just remember, whatever you're doing, you're not official yet." He sternly reminded her.

“I know, I know. I can hold on... just a bit longer. What's another couple of days, hm?"

The family returned to the farm, Erik and Kelsey walking together, shooting each other smiles. They knew they were destined to be together. How and when would be the real deciding factors. They snickered and made awkward jokes to each other as they returned home.

“So, you still thinking of introducing me to Jenny?"

“I'd be a rat's ass!" She pointed at him, menacingly. The idiom was absurd, but he rolled with it. They knew it was all in good fun. “No bunny is getting near my man."

“Not even your friend?"

“Nope, if we're married, maybe then you can meet her. Don't want you getting taken away." She grinned.

As they approached the house, Erik began climbing the steps with them. Will stopped him as they approached the front door.

“Uh uh. Where are you going?"

“Well, I-"

“Your house is down there, Erik, next to the chickens. This is ours. Remember the rules?"

“Father..." Kelsey tried to intervene.

“I made myself look like an ass to Jarvis just for the chance for him to fight. He's not living in the house, he's not your husband yet."

“Father, I thank you for that, truly. But I was bringing him there to pack with me."

He was getting angry. “He can pack his own bag!"

“Will, come now." Shirley got involved as well. “Let them pack, he may not be her husband yet, but he's at least her fiance."

He grumbled. He really didn't like this situation.

Erik tried to apologize. “Mister Decker, I'm sorry about this trouble. But, I'm not giving up on Kelsey. Even if she has to live in the shed with me."

He shook his head dismissively. “Just pack your bags." He opened the door to the house. “And no funny business in there. Or out there, actually."

As everyone else entered, Shirley pulled him aside. “Will, what's gotten into you?"

He sighed and sat down outside, Shirley sitting down right with him, never leaving his side. “I'm... stressed out, alright? I didn't know she had gotten so close to him. I warned him not to get too close to her. And now she's fallen in love with a man who's not even anthro, and is going to fight to the death with a way stronger opponent, and it's going to tear her up inside no matter what happens." He groaned as Shirley put her arm over his shoulders. “I almost wish she just had Colton, even if he is a jerk."

“You can't mean that, Will. Erik is a good man. Maybe if we all didn't expect her to make grandchildren, she could have just denied Colton and nobody would have to fight."

“I'm anxious about what's coming."

“We all are, dear. But we have to provide support, we need to be the strong ones." She stood up, pulling him up by his paws. “Now, come on. I'll work on a pie for us."

He couldn't help but smile and be led to stand up. “I do like pie..."

Erik and Kelsey packed quickly, as they intended, but they packed light, only the essentials. Drinking water, jerky, a couple of apples, adventuring clothes, lockpicks, flashlight, lighters. Hammer, just in case. They didn't intend to be out long, but it would still be a bit before they got back.

They said their goodbyes to the family, and headed out on their way. They were used to traveling together now, so they moved quickly in unison. They were truly like a proper team.

“Isn't this great? Going out again, like nothing's waiting just beyond the horizon?" Erik chuckled.

“Yeah. I want to say it's just like old times, but that was... well, just the other day. Amazing how time flies these days. I've already gotten used to the idea of being around you, Erik."

He smiled at the notion, but remembered he still had a duty to perform. “I can't believe I have to fight that guy." Erik said to her, the trees on the outskirts of the town growing nearer.

“I can. There's no way he'd ever accept such a bruise to his ego as to admit he lost me with his stupid stunt. And lost me to a human, to boot." She winked. “You still have to fight him, and yes, both of you are going to get hurt. But there's nothing that says I can't help even the battlefield a little bit."

“You're a great woman, Kelsey."

“For a great man, Erik."

They couldn't help but smile at each other, they were getting to be so sweet with each other. He had to bring something up, though.

“Kelsey. When you were giving your judgment on the both of us. What you said about Colton..."

“Yeah." She looked down a bit. “It's the truth of the situation, Erik. As much as I don't like him, and should have just denied him and dealt with the consequences... he and I would have some incredibly handsome pups. It would ensure that the family line carries on, far and wide, for a long time. And us... well, I just don't know what'll come of it." She looked to his eyes with a loving gaze. “But I also meant it when I said I want to find out. You're an adventure, a gamble, but one I want to take. Now, let's get moving, we don't have a lot of time. We can talk about this later!"

“Right."