I think that I probably left the last little missive about my existence in a strange sort of anticlimax, certainly leaving too many question unanswered about what had become of my life with Marianna, not quite closing things off like Edwina. The reason for this, or at least that which I forced those who made the comment about it to me, was that things at the time when I was shedding that ink were too busy for me to concentrate on aside from my work. Ah yes, the days of sitting against crates in the Túnel Preto with a good buzz on were far away as they'd ever been, but rather then just state platitudes to justify my silence, let me start to correct it.

The insanity that started to invade the lives of my friends and myself in Brasilia percolated though about a month after Marianna had returned home from the hospital. Even in the most grandiose delusion, I couldn't have imaged that all the pieces of the puzzle that formed our reality would have fallen into place so smoothly, from my official return into the medical profession to the timely assignments received by Marianna's father, Rod Cavali, which gave the girl and I time alone to do whatever we wanted. Greater changes continued to take place though, the most marking in my immediate entourage being Red's pregnancy and maternal leave which put me in an acting senior position while she was absent, really giving me all the experience in hospital management I could handle, and then some. Even if all this was going well, there was to be a worrisome stain that would fall on this white cloud of ours, one we'd have to wash out, else it grow a familiar crimson.

Ever since I'd moved out of the National Guard compound and into my new apartment three blocks away, I'd had to set my morning alarm pretty early to be able to get to work on time, otherwise some sort of maladapted mechanism that had still to be informed that I was no longer a few dozen meters from my desk and that I couldn't afford to come out of my slumber a handful of minutes before my shift. I didn't really care for pop music anymore and the stations in town (well, metropolis, perhaps) failed to appeal to me, hence instead of suffering to wake up to a song I didn't like and start the day on that note, I left it set to the news, sort of a neutral rumble that I responded well to rise by. Out of the mist of the lands beyond consciousness, wherever the spirit wanders during sleep, I came to with the start of the morning report, not quite hearing the weather forecast as I gave a loud yawn, rotating my neck around with my incisors clenched. Of all the vices I had given up, I'd kept my old boy's habit of self-administered loving, to put it tastefully, something that Marianna always poked at until she understood that it was one of the reasons for my prolonged performances. While the newscaster blabbered on about some economic indicators I wouldn't waste a second shaking my tail at, I walked over to the bathroom and started beating off, picturing myself with some nymphet I'd seen in a movie the previous evening, just taking my sweet time to make it last.

Coming with a whispered jeer at the monotone news being less interesting then my cock any day, I wiped off and went back in the bedroom and after a sharp slap against my ass, I started paying a bit more attention to the voice while I picked out something to wear. The headlines had been increasingly alarmist about some sort of government policy against drug farmers in the more remote parts of the country, one that would really tighten the noose on them and give law enforcement much more freedom to deal with them. I had given the subject some thought over a coffee with my old employer, Don Miguel, leader of the local Family, shooting it back and forth considering the fact that it would concern us a lot. Anytime that the law talked too seriously about resorting to more drastic measures against crime was something to worry about, as it could well mean that the Black Tunnel would come under duress, as well as our friends up in the forest and their contraband medicine production. We reasoned that it was either a bluff to help the president's popularity, a sort of sword brandishing that would just last as long as he needed it to, or a targeted action against some group that had made too great a nuisance of itself. Both of those worked for us, sort of serving our interests, should some of the farmers loose their turf to those who were friendly with Miguel's people, either by force or fear. The broadcast went straight into that business, informing that the law that authorized extended powers to combat the problem of dangerous drug cartels had passed and would be put to good use as soon as possible.

I had to wonder if that meant the National Guard, though it wasn't my first thought that some police detachment that protected a few remote villages would call in the army to shoot up a few drug runners that drove through town once in a while to peddle their products. It seemed silly, really. Oh rational rabbit, how wrong you can be! As I was fitting my still pretty stiff unit into a pair of snug briefs, I heard the phone ring aside my bed television in the other room. It wasn't odd for someone to call me before I came in to give me a heads up about some case that I'd be working on first thing when I'd arrive, or when Miguel sent one of our medical shipments before hours rather then after when his assigned driver couldn't make the evening run. With one hand fluffing my tail after having put it through it's hole in my underwear, I picked up and answered, giving something that could have commonly been interpreted as a greeting.

-Hey cottontail, said the voice on the other end. That didn't quite sound like any Portuguese word I know!
-Bom dia, Rod, I replied. Como é você hoje? Eu estava dormindo, cão!
-You can sleep all you want later, laughed the collie, but I think you'll have your paws full for a while. You have until eight to get your ears over here, then you're getting into a helicopter with my men and me on a mission off near Edwina and Hermane's.
-Wow! What about the hospital? I need to find someone to supervise while I'm away!
-Don't worry, Red already put her head nurse in charge. Are you trying to talk your way out of a mission, coelho?
-Of course not, but I was just wondering what I'd be coming back to afterwards. So am I to assumed that this has some relation with this new law that I just heard announced on the radio?
-It has everything to do with that, to be precise. We'll be leading a hunting party to route as many of the drug producers we can find, sort of a rolling push, until we're confident that we've made a pretty big dent in their production numbers.
-Sorry to say it, but that sounds like a rather vague victory condition there, Rod. Is there anything more definite then that for us to work around?
-It's a political mission; take it for what it is. Well, yes and no, seeing as how since all the rumours about this thing started leaking into the press, those gentlemen have been getting a lot more protective and downright vile about how they deal with people they consider to be intruding on their properties. So in that optic, it's a protection detail with a pretty open end.
-Ah, already more coherent. All right, I'll be over in a few, just let me put on something more professional.
-Veja-o logo, Sylvain.

As the collie hung up, I cursed to myself that I hadn't mentioned the fact that this was the first time I was to practice my job outside of the compound under the Guard's employ, hence I didn't really have any darn idea what I was expected to be wearing and all that. I wouldn't have minded a new uniform for the mission, seeing as how with all the shifts I had in the OR and emergency, I'd absolutely scrapped a vest and pants, so every three days, I'd sneak over to the operation prep room and steal coveralls to hide my tee and cargos. There was no trouble to be had there though, with me being one of the top docs and carrying plenty of weight to throw around should someone make a crack about it. With Rod, it wasn't so much the fact that he wouldn't mind, but there was a question of protocol to respect, just so if I were needed, they'd know what generic appearance I'd have. They'd have to adapt, I thought as I put on my white cargos and dress shirt, because I just didn't have anything else, and I was certain that my very presence was more important then what I would be wearing. Dressed in medical garb or camouflage, a practitioner no less skilled.

I was in for another surprise as I got out of my apartment, though I should have expected it with the general's sense of humor being what it is. I'd have thought that he would have been calling me from the compound, just because of the noises in the background I had heard, but my ears had fooled me for those rumblings were actually generated by the diesel engine of a transport that was parked right in front of my apartment which in my hazy state of consciousness, I hadn't noticed until I almost walked right into it. Out the back came Rod and his daughter, laughing hysterically at my dumbfounded air until they helped me on so we could get a move on.

-Fancy seeing you here in an army truck, Marianna, I said as I gave an understated hug to the collie. You didn't kidnap this pour girl to carry her off into the fray, did you Rod?
-Fray's a big word for what we'll be in for, he replied with a snicker and a flick of his wrist. For all I care, it's a party at our friends and a chance to get some clean mountain air between strafing runs at coke fiends too high to remember to stay safe and hidden.
-I wouldn't discredit them so quickly, I whined. If you care to take a second and reflect on the fact that I had some dealing with them previously, I can vouch for the fact that they're a clever bunch, especially when they're in their natural habitat.
-So you actually visited a few farms, asked the collie, or just met them in person here?
-Both, but I saw a couple of their setups in the woods. I'm sure it's not the same ones as we're going in for, though the flavors are always pretty much the same from one to another. They're as good as any trapper, and some actually can be pretty surprising marksmen, rather well outfitted ones at that. I wouldn't bring in your helicopters without having checked for heavy equipment that could take them out. Don't fret, they've probably thought of this happening, and with the cash they make with their fresh produce, pardon the pun, they can afford the best the black market has to offer.
-See, shot Rod, this is why having someone with alternative expertise is so invaluable.
-Yes, it just ruins plans, I shrugged. Ah well, I'm sure we'll improvise something decent.
-We had backup plans, he motioned. The biggest problem is that we have pretty bad information on that corner of the country, so I'm counting on Hermane to pitch in.
-I'll call up Miguel, I offered as I took my cell. Don't forget that some of the farmers are friends of ours, so I'm sure that they'd be quite happy to play Judas and sell out some of their competitors. Fine, before you say it, it's not that tasteful a way to go about it, but everyone would come out a winner.
-As long as they're part of the disciplined growers that don't make trouble for anyone and just toot their hookah peacefully, I'd say yes.
-Our good llama wouldn't be talking to them if he didn't think they were clean -
-Clean? Clean drug farmers?
-Oh, you know what I mean, I replied and rolled my eyes as we started laughing until I placed the call.
-Sylvain, meu amigo! How goes?
-I'm off to Hermane's with about fifty of our friends from the National Guard. Don't worry, we're there to clean up some of the hostile drug farmers in his neck of the woods. I was wondering if we would have anyone we know over there that might be happy to join the fun, or at least stay out of it?
-I'll make it simple, announced the llama. Do you have access to email?
-Yes, Hermane does. What will you send me?
-A map, basically. I finished putting it together yesterday, of all coincidences, with the help of GIS software that we bought to keep track of everything we have going in and out. I'll send you a bunch of contact information for the guys that we talk to regularly, but I think that if they want to join in, you'll have to expect for them to be pretty protective and maybe even ask for some weapons to do a better job of it.
-Ah, saw that coming, I muttered. Well, worst comes to worst, we can have a shipment dropped off when we see fit.
-The advantages of having a governmental force behind you, Miguel chuckled. All right, so I'll set you up with that.
-I'll see what I can do to negotiate them some more land too, you know, seeing as how some of their neighbors might not be plowing their fields anytime soon. No use letting good rich dirt just sit without a happy plant growing out of it.
-Hurrah for that. Adeus!

Rod had a certain sense for drama, if only to sort of show off the fact that he had rank, not that he would state it himself unless cornered with enough evidence to sustain the accusation. Still, having his troops all ready to go on the parade grounds with the helicopters windmilling was a pretty pompous thing to have prepared for us to drive in front of, all the way to the last one which we'd be riding. I saw that he stole a look at me to see if he would get either a rise out of me, or at least some sort of reaction, and I managed to time it so he saw me rolling my eyes with a huff of breath. He asked what was wrong too innocently to completely hide the fact he realized that his display of force hadn't quite accomplished what he'd hoped, but another eye roll from me and a few laughs as I shook my head and patted him on the back made him admit that he'd put a little too much thought into the theatrics.

As we got into the Chinook that would be ferrying us away from the comforts of home, I felt Marianna taking my arm for a second, but then looked over to see if her father had seen her, thankfully not. I gave her an acknowledging nod as we both came to the conclusion that we'd have to be extra careful, because on the record or at least as far as Rod knew, this was the first time that she and I were together since she was released from the hospital. If we didn't want him to do the math after noticing some gesture representing more affection then would be expected under normal circumstances, something that would have more consequences for me then the collie girl of course, we'd have to watch it. There would be no worst circumstance for the general to find us in the woods with her giving me a handjob or something else, then figure that we've been doing the nasty at his place. Nothing like sleeping with a high-placed officer's underage daughter to really give you career a killing blow, isn't there? Well, all that said, I still held her hand casually as we got in, a much more casual thing to do which I didn't think Rod would object to. As far as we knew, the man didn't find anything wrong with it, and soon we were in the air, himself and his fellow officers involved in a deep conversation about how they'd be taking care of security around our camp and such, nothing Marianna and I could really participate in. Other then keep her entertained and out of trouble in the city, what would have prompted her father to bring her along still didn't quite click, other then more thoughts about the previous issues. She didn't have any feelings for the army nor intention of getting enrolled, hence perhaps he hoped that being at the center of a mission would give her some taste for the family tradition and change her mind. I knew better considering the deep, soulful discussions we'd had before, one of them quite memorable.

I'd come right after my shift to pick up the collie for dinner, a very fine affair at German restaurant I'd found, though what had marked us most was what had happened after we'd finished with it. The weather had called for a warm, clear night, nothing special, but when we stepped out of the establishment, it started raining like God's wrath, just huge, heavy curtains of the biggest drops I'd ever seen, soaking us both straight through to our fur. A completely unexplainable jubilant elation took over at that point though, and arms locked together, we simply walked through the storm back to the Cavalier homestead, acting and talking as if nothing was wrong. When we got in though, we looked absolutely hilarious, her long, heavy coat matted up against her and her normally voluptuous tail flopping around like a mop. I didn't look any better, my ears completely frayed about as I'd tried to keep them down to prevent water from getting in them and getting that annoying feeling normally caused by going in a pool and some of the water finding it's way into your ear canal. Eros love had as much power as Zeus's thunderstorms though, and through Marianna's wet shirt, her nipples were pushing out hard, and I had a nuclear torpedo hidden in my shorts, hence the moment we realized it, we hurried to strip down as fast as we could and under the shower's different, gentler drizzle, had some of the downright best sex we'd ever been privileged to enjoy in our mortal existences.

That memory didn't help me stay a saint in the girl's company in the helicopter, but thankfully I could strategically hold my medical pack to hide what it had caused in me, even if it wasn't a secret to Marianna, who gave me a glance and deaf giggle. Just to change my frame of mind and at least give us a pretext to have some interaction that didn't involve deserting our clothes, I took out some magnetic dominoes and started a game with her, getting the same, delighted looks from Rod whenever he checked on us. It turned out that we had time for all the rounds of the pastime we could ever handle as well as some odd quality sleep with ear protectors on before the flight crew informed us that we were going to land. I shared a window with Marianna as we looked out to the forest and the facility that seemed to emerge out of it from thin air as we lost altitude in formation with the other crafts, overall a rather mystical experience, giggling and commenting on anything we saw like a pair of toddlers on an amusement park ride. The movement was a lot smoother then anything that one of those carnie instruments could provide though, a sort of gentle gliding until we were a few meters from the ground, sort of jerking an instant until we all felt the landing gear yield a bit to accommodate the weight of the aircraft. Then, with the noises of the engines dying down, the crew opened the compartment doors for us to get out and about, nothing we dallied around to do. Rod didn't appear to be in a hurry to leave his little flying command post, but Marianna and I stepped out to find ourselves in something that looked like a cross between one of those deep forest farms and a some sort of factory, large enough to give me a better picture of the scale of the operations that Hermane and Edwina ran out there.

As if the very thought of the otter and jackal was a beacon to attract them, the pair appeared from one of the buildings with a small escort, waving to us until they were close enough to talk. I felt a bit embarrassed for Rod's sake, as technically, I suppose that it would have been better etiquette for the higher-ups to converse first, but seeing the level of familiarity they seemed to maintain with the collie and me, it would have been even more awkward to goosestep away to leave their company.

-Hello Sylvain, said Hermane as he gripped my shoulder and gave me a handshake, and welcome to our little jungle paradise. Like what you see?
-I'm most certainly very, very impressed at all you've built here, being so remote! Ah, I see the boats you're always telling me about over there.
-Which are the greatest reason we're able to function as a laboratory away from the civilized world, he confirmed. Those are some pretty impressive flying machines you have too, I'll tell you. I don't know how your structure is, but do you report to General Cavali, the opposite, or..?
-Oh, I'm a subordinate, though we're on good enough terms that I always tend to forget that distinction. Here he comes though, with the black attaché case.
-Sorry for the delay in getting here, Hermane, but I think I must have misjudged my distances with respect to here. My greatest compliments on your work here, you truly do all of society an immense favor by providing your services.
-We do what we can to make the market a more even playing field, as well as one that can't as easily exploit those who need it's products to just live, for God's sake. Now, I think you'll have all the room you need here on the clearing, and over there's the mess hall, though I hope you've brought supplies to distribute for your guys, because otherwise we'll be pretty short.
-Coming off the ramp right now, pointed Rod as a buggy came out of one of the larger choppers with a few crates. Mind you, it's not the most interesting and flavorful meals in the world, but it should keep everyone nice, full and energized for our time here. Now, I don't want to seem like a bad guest, but speaking of getting set up, I have to take care of our camp here.
-He's dedicated, I'll say that for him, smirked Edwina as he general hurried off to give an earful to a few soldiers that were sitting around waiting for the sky to fall. Hey, you two aren't really going involved in this zoo, are you? Because if you're free, I think that this would be the best time for us to go stash our tails somewhere fun.
-Dad will be in his little world for a while, said Marianna, and I don't think anyone will need any major surgery that would require the bunny's intervention. Show us the way!
-I'm Edwina, by the way, the jackal said as she gave the girl a quick snuggle, and that's Hermane. If you call us anything more, you're overdoing it.

In double strides, we checked into the main building of the laboratory which, contrary to what its appearances might have suggested, was outfitted like a modern medical facility in a calm, soothing sky blue tone, almost timeless and difficult to delimit with more glass walls and mirrors then actual solid partitions. Even if I had visually evaluated it to be no wider then ten meters and forty meters long, I felt as if we were floating in some expanse of space that challenged the mortal souls that entered it to hazard a guess at its actual size. The otter's office was as modern, most of the furniture plates of glass held together or supported by steel tubes, though the bowl of fruit and juicer that waited on the compact fridge aside the desk was no illusion, thankfully. The forest had started taking its toll on me already, the humidity almost suffocating me as soon as I'd gotten off the helicopter, and through my somewhat short coat, I hadn't felt myself sweating even if there were visible sweat circles around my arms and neck. The design of the chairs I would have passed a few scornful comments if it wasn't for the fact that they were so comfortable that I had trouble hoaxing my body to reach out to get the fruit juice that Hermane made, glass by glass to their recipient's requirements.

Now I have to admit that I had a certain stereotype about drug runners and producers, just because of the circles that I'd somewhat unfortunately been involved in during the last years. The stories I'd heard from them were pretty much the same, save for a few details that helped me remember who was who sometimes. Still, when I'd first met the pair back home, what part of my mind had been in an operational state had registered the fact that they didn't quite fit any one of those though, both from the highly educated speech they had, as well as the kind of medicine they claimed to be able to procure. After all, between making a few homemade ecstasy pills that had just enough of the right stuff to get you high and low enough levels of the rest of the by products that its use wouldn't kill you, and the hospital-grade painkillers and sedation drugs that they'd first talked about, there was a vast difference. My second thought, perhaps to my discredit for my lack of trust in their abilities, was that they were just playing us, though I hadn't voiced anything on that front before Miguel had started discussing business with them. I'd been smart enough to know that when the llama was on that train of thought, it wasn't polite to cut in, and even if this had been a joke, he could have handled it without any trouble.

Hearing the otter and jackal go on about what changes and expansions they'd made, I would have been less taken aback if I was speaking to the CFO of a pharmaceutical company then the greatest minds of an underground drug lab. They'd nearly doubled their staff, rebuilt most of the structures to make better use of the space they had, then added a few more production lines, all with the money the made from their deals in Brazil and the nearby countries.

-The US is still a cornerstone, commented Edwina, but it's more our basic baseline then what we'd consider our real moneymaker. The Families are good to us, but the hospitals and NGOs that buy from us now out do them five to one in volume and income.
-You mean now you even have humanitarian organizations to supply? Well, yelped Marianna, I'm amazed!
-Don't be, smirked Hermane as he took out an empty plastic pill bottle. Fill this with something as simple as codeine painkillers, and you'll already be paying a quarter of the price you'd pay in any pharmacy for them if you buy from us. Go into more exotic things, and the gap between the two choices just widens.
-Just a quick question, I said with a quick wave of my paw, do you have access to the web here? I assumed you did, seeing how well you're set up, but...
-Every computer is plugged in, he nodded. Need to check something out?
-Just an email that Miguel sent me with contact info for our agricultural community here, I laughed. After all, we'll be dealing with them a bit closer then you're used to normally.
-I don't mind that, shrugged the otter. We only had trouble from a few of the wilder, or should I say less intelligent individuals, and that never lasted.
-I wouldn't be at all surprised if those would be our targets, I nodded as I looked up my mail on his computer as soon as he'd pivoted the thing towards me. Ah, here we go! Well, if you ever wondered what your corner of the world looked like, here's a clear picture.
-Boy, there's more of them then I'd have guessed, hummed the lutrinae. Still, we're in a quiet spot, though I could see why seeing as how the ground is hard clay around here. It's a nice bonus for us when we build, but to grow anything would be more trouble then it's worth, I'm sure. Anyhow, you'd like to come into contact with some of them now? I see you have numbers here, so if you'd like, I have a phone here you could use.
-They know each other, or at least their closest neighbors, so if we don't have any Judases out there, we should be able to organize things quite nicely, I said as I accepted the device from Hermane.
-You know your first choice?
-I remember this one, I said as I tapped on one of the names listed on the screen. Mind you, I didn't deal with that farm in particular, but every other I did held her in high enough esteem to make her some sort of saint of their trade. She'd be a good start, sort of an indication of the reactions we'll be getting from the others, as well as an influential face to have on our side.
-You seem to know your way around swaying public opinion, Edwina smirked while I prepared for the call.
-You've never had to defend a medical paper in front of a board of review, I replied. Hello, is this...
-This is Isabella Delacruz, yes it is. Who's calling?
-This is Sylvain Freeman, alias Sniff.
-Sniff, I heard of you. You used to be with Don Miguel? He put the word out today that you'd be in the region with the Guards. Is this why you're calling?
-Yes it is. We'd like to talk to you about an arrangement for your neutrality in the matter of certain interventions against hostile farmers who have been marked for arrest or removal.
-I'm aware of the new laws, stated the voice on the phone. Come to my farm, unarmed, with up two people, but none of them soldiers. I'll be waiting for you today until eight, but if you don't come, I'm not sure what I'm to think of your seriousness about what you offer. See you later then?
-Give me enough time to get over there and we'll talk more, certainly.
-Good! Adeus, Sylvain.

Slicking the phone back to Hermane, I started to fill everyone in as to the details of our summit with Isabella, getting positive callouts from our hosts but plenty of concerns out of Marianna, who was sure as anything that the woman was setting a trap to either take us hostage as bargaining chips or just put one in between our eyes the second we showed up. Poor Collie! The looks that Hermane and Edwina gave her as they outlined the fact that she'd already willingly rode into an illegal pharma facility that probably would have been evaluated as being far greater a concern to any sensible soul then a few pot and coke growers could be didn't settle her nerves, nor the matter-of-fact manners I had as I explained that we didn't have anything to fear from these folks. She piped down out of confused frustration into a hug with me, muttering that I was a lot more adventurous then she'd ever take the decision to be. I smiled slowly while I reached over, held her muzzle closed and announced she'd be coming with me and Hermane to see Isabella, getting a muffled yelp and subdued whine as her eyes widened.

-Trust me, Marianna miha. You'll see these are good, honorable folk, maybe more then you'd find in any office of influence.
-You know I trust you, Sylvain, but I really hope you're perfectly right, for both our sakes.
-Look at it this way; you'll finally see where the pot you used to buy comes from. Fields of it!
-Ho, Hermane startled, you smoked, Marianna?
-For a while, but I lost interest and quit. You?
-Not really anything of a serious habit, just once in a while instead of a cigarette. Well, we'd better take off now if we're to get over to the fields of dreams on time.
-I'll hold the fort here, nodded Edwina. Don't get lost, guys!
-We won't, black back, the otter said as he gave her a kiss before starting off with us to find a way out of the glass maze. So, between us, you two are a couple?
-Hush with my father, but we're extremely close. I guess it wasn't hard to tell?
-Stroking each other's laps isn't very easy to miss with a glass desk, Hermane snickered. Fifteen will get you twenty, Sylvain, eh?
-Way too late, I giggled as I gave the collie's butt a little loving pat.
-We're jailbait, she seconded.
-I hope our cells won't be too far apart it that day ever comes, the otter answered. Anything you want to leave behind with security before we go?
-My misconceptions, Marianna replied.

As near as the farm had looked from the omniscient view the map had offered, the ten kilometers would have taken hours on our paws, even with a clear path, which we didn't have in the sweaty tangles of the jungle. What we opted for as soon as the idea presented itself was to take two ATVs and follow the sparser banks of the river which flowed from the delta that the facility bordered, bringing us right to the location in just over an hour, if we were lucky. Knowing that Rod would probably be opposed to his daughter wandering at a drug lord's, I offered the general the pretext that we were going for a ride to get some healing breaths of fresh air near where we suspected a few friendly cultivators would be found. He had a moment's hesitation, but seeing his happy girl barking with excitement while she gripped my back, he waved it off and wished us a good time while he finished up the encampment's setup, now extending to include a full perimeter defense coordinated with Hermane's people.

For everything I had expected it to be, we had an absolutely thrill on our way, hardly meeting any obstacles that forced us to dismount and portage, though thankfully the ATVs were light for the times we did. Our last leg was more challenging, going up to reach a promontory on which sat Isabella's own little castle, a majestic plantation house lost in the wilderness that looked like it had seen a fair share of decades pass. Out motor's noise reached the occupants of the well-positioned domain ahead of our arrival, but the security was rather passive and we didn't have a word to say to anyone until one of the rifle-toting men directed us to a depot where we could leave the vehicles before he led us to his employer. When we got off, two more came to pat us down for weapons really quickly with a few apologies from our first encounter for the unfortunately sometimes quite necessary procedure.

From the creaky door we entered through to the beaten old boards that complained under our weight while we walked on them, the stuffy though stately home offered us more and more comfort, as if there was some presence around that was holding us in it's caring hands. The collie kept looking around as if she was in an art exhibition, taking in everything with huge interesting though I could read on her face that a lot of questions were forming in her mind. She didn't quite have time to work them into words before our escort turned to advise us that we were about to meet our quarry, opening a door off to the side of a corridor that didn't present itself as a first instinctive guess for an office, let along that of a high-placed soul like Isabella. The room was even more retro then the rest of the plantation house, with a massive balcony accessible through large French doors that perfectly lit the collection of dusty pictures frames showing photographs of all sorts of folks that had probably impacted the plantation through the years, as well as other memorabilia like hats and agricultural tools. Even the desk where a pretty though weathered raccoon lady in her early to mid forties sat looked like it was as old as the building. I assumed that the masked woman was Isabella, presenting ourselves to her politely and getting the same from her with as friendly manners as we sat down across from her.

-Good to see that we have considerate people next door, said Isabella, even more for wanting to have a word before their army buddies start stomping through our backyards.
-We don't want that, I protested.
-I'm just kidding, smiled the 'coon as she leaned back in her chair. We're glad to have you. Care for a roll?
-I don't see any problem with that, shrugged Hermane. Sylvain?
-Ah well, I don't know if Rod would be fine with his daughter and head doc shooting doobs on duty...
-If you're worried about the smell giving it away, I think it's too late, giggled Isabella as she took the collar of her beige shirt and sniffed it.
-In that case, it would be swell of you, I said as I took one of the hand-rolled weed cigarillos and passed another to Marianna. Nice lightness, just a bit stronger then I'm used to.
-Thanks! That's what you get when you buy the freshest straight from the crop, nodded Isabella. Look out the window if you want! We have five acres of clear fields, and three in shade-grown cultures.
-After our work here, you could have twice that, I commented, unless you're on better terms with your guys to the east.
-With regards to the second, we're always busy keeping them off our turf, and as to the first, that would be just grand. I don't want to clear any more woodland, but we've maxed out what we can get otherwise.
-Those are beautiful fields, sighed Marianna, who had paced off to look out at the greenery. Sorry, I didn't mean to cut in.
-Oh, it's fine, said Isabella as she got up to stand aside the collie. Anyway, all I really wanted to do was make sure that you guys were clean so I could sleep sound. You'll be calling other farmers too?
-We planned to, but we really would have liked to meet someone that had a better perspective on the local population then us, said Hermane. Not that we want to impose anything on you, but...
-In return for the land and peace and quiet, I'd be fine with giving you all the help you like. It's not like I have too much to do these days other then check on the crops once in a while and see how my son's running the place.
-He's here too?
-He really runs the farm more then I do. I'm the face, he's the energy.
-I didn't realize that it was a family business, said Marianna.
-You're new to this, aren't you, smiled the raccoon, turning to us to get nods when the collie didn't react right away.
-I'm sorry, if I said anything...
-You see, Marianna, Isabella started as she put her arm around the girl's shoulders and guided her to the wall of pictures, a lot of the people who farm cannabis, marijuana, cocaine or all that didn't start on that road. A few, mostly the ones you'll be going after, did, but not the good people, you see? The good ones are tobacco farmers, coffee farmers, just classic crops, and eventually gave up when they hit harder times.
-What were you, Isabella?
-We were coffee farmers, exhaled the 'coon as she pointed to a picture of herself in younger years, standing in front of the very window across the room with a handsome male of her species. All those plants out there were good beans, one of the best kind in the region with the rich soil we have here. It didn't make us that much money then what we needed to keep the place running, but we did it as a labor of love rather then something to make a fortune with. It was nice, we were happy. One year though, it... ended, yeah... I suppose that you've all seen this stuff about 'ecologically friendly coffee', that idiotic bile that you see exposed everywhere?
-Yes, muttered Marianna.
-Do you know how many people like us went broke because we use classic fields? Out of nowhere, the two or three guys we usually sold to weren't interested in buying our crop and by the time we'd gone through them, the stock had gone rank. A whole year's production - gone! We didn't have credit, nothing like that. We had to let as many people as we could afford go, but it was obvious that we didn't have the money to start another batch. Then, Manuel went to try and find a second job in the city to help us cope while I stayed with my son. A week later, I had a call from the police... they found him on a park bench, and brought him to the hospital. It was too late though, he had developed a bleeding ulcer that had become very infected, and he passed in his sleep. I didn't have a choice but to find a way to make ends meet somehow, so I went and bought cannabis seeds from another farmer we knew who'd turned to that for his livelihood, convincing our employees that this was the only way to go to survive. They agreed, for the vast majority, and since, we've been doing cannabis and marijuana. We're not struggling anymore. We can go to bed and know that we'll have all we need to live a normal day. There's no price to that, Marianna, believe me. Rather then being poor and losing anything, before it's too late, we take a serious decision and turn things around to get back on track, that's what we do.
-I'd imagined it would have come down to something like that, said the collie as she slowly reached over and patted Isabella's back. You're better now, though.
-Like I said, we couldn't be doing better with what we have, and if we get more land, you can imagine, can't you? Sure I'm a little nervous with the army in our 'hood now, but if you're father has your spirit and heart, collie, I'm a lot less jumpy. So, as far as helping you out goes, I think it would be easier if I'd stay with you then for either of us to be doing the jungle walk every time we need something or risk telephone conversations. I'll go get my bags and notify everyone. Enjoy the exposition here, I won't be more then a few.
-So Marianna, I said with a grin as I walked over to replace the raccoon aside the girl, how are those misconceptions?
-Sorry doctor, the patient freaking died, she laughed as she gave me a peck on the cheek and a hug. Ho, you're back already, Isabella?
-I planned this ahead of time, admitted the woman. So, who's ATV will I be on?
-Mine, said Hermane. We'll be able to talk along the way with these headsets, just to make it pass faster.
-Great, I'm not one for long trips normally, she said while leisurely tossing her backpack over her shoulder.

The attitude our new friend showed was more that which I was accustomed to in her profession, as well as the respect her guards who'd shown themselves so mistrusting of us extended to the entire group now that we walked with her. Personally, I couldn't help but trade smoke signals with her regarding recent events that affected dope prices, as well as other points of view on issues related thereto, up until we got on the recreational vehicle (what a name for what we were using it for, business!). The offer was otter was a lot more careful and light of foot then on our way in, slowing down for bumps and avoiding some I'd seen him just jump over when he'd been alone on his ride. That said, we nailed it down to make better time and took any reasonable shortcuts to shorten the voyage, for as insignificant a target as we were at the moment, being out in the jungle at night would have been a lot more dangerous. Even with our best efforts, our wheels crossed the secure perimeter Rod had finished establishing as dusk was getting comfortable over the landscape. In passing, one of the ranking officers told us that the general would like to see us when we were free at his tent, giving us a destination to head for.

Rod's little theatre continued, as he'd set up his post with more maps of the region then he could possibly have needed, as well as an oversized flag hanging on his wall, enough to make everyone's eyes roll as hard as mine, even a very amused Isabella, the probable target of the collie's display. He got us all seats as soon as we'd introduced him to the raccoon, who's sand-colored safari getup looked far more sensible and practical then his formal uniform, another element of his act that he clearly understood hadn't done more then give us a few chuckles.

-So Isabella, what do you think of this decision from the capital?
-I applaud the intention, but frown on the reason for its instatement. That said, it's for the better. We farm drug crops, but we don't intend for people to abuse them, just use them casually. Those are devils who do everything they can to liquidate people's fortunes into their pockets without remorse, monsters, no one that God would give a second of mercy.
-Good to hear it from a local expert, Rod smiled. Sylvain, I just realized that we... we forgot to pack a tent for you. Unless you'd care to make the medical tent yours...
-I have some room for him, Marianna and Isabella, Hermane stated. No need to overburden your camp. You can come check them out if you want.
-Isabella, if it's not too much, I'd truly like to have just a quick conversation about the situation here. I know it's a bit late, but the sooner we get a clearer picture, the sooner we can start working on the task at hand.
-Sure, let's get to it, the raccoon replied.

(Switch to Isabella)

This was going very well, I thought as I answered a slew of questions from the general. Though the intervening Guard had their plans and objectives, I had made my own to come out of this either unaffected or for the better. With Anton back at the plantation, I knew that I could stay there and represent our interests as well as those of our friends, in addition to making sure that the greedy, stupid runners that had started trying to make themselves look like warlords here would be in the ground soon. After all, they were the only problems we had, especially the Eastons, from who we'd be inheriting another few acres of prime land. This was a perfect way for things to go, and seeing Rod's fair play approach, I could count on him to hold up his end. As for me, I was completely honest and open with him, so much he even thanked me for it.

-I can see you're an incredibly intelligent woman, Isabella, and though I can't fully understand all your reasons for doing it, thank you very much for your help.
-So you trust that I'm telling you? Good, because I'll tell you, I'm trusting you an awful lot too.
-I know, and this mission here is all about exactly that. A trust put me in the region to rid it of aggressors, another in Hermane's camp with the promise that we'd both respect each other's properly and safety. As for you, you don't come across as having ulterior motives other then easy expansion into rival land and long-lasting peace to work in. You hide it with a lot of talent, but I can tell.
-You give me a lot of credit, I grinned. Are you sure I deserve it? After all, I'm just a drug farmer here, and you're talking about me as if I was a political genius.
-One doesn't exclude the other, corrected Rod, but rather implies it. I'd certainly like to know more about you, Isabella.
-You sound like you're hitting on me, I chuckled as I put my hand forwards, but you know I'm wearing a band. That's very daring, general.
-Ma'am, pardon me if I'm wrong, but I see something in your eyes that tells me that your husband is no longer amongst us.
-Because your wife has passed as well, I nodded. We're both right, general sir.
-Finally, he smirked, someone who's not going to give me a stupid 'it's better to have loved and lost' speech.
-Oh I'm so sick of those too, I nodded as I reached across to hold his forearm, though a good 'hell you know' kills those!
-I just threaten them with a night in the brig and an insubordination charge, Rod replied. I've never had to do it, mind you. Ever stopped and thought about if you should still look?
-For a while, but anyone can only stand being alone that long. Are you lonely, Rod?
-It's a hard thing to admit, but I've even prayed for my wife's forgiveness and for me to find someone that could understand. I mean, between a single guy and a forty-two year old widowed man, there's a lifetime of a difference.
-As between a happy debutante and a forty-three year old woman who lost her man, I returned. I'm glad we're on the same page.
-If that's so, hummed the collie as he went to close and tie the tent's flap closed, then came to wrap his arms around me, then you know how I feel, to have found someone who can perhaps share a few remaining days of my life.
-To be a number two for a number two, I moaned as I felt about him and ran my fingers against his manhood. It's been a while, Rod.
-Me too, Isabella, he replied as he took off his jacket.

A nonverbal consensus came into force between us with a stare, a sort of signal that neither of us were in the mood for the fooling around that we'd done too much of in younger years. Stripping slowly, teasing, all that was far from our minds and only the confirmation that we'd found someone to share love with again which would come with satisfying intercourse occupied our minds. Though I didn't mess around, the task of undoing my bra gave time to Rod to finish undressing first, coming closer with his massive rod cock emerging from his thick fur while I bent down to pull down my panties. I gave it a long lick as I came back up, then laid down on the camp bed, spreading my legs as he got down over me, grasping his member to put in me before placing his hands on the mattress over my shoulders in a pushup stance. I gasped as I felt him thrust in me the first time, the sensual experience lighting up a lust I'd harshly repressed for years, but soon, I was wrapped around the dog with his left arm cradling my head and the other squeezing and kneading my breasts. Through all the heat and sweat, I could the buildup in Rod as he minutes of our encounter passed until in a shrill yelp, he came in me shortly after I'd curled my toes a time of two, thank you very much.

-Well, I panted as he stood up to get some hand wipes, maybe it was a while, but I wouldn't say we're out of practice, eh doggie?
-Hell no, laughed the collie as he passed me a few towels. What are you looking for there?
-A pair of these, I replied as I took two weedarillos from the cigarette case from my discarded pants. Here, to a job well done, general.
-This... this smells like pot, he said with some surprise. Then again, so did Hermane, Sylvain, Marianna and you when you came back, and I noticed a few of my men also lighting up.
-Care to give it a try yourself, I asked as I handed him a matchbox, or does it disturb you too much?
-I'll admit that it wouldn't be my first, though the last time I smoked a joint goes back a long time. Ah well, I remember it was great after sex, so let's go!
-Great, I giggled as we lit up, I'm getting a high-placed officer high. These are spiked, by the way - extra resin.
-Oouf, I'll be a member of the vegetable family after this, Rod whined with a narrow-lipped grin.
-Don't worry, we'll figure out what to do about those nasty people later, I seconded as I felt my eyes close while I leaned against the collie.

We came out of the cloud around nine, still ass naked, but a super relaxed and ready to focus on a plan of attack. Well, Rod was anyway, I was happy to be his sounding board as to the chances of success of certain strategies he was willing to try out. He did well in foregoing heavy raids, which would have simply riled up the hornet's nest and made things very hard to control. Instead, he's split his troops into smaller striking teams, giving them quadrants to secure after being dropped into safe areas by helicopter, acting more or less independently, though all supported by a firebase which would host the two medium artillery pieces that had been part of his complement. Although they couldn't reach the furthest farms, they could certainly pull their weight to make the attacks on the ones closer to the camp go fast enough to give very little time for our targets to communicate what was happening. Those would be set up during the night, so we needed to go out and tell those responsible for putting them in place before long. Under mixed protest, we dressed back up and headed into the dark night, bathed in the artificial light of working floods that had been placed as to give pretty good visibility all the way to the tree line, past which patrols were keeping watch to give early warning for any incoming intruders. To our surprise, Sylvain's familiar shape was outline in one of the spots, along with Marianna's, with a few soldiers lined up in front of them. As much out of curiosity as out of desire to see if any of those would be the artillery officers, we walked over, finding the pair handing out medic kits as well as instruction to refresh the memories of those who got them.

-Found something to do, Marianna? So Sylvain's keeping you busy?
-I'm learning too, nodded the girl. Say, dad, what would you say if I said that I'd like to go into medicine?
-I'd say that someone's being a big influence on you, Rod smiled as he grabbed and rubbed the rabbit's left ear, but good one though. Up for the challenge of teaching Marianna your trade, bunny?
-I'll get her ready for her entrance exams and then some, the lagomorph replied. Am I right in guessing that you were looking for someone?
-Well, this is their stitch man, said Rod as he looked at one of the medics. Lieutenant, bring this to your commanding officer, right away. I want this post established before midnight, because the strikes will have to start around three. You're authorized to bring team Verde with you.
-Yes sir, we'll be ready, said the man as he jogged off with the mission orders.
-So we'll have fireworks tonight, smirked Sylvain. I'll stay here with Marianna at the field hospital.
-Don't stay up too late, Rod hummed before planting a peck on his daughter's forehead.
-Oh, she'll be working too, the rabbit corrected. See, although you brought me, you forgot to include any nurses in your command. Call it hands-on training for the Collie girl, eh?
-How about you, dad? Are you going to stay around here?
-I at least have to stay available to continue coordinating things until tomorrow morning. If the first wave goes well, then I think I'll go take a look around at the villages that have apparently gotten hit by marauders. If we need to expand quicker in some direction to protect them further in the near future, then we'd need to know while our targets are still stunned. Until then, I'll be in my tent over maps are reports with strong coffee to keep my eyelids peeled.
-And a raccoon for company, I added. You get odd ideas with just paper to talk to after a while.
-I've had screaming fits at satellite photos before, laughed the dog as he put an arm around my waist and gave me a quick squeeze. Fine, consider yourself part of the command structure, Isabella.
-Careful Marianna, I heard Sylvain whisper as we left, looks like you're getting a stepmother there...
-I heard that!
-Relaxe Rod, I hummed, he's not quite wrong yet.

The evening was almost supernatural, something so disembodied in that I'd never lived something so strange and different before. The electricity in the air as people prepared for conflict was beyond the tangible, as was the experience of having influence over the every action of so many people. Rod's constancy and unwavering faith in his men was almost too much, as if he felt he was directing some number of minor deities or heavenly entities that could never falter. The three jugs of bean that I whipped up did their parts too, though I dosed the last one with a little something to keep his nerves steady. Right about when we put that batch into our guts, a few low booms started sounding in the distance, signaling the start of the firebases' contribution to the conflict. They weren't too regular, almost at the same frequency and disparity as thunder, though from the radio chatter we monitored, they were all that the teams needed to be doing a perfect job of handling the opposition, though they weren't apparently able to take any prisoners because of the just manic resistance that the farmers and assorted combatants that were giving them a hand. By three in the morning, the combat fell silent as Rod called for them to hold the line and reinforce their holdings, easing the pressure that had been applied.

By then, I realized two things; first, we had taken over no less then a third of the territory we wanted to control, leaving friendlies alone as planned while handing out massive punishment to those who deserved it. Second, no amount of caffeine or anything short of straight adrenaline shots could possibly have done anything to keep us awake. With the last wave of communications dead, I took my new puppy and dragged him to the bed, hugging him before we went out all dressed, just too tired to care about anything. The front was sixty kilometers away, and the chances that some ninja of a creature make it through every post that was set up from there to our tent to interrupt our sleep were practically none, hence even if we were still technically on mission, we had no concerns for our safety while we slept. I wasn't aware of the collie's work habits though, and slumber didn't seem to be a friend of his with just four hour's worth of it as I woke up to a kiss from his warm muzzle. Replying by slipping my tongue in his maw to tickle his canines, I got up sort of dizzy, realizing that he'd taken off my blouse and bra to be playing with my breasts while he held me. I couldn't help but laugh at his actions, shrugging as I spoke.

-Okay, fine, if that's what you prefer to wake up to, then you'll be seeing silvery gray raccoon tits in the morning.
-I'd be rather content with that, grinned Rod while he licked and suckled at my nipples. Nice 'coonie...
-Keep on suckling, and I'll give you a handjob here, I muttered with a smile as I helped him pull down his pants while he kept his muzzle to my areolas. There, stroke the doggie... wow, already?
-Gaaah... sorry, I was pretty tense. Hey, you get down, 'coon-coon....
-Oh, I'm a bit nasty, I protested, I don't think it would be all that great.
-I got a bottle of washing fluid right here, corrected Rod as he reached under the bed and took out a bottle of tequila. Ever tried that?
-The old dog know new tricks to me, I replied. Try me!
-Here goes, he said as he filled his maw with a chug of the drink, then after swishing it a bit, went down on me and slurped it in and out until he got up and spat out the liquid in a corner of the tent. There, sparkling clean, so on to the next phase!
-Tingles too, I stated while he went on with his deed.

Around eight, we were outside the tent, a small band of soldiers the general had picked as our escort for our sortie to the villages, again by helicopter as there were no roads in the region, restraining our options for travel. Our entrance would be better with one of the flying vehicles though mostly as it would serve to quell the villager's fears when they'd see us coming in. After all, even if the Guard didn't have the same common recognition as the FAB, I'm sure they would put it together that their usual nemesis didn't have the resources to field that sort of hardware. Personally, it would be the first time I'd ever fly in a helicopter, though when I stated it to Rod, he assured me that these beasts didn't act like one would normally assume and offered such a smooth, predictable ride that I wouldn't feel any different then if I was on a plane, at worst. I stayed pretty eager though as we mounted and the long ramp pulled up as soon as the two crates of 'goodwill gifts', as our general called them, were strapped down and secured. Though at first the noise of the engines was a lot more intense then I could have expected, rumbling with such power as to make my ears pop even if I was wearing the muffs that the collie had instructed me to, the sensation of lift was pretty much a ramping pull downwards as the ground fell away from us, fading as we lurched to the front ever so little and drifted towards our objective.

My new best friend must have been a magician somehow, managing to grope my butt a few times without any of our escorts noticing, as well as other more gentle touches now and then to keep me on my toes. I didn't want to be too obvious and do the same, especially knowing that it would probably prompt him to pick it up and get more adventurous, nothing that would help our credibility and aura of authority. Though the coy game was fun, it didn't last more then twenty minutes at most, as even if it was warranted to use the helicopter to avoid the impassable jungle, it didn't really have time to strut it's stuff too long before we started our approach on the village. Triple checking that the treeless clearing that we were going to land on was really vacant and not someone's occupied farmland, which wouldn't have put us in a very good position with the local in any way, shape or form, the landing gear compressed into the soft ground. Giving ample time for the blades to slow down, the ramp was deployed and we walked out of the craft to a small crowd of curious bystanders, more or less grouped around one of their own who scanned us carefully until we got our trains of thought together and presented ourselves and our intentions loosely. That first salvo didn't do much more then raise a few eyebrows and get the central figure to call out in a hoarse voice for someone, though the sight of a pretty hippie looking anteater wearing cargo Capri and a long bandana to cover his head, grinning his kind's usual toothless smile, though obviously blown back and relaxed without a care in the world.

-Good morning, the creature said. Pardon the welcome, but I'm the only one who speaks Portuguese here. I'm Benigno, glad to meet you.
-Same here, replied Rod, I'm General Rodney Cavali, this is Isabella, my special advisor here. I was wondering if you had been contacted by anyone these days who would have represented a threat to you, or had harassed you in any way.
-Oh, would that have any relation with the explosions we heard last night here? We thought that maybe we were being invaded or something! I don't want to seem like I last respect for my extended family here, but they had a lot of more fanciful explanations that didn't bring any warmth and comfort to anyone.
-It would have been very inconvenient and risky to advise anyone about our operations here until we had fully engaged our targets, explained Cavali. Sorry for the nocturnal disturbance, but it was the most productive and safest way to go about things.
-Oh, you know, it's just not every day that this sort of thing happens. So, what can we do you for?
-Well, our intent was the opposite, I commented. We have a bit of a welcome wagon for you all coming off the helicopter now, if you're so inclined, with food, meds and that sort of thing.
-Sounds like what I did before, said Benigno as he waved for us to come along with him back to one of nearest houses. I was with Doctors Without Borders for a few years, sort of an ambitious personal project I wanted to do all through college. This was my second assignment, giving polio and infantile disease shots to the younger generation here, and before I knew it, there was another conflict in the country that nailed me down for long enough that I sort of took to the lifestyle.
-Couldn't bring yourself to leave afterwards?
-Nah, laughed the anteater as we sat down and he pulled out a few bags of assorted snacks. Dig in. Yeah, I got so used to here and became really close to the folks, so I decided to ask around if they would mind if I stuck around. They had a vacant lot, where we're sitting, so I put up a roof and everything. Tada, here you are!
-Wild story, Rod. So you're not tempted to take a look back at what you left behind?
-Not in the least, chuckled the long-tongued creature as he reached out with it to grab a few dried termites. You don't get this many little bugs in a downtown loft, do you?
-I don't think so, I replied as I took a handful of the insects. So, backing up a bit, did you have any run-ins with anyone out there that you wouldn't call a friend, even on a bad day?
-I've had to duck once or twice, Benigno shrugged, and so did a few people here. To be honest, it sort of hits me that it's gotten a bit worst lately... you wouldn't mind maybe, you know, watching our backs until things go back to status quo?
-Indirectly - and I'll admit it - that was sort of one of our ideas when we came here, Rod nodded. We'll have a company move in closer to here, sweep the area and run close patrols.
-Yay, the anteater grinned again, looking at me with a corner smile before he pulled his lower lip a bit. Wonder what it's like not to have any pearly whites, Isabella?
-I have to say so, but sorry for staring.
-Naw, naw. Hey, I got a few good jokes about that, but I'll just tell you the best ones...

 The conversation broke into an even more informal form, really putting Rod in a strange spot, not being able to keep up his stone-faced front with the honestly more then hardcore humor that our long-nosed bud was pulling out of his bag. For my part, I didn't even try to stay on any level above the general less-then-tasteful words, going down into my own pretty respectable repertoire. Having been around more woody or at least rustic types on the farm, I had registered enough piss-poop-cock-pussy puns to literally drop Benigno from his seat, bent over on the ground crying from the cramps he'd gotten from the primal yuks. Heck, even Rod looked at me almost paralyzed from the realization that sort of talk could leave my muzzle, but he sort of returned to his normal happy self when the anteater got back up and tried to turn to more neutral topics like the layout of the other villages and inhabitations in the area, as well all the sightings of strangers or downright bandits he could remember having heard about, even bringing in a few people he knew to fill in the blanks, translating for us. Though to me it was sort of a killjoy to lose my audience, but from the pat on the lower back I got from the collie, it was probably more on topic considering the fact that we were on the clock, darn it all. With the two pretty busy with their more, well, boring, discussion, I decided to wander off for a bit and see what was going on elsewhere to entertain myself.

The air was just slightly cooler then down at the delta, at certainly a few measures less humid, for obvious reasons, even with the sun tucked behind a increasingly cloudy sky, of a tone of gray that told of rain, soon. The air crew didn't seem to care about the incoming precipitation, the majority of them apparently doing a few maintenance operations in the cargo hold, nor did our escort that had traded their guns for brute force as they helped unload the supplies into various buildings as they were indicated to. With so much going on around me, I must have looked like a senile old woman sitting on a rock right outside the village perimeter, staring at the veiled light filtering through the nimbus. I didn't really pay attention as an amazingly old jaguarundi slowly ambled over to look at me before lurching over his ornate spear and looking in the same direction as me. I say it with respect, but the fact remains the cat looked simply ancient, his fur more then thin and even patchy around the knees and elbows and the canines on the left side of his mouth visibly missing. Understanding that he wanted to talk to me, I turned and moved over on the rock, making room for him to sit and waving for him to do so. In a rather elegant stride, he squatted on the stone and looked back at the sky for a moment before speaking.

-You know, usually people here think I'm an old loon to just sit still and gaze at the forest. I guess that whatever I have is contagious, isn't it?
-There are worst ailments then appreciation of nature, I replied. I didn't think anyone else here spoke Portuguese?
-No one that normally speaks a lot, the jaguarundi corrected. If I still count with any sort of precision, I haven't had a reason to for about a week or so.
-Any reason behind that?
-I usually scare people when I do talk, he said with a short laugh that sounded like someone bitch-slapping a parakeet. Are you a practicing catholic?
-Yes, but that doesn't stop me from keeping my eyes and ears open, I said as I pulled in a leg to lean on my knee. Why?
-Well, I'm probably one of the rare if not last people you'll meet who still professes the original beliefs of this fine country. Not everything, of course - I'm sure you can understand. Still, I'm very close to the roots that we grew from, deeper then the tribal traditions that you're likely to observe.
-That's quite the enterprise to dedicate yourself to! If the glory years of that faith are so far behind, is there anything left of it around here?
-If you know where to look, nodded the feline. If you look right over there, aside the ketch in the river, you'll see a rise where the rocks appear to change color. That's a cave right there, where long, long ago, before what some people call this 'Second Genesis', those which lived here gathered to bury their dead. Past it, there's another, where they went to seek the guidance of their elders, something I'm not a privy to here, unfortunately, eh?
-That certainly goes back millennia, at the very least, if the dates indicated in the Eternal Tome are right, I commented. I suppose you've never had the chance to read it?
-No, I haven't. You have to understand that anyone who was here when the Europeans came has a bit of a negative bias. Bah, I suppose I should before I go, just in case I'm wrong, right?
-I'm sure you'll be with us for many a year still...
-Ruis! I'm Ruis, said the cat as he shook my hand. Sorry, I forgot we hadn't met before...
-Isabella, pleasure's mine. Well, here comes the pour...
-Rather, the cat yowled as the rain really started coming down. May I offer you shelter, Isabella? I live right over there.
-Better then getting soakified, I stated as I followed him inside, taking a quick look outside to see the soldiers running with the empty pallet back into the cargo hold, which was sheltered enough from the rain by the helicopter's tail for them to leave open.
-Here, have a broth, the cat offered as he poured both of us a thick porridge from a pot that had been sitting in the fire. You eat meat, I hope?
-Omnivorous as any 'coon, I replied as I took a lap of the hot soup. Oh, this is very nice! You made this?
-No, just one of the younger folk who come by to pay respect to their elders. There are advantages to being old, I suppose. There used to be a few more of us, but time took its grim toll lately.
-I'm sorry to hear that...
-Let's be reasonable, shrugged Ruis, it's the normal way of things. What bothers me most is that there were three of us who used to be students of the old ways. One crossed on two years ago, but the other, a beautiful jaguar queen - my age, mind you - went missing about a week ago. She was in better shape then me, even for seventy-one, and had a bit of a dangerous habit of going off for walks by herself to feel the woods.
-Do you know where she used to walk? We - and by we I mean the Guard and me - will go take a good look for her.
-That would be very kind of you, nodded the jaguarundi as I took out a map Rod had given me and let him draw a little loop that ran about three hundred meters from the village. It took her a while, of course, but who's in a hurry around here?
-I haven't seen anyone rushing, I grinned. I'll get this to my friend the collie as soon as it gets somewhat better outside, because I doubt we could do anything about this with the Amazon basin falling on our heads.
-I'd have to agree, he laughed. You wouldn't be curious about those legends I talked about, would you?
-So happens you hit a delicate spot with that, I grinned. Mind elaborating?
-While you've stuck in here, it's as good a topic to go into as any.

As he'd warned, I had chills up and down my back once in a while from the myths and experiences Ruis exposed, though when I looked at it from a more engaged and interested point of view, I could really get into the who system of belief that he presented, and even gave him a few head-scratchers to think about some of the not so fundamental as more secondary events that he recounted. He'd really been holding back from his fellow creatures, probably because to the neutral observer or more convinced member of another faith, his ideas and stories would have appeared too strange and magical to be taken as true, but spewing them to me, he didn't keep anything back, sprouting all the thoughts and opinions he'd gathered even in his most personal reflections. By the time that we had ran out of words, the rain was nothing but a light mist, as it normally ended in from Ruis' comment on the subject, and I could see Rod stepping out of Benigno's home looking around to try and find me. Seeing that I had been distracted by the collie's appearance and tired from all the excitement he'd worked himself into, the jaguarundi wished me the best of luck as I told him that I should regroup with the dog before he freaked out over my absence.

As I'd thought, he hopped over a puddle to come hug me, humorously apologizing for having to do that sort of work and leaving me out of the fun. I laughed it off, though did go into the subject of the elderly jaguar's disappearance, getting his attention. Apparently, his own meet and greet had gone great and hadn't involved anything of the sort, though admittedly, a single person going AWOL, especially one who wasn't exactly a prevalent, outgoing soul. He called for three troopers to come with us as we went ahead and went to go take a look at the entrance of the wood where she had paced off, just sort of staring at it as if we expected for some sign to tell us to go ahead. There was something, I don't know what, maybe some psychic magnet or some intuition, but the second I made a visual sweep of the treeline, I almost instantly spotted a form squatting in thick bushes, observing us. The last thing I wanted was to spook him and maybe lost the luckiest strike we could have possibly hoped for, hence I simply took a step closer to Rod and hugged him, and while he looked at me with a strange face as if wondering what I was doing, I simply stated what I'd seen and where, snuggling with my back to him so I could stay focused on the intruder. His response was incredibly well thought, simply casually radioing something in code to one of our escorts back at the chopper, then went back to wrapping an arm around me, then giving me a squeeze and peck on the side of my mask, muttering 'good eyes, coonie'. No more then two minutes later, we heard a loud rustle from the bush and a short call before one of our soldiers, a black bear, came shooting out of the green holding a spider monkey in a complete lock, slamming him into the wet, muddy dirt with an almost audible slamming sound effect.

The moment that the ursine had regained complete control of the monkey, we all ran over and pointed everything we had at him so he could understand that basically, he was totally fucked and every ending that he could meet other then that he'd reach by treating us like his new gods would involve some horrible, bloody death. After a long chain of screaming instructions to cooperate and tell us anything we wanted which contained as many insults and lewd comments about any and every aspect of his life as verbs and nouns, we had him completely broken, shaking like a leaf.

-All right bitch, I called as I stuffed the pistol that Rod had given me right into our captive's left eye socket, where the fuck is the jaguar?
-Who..?
-The old jaguar you took from here! Don't fuck with me! I'll turn your head into a meat pie! How many bullets do you think I'll shoot before there's nothing from your shoulders up, eh? Because I'll pop every one I have in this clip into your skull if you don't tell me! Where is she?
-I... I could show you...
-No, you're not going to show me, I said, screaming with a laugh at the offer to screw with him even more, you're going to tell us! Here's a map! Where is it? Point, you bastard son of fucking ass-whore! You're dead, you hear me? You're fucking dead!
-Here, here! Right here, the captive replied, trying to point as precisely to a location on the paper I'd thrown at him.
-Good, now get up and turn around!
-Okay, but - urk!

The monkey went down like a rag as the bear that had tackled him gave him a healthy whack of his rifle's butt over the head, sending him to la-la land. There was no lack of smiles and comedic comments as two creatures dragged the scout back to the helicopter to be registered as a prisoner in a more formal manner, as well as write something we could all agree on as to how he'd gotten that nasty head trauma, not that we had any doubt that Sylvain wouldn't sign something even more creative off when we'd have him looked over. Still, now we had something more serious to look into, for two reasons. First, of course, we had an elderly cat in the hands of people we didn't exactly have much trust in, but second of all, the location that we'd been indicated was just two kilometers away in the line of advance between us and the position of the advancing front the rest of the guard pushing. I didn't chew my words too much as I spoke my mind to Rod, though as it would turn out we'd been operating on the same wavelength.

-If I read this right, then this scout was here to make sure that he and his guys could pass through here soon to escape the advance, I stated. That means they're mobile or nearly mobile, so we'd be better off hitting them before they get gone with that lady of ours.
-We're enough people here to take on any force before a platoon, nodded the collie as he waved to the armed individuals looking at us as if waiting for the word to march out and get the job done. I'm with you on this one, my dear advisor. Captain, let's get a patrol ready to get out there. I want the aircrew and a skeleton guard here to guard the village, ready to repel an incoming assault force in case we miss them. I want proper equipment for Isabella and myself here as well, we'll be going out.
-So, I giggled, I'm a combatant now?
-Welcome to the Seven-Pointed Leaf Commando, the dog said as he helped me put on my gear. Know how to shoot, 'coonie?
-I'm a drug farmer, I said as I pinched a bunch of Rod's whiskers, figure it out. Shall we?

Minutes later, twelve of us were heading down the partly flooded dirt trail, following it until we got about half way around the loop, then cut into the thicket where we could at least walk on grass and undergrowth to avoid getting our paws wet. From there on out, we spread out within a reasonable distance to make sure we both covered as much of the woods as possible while staying close enough that we could concentrate all our firepower anywhere we needed within our line of sight. After the rain and everything, even if the broth that Ruis had given me had been quite nice, I was sort of tired and wouldn't have mind taking a break, so the sooner I was back in a comfy bunk with a collie lying on me and serving as my covers, the happier I'd be. With that sort of grumbling on my mind to keep me busy between glances at Rod's ass, I didn't see the time go by. Out of nowhere, someone on our line gave a whistle that could have been confused for a birdcall to anyone who wasn't paying attention, drawing our focus towards a few tents set around stone blocks rising like some a sort of archeological site, though the people walking around with dangerous hardware clearly didn't place them as any research team.

If they were dedicated to whatever cause they served, they lacked in observation skills and coordination. By the time that one of them spotted us out, we were already ten meters away with our heavier guns ready to turn them into compost. All the previous faults aside, they weren't suicidal, laying down arms and raising their arms in surrender, gathering in a circle at our instruction. Using a side of the ruins as an invisible barrier, we backed them against it with our best standing watch over them, giving us a chance to make a sweep of the tents and surrounding area, turning two more up we gathered alongside their bros, but to our disappointment, no trace of our captive was found. Rod started to lose his optimism for a moment, though he turned it around into questions he put to a select few in the crowd, trying to get a feel for the structure of the group as well to what they were up to. What surfaced in the few and quite brief answers was straight out of the realm of myth Ruis had talked to me into.

As we'd expected, the gathered souls were part of the collective we were chasing out of the land, though they'd been wiser to the fact that staying put and fighting wasn't quite the smartest thing to do and made a run for it. From their talk, the intentions of one of their less rational or at least quite self-deluding friends was to find some ancient power that he could use to either make himself into a deity or direct in a very precise manner as his whim desired. To accomplish that lunatic project, he'd convinced a few of them to help him spy out one of the wiser natives, then nab him and get his cooperation to teach him about whatever spirits he knew about. He turned into she, in the form of the jaguar we were looking for, and he'd personally gone out to nab her and returned with her, going down into a tunnel in the ruins at gunpoint. We hadn't been louder than the usual rumble that had prevailed in the camp, so with luck, the nutcase wouldn't have gotten suspicious enough to turn his rude invitation into a hostage situation, nothing we could have dealt with optimism, alas. While two soldiers kept aim at the tight hole leading into the naturally carved cavern, slightly excavated by tools where needed to keep the diameter constant from what harsh striations we could see cut into the face, Rod and I went in, both stepping slowly as to make the strictest minimum of noise.

As much as I'd like to glorify the end of our descent, it didn't amount to much more then a few seconds of nerve-wrecking insanity. With a few candles and piles of leaves burning around him as if he was going through a ritual of some sort, the last missing member of the nomadic bandits sat, looking right at us as he started yelling some language at us that neither Rod or me could make out as being from a known tongue. As he intensified his act and I saw the old woman we were looking for sitting in a corner of the chamber with her wrists and ankles in cuffs, I gave an object lesson to my collie about how justice is doled out in the woods, raising my pistol at the loon and putting three through his upper chest, smacking him to the ground in shock. I heard a huff of breath from the dog until I turned around and looked at him, whereupon he just gave a few giggles and patted my back before going on to spring the spotted cat. While he talked to her, thankfully finding her reasonable versed in Portuguese, I went over the body to try and locate keys or something he could have used to operate the restraints, tossing a few such things at Rod which he tried in succession until we'd unlocked both sets and the lady had pulled her hands and feet out of the cloth bags that had been placed over them before the metal cuffs had been installed. The quick flex of her claws she gave to test the freedom of movement she'd regained reminded us why they'd been placed on her, and a quick comment about it broke the silence that had stayed in effect since I'd plugged her kidnapper.

-No matter what age a cat has, you always have to remember they have claws!
-True, though the force behind them changes, she stated. Don't worry; if you check his right shoulder, you'll see I did my kind proud before he put me in those sacks.
-Not bad, Rod grinned as he rolled the body over with his paw to see bloody claw marks cut into its skin and flesh. What was going on here?
-Nothing of any importance, the woman replied. He wanted some sort of magic revelation that would make him more powerful then anything that walks the world, but he didn't seem to understand that I didn't know anything like that. Don't ask me why, he was convinced that I wasn't being honest and brought me down here so he could question me more, though the moment I started talking just the most disjointed, bizarre nonsense I could come up with, he started paying attention. I talked him into participating in a bunch of stupid ceremonies that I just made up, and he bought it without a single question. Good thing you shot him, I was running out of ideas.
-Did he treat you well though?
-Like some sort of holy shaman, yes. Still, no matter how well he did, I still wasn't free, so it didn't quite make up for that reality. While we're on that topic...
-Let's get back topside, I nodded. Are you okay to walk it?
-Oh yes, no problem. I'm fitter then I look! Just don't go running if you want me to keep up, though.
-We certainly won't, I said. Your wrists and ankles are okay?
-Oh, I'll tell you that later, probably nothing much. Us predators are made tough, right, collie?
-Between the two of us, I'm pretty sure there was a lot more design effort put in you, Rod said as he took the cat's arm. What can we call you, madam?
-Clara, she replied. Ah, steep slope, isn't it..?

The general radioed ahead to tell the guys on the surface to stand down and prepare to move out the whole party back to the chopper, as well as press for faster advance from the line to cover out present position as soon as possible and insure that any further stragglers would get caught before they could make their move. The return with as many prisoners was a real trick, positioning ourselves like herders to control the group, Rod, Clara and myself keeping to the back, both to have a better track of all that was going on, as well as indirectly set the pace to what the jaguar could give us. We couldn't have been luckier, getting to camp right as sunlight started fading, arranging our guests in two lines to process them, getting full identification kits for each one of them and keeping them isolated from their scout to make sure that we got an unbiased and honest story from them. Once they were all back onboard, we sent the craft as a prisoner transport to free our charge, as well as finish the complement for a first full shipment back to the city. Even without the aircrew, we would be more then capable of keeping the village safe.

While Rod was back with his to arrange the watch cycles and night patrols, I showed Clara back home, passing in front of Ruis. As we walked closer, the jaguarondi came out of his place, leaning against the doorframe with a wide grin. The older woman's reaction was the same, coming over to give the black cat a hug, then a long kiss as she held him in a sweet embrace. I almost felt like dropping a few tears, thinking of how in another life, I could have been holding... well, that was hopeless, and I'll skip the rest of my tirade. Turning to Rod and exchanging a wave took the shadows of regret away, leaving me free to be purely happy for the two cats, sharing a few laughs with them before they politely retired to go onto things that probably would be better left between the walls they were committed in. With everything back in place for the day, I returned to the tents to set up a bunk for the night, whispering in passing to my collie that I was expecting him to be in top form later.

(Switch to Sylvain)

For just a handful of hours, I couldn't believe everything that I'd thrown myself through. First, the troops had almost lined up to get their medicals, which they assumed would be done with a bit more tolerance then back at the base, though to their surprise, I wasn't any less demanding then Red and her crew, somewhat diminishing the flow after a while when word went around that there was nothing to gain by slipping off duty to get their works from Marianna and me. When that fun-filled activity had gone away, my doggie girl took over, sitting me down with her for supper at the medical facility's mess hall. That had been the bait, of course, and the hook was that she wanted to start her more formal medical education during the afternoon if we weren't too busy. Fate worked to her advantage, as always, and we didn't have a single customer for three straight hours, then just a light trickle after that. I hadn't packed any course books or anything from the hospital's library, leaving me without that much to go on to give her a proper lesson. There to save my puffy-tailed butt was the fact that I was pretty decent in drawing, so after having gathered enough stationary to last me the time it would take for our shift to come to a close, we went into general anatomy. I didn't expect for Marianna to really be as absorbed as she proved to be, mostly because the three courses on the subject that I'd taken during my university years had been mostly spent in dreamland, but she was just ablaze with questions about almost everything I presented to her.

As much as I loved and cherished the chance to be her doorway into my profession, I was spent and dry of mouth by the time five o'clock was struck by the clock, ready to hang up my stuff for the day and give my eyes a rest. Rest wouldn't come though, as a radio report came in over the interphone informing us that a shipment of detainees was coming in and might require medical attention, hence we should stay put and get ready for their arrival. The collie looked like she could have gone two days straight in the med tent, but I was seriously getting to the point where I could just as easily fall flat on my face during a review then just make a stupid mistake out of exhaustion. Rather than roll the dice and risk hitting one of those scenarios, I called in two platoon medics and just sat with Marianna to supervise, ready to give an opinion or advice in case it was needed. We had it pretty easy as the troupe of soon-to-be inmates came in, none of them really sporting anything we needed to bother with, save for one of them that one of the soldiers warned me personally that they'd given a good bonk to keep him under control. His air was that of worry until I got up and gave him a smile, pacing over to see what was up. The reputation of the Hippocratic Oath had touched the monkey I was to discretely review at some point, and he automatically started going on about what he'd been subjected to, but to be honest, after the stories I'd heard throughout the day about what our guys had been through because of his ilk, I couldn't have cared much less. After having stood by and waited for him to finish, I started my examination, not finding much more than a bit of a bruise that I could see had been caused by a blunt object (rifle handle, heh), nothing that couldn't heal after a few days.

-You'll file that I was attacked, won't you? I mean I'll need something when I'll tell...
-Listen, between you and me, you didn't choose the right way to go in life, and now you're here. You're alive, which is more then we can say for the vast majority of your former colleagues, so take the licks you got as a reminder that you'd better straighten your shit out when you'll be in jail.
-But you can't just write that I'm fine! I got knocked out!
-Oh well I suppose that I'd better give you a much more in depth examination, I commented as I turned to Marianna, who was just about to burst out laughing as she saw me working this fellow up. Marianna, can you get me an enema bag, two anal syringes, a blood sample kit, two ocular cups and an iodine marker kit?
-Right on it, the collie said as she turned to dig into our supplies as if she was getting everything I'd listed.
-Do you really need all that?
-Maybe, maybe not, but if you want me to completely document everything that you perhaps were subjected to... are you getting my point..?
-Fine, I do.
-Take it like a man, I sneered with a grin before signing off the papers. Handle the others, please, corporal...

With that case, dead silence and jungle noises returned to take over from the rumble that had polluted our ears. My only comment to Marianna was a grunt when I decided to ask her if she wanted to turn in, and just as verbose, she turned to look at me and licked my face with a giggle. That by itself warranted a proper riposte, so picking her up, I carried her in a quick jog out of the tent to our nook, then plopped her on the bed before putting up the 'piss off, brain surgery in progress' sign I'd drawn during our slow shift. Just those few seconds was enough for her to take off her dress and top, sitting with her hand laced behind her head in a classic pinup stance. A couple of chuckles later, I was out of my uniform, making the hell out with her, more or less forgetting the fact there was only a layer of plasticized fabric between us and the rest of the world. Well, we'd sure find out that was so shortly.

We'd basically just fooled around for a bit to get it out of our systems, nothing more, not wanting to go too far or anything somewhere that too many people could see us. After having set ourselves straight and let our emotions get back under control, we both felt a certain beckoning from the jungle, both because the thermometer (and hydrometer, to be frank) hadn't dropped a single measure and even in our skivvies, we'd still felt too hot to be able to sleep comfortably. Seeing how the lines were now far away and we still had enough energy to walk for a while, we got up and walked out of the tent, though to my dismay, such was my initial reaction, we almost ran straight into Rod and Isabella, who had been lingering at a makeshift table near the tents. The fur on the back of my neck almost went on end as every possible sequence of events which could ensue was processed by my brain, though the look the general had wasn't one that I could really understand if our discovery just now would have been a surprise. Totally casually, he motioned for us to come sit with him and the raccoon, changing to a grin as he saw how we were acting like two kids that had been caught playing house or something along those lines. The question of breaking the ice was quickly answered as he manifested that he'd decided to get another flight to pick his group up instead of spending the night too far from his command post.

-I thought that seeing how there's still action out there, it would be better if I stick around in a position to manage the dance should the need arise for me to take a more active role.
-We found action here too, though, Isabella said as she smiled at us.
-Rod, General, I started in the most serious tone I could hold, we're...
-Sylvain, take it easy, the man reassured as he took my hand and his daughter's, then placed them together. I've known since you left the hospital. Before you go nuts on me, either of you, I think it's great that you're so happy together, in such great company. You're a great team, great friends, everything I could have prayed for Marianna to find one day.
-So dad, you're not...
-I'm staying out of it, laughed Rod, it's your couple life. Anyway, I'm a bit busy these days to look into that, eh Isabella?
-Quite so, the 'coon said as she ran a claw along his chin. Now, weren't we going for ice cream cups at the cantina, Rod?
-Yep! You two want to come?
-I hope they still have caramel, Marianna commented with a smirk as she pulled me along with her.

After we'd picked up our meals at the counter and sat down to eat, I cleverly worked Rod into telling me what his ulterior motives for bringing Marianna out with us, getting enough clues here and there to infer that what he'd thought, aside from the fact that it would supply his daughter with a free vacation, it also allowed for her and me to stay together for the time it lasted. Other then that, although he'd built a certain conviction in his theories about us being close, he'd hoped to get a better confirmation about it before he'd blurt out something that could have insulted us.

-I suppose that I could have said something earlier, started the collie, but I didn't want to embarrass anyone. You were the one who'd stated your strong views on patient-doctor relationships and though it's perfectly clear to me that this isn't what it limits itself to, you might have taken it the wrong way.
-Well all I can say is that I sincerely hope that it won't affect our friendship, I commented. I know what you said too, but-
-Don't flop an ear over that, chuckled Rod. Are you going to eat that meatball?
-Rabbit, I said as I pointed to myself. I just wanted the salad and veggies that came with it.
-I'll trade you for mine, Marianna cut before swapping our plates. Meeeeatbaaall!
-Careful not to thin my little girl by just keeping greens in the fridge, winked the general.
-I've always ate plenty of those for my coat, my collie girl rebuked, fluffing her collar fur. Yours would shine more too if you ate your share!
-I'll make sure he eats his broccoli, prodded Isabella.
-Sticking together, then?
-Well, sighed the raccoon as she took Rod's paw in hers, we talked on the way here, and I think that it's time that I move on from the farm. My son runs it better than me, and to be plain, he onlt has great memories there while I... well, it's hard sometimes to live in that house, I'm sure you can understand.
-I invited Isabella to move in, continued the collie. Now I know that it's an adjustment, Marianna, but you have to see how I feel, without someone to hold this way.
-Oh dad, I do, replied the girl while snuggling into me. I really want you to be happy. You too, Isabella.
-Strange backgrounds on this diagonal, I said as I drew a line between the 'coon and me, straight and proper on the other.
-We'll fit together fine, grinned Isabella. Either that or we'll turn these two for the worst.
-Speaking of which, hummed Rod, and weedarillos left, 'coonie?

The command tent progressively turned into a party shack as the night went on, an occasional wisp of smoke leaving it while we did a number on the remainder of the raccoon's stash and Rod's liquor. Oddly enough, there were a few important calls during the night to start the final wave of operations to secure the mission area in a sustainable way, trapping the last of the combatants and making sure that a sufficiently small number of them got away that it really didn't matter on the long run, and the general made what would turn out to be the perfect calls, getting nothing but perfect reports as his orders were executed. With a few laughs about the relaxing properties of Isabella's crop, we started dropping like flies, the 'coon lying on her back with her head and shoulders between Rod's legs, using his stomach as a pillow, and myself passed out on the table holding an empty bottle of rum with Marianna's tits mashed in my face as she slept, half her legs hanging off the edge of the surface. I've had much worst nights, and the refreshing haze was smooth as a cloud to float around on.

The blizzard of generalized pollution lifted as good old Sol blared down at us through the open tent flap, then saw us wobble however we could manage to the cantina for tomato juice and Tabasco sauce shots to set things straight. Rod and Marianna didn't look too bad with three rounds of the healing mix in them, and with my well-trained metabolism, I was probably the most lucid of us. Sweet Marianna, on the contrary, was a rag doll, pretty much depending on me to lug her around and speak her mind like a sock puppet. Seeing that and as well as the realization that we were just a few hours away from a 'mission successful' declaration on her father's part due to the astounding and decisive victories that our forces had marked during the night, I split off with her at the first chance I had and in the hospital tent, I set her up in one of the long chairs normally used for blood transfusions, tucking her in with a light cover and a fan to give her air. With such a perfect nest, she didn't last long, going back to sleep after a few silent minutes while I picked up the pace with our clients to compensate for the fact I didn't have a nurse to second me and the field medics were our with their guys on patrol.

Right on schedule the general came in with his 'coonie to tell me that he'd reported back to his superiors that the police action in the region had accomplished all the expected objectives and our priorities were not to keep watch over our gains to make certain that we hadn't missed anything.

-We have a lot of possibilities for more trouble to come our way if we don't lay down a plan to permanently secure what we've cleared, the collie started as he sat down aside Marianna and stroked her mane. Still a bit rough, honey?
-Actually, I'm pretty good, I was just acting a bit to keep my bunny's attention, she smirked. Sorry, Sylvain, but I was really tired.
-No apologies necessary, I laughed as I kissed her on the cheek. I take for granted that you already getting things in motion for our friendly farmers to start taking over their nasty neighbor's yards?
-I've been on that, said Hermane as he walked in with Edwina. Good morning everyone!
-Jeeze, we certainly didn't see much of you in the last few days, said Isabella. Where have you two been hiding?
-Our office, smiled the jackal. You see, with all that great hookah to toot out there, we started calling around to see if we could... expand our exportation routes? The Tunel Preto, or more specifically Miguel, gave us a whack yesterday and we've been setting up better transportation for us to be more or less a distribution port as well as our usual pharma maniacs.
-We'll build a better dock suited for more then one boat at a time, then buy up a flotilla of three to four ships be make sure that we have the volume to ship crops.
-A field takes more room then you'd ever guess, smiled Isabella. As long as you carry cut and packed bundles rather then straight loose leaf, then you'd be in much better form. Same for cocaine, though I suppose you've already discussed the possibility to import larger quantities of acid through your suppliers to distribute locally?
-And here we have another reason for having someone in the profession to give us input we could hardly get off the web, laughed Hermane.
-So, Edwina picked up, how much longer will we have you with us, Rod?
-Not much, the general replied. I'm afraid that as soon as the message about the end of the mission here hits the right desks back home, the force here will be halved and the command will be handed over to a commander below me. Not wanting to sound self-important, but generals are few and the Guard keeps them close as possible.
-And with you, your best doc, Isabella added as she took a quick swipe at my whiskers.
-We're probably talking tomorrow or the day after. I know it's a bit sudden, but things go fast in this line of work when there isn't an astounding budget to work with. I know you're able to buy and sell freely, amigos, but we deal with the public dime, and they're pretty whiny about entire regiments hanging out in the jungle when their interests have already been served. Hey, here's one I know that you might not; how much do you think my guys and me cost to be here a day?
-Fifty thousand, pitched Marianna.
-Ten times that, smiled the collie as he hugged his daughter. Anyway, it's peanuts compared to the cash flows you're bathing in.
-Got it there, nodded the otter. Still, I don't think we're that distinct now, Rod. You know that we're here to help, if there's anything that you need and your superiors can't procure you with, you have another number to call.
-And if you ever have trouble here you can't face down, give me a ring, the collie replied.

Rod and Isabella left to start packing up the members of the force who'd be pulling back home, leaving me to talk with the two locals. Hermane couldn't help but talk on a bit about the medicine that we normally bought from them at the hospital, commenting that it was funny that his remarks about the working relation between the two parties on station around us.

-Now tell me, Sylvain, the otter chuckled as he helped himself to a chair and pulled it up to the desk I was sitting at where does the Guard end and we begin?
-We have uniforms, I giggled as I handed him a bottle of apple juice. By the way, how would you handle doubling our order of Darvasets?
-No problem at all. Painkillers getting pretty popular these days?
-Just one of those times of the year, I shrugged. To answer what I know is coming up, no, I'm not using them. Other then the joints last night an in recent history due to our gentle 'coon, there's been nothing going into this bunny. I have a witness for about ninety percent of my life here, but she doesn't cooperate during cross-interrogation.
-Arf, called Marianna as she leaned on me and clawed at the air.
-Then I'll take your word, Hermane grinned. Red's not too hard a boss to serve?
-Boss? I suppose you could call her that, being chief officer, but I'm free to roam. She's way too busy to play that sort of game with me, especially since she became a mommy. Well, soon to be, in a few months.
-There's no surprise, Edwina hummed, busy old Carlos! Don't look at me though, we're too dissimilar genetically. I don't care though. Don't you have anything to pack to go? Not that I'm pushing you in the back, but I just see everyone else out there hustling.
-Oh, we just have the files in those boxes to carry, Marianna pointed.
-Ah, then I'll get your supplies for the month ready, offered Hermane. No use wasting a trip to idle hands, is there? I'll pack some extras along too, you know, jackets? Not inventoried of course, personal use.
-We'll have to give those a try, I snickered as I rubbed my collie's back and she put one of my ears in her maw.
-Bunny lunch, she mumbled as she nibbled at me.

By noon, the firebase we'd set up in the wilds was packed snug in the belly of a transport chopper, along with all non-essential equipment and supplies the division that would stand guard in the region wouldn't have any need for. Rod had called up and rushed the powers above to get the mission orders drafted for his replacement, rife with loopholes to allow the flexibility required to maintain the good relations with the drug farmers. On their part, the latter hadn't let a second pass between having been advised of their ownership of the liberated land and getting comfortable there, burning old hovels their predecessors had left behind and rebuild while the sounds of machinery phased into the symphony of the forest as their fields expanded. The gentle general's push for rapid relocation had a bit of a problem vis-à-vis planning or lodgings for what would have been our last night in the jungle, as the 'extra tents', or rather ours, had already been dutifully returned into their boxes and loaded, hence we, as in around a hundred and something souls, didn't have a roof, and even if they had a good heart, our hosts didn't have the room to house us. As a consequence - or solution - we changed our departure to lift off at eight, set for a night flight back home.

The rush to get everything ready to meet that, not absolutely in terms of physically wrapping things but rather clinically, handing over cases to the medics who were taking over for us was enough to drain Marianna and me, pulling us along for the rest of the time before takeoff. I couldn't help but sit down in one of the corners of the cargo bay with our boxes aside us and give a long, loud sigh, but Marianna's own reply wasn't much different, lying down as to take two and a half seats to lie down with her head on my lap. We were lucky in that we were taking all the choppers back to base, though with just a fraction of the original passengers, the extra room was there for her to stay as she was, whining with a smile until she fell asleep while I stroked her hair and mane, even when we took off, gentler still then when we'd first make the run. I didn't last either, going out for all but the last leg, but certainly appreciated the chance to have plain, dreamless, restful sleep to let my mind refocus.

It was nice to see the base come up in the portholes, smiles and a few cheers coming from our fellow passengers as we went down, probably a bit faster then the pilot and copilot should have, though seeing the general tension that we'd all been under, they were in just as much a hurry then us to get back in their own beds and look back at the episode with rested eyes. With the task of waking Marianna softly enough and peeling her off me, we were the last out of our ride, walking out to find Rod and Isabella from the craft to our right waiting for us.

-Hey you two, called Rod. We were just going to go back home right away but, err...
-Sylvain, coughed Isabella before leaning over to talk to me, would it be a bit thing for you to put up Marianna tonight? Rod and me...
-It's okay, I get it, I replied. Marianna, how about we head over somewhere for supper? I don't know about you, but I could go for something warm, rich and ridiculously sweet right now. Nothing against Hermane and Edwina's cooks back there, but I need a little more once in a while.
-And unless you want to find me catching up on my protein by gnawing on your leg sometime, it might be something I'd be up for that sort of plan too. You wouldn't mind, dad?
-Nah, go ahead.

Without bothering to change out of our garb, we both took off in a beeline for a sushi bar we'd gone to a few times already, one of the only places where they didn't card the collie before serving us decanters of sake. As in those occasions, we walked in and ordered plate after plate of the tasty pieces of art, paying as we went as long as they were able to provide us with something to wash them down, so to speak. Four servings later, we were leaning into each other and putting rice yummies into each other's mouths, pretty much gone. I didn't even count the bills I put in the table to settle the remainder of the bill and the tip, though I'd later realize that I put around three times the price of the rest of the meal, albeit we'd get more then enough freebies on later dates to make up for it. That was the furthest thing from my mind at the moment, with Marianna hanging off my arm and whispering comments and suggestions to me that I doubt her father would have heard without objecting to. Maybe it was the drink that had hit me harder then I'd thought and shaken loose my reason, but before we'd made it to my place, I'd already kissed her a few times, which, for all means and purposes, would have been more then any policeman would have needed to put me in jail just a short while ago. If there were any strange, reproaching stares though, I didn't see them, and no sooner then we'd gone in and whipped off our boots were we on my couch making out.

I can't say that the collie had much patience when we were together for any sort of long, sensual culminating relations. Rather then that, she went right to the point as soon as conveniently possible, so before touching anything above her belt, she'd undone the latter and cast off her clothes from the waist down. I copied her hurried preparations, and since I'd been sporting a massive, almost painful bone from the second we'd left our table at the restaurant and she'd worked herself up with her colourful language, she did short work of holding my rod up and hopping on, literally, almost knocking the wind out of me. From there, as I lost sight of my unit in the mop of white fur Marianna had between her legs, I just opened my shirt and held her loins while she finally got to work on the rest of her clothes, her nimble fingers having the hardest time getting a good hold of her buttons. Things just degenerated from there, going from a still somewhat civilized display of affection to two horny monsters who'd been holding off turning on the gas full throttle for too many days, a indiscernible mass of grey, white and amber fur in pretty high amplitude movement as I held Marianna's breasts in my face and went to town in her goods, taking the occasional breather to bite and nibble at her fur and nipples and keep us from going into cardiovascular arrest. An hour later, there was enough vaginal and seminal contributions on the couch to get positive identifications on both of us in even the most incompetent forensic lab in the world, and we'd migrated to the bed, downgrading our activities to cuddling and snuggling under the thick covers.

Though we fell asleep for a few hours, I roused around the middle of the night for some reason, nothing I could blame on a certain sudden movement or anything. Marianna was fast asleep, but had rolled off of me to rest on the other side of the bed, giving me the option to get up for a glass of water to recover from the awakening. Folding back the covers, I hopped to my paws and walked to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and pouring myself a cold one. As I sat at the table and put the half-drank thing down and looked out to the night, glaring in as I hadn't turned on any lights in the house, I realized what had kicked me back to consciousness. The actual realization of the routine that I'd built with my collie had crept up stronger then before, really taking a pretty solid hold of my soul. If I was going to start a life with her, it would require for me to be ready to stay in the shadows with her for three more years, at least, and to understand that for a while, I would double as her mentor, at least until she graduated with the medical degree she seemed to want. I didn't want to disappoint her but her hands weren't those of a surgeon, as I'd seen her handle instruments back in the field way to hesitantly and unsteadily to be trusted with a life on an operating table. As a nurse though, she'd already proven herself, and I didn't have any doubt in my mind she would make herself proud.

My thoughtful trance had intensified so much that hearing a creaking of the floor near the doorway made me jump with a squeak before I realized it was Marianna, looking in at me with a questioning look. Pointing to the glass I had, she grunted and went to get herself the same, then sat aside me, transfixing probably the same light that I had been attracted to. Coughing to try and clear my throat to talk, I finally voiced an apology for having woken her up.

-I just had to get something, my mouth was dry, I explained. I didn't realize that I might...
-Oh no, I just had to go to the washroom, corrected the dog. It must have been the food or something, but I felt a bit off.
-Cramps?
-Hmm, yeah, cramps. It's still a bit tight here, but I suppose that'll pass. You know, I'm a bit worried, though.
-About what?
-Well, you know we've been sleeping together since I got out of my cast and since, I haven't gotten my period. I don't want to sound like it's something I'm sure about at a hundred percent, but for six weeks, it's a bit strange for me. I'm pretty regular, on the twentieth of the month.
-So you're implying that you might be pregnant, I resumed as I took her hand.
-I think... I think that might be it, nodded Marianna. I'd like to be sure, but right now...
-Take it easy, and I'll be back in a wink, I stated before rushing off to put a coat on and leave for the corner pharmacy.

I was in luck to have such a nice, very complete store close by my home, helping me a great deal when I needed some personal item or small groceries that I'd forgotten to fetch elsewhere, though my thoughts were a lot more direct as I went for the back desk and asked for a testing kit, getting a smile and some kind advice from the pharmacist. After a short laugh after I'd pulled out my medical licence card to prove that I knew what I was doing just as well, I paid for the item and rushed out, making my door in what seemed like seconds. Marianna hadn't left the kitchen, but as I waved the kit, she got up and followed me to the washroom to get it underway. As awkward as she felt doing so, I had her take a leak in the mouth rinse cup, promising to wash it before she'd ever have to use it again, then put the tester unit in the fluid as the instructions required us to. The longest ten minutes of our lives later, the collie slowly reached over, took the end of the unit and pulled it out, closing her eyes until she'd given a long whine and shooting them open, saw the same full pattern on the tab that I did. Her next reaction was to grab the kit's manual and check it for herself, then put both down on the counter and gave me a hug.

-So I was right, she sighed. What are we going to do? Do you think that we could... we could pull it off?
-You're still a bit young, I said as I started feeling the collie's pelvis, but you're mature enough that I don't think there would be any physiological issues that would make it impossible. Mind you, you'd be spending a lot of time under my more professional supervision, just to make sure that everything is really okay.
-And then comes dad...
-Yeah, I muttered, there's that. I don't know how he'd take it. Even if he take it well that we're together, having children might be a stretch to ask for.
-Tell you what, Sylvain, Marianna called as she turned her panties back right and slapped her elastic. The sooner we let him know, we'll have it off our mind. He sort of knows we're doing the nasty anyway, so if we slipped into the deep end then it's just the way of the world.
-Tomorrow morning? Over the eggs?
-Just be there to hold my hand, eh bunny?
-I'll hold more then that, I giggled as I lifted her into my arms and carried her back to the bedroom and tucked her in. Goodnight, puppy girl.
-Goodnight, bunny.

We woke up a bit later then the pair of us were used to, but since I had been out on mission the previous day, I was off the books, so there was no clock ticking in wait for me. As for Marianna, her learn-at-home modules from school were over for the year until another month and a half, hence she didn't have a thing to hold her back save for her imagination till then. Still, the talk we projected to have with Rod had to happen and after a quick call to him to see if he and his 'coonie were hungry, we headed out to a place down the street from the base. The collie and I walked with our odd hands wrapped around the other, just parting enough to fit through the doors of the restaurant. Two rounds of coffee later and just as much shoeless footsie play, our two fellow creatures came in, both still sort of smelling like love, so to say. Rod gave a funny yelp and grunt as he sat down and Isabella bumped into him with a grin and her tongue out, but laughed it off as he ordered a mixed grill plate.

-So, I said with a nod, you're both good this morning?
-Right as rain, replied Rod. The first night after a bit return like this just knocks you on your ass. And you two lovebirds? Keeping warm, eh?
-Toasty, Marianna replied. Actually, there's something about that I - we - wanted to tell you. Dad, I'm pregnant.
-Can't say I didn't expect it, grinned the general. A bit sooner then I would've thought... he is yours, right Sylvain?
-The time's right, I said. I don't know how to say it, but...
-You've already said you love my little Marianna, sighed Rod as his smile grew, and that's all I you needed to say. Now, more seriously speaking, it might be better if we keep it to ourselves. After you're officially parents, the exact time frame in which you'd have done the boogie might go under the carpet. I'll be nice to have a bigger family now, eh honey?
-Uh-huh! Not missing the forest too much, Isabella?
-Haven't seen time fly by, shrugged the 'coon. Probably won't for a while, though the idea of this being a retirement isn't really doing all that I thought it would for me. I'll go take a look around town for something for an uneducated old girl to call work.
-No you won't, I hummed.
-Is that so, she frowned with a giggle before reaching over and poking my nose. Why wouldn't I, mister bunny?
-Simply because we're short one receptionist at the hospital, and I suspect that Rod wouldn't mind seeing his 'coonie when he walks by to go to the north block offices.
-Coonie breaks will be installed, the collie yelped as he pulled Isabella against him and licked her nose. Coon coon!

The cute scene almost repeated an hour later as we went to the military compound, pretty much all having a hoot since we were all out of uniform, going as casual as we could. Only our badge passes gave us away as we entered the hospital building, though in my case, I could hardly go incognito and I counted at least ten other practicing professionals who came to ask me for opinions on their cases or just see how I'd fared far from home. Through that wild fray, we crawled to the offices where as usual, Red was sitting at her desk, albeit her work was getting a break while Carlos was playing with her hair and nuzzling her eye patches. Both of them laughed hard when they saw us walk in, settling down from their romantic interlude to welcome us.

-Now why would you all be here today? Isn't this your post-mission today?
-We had something we needed to do, I replied to Red. Is the reception posting still open?
-The paper's getting yellow, joked the red panda as she took out the folder on the post and passed it across to us. All right, let me guess; you found a taker?
-Yep.
-Then considering all of you except Marianna and this good racoon here already work here, it cuts it down. I don't think that you're about to quit school to go into the job market yet, collie, so...
-I'm Isabella Delacruz, the woman said as she shook Red's paw. I owned and operated a large farm in the region these good people visited, so running PR and paperwork is something I know darned well.
-She comes with good references, Carlos smirked as he spotted Cavali's hand wandering on Isabella and resumed playing with Red's hair. Thinking like me, panda?
-Welcome to work, Isabella, she nodded. You passed by your desk when you came in, but let me show you there. You're fast on the keys?
-Ah, well, I'm decent, but-
-Just kidding, it's a slow-paced job. At least now we've got the majority as procyonidae here, eh Carlos?
-Just an olingo short of a full deck, plus our soon to be! You collies better get ready to have long round tails zipping all over!
-Well, we're on the right track, giggled Marianna.
-What? How?
-Wait and see, good coati, I said as I hugged my collie girl, wait and see...