All characters referred to in this story are copyright Daniel Pering. Any unauthorized alteration, or

distribution constitutes as theft and will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. Enjoy but don't mess

with this stuff.

CHAPTER VI

Ruth was inside the elder's hut when Roy made his report. Dusk had come, and it was becoming

cold,

"I followed him like you instructed, and sure enough, he went back to where he lives. He seems to have

quite a few human fawns with him. Weather they are his own offspring, or they are his litter-mates, I do not

know. I searched the area and found no other traces of humans save for the human's seep hole."

"Did you account for all the scents in the area?"

"As best I could. There were two other scents; they were very faint. Probably several months old, but I

cannot be sure."

"How many humans are there?"

"I counted ten, including the one that saved Lillian."

Thank you Roy. The council will withdraw and meditate on what to do. We will call you when you are

needed again." Roy left the elder's hut and went back to tending his crop of tomatoes.

Lillian had been watching him from a distance. She eagerly padded over and began poking

around, trying to find out what he knew,

"So what happened?" she asked. Roy jumped, he had not heard her come up behind him,

"I made my report that's what." he said. Lillian wrinkled her nose,

"What are they going to do?"

"I don't know. They didn't tell me." he said, then turned to the questioning tigress, "Don't you have some

tending to do in your garden?"

"Nope, I finished it all while you were out following the human." she quipped.

"Well then, go flirt with Omuse, or have a girl talk with Savanna, I don't care, just leave me to do my work

please!" he said gruffly.

Lillian's ears dropped,

"I'm sorry." she mewed. Roy put down his hoe and gave a huge sigh,

"I'm not angry at you, I just really need to finish up here. I fell behind with the gardening and need to catch

up pretty badly. That and the fact I have not eaten yet, can make me cranky." Roy said. Lillian brightened

right up,

"O.K." she said. Lillian knew Roy was just a big softie on the inside, but boy could he be short tempered.

Of course, it didn't help that he was nervously waiting for one particular vixen to either accept or deny his

proposal to be his mate. Lillian thought she would go see Erica and ask her why she had not accepted Roy's

proposal.

Erica was a young vixen who lived on the outskirts of the village. She was not particularly

beautiful, but she was smarter than most five males, when it came to logic. When it came to emotions,

however she was sorely lacking. She spoke too bluntly for most of the males to pay her any mind so she

had resigned herself to become the village sage. She was also the only furr in the village who was allowed,

by the council of elders, to teach how to read and write. Lillian and Erica had never been very close but

both knew they could count on each other for good advice if it was needed. Lillian sympathized with Erica,

neither had ever been very popular, due to their unusual intelligence and brusque nature.

"Erica?" Lillian called out from the entrance of the sage's hut. Erica popped her head out of the doorway,

"Hi Lillian, what brings you here?" she asked cheerfully.

"Are you going to invite me in or just stand there?" Lillian asked. Erica opened the door all the way,

"Oh, where are my manners? Won't you come in?" she asked. Lillian stepped inside the hut and sat down

by Erica's cooking fire. Erica smiled and sat down next to Lillian,

"What's up?" she asked. Lillian could not help but smile. Erica had always been so jovial, even when she

was sick, she was always so sweet if often taken to being blunt.

"Erica, I want to ask you something. And I want you to answer me seriously. O.K.?" Lillian said.

Erica's ears had previously been only half up. When she heard Lillian ask her question, Erica's ears

perked up and became fully erect, giving Lillian her full attention. She turned to Lillian and looked her

dead in the eyes,

"Yes, what is it?" Lillian chose her words carefully so as not to upset Erica,

"Why have you not given Roy your answer yet? He made his offer two new moons ago." Erica had

suspected she would ask something like that,

"I know I should answer him, it's just that, this is a really big decision, and I'm just not sure if I want Roy to

be my mate." Lillian was shocked,

"O.K. what are you not sure about?"

"Well I know he loves me..."

"No! You think?" Lillian said sarcastically, "I mean, how many males would take the time to hand-make

you an extra winter coat?"

"He is sweet enough, but I'm just not sure."

"Erica, he is going to be chieftain in less then two summers. The old chieftain has already given him his

blessings." Lillian paused in order to think logically, "If you really think about it, why did he ask you?"

"I-I don't know."

"He chose you for a special reason. He has had females falling off him since he matured. He could have

taken any of those, and they probably would have made him a good mate, but he chose you. Obviously he

sees something in you that no one else has, something all the other females don't have. What is that thing?"

"I don't know." Erica whined, frustrated.

"Do you want to find out?"

"Well, yes."

"Is that just yes or is it a YES?"

"Yes, I really do." Erica said. Lillian smiled,

"Then ask him."

"What?!"

"Why not?"

"Because... I mean... well you know..." try as she might Erica could not come up with a usable response.

Lillian had played with Erica enough,

"Why don't you go talk to him? What do you have to loose?" Lillian said.

"Well I don't know..."

"That is why you need to talk to him. So you will know. I think if you talk to him your heart will supply the

answer." Lillian smiled and patted Erica on her shoulder. Erica held Lillian's paw for a moment,

"Thanks Lillian." she said. Lillian smiled,

"Any time." she said and left. Erica sat in her hut for a few minutes then decided to speak with Roy.