Hello there, readers! I certainly am happy to bring to you the newest chapter of Found! Once more, this chapter was proofread by the wonderful, and cuddly, Trismegistus Shandy! And of course, this story was inspired by the stories, The Rehabilitation of Dawn Bellwether and the sequel, A Lamb Among Wolves! Both of these amazing stories were written by the awesome WastedTimeEE! Please feel free to leave a review!
Just as a heads up, this is a chapter that does not feature any of the BellHunter "Flock". This was chapter was already longer than usual, and I just cannot add anymore to it. But don't worry, more cute family antics involving Dawn and Vern and their children will continue in the next chapter, along with... well, no spoilers! XD

 

 

 

 

 

 

Found (Chapter 13)

 

by

 

Elite Shade

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm not usually one for I-told-you-so's, but in this case I think it's pretty much warranted," Honey said quietly as she and Ulric looked through the burnt-out barn, flashlights at the ready.

"Just because we don't see any egg sacs doesn't mean that they aren't here," Ulric said defensively. "They could be camouflaged or give off a pheromone that makes them invisible to mammalian eyes!"

"Ully, I'm looking at the live feed from my camera. There's no egg sacs," Honey said, listening to each creak and groan from the structure. Using a stick she found, she started poking around at a set of grimy assorted fabrics and faded blue tarp. "I think this is where they've been sleeping," Honey said aloud.

"They made a nest then? Perhaps they're part avian! Are there any feathers?" Ulric asked, excited.

"No... look..." Honey shined her light on a dark red spot on the ground. Red smudges were leading away from the pile and out the doorway that was sans a door.

"That looks like it could be... blood..." Ulric said, stepping forward to stand next to Honey. "Excellent! Some samples to test!" The excitable wolf got to work using some swabs to collect from the presumed blood spots.

"So they're injured..." Honey said quietly.

"Maybe... and look where it's going!" Without a thought, Ulric jogged out the door, tucking the bagged samples into his portable kit, which was set up similarly to his official CSI one. Honey started to follow, pulling out her phone.

"Ully, wait!" she said. "We need to call your dad."

Ulric stopped in his tracks and turned to look at his girlfriend, whining a little. "But, Honey, he'll try to stop us, and we're so close!"

"Ully," Honey said, looking him in the eyes, "they're hurt. That means they could be someone who needs help, or a mysterious entity that's now hurt and agitated and therefore dangerous. We need to let your father know."

"B-but... fine..." Ulric said, whipping his phone out. He tapped on the screen for a couple of minutes before putting it away. "Okay, I told him. Now let's go before the trail goes cold!"

"Wait, what exactly did you tell your dad?" Honey asked.

 

 

Back at the Ranch...

 

 

"I don't know what it's supposed to mean," Dorian said. He was currently looking at his phone, having pulled it out while talking to Yuri and Malcolm. The two and their mates were visiting. "Ya know how yer brother is. I'll read it again fer y'all. We cannot rule out egg sacs, due to pheromones or camouflage. The blood is fresh and old, but don't worry, lots of samples have been collected. We're in pursuit!!!."

Xavier blinked a few times while Yuri just scratched his head.

"So Ully's been off his meds fer a while now, right?" Yuri asked.

"Maybe he's remembering a nightmare again?" Xavier offered, before Dorian received another notification of a text.

"This one's from Honey," he said before reading it.

Ulric and I have been tracking someone, possibly a homeless mammal or Catsquatch. They've been sleeping in an old partially burnt-out barn. We found blood and are following the trail and scent. They might be hurt. We're currently traveling west along a creek. Please send help.

Dorian looked at the text twice before reading it out loud again. Not wasting a moment, he pointed to the black wolf. "Yuri, go get Ada, and let her know what's happening. I'll call up yer brother and Vanna and rope them in as well. That barn's the old Hopson's property, and right about now on their patrol they should be right around where the creek meets the river. They can help backtrack. Xavier, go let yer Ma know what's happening." The older white law wolf didn't have to repeat himself. His sons bolted to do as they were told, knowing that the situation was a serious one.

"It might be a wild goose chase, but still, we can't take that chance," he said softly to himself before making his way to his cruiser and getting on the radio.

 

 

In the Northern Meadowlands Woods...

 

 

"Okay, I just got a text from your dad," Honey said as she jogged to keep up with an increasingly excited Ulric, "and he told us he's on the way with backup and that we're to back off."

"LOOK!" Ulric said, not having been listening. Honey looked through a clearing and saw a figure. From the distance that they were from them, it was hard to determine their height. She saw a shock of shaggy brown fur trailing down the from the figure's head to just past their shoulders. They turned and looked behind them, and she saw a pale, furless face. They seemed frightened, and started to move faster, clearly limping. Honey immediately thought back to Vernon and Dawn's cubs, specifically to their youngest mystery mammal.

"They might be the same species as Lily," she said, not noticing Ulric's ears twitching.

"Agreed. Which means that the underground lizard-people have targeted Vernon, clearly because you and I are getting too close," was Ulric's response. Before Honey could respond, he took off.

"Ully, wait!" she called, chasing after her mate. They were still following the creek bed when they heard a loud yelp followed almost immediately by a pained howl. They burst through some bushes to find the mammal they had been chasing in a ditch, backed up to an old and gnarled tree. The mammal was panting hard and scooting back as quickly as they could away from Vanna, the large tigress with both paws held out in front of her. Zach was right by her side, his paw resting on the butt of his tranq gun. Both were looking at the unknown mammal with wide eyes. Neither took their eyes off of the mammal, but were still aware of Ulric and Honey's appearance on the scene.

"I already let Papa Hunter know where we are, we're not too far from the main road into town." Sure enough, it wasn't too much longer before Dorian stepped through the trees, stopping when he got a look at the mammal, who was now whimpering in pain and fear, looking around at the growing number of mammals with wild eyes. Yuri and Ada were right behind, the black wolf and hyena looking at the scene in mild shock.

"Huh. I guess I owe Xavier twenty bucks that Ully wasn't just chasing another ostrich... and Ma another thirty since he doesn't have his head stuck in a tree again," Yuri snorted with a smirk, before a paw swatted him on the back of the head.

"Hush now, Yuri," Audrey said, scolding her son, "now ain't the time or place fer that. When we get home, we can discuss what you now owe to who. Fer now, go on over to yer brother and make sure he doesn't do anything... rash..."

Yuri grumbled but complied, making his way over to Ulric, giving the mammal in the ditch a wide berth. Ada and Audrey went to stand next to Dorian, everyone present having any possible escape route blocked off. The mammal looked around, still panting out of breath, coming to that very conclusion. Just as Vanna started to speak calmly to the terrified mammal, their eyes started to water, and their shoulders began hitch.

"P-please," a small and slightly rasping voice croaked out. All eyes were on the mammal, tears streaming down their face as they tried to hold back a sob. "P-please... don't kill me..." The voice sounded like a child's. Dorian, getting a closer look, took in the sight of the mammal, and based on the limited knowledge of this species from knowing his granddaughter, to the best of his ability, Dorian determined that this was a child. Their hair was long and brown, unkempt, and with clumps. Like Lily, aside from the fur on their head and their eyebrows, they were otherwise furless. They were wearing a large coat much too large for themselves. It was dirty and torn, but appeared to be some kind of long navy blue coat, with copper buttons. The pants were what he guessed to be black once, but were caked in mud and dirt; the left pant leg was cut, with blood leaking out. The child looked up at Dorian pleadingly, the law wolf filing away that their left eye was brown, and the right eye was bright green. "P-please... just let me go..."

"Oh," Audrey said under her breath, also realizing that they were looking at a child, her heart immediately hurting at the state of them.

"We can't do that, kiddo. You're out here, all alone, and hurt. We just want to help you," Dorian said, calmly and softly. He noted how confused the child seemed to be, and how they shrank back when he took a step forward. They started breathing faster, and that was when Ada stepped into the ditch. The hyena flashed them a smile, not showing her teeth, and just slowly walked forwards.

"Hiya. My name's Ada, what's you's?" Ada asked.

The child looked confused again, possibly from her Barx accent, and looked round, as though to make sure no one else was approaching, and only seemed mildly relieved at that. "M-M-Marcus..."

So this is a boy then? Aside from size, not too much difference from Lily, Dorian thought to himself.

"Well, it's nice to meetcha, Mista Marcus," Ada continued on, coming to a similar conclusion as Dorian, "I'm a registered noice, and I was hoping to get a look at dat leg of yers. Would dat be okay?" Ada stopped walking forward, her paws open, showing just the first aid kit she had on paw.

"... Y-you... you're n-not gunna k-kill me?" Marcus asked, his voice tapering off with a whimper.

"Naw!" Ada said with a wave of her paw. "Dat's kinda da opposite of my job."

Marcus whined when he scooted back again, using his bad leg. He let out a gasp and nodded.

"O-okay..."

Ada gave him her brightest smile and lightly stepped towards him, getting to work right away.

"Well, dat dere's a nasty gash you got dere. It's probably gunna need some stitches. But also, da skin here's lookin' a little inflamed, I tink dat it might be a mild infection." Ada said after she gently tore open the hole around the wound and cleaned it. She apologized when she had to use the rubbing alcohol, making Marcus wince and hiss. She soon had the wound bandaged and wrapped up in gauze to the best of her ability.

"Yer gunna have to go to a hospital, Kiddo," she said. At the mention of a hospital, he started to scramble away the best he could, hurting his already injured leg, making him yelp again.

"Woah, calm down dere," Ada said, soft but a bit more firm.

"P-please d-don't dissect me!" Marcus pleaded, the tears streaming down his face.

"No one's gunna dissect ya, buddy," Ada said. Up outside of the ditch, Ulric was starting to become more frantic.

"But we gotta get learn about their species!" he said before Yuri practically tackled him, clamping a paw around his muzzle.

"Shut yer yap!" Yuri hissed to his brother who was still squirming, and now whining. The entire display further distressed the boy.

"Marcus, look at me," Ada said. Her tone was serious and she was looking the child in his mismatched-colored eyes. Marcus stopped his movement as he looked at her, his breathing still fast.

"I promise you dat no one is gunna dissect or hoit ya. I'm not gunna let that happen. No one here is gunna let dat happen. Even the wolf dat my Mookie is pinnin' to da ground ain't gunna do nuthin' to ya. Da Sheriff was tellin' da truth. We just wanna help ya." Ada had moved closer, not caring about her jeans getting muddy, as she slowly took the strange mammal's paw in both of her own, never once breaking eye contact. She could see in his eyes the fear, but also the flame of hope. She read in him that he wanted, desperately, to believe her. And after a tense minute, she watched as he let out a shuddered breath and gave the slightest of nods.

"P-promise?" he asked, his voice near a whisper.

"Promise," Ada said, smiling.

 

 

A Little While Later, at the Northern Meadowlands Hospital...

 

 

"It's good that you brought him in when you did, Sheriff," Doctor Catson said, the large lynx speaking softly out in the hall to the law wolf.

"That gash on his leg was definitely inflamed and very close to becoming outright infected. That combined with his living conditions and his malnourishment could have ended up costing him his leg, assuming he would have been found or sought out help later on down the road."

"According to my boy and his mate, this kid's been living out in those woods for a few weeks," Dorian scratched the back of his head as he said this. "They said that they think he's been livin' off of wild berries, creek and river water, and they say they found some empty cans they think had food in them. But they're not sure how old those are."

The lynx nodded at this, letting out a sigh. "That matches what I've seen so far. But... there is something else that I need to inform you of."

"What is it, Lyle?" Dorian said, his ears perking up.

Doctor Catson paused, as though he wasn't sure of just how to proceed. "There is evidence that this child has suffered... past abuse..."

Dorian frowned at that, not that he was surprised. The way Marcus kept flinching and shrinking back from physical contact was a big indicator.

"There are some scars on the back of his paws... and... well... a very extensive series of scars across his back..." Lyle opened a folder he was holding and showed it to Dorian. It contained some pictures on the backs of the boys hands, showing the faded raised skin, and a large picture of his back. Dorian saw these bright pink, and significantly fresh scars criss-crossing and nearly covering the entirety of his back.

"Do you have any idea as to what caused this?" Dorian asked, already knowing that what he was seeing was not caused by an accident.

"It's possible a knife of some kind... but I would put my money on some kind of switch or a whip."

Neither male said anything for a moment.

"I've already called and informed Child Protective Services, however, since it seems we're dealing with a potentially undiscovered species, a researcher to confirm sentience is being dispatched first."

Dorian snorted at that but nodded. "I'm pretty sure we can go ahead and agree that he's sentient. One of my granddaughters is actually the same species as that boy in there. She doesn't know what her species is, but she is sentient, that's fer sure. Alright then, I'd like to speak to him, if he's currently up for it."

Lyle smiled and nodded at that. "He's been all stitched up and is currently awake, so go right ahead, Sheriff."

Dorian thanked the lynx before heading down the nearby hall to the room number he had been given. He entered the hospital room, with a calm smile on his muzzle. He saw Marcus sitting up in his bed, hooked up to an IV. He took note of how the boy tensed up when he entered, but chose not to address it. Marcus was looking noticeably better now that he was no longer filthy, and the simple light blue hospital scrubs were an improvement over his torn and dirty clothes. "How're ya feelin', Marcus?"

"Uhm... b-better... th-the nurse l-let me g-go t-take a sh-shower, uhm, s-sir..." Marcus said. The boy watched Dorian's every move as the law wolf pulled up a chair and took a seat.

"If you'd like, you can just call me Dorian."

"O-oaky... D-Dorian..." Marcus said, his voice not as raspy as it had been.

"Alright, now that we've established that I ain't gunna hurt ya," Dorian said with a gentle smile as he leaned forward a little in his chair, "how 'bout we have a little talk?"

Marcus nervously nodded towards the white wolf, before looking back down at his hands as he was sitting cross-legged on the hospital bed, resting them in his lap.

"Let's start with something easy. You said yer name was Marcus. How about yer last name?"

"W-Wulfram," Marcus said with a stuttered whisper. Dorian nodded and filed the name away.

"Is that Wolfram with an 'o', or two f's? Can y'all spell it?"

"W-u-l-f-r-a-m," Marcus spelled out, looking uncomfortable as he did so.

"Alright, this is good," he said in a reassuring voice, "and how old are you, Marcus?"

Marcus looked up at the ceiling before saying "Eighteen," in an obviously fake deep voice. Dorian frowned and leaned back in his seat, the law wolf folding his arms and staring at Marcus.

"Marcus, I want to help you, but yer doin' yerself no favors by lyin' to me. This nose of mine can smell bullshit, so how about we try that again."

Marcus trembled a little and shrank back in on himself for a moment. "I-I meant to say that I j-just turned eighteen," he said. Dorian just continued to stare at the boy, his expression unchanged.

"W-well, I mean I will b-be turning eighteen i-in a few days." Marcus tried, noticing the wolf still staring at him with that same, almost disappointed expression. Marcus gulped.

"O-okay... I-I'm sixteen," Marcus said, his false deep voice lightening. Seeing the still unamused expression on Dorian's muzzle, Marcus started to sweat a little.

"F-fifteen?" Marcus tried, it sounded more like a question than a statement. After many years as an officer, Dorian knew how to interrogate, and watched as the boy before him slumped his shoulders and hung his head.

"I just turned t-twelve," Marcus said miserably. Dorian smiled a little at getting the truth out of the boy, and started to perk right back up.

"There we go," Dorian said before his smile vanished, seeing silent tears start to trail their way down the strange young mammal's furless cheeks.

"Please don't put me into the system," Marcus pleaded in a whisper, once more briefly looking up into Dorian's eyes. Dorian saw how visibly afraid Marcus was and relaxed his posture.

"Hey now, we're just talkin' here, that's all. Yer not in any trouble," Dorian said soothingly, reaching out to rest a paw on the boy's shoulder, noticing him once again flinch away from physical contact and making another mental note about it.

"Please," Marcus asked again looking back down at his hands, "I-I know what happens to kids in the system... and I'll be the only one of... please... just let me go..."

"Marcus," Dorian said after a momentary pause, "please look at me." Dorian waited while the boy took a few deep breaths to try and compose himself and slowly came to look the white wolf in the eye. "I can't do that. Yer a minor and yer all by yerself. You were living out in the woods, injured, and sick.

Marcus slumped his shoulders, looking defeated once again, and Dorian felt a twinge at the sight. "Look, I promise you that I ain't about to let anything happen to you, okay? I know that you might not believe me right now, but yer not going to be alone anymore, understood?" Marcus looked at him in momentary confusion before swallowing a lump in his throat and nodding, not really sure of what to believe.

"Now, maybe we can move on to some questions about yer parents?" Dorian saw how Marcus immediately tensed up, his breathing becoming rapid.

"Okay, okay, we can table that fer another time," Dorian offered in a soft tone. He waited while Marcus started to calm down, but could still see a slight tremble in the boy.

Just then, there was a knocking at the door, which was quickly opened. In strode an older deer wearing a lab coat and carrying a small briefcase. Behind him trailed Zach and Vanna. The sight of all these additional mammals cause a slight whimper to escape from Marcus' throat.

"Can I help you?" Dorian asked with a frown.

"Andrew Deerborn, head of the Civilized Mammalian Research Center. We were informed of a potentially newly discovered species, and I am here to determine if that is indeed the case, and to determine sentience, and report my findings," he briskly said, walking over to the bed and setting his briefcase down on a nearby bedside table.

"You certainly got here awful fast," Dorian said, not liking this sudden intrusion as he was building a rapport with a now more clearly agitated Marcus, who had scooted back from the bed.

"We have an office in the Southern Meadowlands, and the video and pictures sent have helped expedite the process. Of course, this could be yet another potential prank or false alarm," he said, putting white latex gloves over his hooves. He then brought out a clipboard and pen.

"Alright. I've already collected a sample of the blood and hair collected by the medical staff here, along with a copy of its medical report." As the deer scribbled notes down on his clipboard, and started checking boxes as he walked around the bed, a chord was struck by Dorian, Zach, and Vanna simultaneously.

Did he just call him it?!

"Hmm..." Deerborn leaned in close, looking at Marcus over his glasses.

"Hmm... interesting. Such a lack of fur...is it some sort of disease? Does you species shear?"

"Huh? N-no..."

"Very interesting... Poor fur coverage ratio... But thumbs, so that's a plus." Then, without warning, the deer leaned forward and opened Marcus' mouth with one hoof, shining a flashlight into his mouth with the other, the clipboard tucked under an arm. "Hmm... Omnivore, based on the tooth structure. The mark of an indecisive species... well, one cannot expect all sentient mammals to be fully evolved... still..." He let go, and Marcus curled up a bit, breathing faster.

"Yer scarin' the boy!" Zach said, with a low growl.

"DO... YOU... SPEAK... ANIMANGLISH?" he asked very loudly and very slowly, completely ignoring the unamused deputy. Marcus squeaked and scooted back, flinching away, and nodding.

"Y-yes, sir."

He then turned to the assembled Hunters. "And no one here has spent any time coaching it basic responses? That would invalidate my results."

Zach answered. "Him! Coaching Him! And NO!"

"I'll make no sex determinations until I've done a full body inspection." Deerborn said, readjusting his latex gloves. At that, Dorian let out a growl of his own.

"Like hell you are! If one hoof o' yers ventures south o' that boys belt you'll be hangin' from yer stethoscope!" Dorian said, inserting himself between the bed and the now flummoxed deer.

"B-but my research," he protested to an uncaring Dorian.

"Y'all were sent here to determine if a new species has been found and if they're sentient," Dorian said, stepping further. "Now, ya've already interviewed the boy, ya've taken yer notes, and ya have yer samples."

"B-but..." Deerborn said, backing up a step for each step Dorian took towards him. Finally, he swallowed a lump in his throat, and found his briefcase shoved into his hooves.

"V-very well... b-based on the minimum standards provided, it is my determination that the... child in question is indeed sentient, and v-visually of a species that I myself have never encountered or read about before. Further s-study of the s-samples will prove or deny that. B-but I still d-don't know the species name!"

"H-humans," came a quiet voice. All eyes turned towards Marcus, who was still curled up a bit and looking in their direction. "H-u-m-a-n-s. Pronounced humans. That's what we call ourselves."

Deerborn scribbled that down and made his way out the door.

Dorian offered Marcus a smile, and the boy started to uncurl a bit. Inwardly, the older law wolf breathed a sigh of relief.

Dorian took a few more minutes taking a seat back in the chair and further helping Marcus to calm down. It wasn't long after Zach and Vanna left the room that Marcus let out a big yawn. "I think that it's about time that ya get yerself some rest, Marcus."

"Okay... th-thank you... s-sir... uhm... Dorian..." Marcus said, clearly sleepy.

"Yer very welcome, son. Now, get some shuteye," Dorian said, softly. He didn't need to tell the boy twice, as when he made it to the door, he could hear light snoring coming from the bed behind him. He closed the door behind him and stood there, an idea coming to him. He walked out to the waiting room, and saw Yuri sitting next to Ulric, glaring at him. Dorian noticed Ada, Honey, and Audrey chatting about something in hushed whispers while Vanna sat nearby, next to her mate, looking to him as he entered the room.

"He's gunna be just fine, and right now he's gettin' some sleep. But, uh, Zach, can I have a word with ya?"

Zach nodded and stood up, looking confused, like just about everyone else, and followed his father down another hall. Once they were in an empty hospital room is when Dorian decided to start.

"Zach, do you think that you and Vanna would be willin' to become legal foster parents to Marcus?" the older law wolf asked, looking at his son, who took a moment to process just what was being asked.

"Wait... WHAT?! Pa... what about you and Ma?! Y'all got plenty of space up at the ranch!"

"Well, we're plannin' on makin' some changes, actually. A pup like Marcus needs some stability. And I can't think of anyone more stable than you and Vanna," Dorian explained.

"Changes?" Zach asked confused, before deciding to table his curiosity for the time being. "B-but Pa, me and Vanna have talked over adoptin', sure. B-but we've been thinkin' that we'd prefer either a wolf pup or a tiger cub, y'know, so we could relate more easily. I mean, we don't know anything much about these hue-mans!"

"I know that what I'm askin' you ain't easy, or something to decide on the fly. But that pup in there doesn't deserve to be poked and prodded, or shuffled from place to place. You saw how terrified he was, convinced that anyone who saw him was gunna hurt him. The last thing he needs in his life is any kind of confirmation of that belief. Please, just think it over, son," Dorian implored. Zach looked down at his wringing paws, before looking up into his father's eyes. He let out a slight whine before nodding.

"I-I'll discuss it with Vanna, Pa," Zach said. Dorian nodded and lightly smiled. Watching his son walk down the hall, Dorian waited for him to disappear around the corner before pulling out his phone. He tapped on its face before holding it up to his ear.

"Hey, Xavier. I know that this is yer and Malcolm's vacation, but yer brother and sister-in-law could really use yer help. They're gunna become foster parents to the pup we found in the woods," Dorian said, a smirk on his muzzle.

 

 

A Short Time Later...

 

 

"WHAT?!" Vanna exclaimed. She and Zach were currently in the parking lot of the hospital for their private talk. "B-but what about Papa and Mama Hunter?! Surely they have plenty of room, what with raising seven pups already!"

"Pa said that they're making changes to the ranch," Zach said sheepishly.

"Goofball," Vanna said, facepawing, "we already discussed having kids, and decided on one that's a species we're familiar with."

"I know, Kitten, but don't forget that we also ultimately agreed we just want kids period," Zach offered, "and there's a free one right there."

"Zach," Vanna rolled her eyes, before looking down at her mate, "he's a young cub, not a doughnut."

"I know, Kitten, but Pa was right. That pup in there needs some stability. And we can give that to him. Also, as foster parents, we can use this as a sorta trial-run fer bein' parents!"

"But... he was so scared of us... of me..." Vanna said, sadly.

"He was scared of everybody. But we can show him that he doesn't need to be afraid, especially of a big orange and black-striped marshmallow like you!"

Vanna blushed and let out a happy chuff. "S-still--"

"Plus, as we help him learn to open up, we can learn more about his species and their culture. Imagine how much we can help Lily," Zach said, knowing he had hit a bullseye. The mention of her youngest niece was enough to sway the usually stoic tigress. It briefly brought back the night of the storm, and with it a range of emotions.

"W-well... with Mama and Papa Hunter so close... we could have help with any... p-parenting issues that may arise..." Vanna said, suddenly finding her arms filled with her excitable mate, whose mouth found hers while his tail blurred happily behind him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phew! THAT was a BIG chapter! And I am so glad that I finally finished it! (The chapter, I mean!) I really hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!