what and who are you?” She asked. The fox smiled, “My mother dubbed Charlie when I was seconds old, I am known by man as a red fox, as for my place of birth, it was and always will be here, may ask what breed for canine you are?” he asked.  “I am a dog, a breed known as a beagle,” she answered. Charlie moved close to her and sat, curling his tail around his legs. “So what brings to my neck of the woods dear Sasha?” he asked, her ears fell at the reminder of her family came to her,” Actually Charlie, I think I’m lost,” she admitted. Charlie moved close enough to feel the hairs of her back against his paws. Sasha stood and moved to face him, she sat placing her tail between her legs still very aware she was in heat. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, I can get you home, I know this forest like the fleas on my back just tell me where you live,” he said. Sasha sighed, “That’s the thing, I don’t live in the forest, I live with humans, a girl her parents and my cat Patches,” she said. Charlie sighed this time, “I was afraid you’d say that, I should have noticed when I saw that collar and I.D. tag hanging from your neck, Sasha your in heat and I know for a fact the closest things they have for males in that town are the cats that wonder around there. Stay with me, I’ll relive your pain, give you the children I know you so deeply want and deserve,” Charlie pleaded. Sasha shifted in her seat, Charlie had a point, this could be her only choice to become a mother and part of her, much of didn’t want to give up that chance, but she also knew how much her girl loved her and would be looking for her, that her best friend, her sister had left. “We’ve only just met Charlie, I don’t even know you, besides, my girl needs me she has never been that social with her own kind, I’ve seen them, they growl and attack her except for two of them, the cat and I are all she’s got,” Sasha said. “Your human will forget you, she will move on after a while, she will buy another dog and have a replacement you, I’ve seen it happen every time, your human will be no different,” Charlie said. Sasha growled, although she knew her girl admired wolves but not enough to replace her, never enough to replace her, “My girl loves me, she cares for me and in return asks only for my friendship and love, I live the life others envy and one you cannot understand it is freedom,” she said. Charlie walked up beside her, “You have not lived until you have experienced my life you are not free until you’ve lived life like a fox,” he whispered. Sasha grinned mischievously, “One day Charlie, I’ll give you one day but at its end you will lead me back home,” she demanded. “A fine deal one that I’ll gladly take but at its end, should you love my life take my offer and be my mate,”  he said. Sasha laughed and nuzzled Charlie, “We’ll see my clever fox either way I cannot stay here,” she said as she licked his nose. He smiled, knowing she liked him and for now, that was enough for him, “Tonight we sleep soundly in the den side by side, rain is on its way,” he said, Sasha smelled the dew in the air, the scent told her there would be a storm some time tonight and much of the next day, she wondered if they’d be able to find their way back to town in spite of it.

Rain indeed greeted them that morning and yet to our young beagle’s surprise, Charlie did not retreat to the safety of his den. As he woke hunger struck him, causing him to head out in search of food. “Hold on,” Sasha said as she stare out at the storm. “What’s wrong, aren’t you house pets used to a little rain?” Charlie joked. “No, I don’t like the feeling of rain or snow falling on my back between the thunder and the tingling of the snow/rain, it brings back horrible old memories of my past owner,” she said. Charlie sat beside her and cocked his head, Sasha sighed, “Before my girl there was this guy my first owner gave me to, he mistreated me, leaving me on the fire escape daily, feeding me nothing but scraps of stuff he’d eaten, it was disgusting and degrading. When my family found me, they took me in with loving arms, I was no more then 6months and instead of treating me like an object, I was family even the cat was nice to me, my girl is lazy sometimes and sometimes doesn’t want to walk me but, she’s saved me from more pit bulls and rott weilers then I know what to do with,” she said. Charlie’s ears fell to the side, “Very well then our agreement is postponed until tomorrow, but I still need to go and hunt less we’ll starve,” he said. Sasha panted heavily as Charlie left the den, she couldn’t help but whimper and cry knowing he’d left. Charlie remerged into the den after hearing her cries, “I’m sorry,” Sasha said. Charlie shook his head, “No need, our pasts are not our faults, all we can do is make sure our futures are well enough,” Charlie said as he laid beside her. Sasha sighed happily, in truth, she had grown to love him in this short time. His quick wit, his charm, even his wise cracks, if she could, Sasha knew she’d stay with him and together, they’d bare many pups(kits) together. She knew she would have to leave him soon but she figured why not allow him the one thing he wanted most of her, herself. Sasha licked Charlie’s muzzle tenderly and allowed him to lay his chest against her for comfort. He looked at her, “Are you sure?” he asked, she nodded and licked his muzzle once more.

 Sasha yawed as the smell of dawn and freshly fallen rain hit her nose, Charlie groomed her scruff tenderly, “My mate,” he said quietly. Sasha laughed from the feel of him, “Charlie, you know I can’t stay with you. On this night I’ve pledge for you as my mate, there shall be no more after you, however you know I have to return to may family,” she said. Charlie looked at her, “But what of us? As we speak our bodies continue to merge, inside of you our kits(pups) are forming and I would like to be there to father them,” he said. Sasha sighed, “I’ll stay until I bare them, when they are strong enough to walk we leave, understand?” she asked. Charlie licked her, “Oh thank you, thank you Sasha you shall not regret this,” he said excitedly. Sasha groaned at the thought of how much she’d truly regret it.

As the moths rolled on, Sasha had learned to hunt very well for a dog raised in houses her whole life. She was beginning to enjoy her time without a leash and even so, she enjoyed it even better with Charlie. Each day of her pregnancy was spent with the two of them either at play or speaking about life. One night, under the stars he’d told her of his past life, “My father, my sire, he died at the fangs of a wolf when we were was very young, he left my mother with four kits to raise all alone, it was my job as the eldest to learn quickly so that I could provide for our family,” he said, “Oh I’m sorry Charlie, I was to young to remember my family any more then the fact that my mother had a warm gentle voice and an even warmer body filled with milk,” she said. “How long do you spend with your parents that you don’t even remember them?” Charlie asked. “Six-eight weeks, what about you?” she asked, “Three years sometimes longer, after mom got shot by a hunter my brother Todd and I split up,” he said, his tone a tad bitter. Sasha licked his muzzle, while she loved him more then any other canine she’d ever dated, she still missed her family deeply. Speaking of which, since she’d gone missing, the family had been on ends. They’d all been miserable since she’d been missing and both Sasha’s girl and her (girl’s) father had figured she’d been stolen but after weeks of searching and investigation with the cops, they’d found nothing to support their theory. With the cops no longer helping, the family took matters into their own hands. For two months they combed the town and the forest with no success. Feeling guilty, some of the neighbors set out to help with their own dogs to smell out the lovable beagle.

Sasha sighed as the life with in her kicked, urging their mother to start the day. “Their restless I see,” Charlie said as he dropped a thick piece of meat at her nose. Sasha scarified it down in a hurry, “I think they want out,” she said when she was finished. Charlie smelled the lump of a puppy nearest its mother’s front paw, “My first son,” he said to the lump. Sasha laughed, “She’s a girl,” she said. Charlie smiled, he licked Sasha’s muzzle tenderly, “Whatever he is, I’m still glade you’re my-“ the sound of humans calling Sasha’s name interrupted Charlie’s words. Sasha’s ears rose at the sound, she laid up and inadvertently barked. “That’s…. that’s my girl,” Sasha said. Charlie’s ears dropped into his head, “Your not going back are you?” he asked. Sasha’s heart started to race as the sound of her voice began to become more clear, true she was now wife and soon to be mother of half wild hybrid dogs, but she was also a sister, a child, a beta, and a friend to a family that desperately needed her. “I-umm, I love you Charlie I’ll never love another like I’ve loved you,” she said. Charlie sighed, “But your still a pet,” he said, Sasha nodded. “Why don’t you come with me, you’d love life as a pet, its fun,” she said. Charlie laughed, “Didn’t you learn anything in the past few months? That life isn’t for me, I’m free sprit going where I want when I want, listen we’ll always be mates and every six months, I will come back for you to and help you bare more pup/kits, every night for six weeks I’ll come to see my young and if you need me, just give a howl, you’re my mate the only one I’ll ever love or mate with, until then, get out of here house pet,” he said with wink. Sasha smiled and licked her mates muzzle  one last time, he licked hers back and licked her belly as well, “Till we meet again, my young boys,” he whispered. Sasha stood and laughed, “Their girls,” she