Chapter 5
After an hour or so of playing with the fawn and talking to the buck Kage decided to head back to the primitive campgrounds since he had been gone for over two hours. He ran hard back to the stream and cleared a shorter jump from the rock face to a rock that stuck out just off the other facing. He slowed his run through the campsites before slowing again to a walk as he came up to where he’d left the Tanker’s truck.
When he arrived back at the primitive campsite where his current class was located, Melony and Tanker seemed to be the only ones happy to see him come back, the students looked miserable and their beagle teacher sounded like he was doing a math lesson while the other chaperones looked flat bored out of their minds.
“Okay, I’ve missed something important here, but my buck had a fawn and mate he wanted to show off,” Kage said in a quiet tone noticing that things seemed more somber than happy as the golden eyed husky and the shepherd walked towards him, “What’s happened up here?”
“There was a fight, a fox and feline got into an argument and it turned into a fist fight quick and I ended just as quick,” the tan furred German shepherd said with an equally low tone, “The teacher said if they couldn’t handle being civil their parent’s would be called and the trip would be off.”
Kage let out a short groan before making a move towards the teacher. Before the husky or the shepherd could even think to stop him he had the teacher by the arm and was dragging him towards another site.
“What are you doing Mr. Kage?” the beagle said through gritted teeth as he fought to catch his balance.
“You need a lesson on camping and by the sound of it, being a damn teacher,” Kage replied stopping three campsites away from the one where camp was set up, “First NEVER do you call off something the students worked to get when they’re already in the middle of it, Second, never ever let a text book come out on a camping trip, that isn’t what they wanted when they came out here.”
“I think it’s time you and I had a talk about your place here,” the beagle half snarled, “You’re a chaperone only; I’m the teacher I say what happens out here.”
“And I brought every bit of equipment you’re using so unless you want to be cold, wet and starving you’ll shut up and let me run this trip the way the other teachers do, because obviously you don’t know jack shit about large group camping,” the black wolf replied standing muzzle to muzzle with the shorter beagle.
A couple cheers were heard from the campsite causing both men to look up and see Melony sitting by the fire telling a story to keep the students’ ears away from the argument. While Kage’s Ranger friend and Ty had moved out of site and were making funny noises to go with the story, Tanker being able to keep eyes on Kage from his place.
“Mr. Kage I’ll have you know I’ve been camping longer than you’ve been alive and if you deem it necessary I’m sure I can have a replacement for you here in an hour,” the beagle said coolly thinking he’d found an upper hand.
“More like I can have you led off this mountain and have a replacement for you here in an hour sir, this is my gear, I go, it goes and your students WILL know it’s your fault,” the black wolf replied with a smirk, “I lived on this mountain for eleven years, just because you’ve been camping a few times in your years doesn’t mean you’ve spent as much time out here as I have.”
“He’s not wrong Mr. Williams; I will take you off this mountain at his word alone and send a Ranger to take your place,” the voice of the tan furred German shepherd having heard enough to know what was happening, “Kage if we’re moving sites, now is the time.”
“Get them packing call in a couple vans and we’ll get them down to the rustic sites,” the black wolf replied without consulting the teacher at all as he started moving back towards the campsite, “I would say get him to help but I think he’s trying to figure out what the hell just happened,” he added with a quiet chuckle when he was next to the tan furred Ranger.
Everything was packed in about an hour and the student’s gear was all put in the back of the two German shepherd’s trucks while Kage got his back out of the sites. Once everything was settled at the primitive sites the black furred wolf made a couple calls on the way back to the other camp sites just incase he really did need to call in a replacement for the teacher. Having his mother on standby as the only possible replacement was not what he had in mind, but it’s what happened so he went with it.
Veronica even informed her son of a few complaints about the teacher being aggressive with the students, never hitting but definitely demeaning them or some such. Kage also had her call the parents and tell them the new meeting site for the end of the week even though someone was likely to be at the gate to guide them down anyway.
“Barely the first day and all this crap started,” Melony said from the passenger seat, “Can’t be a good sign.”
“Well if the weather holds we should be fine, I’ve got Mr. Williams’ number now, he so much as touches me in some aggressive manner he’ll be out cold and off this mountain before he can think and also fired on top of that,” Kage said with a serious tone, “It’s probably a bad thing I’m looking forward to that, but something about this guy really pisses me off.”
“It’s probably the high and mighty attitude he has, thinks just because he’s the teacher he gets to boss everyone around, he tried with the Ranger, that was mildly entertaining to watch,” the golden eyed husky said with a giggle.
“Oh I can imagine, Tank doesn’t take to being bossed around too well, he takes it from me because I was fourteen and I knocked him on his ass and knows that if I do boss him it’s for the good of a class.”
“Wait, the German shepherd Ranger’s name is Tank?”
“It’s short for Tanker, I’m surprised you didn’t know that after all the time he spent explaining the animals to Mrs. Melik’s class,” Kage said with a chuckle.
“I guess I wasn’t paying much attention, I don’t hear you using his name much, why is that?” Melony asked with a curious tone.
“I think he scared of me, yeah we get along well enough, but he doesn’t ever seem totally comfortable around me unless we’re in a crowd, what I’m afraid of is a brick wall like him one day finding my weak spots and using them against me, so I try to keep it to a more ‘friendly request’ over ‘orders from the boss’ type of conversation between us,” the black wolf replied honestly.
“Oh and what are your weak spots?” the golden eyed husky asked sounding a little mischievous.
“Besides a list of injuries as long as my leg and some that I’ve probably long forgotten,” Kage responded with a chuckle before looking at the husky in the passenger seat with total honesty in his eyes, “You.”
This one simple word caused the platinum blonde husky’s eyes to go wide as her mouth opened slightly before closing and repeating this action a few more times. She didn’t understand what he meant and she was so shocked to hear it that at first she thought she might have misunderstood him completely. She sat in silence staring at the black furred wolf as they continued the slow trek to the rustic sites.
“Wait, what does that mean?”
“It means that if he made a move for you I’d probably freeze in my tracks,” Kage answered coolly, “I’m comfortable around you Melony, that’s way more than I can say for anyone else I know, Tanker and the other rangers here included, except my mother and sister.”
The short conversation died as Kage moved the truck into the best place to unload it and the trailer. The students followed every instruction given and the camp was back up and running smoothly in about half the time as the first set up. Kage took over the lessons, going over fire safety, the camp rules now that it seemed he was in charge and how the cooking, gathering and cleaning crews worked before assigning each student to a group.
Mr. Williams seemed to keep his distance for the rest of the day since Tanker and Titan, the two German shepherds, one a park Ranger the other a Cub Scout den leader, as well as his own brother David and Alisa, the female calico, had all taken Kage’s side in things. He hadn’t counted on Melony’s help since the black furred wolf had brought her in himself. He walked up to the path that led to the sites where he saw the younger wolf and the young husky with golden eyes talking.
“Alright Mr. Kage, how do you propose we track the students at night?” the beagle asked as the sun began to fall.
“Melony, go to the truck, under the driver’s side back seat there are a bunch of glow sticks Mrs. Melik had left over, there should be enough for everyone,” Kage said ignoring the fact it was the teacher who’d said anything.
“We’ll probably need more, I’ll have Ty go pick some up tomorrow since he’s got a car here,” Melony said before she ran off to the trucks.
“You trust her more than anyone here, don’t you Mr. Kage?” the beagle asked with a dark smirk on his lips.
“I’ll warn you same as I did your brother and Mr. Ty, you touch her, Ms. Alisa or any student here in any harmful manner and you’ll be led off this mountain in hand cuffs,” the black wolf replied calmly staring the beagle in the eyes, “I trust those two and the calico woman because they’ve already explained their positions on your version of this trip, you’re just a thorn I have to put up with at this point Mr. Williams, one I’d be very happy to pluck from my paw."
“You best watch your attitude Mr. Kage, I’m sure your mother would hate to hear her son got hurt because he shot his mouth off to a teacher,” the beagle replied in a hateful tone.
“I don’t think you’ve got the balls to try and hurt me Mr. Williams, you’re afraid that the rumors at the school about my abilities are true and afraid my mother would can your sorry self centered ass faster than a camera flash if you touched me, not that you wouldn’t need a medical leave after trying.”
Kage was still the picture of calm knowing that anything the beagle said was easily countered and easily pointing out any one of many weak points he could exploit if it came to blows. He could hear the students getting things ready for the story he promised by the fire light and Tanker coming his way.
“Don’t you gents start anything, I don’t feel like dragging Mr. Beagle here up to the store for medical attention tonight,” the tan German shepherd said seeing how calm Kage was and Mr. Williams a hair from trying something stupid.
Melony had come back down from the truck and had seen what was going on between Kage and Mr. Williams. She managed to slip past the arguing pair unnoticed and started handing out the glow stick necklaces after informing Ty he would need to go get more before the next night, and sending Tanker to check on her boyfriend and the teacher. Out of nowhere a young girl screamed catching everyone’s attention and forcing Kage and Tanker into a dead run back to the bottom of the camp grounds. They found Samson’s young daughter Terra pinned against a tree afraid to move because of a feral fox kit that seem to be looking solely for something to eat.
Kage let out a relieved sigh at the same moment Tanker did. The black wolf picked up the small kit and carried her to the kitchen to find something she might like while the tan German shepherd comforted the young girl with Melony’s help. After everything calmed from the small panic, the small fox stayed on Kage’s lap by the warmth of the fire while Tanker explained a few things about the animal’s usual diet and why she might have been so close into the camp.
“Okay, why was this kit really in the camp?” Tanker asked as he and Kage walked up to the trucks with the kit.
“Tank, I’m honestly not sure, I can’t smell any other foxes on her; she may have been orphaned or abandoned, she’s too small to hunt on her own, so my guess is she came towards animal scents looking for food, she ate my portion of tomorrow’s lunch she was so hungry,” the black wolf replied quietly as the kit slept in his arms, “I can keep her here with me for a bit if you don’t mind, get a tracking collar or something to put on her and we’ll see where she goes when I let her loose.”
“If the students find out you’re keeping her, even if just for the night, they’re going to freak out, they always do with your buck,” the tan German shepherd said with a chuckle, “She’s going to have to stay somewhere they won’t find her easily.”
“For tonight she stays in my truck with me, she’s taken quite the shine to me it seems,” Kage replied placing the kit inside the sleeping bag in the bed of his truck with a smile on his muzzle as she curled herself into a little orange ball and went back to sleep.
“And if we can’t find a tracker small enough for her?”
“I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see what she does, I really hope it’s run back into the woods, if she stays near to me she’ll be safe enough from the students but what happens when I’m gone at the end of the week?”
“I’ll explain to the Ranger I send out tomorrow what’s going on with the whole thing, it’s probably going to be Tizra, I do hope you remember your favorite bobcat.”
“You know she hates me right?”
“No she… well okay maybe a little, but she has warmed up over the last couple months,” Tank replied with a nervous chuckle, “I mean after all, you dropped four rangers, myself included in that, and your old man all with two tranquilizers in your system, Jack still doesn’t know about the first one by the way, and now you pretty much run this place when you’re here, lot to hate about you man.”
“Good point, but I’ve never given her a reason to hate me directly; can’t you send that husky pup that I haven’t met yet or ANYONE else?” Kage asked with a similar chuckle.
“She’s the most qualified with the all the different tracking devices we keep on hand, so no I really can’t, I’ve got to get on back to the station, try not to kill the beagle huh?”
“I’ll do my best Tank, but he’s pushing close to the edge whether he realizes it or not.”
Tanker left for the night Kage went back down to the campsite to say goodnight to Melony and send the students off to bed for the night. Mr. Williams put up no fight at all as he slowly walked to his own tent probably having realized Kage really was better at this kind of event than he was, and most assured that the wolf had meant his warning of the students being under his protection since he couldn’t even pick his feet up before Kage was at the other end of camp to help the tiger cub.
‘Damn, I went from top dog to nothing, even David listens to that pup,’ The beagle thought half feeling angry and less than half sorry he’d started the week so poorly.
The next day the bobcat named Tizra came with the tracking collar but the young kit refused to leave Kage’s side and when she was forced away by being held she whimpered and whined at the top of her little lungs unless she was being held by Melony.
“Okay, looks like you two have a kit Kage,” Tizra said with the first giggle the black wolf had ever heard from her.
“Why does she like me so much?” Melony asked while the students played in the spider web Kage had set up between two trees.
“You’ve been staying at my house, you probably smell enough like me for her to know you’re safe, she probably thinks I’m her father and you’re mommy,” Kage replied with a laugh dodging a swift yet playful back hand from the husky.
“If she runs from you two during the week make no attempt to chase and see what she does that’s all I can recommend right now,” the bobcat said getting back into the conversation, “Why did you have to go and feed her Kage?”
“She was starved, I could see that plain as day even out of the fire light, you know how I am Tiz, I can’t let things suffer that way if I can help it,” the black wolf replied with the small kit played with the zipper on his coat.
“Even if he hadn’t I probably would have ma’am,” Melony said taking the little kit from Kage’s arms and putting her on the ground for a moment before bending down and using her tail as a play toy for her to chase.
“I guess I can’t argue the logic, as a mother I probably would have myself,” Tizra said rubbing her muzzle, “I can’t legally let you take the little cutie out of the park though.”
“You may not have a choice Tizra, she jumped clear to the floorboard of Kage’s truck this morning when I got my shower stuff, followed me all the way up and into the shower house, she didn’t make it into the shower but she was in the outer portion where the benches are,” the golden eyed husky said while keeping her tail just out of reach of the kit, “I was surprised that even fresh out of the shower she still followed me which is what made me ask.”
“Weren’t you wearing one of my coats this morning?” Kage asked with a half grin.
“Yes, but that still doesn’t answer what we’re going to do with her now that she’s become attached to us,” Melony said with a calm tone even though she was blushing lightly at the way the bobcat Ranger was looking at her.
“Okay, I’m not on duty the day you guys leave, Tanker and Wilds are though and since you know at least Tanker, and if you can hide her from Wilds you’ll have no problems,” Tizra said quietly, “Kage, catch,” she added pointing at the web where the tiger girl that had been so frightened by the kit was about to fly through the top most hole in the web with no one to catch her.
Kage just managed to get to the first tree the web was attached to as the young girl launched off her teammates arms in perfect form and sailing cleanly through the gap. The black wolf watched as she did and knew from her form this girl knew how to land on her feet so he let her. The young tiger landed squarely on her feet, doing that pose gymnasts do after a dismount, before she turned around and saw the black wolf behind her and blushed slightly.
“Well done Terra, I’ll have to doc points from your landing though, you stepped a little,” Kage said with a chuckle before hoisting her up and in a joyous manner proclaimed her the gold medalist in spider web gymnastics which caused Terra to blush even more as her classmates applauded and cheered.
“He’s going to make someone very proud to be his wife and their children’s mother one day,” Tizra said with a grin as Melony accidentally let the fox kit catch her tail.
“I’m sure he will, maybe it’ll be this silly city girl husky he knows,” the platinum blonde husky said with a dreamy eyed look and a tone to match.
“He is a wolf and their feral ancestors are known to mate for life,” the bobcat replied knowing the look she was getting from the young husky would make her laugh if she looked.
“Uh oh, if you have a taser now would be the time to draw it,” Melony said quietly picking the young fox kit up as Mr. Williams made his way towards the spider web.
“I’m a park Ranger not a cop, I have my claws but that’s about it,” Tizra replied with a chuckle before putting a serious look on her face.
Kage stopped his celebrations causing most of the students who were around to do the same, as the beagle stepped closer he could also hear Ty and David move in behind him. The black wolf put the tiger girl down and looked back to make sure the black furred German Shepherd and the other beagle were still on his side, he got a shallow nod from Ty to the unasked question.
“Mr. Williams, if you’re willing to rejoin the class you’re more than welcome to, but if you’re up here to start anything that nice lady bobcat over there will be here as a witness to me knocking you into next month,” Kage said calmly and clearly so as not to be misunderstood.
“I just wanted to ask why there might be a buck near the camp with his doe and fawn in tow,” the beagle asked calmly as to not set the wolf off.
“Where did you see him?” the black wolf asked with a small smile and an excited tone while his tail wagged wildly behind him.
“Down by my tent, I tried to shoo him off but he won’t leave and neither will the other two.”
Kage turned to Melony, with a short nod he ran down to the bottom campsite and was almost face to face with his friend in no time at all. He hugged the doe around the neck, and patted the fawns head before standing back up to face the buck.
“Brought them by to show off huh?” Kage asked with the same excited tone.
The buck nodded before Kage turned and walked back up towards the main camp site, Melony and Tizra were doing their best to keep the students from charging the animals, even more so when the buck took up a defensive posture in front of the other two deer.
“Alright, no one move,” Kage’s calm loud tone seemed to reverberate all the way down to the student’s feet causing all of them to stop cold.
“One at a time come slowly forward, the buck will sniff you so don’t move or he may strike, he’s afraid you’re going to make a move towards the fawn and hurt it so until he’s done with you, don’t,” the black wolf said in a slightly quieter tone.
“Mr. Kage, do you know this deer?” Mr. Williams asked with a raised eyebrow.
The buck responded instead with huff that drew the beagle’s attention and a deep long nod keeping his eyes on the children while Kage simply pointed at the young tiger girl named Terra. The tiger stepped slowly towards Kage who was a couple paces away from the buck.
“Terra, your father’s met this deer, he’ll recognize you quickly, nothing to be afraid of,” the black wolf smiled in a comforting way when he saw her trembling.
Terra simply nodded holding her long slender tail to keep her nerves from showing as badly. The buck sniffed her twice and touched his nose to hers causing her to giggle madly. After that the buck only rejected one person to touch the fawn, a young bulldog boy who had a most unfriendly air about him.
“Young mister bulldog, what were you thinking of doing to the fawn?” Kage asked as the boy sulked back towards the camp fire.
“I was only gonna flick him on the nose to see what he’d do, that’s all I swear,” the boy said quietly hoping not to be heard, with tears in his eyes.
“And how would you like it if someone flicked your nose young mister bulldog?” the black wolf asked shocking the boy and many of the students that were standing closer to him and hadn’t heard the response.
“I wouldn’t like it,” the young bulldog replied still with tears in his eyes.
“This buck is rather special; he’s a feral animal that can see by your body language what you’re thinking and I honestly don’t think he wanted his newborn flicked on the nose, that is why you weren’t allowed to pass him,” Kage said in a calm and soothing tone, the buck nodded it’s agreement, “Oh, and I taught him how to understand us, so as long as it’s yes or no you can ask him questions.”
The young bulldog stood from his place by the fire and moved with great purpose towards the buck with Kage close behind. The wolf was quite shocked to see the boy bow slightly towards the buck before standing up.
“I’m sorry I intended to hurt your fawn, will you forgive me?” the boy asked without hesitation.
The buck looked to Kage who could only look on with a small amount of amazement at the boy in his eyes. The buck then nodded and touched noses with the boy but kept close eyes on him as he was playing with the fawn.
After a few more minutes Tizra gathered the students and started teaching them about the different kinds of deer and their diets and things while Kage said his goodbyes to the deer family and sent them on their way before the students could get too attached the way they had with the fox kit that at that moment was being held unnecessarily by Melony.
