"Uh-huh! Sure am, Daddy!" he heard her voice say excitedly. He opened the door and took in her room. The four-poster bed with the castle motif at the head, the tiny table and tea set, the toy chest, the posters. Just like her brother and sister, Lily's room had come to be furnished ever since he and Dawn had brought them home, and they each reflected their own tastes. His smile grew wider when he spotted Lily standing there in her new princess dress. It was sky blue and had ribbons and frills and poofy shoulders. And it came complete with a faux jeweled tiara, perched right on her brown-furred head. Vernon felt his heart swell, and leaned down with his open arms. Lily, her face reflecting her pure joy, ran forward into her father's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck as he picked her up.

 

"Well, ain'tcha just a purdy little princess," he rumbled out in his deep voice. "I have a sneakin' suspicion that yer gunna love yer birthday surprise!"

 

"What is it, Daddy?" the little human girl asked the large wolf, leaning her head on his shoulder.

 

"Well now, I can't go an' tell ya. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I did. We just gotta wait fer yer brother an' sister."

 

The older, yet shorter, black wolf pup named Alice was presently in her own room with Dawn. The room had some posters of her favorite soccer players, her closet door open to reveal her uniform for her own team, an assortment of toys in a chest, some haphazardly strewn about, with the ceiling painted to look like a blue sky with white puffy clouds. In a socket near her bed was a bunny-shaped night light, that Dawn and Vern casually never mentioned. Presently, the pup was wringing her paws, as she looked at two outfits that her new mother had laid out for her on the bed.

 

"Now, Alice sweetie, I don't want you to think that you have to wear either of these outfits to the party. You can wear whatever outfit you want. I just thought that since your sister was going to be all dressed up that maybe you'd like the option as well," she said, motioning to the outfits.

 

The one on the right could be called a "prince" outfit, with a stark white jacket with a red sash, shoulder pads with yellow tassels, big ornate buttons and cufflinks, maroon pants, and a scabbard with a fake sword. The second outfit was a "princess" outfit, very much like her little sister's, only it was pink, with white ribbons and lace.

 

The pup looked conflicted. Her eyes kept looking over the princess outfit, and she appeared to the ewe to try to reach for it, only to stop herself and resume wringing her paws, before moving towards the prince outfit. Dawn smiled and reached out to give her oldest daughter a reassuring hug.

 

"Like I said, it's your choice on what to wear, I just want to let you know that there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to wear either one. And you should know that choosing to wear a dress with ribbons and frills, doesn't mean that you aren't strong. Not one bit. Okay, sweetie?" she said, looking Alice in her yellow eyes. Dawn could tell that her girl was blushing underneath her fur, but saw her tail slowly start to wag.

 

"W-well... i-it would probably make Lily happy," she said as she picked up the dress, unable to hide the smile on her muzzle.

 

"It sure will, and I'll bet she won't be the only happy one..." Dawn trailed off, giving Alice another squeeze. The pup then frowned before grabbing and detaching the toy sword and scabbard and attaching it to the dress.

 

"P-princesses need swords too," she said, as a matter of fact.

 

"Absolutely," Dawn agreed, giving her oldest daughter one more squeeze before letting go. "Now, while my big princess is getting ready, I'll be just across the hall, checking in on your brother, just in case you need any help, okay?"

 

"O-okay... M... M-mom..." Alice said, her face crimson red beneath her black fur. Dawn stopped in her tracks, feeling a warm and fluttery sensation in her stomach. Not to be confused with the nausea she had awoken to the last few mornings. She turned and smiled wide at her daughter before continuing out the door to give her some privacy. She removed her glasses to wipe a happy tear from the corner of her eyes, before replacing them and knocking on her son's bedroom door.

 

"Come in!" she heard Trevor call, and so she complied. Trevor's room had two separate bookshelves, all filled with fantasy and sci-fi books. The comforter on his bed had a galaxy on it, which went well with the glow-in-the-dark stars, comets, planets, and spaceships that dotted the entirety of his ceiling. The posters in his room were of his favorite movies and games, and his toys were more superheroes and aliens and magic-related. There was now even a magician set sitting on his desk, filled with all sorts of little tricks that he just loved doing, much to his sister's and friend's delight. Her smile grew a little wider when she spotted the B&B books also on his desk, open. She giggled as she looked at her little black ram, dressed in his own prince outfit, but the jacket, a light green, was on backwards.

 

"Need a hoof, sweetheart?" the diminutive ewe asked.

 

"I think I got it, Mommy," he said, proudly puffing out his chest, making Dawn hold her hooves to her muzzle to stifle the giggle.

 

"Are you sure? Because I don't know too many princes walking around with their jackets on backwards," she playfully said, before reaching out and helping her son to adjust the jacket. Once she had it on straight, she patted his black wool head-floof, similar to her own.

 

"There we go. My little prince," she said, leaning over to plant a kiss on his forehead.

 

"This is gunna be so much fun! We never got to celebrate birthdays like this before!" Trevor said, jubilantly.

 

"Well, get used to it, mister," Dawn said, meaning it, already an idea for Trevor's birthday party in mind. It involved laser tag and a space-themed alien setting. For Alice, she and Vern were leaning towards either something wild-west-themed or pirate-themed, still not yet decided. Taking his hoof in hers, she noticed that his own toy sword and scabbard were on upside down, and quickly fixed that, before leading him out into the hall, where they met Alice, blushing a little as she stood there in her princess dress, shuffling her feet.

 

"Wouldn't you say that Alice looks pretty in her dress, sweetie?" Dawn asked, to which Trevor nodded.

 

"Uh-huh! She sure does!" he said, giggling when Alice wagged at that. Just then, they turned at the sound of Vernon's chuckling, as he walked out of Lily's room, her in his arms.

 

"Alright, I think that we're all set. Shall we go take a look out in the backyard?" Vernon asked, receiving three enthusiastic cheers, before he and the birthday girl, led the way, Lily still being carried. Down the stairs and through the living room, they came to the sliding glass doors to the back yard, which were obscured by some pink sheets with OMO characters on them. Dawn reached up and slid the door open, and Vernon carried Lily through them.

 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY!" a chorus of voices resounded. Lily's eyes grew wide at the sight before her. The back yard had been transformed. Just in front of the swings was a plastic princess castle, fully built. There were streamers, predominantly pink, strewn along the fenceline. There were balloons, a bouncy castle, some tables and chairs set up, along with a table with a stack of presents on it, with Princess Callibrie laying on a cushion before them, with a pair of rubber dragon wings gently tied on her back. And then there were her classmates, who had all been invited, but only a few could make it, along with their parents. The most surprising guests, however, was Vernon's brother Yuri, and his mate Ada.

 

The midnight black wolf and hyena had showed up with a bicycle, pink and white, complete with training wheels. Ever since the day of Vernon and Dawn's tithe, he and his brother had largely been cool with one another. Yet he and Dawn had not at all been expecting him to just show up for one of their pups' birthday parties, complete with a bike. Yuri had insisted that it was all Ada's idea, but Vernon suspected otherwise. He spotted them chatting over by the presents to some of the parents, his brother cackling about something. Vernon smirked and rolled his eyes. The pups had been excited to meet another aunt and uncle, once Lily's present had been hidden, of course. He was shook out of this reflection by squeals of laughter coming from the children's friends.

 

There was Emma, the little excitable silver vixen. Timmy, the nervous young squirrel boy, who was riding on her head. Mikey, the warthog who always loved to play tag. Andrew the panther, whom preferred hide-and-seek. And Oskar, the snow-leopard boy, whose family had moved to Zootopia from Norwulf. Lily was so excited, she started to squirm in Vernon's grip. He gave her one more squeeze, and a quick nuzzle, before setting her down. "We'll be openin' yer presents in a little bit, sugar plum," he said, patting Lily on her headfur, "once we rescue 'em from the fierce dragon guardin' 'em. Y'all go on and play until then, okay?"

 

"'Kay, Daddy!" she said, before racing off to play with her friends, the group heading straight for the bouncy castle. In addition to Lily's classmates, there were a couple of Trevor's and Alice's as well. Trevor had made fast friends with a dingo boy named Mario, who shared his love of sci-fi and outer space, and the two were quickly off, inspecting Princess Callibrie "guarding" her "hoard", and noting how the bowl of wet lizard food before her seemed to keep her contentedly laying on the cushion.

 

Alice was approached by the semi-nervous wolf boy from her class, Mike, who was the only person she had wanted to invite. His tail was wagging as he waved to her. "H-hi, Alice."

 

"Hi Mike," she said as she started to head towards the bouncy castle, her instinct to protect her younger siblings being a powerful force.

 

"Y-you look p-pretty," Mike said, still standing there, wagging his tail.

 

"Thanks," Alice said, blushing. Dawn and Vern watched his exchange, with Dawn holding in a coo at the cuteness of it all. Vernon chuckled then he and Dawn started to head over to the parents to chat and mingle, and start setting up the presents.

 

"You sure do know how to throw a great princess party, Vern," Yuri said, striding up to his brother, his usual smirk on his muzzle.

 

"Thanks, Yuri," Vernon said, smiling a little himself as Ada tugged on Yuri's ear, making the black wolf wince.

 

"You's two really did a wondaful thing," Ada said in her Barx accent. She and Yuri were both wearing leather jackets and jeans, having arrived on Yuri's motorcycle. "Dose pups really lucked out, ain't dat right, Yuri?" The large hyena nudged her smaller mate. Yuri started rubbing the back of his neck.

 

"Yeah, sure, they look plenty happy and all," he grumbled, looking awkward. Vernon's smile widened a little, knowing that Yuri actually meant it, and Dawn felt a warmth in her chest at the sight.

 

Just then, Dawn heard their doorbell, and quickly hurried back inside to the front door. She looked through the peep-hole that was at her eye-line, and quickly hopped down to open the door. Outside stood four mammals that she was so excited to see.

 

Two more of Vernon's brothers, Trenton and Wade, and their mates, her sisters as they all liked to think of each other, Qali and Giselle.

 

"Hi, Dawn!" the excited arctic vixen said before practically pouncing on the ewe.

 

"Hi, Qali," she said with a giggle as she motioned for all of them to come inside, "we're so happy that you could make it. The lambs are just going to be so excited, especially to finally get to meet their uncle Wade and Aunty Giselle," Dawn said while beaming up at the giraffe who had contorted her neck to fit through the doorway.

 

"Well, o'course we'd be here," Giselle said in her cockney accent, knocking over a coat rack, which Wade was quick to catch and set right.

 

"We weren't gunna miss this," Wade said, shifting the two presents he was carrying under his arm.

 

"Same for us!" Qali said, practically bouncing on her hind legs. "It's been too long since we last saw the kits!"

 

"Easy now, Snowball," Trenton said with a chuckle, carrying a bright yellow wrapped box, while Qali was carrying a small green one herself. "There's gunna be pups and lots of sugary sweets, things're gunna be hyper enough as it is."

 

"True," Qali said while Giselle snickered. "But I'm just so excited! I just know that the birthday girl is gunna LOVE my gift! I made it myself!"

 

"Well, I'm sure that she's gunna enjoy mine as well," Giselle said as they stepped out into the backyard, taking advantage of the outdoors to straighten her neck out. The two couples were both surprised to find Yuri and Ada there.

 

"ADA!" Qali shrieked before running over and hugging the hyena's shins.

 

"Hey dere, Fluff," she said, leaning down and returning the hug. She took the present from her and set it on the table with the others. She looked up at Giselle. "Heya, Stretch, noice to see me and Plush ain't da only Hunta Gals here."

 

"Oi, Ada, pleasant surprise to see you two here as well!" The aunts and uncles fell into their usual amicable patter, Dawn and Vernon happy that some family could also be here for Lily's birthday.

 

The younger children were still in the bouncy castle, with Andrew's father supervising to make sure no one got hurt. Vernon was amicably chatting with the other parents, who were helping him set up the presents on the table. Trevor and Mario were giggling as Princess Callibrie followed them around, no longer content to just lay on her special cushion. Vernon looked up and waved to his brothers and their mates, signaling for them to come over. Dawn spotted Lily climbing out of the bouncy castle, Emma hot on her heels, when the little human girl spotted her auntie Qali, and started to run right for her with a squeal of delight. Trevor and Alice, who had also been in the bouncy castle, turned to the sound of the squeal, and also smiled and ran over.

 

"Hi, Auntie Qali!" Lily said, then giving a princess-curtsey. As Alice slowed to a stop, she also blushingly did the same, while Trevor giggled and greeted them.

 

"Awwwwww!" the arctic vixen cooed before stepping forward to hug her youngest niece. "You are all just so adorable! Happy birthday, Lily!" Qali then pulled Alice and Trevor into a hug as well. Lily was quick to thank her aunt while looking up at Giselle with a slightly nervous smile.

 

"Sweethearts, this is your Auntie Giselle, and your Uncle Wade. She and your Uncle Wade came with Trent and Qali. Giselle, Wade, this is Alice, Trevor, and Lily."

 

"It's wonderful ta finally meet you all," she said, being very careful to lean down as she offered them each a hug. She felt a little nervous, until she found the little hyao-man quick to reciprocate the hug, followed by her brother and sister.

 

"You're pretty, just like Auntie Qali and Auntie Vanna and Auntie Ada, and Auntie Honey!" Lily said, making Giselle grin and give her another hug as well as evoking another coo from Dawn.

 

"Awww, thank you, sweet pea," Giselle said, with a slight blush herself. Soon enough, Dawn spotted Vernon giving her a thumbs up, the signal that everything was ready for Lily.

 

"Hey there, pups, c'mere and give yer uncle Wade a hug," Wade said, opening up his arms, and was quickly swarmed with the three.

 

"Alright, it looks like we're almost ready, so Giselle, would you please escort the lambs over to Vernon there? And Qali, could you lend me a paw inside real quick?"

 

Qali readily agreed and handed Giselle the gift she was holding to take with her to the gift table, and then scurried after Dawn inside. Dawn went to the fridge and opened it up, to reveal an ice cream cake, with pink frosting, and a picture of a castle on said frosting, along with the words 'Happy Birthday Lily!' written in white frosting. It was complete with a large 7 birthday candle in the middle.

 

"Oh wow! That cake looks beautiful, Dawn!" the arctic vixen said, licking her lips a little.

 

"Thanks Qali," Dawn said as she grabbed the long lighter from the edge of the counter before putting it into her pocket. "Would you please help me carry it to the table outside?"

 

"Sure thing!" Qali said, licking her lips again.

 

"And not try to sneak any of the frosting," Dawn said with a giggle. Qali pouted, but was unable to hold it, and joined in the giggling as she and Dawn grabbed the glass tray the cake was on, and started to slowly head back outside, Dawn first using one of her back legs to close the fridge door. As soon as they appeared outside, Vernon, who was standing next to Lily who was seated at the end of the long table, with all of the other children seated around it, started to lead everyone in the song Happy Birthday to You. Dawn smiled at the sight of her youngest daughter's beaming smile, and she started to tear up as a result. Briefly, she was worried that her teary eyes would cause her to trip, but she managed to blink them away. However, she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, Princess Callibrie, staring right at them.

 

The reptile watched them carry the cake to the table, before scuttling straight towards them.

 

"Oh no, hurry!" Dawn whispered to Qali, and they started to lightly jog, with Princess Callibrie closing in on them. They had just set the cake down in front of Lily, before Dawn found herself catching the lizard in her hooves, squirming.

 

"Woah there, girl," Vernon said, reaching down to pluck the lizard out of his mate's arms. He flinched back a little when she hissed at him, but steeled himself and picked her up anyway. She let out a hiss-huff, and simply curled up in his arms. "Y'all okay, Honey Lamb?"

 

"I'm fine," Dawn said as she brushed off her clothes. She adjusted her glasses, and smiled up at her mate, then at her daughter. She then pulled out the lighter, climbing up on an empty chair that was there just for this purpose, and lit the candle. Vernon set Princess Callibrie down next to some balloons, before rejoining everyone at the table.

 

"Make a wish, sweetie," Dawn said.

 

"Okay, Mommy!" Lily said, seeming to take a moment to think of what it was she wanted to wish for. Once she was satisfied, she closed her eyes, leaned forward, and blew out the candle, to the applause of all the children.

 

"What'd ya wish fer, Darlin'?" Vernon leaned over to ask. This made Lily giggle while Dawn set about cutting up the cake to pass out to everyone.

 

"Silly Daddy," Lily said, "I can't tell you or else the wish won't come true!"

 

"That's right, ya should know better, Vern," Wade said with a cheeky grin, netting him a few chuckles and a light swat from his mate, as well as an eye roll from his brother. Once all of the children had a piece of the ice cream cake, and a glass of punch, and many of the adults had the same, Dawn and Vernon were about to get started on the presents. But then, they heard a gasp, and saw a look of horror on Lily's face. They turned to look in the direction her eyes were staring, and saw a cluster of balloons floating by, with Princess Callibrie biting down onto the ends of the strings, drifting by. Before anyone could say or do anything, Yuri reached out and grabbed the strings, grabbing ahold of the lizard with one paw, and tugging the strings out of her mouth.

 

"Heh, I gotta admit, this here lizard's actually kinda cute," he said after passing a nearby Wade the balloons, and petting Princess Callibrie. Who chirped... before biting down on his thumb. Yuri jumped and hissed through his teeth, as he pried her off, and thrust the lizard towards Vernon, who gathered her in his paws, and discreetly petted her.

 

"Lousy little," Yuri grumbled, before Lily, who launched herself from where she was sitting, into his chest, effectively knocking the wind out of him. Out of reflex, Yuri wrapped his arms around her, shocked to see that she was hugging him.

 

"Thank you for saving Princess Callibrie, Uncle Yuri!" Lily said, hugging tight. "You're a hero!"

 

Yuri looked around awkwardly, before returning the hug, the corners of his muzzle lifting. "Well, uh, it was no problem... uh, Lily," he said while setting her back down in the chair, and patting her head. He was still looking awkward as his mate slipped an arm around his waist, giving him an affectionate squeeze.

 

"Alright, now that everyone's all safe and sound," Vernon said, "it's time fer the presents."

 

They started with all the gifts her friends had brought her, which were various toys, and one Our Mini Ostrich puzzle. Alice and Trevor's friends had also brought gifts of this caliber. Lily was excited for all of them, and thanked each of the children in turn. Then they moved on to the gifts from the aunts and uncles. Wade had gotten her a Floatzen 1 and 2 double feature DVD, which Lily was ecstatic for, and she adored the stuffed giraffe Giselle had gotten her. Next was the gifts sent by Uncle Xavier and Uncle Malcolm. Xavier had gotten the complete OMO series, and Malcolm a Sweet Bake Oven. Lily agreed with her mother that she'd write them both thank you cards.

 

Trent proudly presented his gift, which Lily opened to reveal a princess Pawgo set. Yuri happily pointed out to Vernon that stepping on those in the early morning would wake him up better than coffee. Ada was quick to yank on his ear, silencing him. Qali's gift, however, was a little plush arctic vixen, dressed as a princess. Dawn giggled, remembering in the last Muzzletime she had with her sisters, how they were all jealous of Vanna for getting a drawing of herself by Lily. No doubt Qali was trying to put the idea of her being a princess in Lily's head, especially as she proudly told the little human girl that she had made the plush herself, much to Lily's amazement. Qali smirked up a little at Ada and Giselle as Lily hugged her new fox princess, before moving on to the other gifts.

 

The next gift was from her Uncle Ulric, which Dawn and Vern had already pre-opened to make sure it wasn't anything inappropriate, and resealed. It was a book on documented paranormal occurrences all over Animalia. Lily was thrilled by it, as well as by the gift Ully's mate, Honey, had sent, which was a pink butterfly diary, the rough-and-tumble badger having surprised those that knew her. Vanna sent a plush tiger, Dawn having been aware that she too had tried to make one herself, but failed, and was very distraught before being assured by the ewe that the second option, the plush tiger that Lily was now cuddling from her auntie Vanna, was just fine. Zach had sent a copy of the movie, Dinotauria, which Lily had wanted to see but never got to go to the theater, back before she and her siblings had been adopted. The movie was a cute one about a world where mammals didn't evolve and dinosaurs hadn't gone extinct, and actually evolved to wear clothes, walk around and talk, just like everyday mammals.

 

Ada went and got her and Yuri's gift to Lily from where it was hidden. A brand new pink and white bicycle, complete with training wheels, and pink tassles on the handles. Lily saw it and her eyes lit up, and she started to bounce in her seat. Yuri smugly smiled at his brothers. Uncle Gus and Auntie Melly, who couldn't attend the party due to an emergency at Gus' store, had sent Lily her own children's B&B set of books and figurines, much to both her and Trevor's delight. Yuri had opened his muzzle to say something snarky, but Ada had silenced him, once again. Auntie Val, who was busy doing some court-ordered community service, and Uncle Cody, who had a full workload at the base, had sent a dinosaur plush, after Dawn and Vernon had both vehemently denied the proposed go-kart idea... multiple times.

 

Then there were the gifts from the grandparents. Grandma Clover had knitted Lily a bright pink scarf, once again made from her own wool. And Grampa Cameron had sent a book of fairy tales, just like the ones he used to read to Val when she was a little kit. Dawn and Vern were a little worried about Audrey's gift, which was a paint set complete with brushes, canvas, and an easel. But they were relieved when Dawn saw that the paint could be washed off with water. Vernon frowned a little at the gift his father had sent. A junior detective kit. He had been talking with the older law wolf on the phone when Dorian told him what he and Audey got for Lily's birthday, and Vernon had been concerned that his father was trying to push a career in law enforcement on his pup, much like he had done to Vernon and all six of his brothers growing up. But the white wolf chuckled and assured his son that all the kit was promoting was the solving of mysteries, and had nothing to do with any kind of law enforcement. The shiny toy detective badge he could see in the kit Lily had excitedly opened suggested otherwise, but he said nothing. He did note to call his father back some time after the party. Judy had called and apologized several times, due to her and Nick being saddled with some surveillance for a sting operation that they couldn't get out of on the day of the party. Even though Dawn had assured the bunny that it was alright, Judy had still promised to make it up to Lily after the sting went down.

 

And finally, there was Dawn and Vernon's gifts. Lily opened up Dawn's first, and was excited to see that it was a play tea set. Lily hugged and thanked her mother, and asked her and Vernon if they would have tea parties with her, to which they agreed, and at which Yuri snorted. Until Lily asked him and Ada as well, and he reluctantly agreed, much to his other brothers' amusement. Then there was the gift Vernon had gotten her. A little blue digital watch that was OMO themed, and depicted Lily's favorite character from the show, Prism Bolt. The little rainbow-colored ostrich lit up when Lily pressed one of the buttons, and she screamed in delight. Lily put it on, and thanked her father, hugging him tight. Throughout the entire party, Dawn made sure to take plenty of pictures, ensuring that this happy day was immortalized, and the pictures to be made readily available for the rest of the family. She and Vernon had never been happier.

 

 

Meanwhile, in the Northern Meadowlands...

 

 

Zach was sitting on the couch, his tail wagging as he looked at the pictures his sister-in-law was quick to send to the family. He saw how happy Lily and Trevor and Alice all appeared to be, and started thinking about what he and Vanna would do for Marcus' birthday. He was actually born the day after Yule, so they had some time to go over it. Thinking about Marcus, Zach got up and decided to check on him. He and Vanna had been trying to give him space, but also were sure to check in on him regularly. And not just to re-assert that he wasn't some indentured servant; they both found it troubling that they had to remind him of that time and again. He knocked on Marcus' door.

 

"Her, Marcus, mind if I come in?" Zach called.

 

"Uh... y-yes, s-sir!" Zach heard him squeak out, and frowned a little, but made sure to enter with a smile.

 

"Please, Marcus, you can call me Zach," the wolf said as he entered, seeing his human foster pup sitting at his desk, looking at the uniform in his paws.

 

"Uh... y-yes, Zach," Marcus said, folding up the coat and setting it down on the desk.

 

"I got some pictures from yer little cousin's birthday party, and I was wonderin' iffin' you'd like to see 'em."

 

"... O-oh, o-okay," Marcus said, looking awkward. Zach smiled reassuringly and showed him his phone. Marcus was a little confused about the swiping part, but he looked at the pictures, and Zach was excited to see the smile that formed on Marcus' face.

 

"H-her name is Lily, right?" he asked, looking up at Zach, who smiled and nodded.

 

"Yup, and she and her brother Trevor and her sister Alice are some of the happiest pups I've seen," he said with his tail wagging.

 

"Th-they look happy," he said as he looked at the pictures, handing the phone back when he got to the end of them, lingering when he saw a picture of Lily hugging Vernon. His eyes drifted to the coat on the desk, and that piqued Zach's curiosity.

 

"May I ask ya a question, Marcus?" he asked.

 

"S-sure," Marcus said, wringing his hands.

 

"Where'd ya get that jacket? It seems purdy important to ya."

 

At first he was worried that he'd pushed too hard, but then Marcus explained.

 

"I-it was given to me... by Captain Blackthorne... I w-was cold, s-so he g-gave it to me," he said.

 

"Captain Blackthorne? He sounds like a nice guy," Zach said, his curiosity further piqued.

 

"... H-he... he... was..." Marcus said, looking down at his hands. Zach frowned, and reached to put a comforting arm around the boy's shoulders.

 

"Would you like to talk about it?" he asked, gently. Marcus was a little surprised by the contact, but didn't shrug it off or shrink back. Instead, he leaned into Zach a little, something that the deputy noticed, causing his tail to start wagging.

 

"H-he... s-saved me..." Marcus whispered, a silent tear running down his cheek, and said nothing further. They stayed like that, with Zach offering Marcus comfort, and the boy readily taking it. Zach had noticed that Marcus was not used to physical affection, so he and Vanna both had been slowly getting him used to it. He could feel the emotional weight radiating from his foster pup, and so he slowly turned the side-hug into a full embrace. One that Marcus returned. Vanna had heard the voices coming from his room, and checked on the two of them. She smiled at the sight of the two embracing, and felt a sense that this was a big step towards helping Marcus to heal. The tigress knew that it was going to be a long road for them all, but at that moment, she knew that they would make the journey down that road together.