Okay, Hi! I’ve found my way back, I’m still a little stalled on the actual next chapter for The pack. So, same universe, fifteen years later, and the idea currently bugging in my head.
“So, uh, is Bill going senile? Because I thought you just said your brother was turning Demonfluffs loose.” Despite her tone, she was still relaxed in her arm chair, going back to petting the once charcoal, now silvered muzzle of the fluff on her lap nudged at her.
“He isn’t…not exactly. He has this set up near…ish… The lab. Few vacant lots, lots
of undevelopable woodland and scrub, trailer park and some small apartments at the edge he’s been discounting rent on for people willing to go along with his studies.” Katie flicked a hand, sending a soft smile at the redhead bringing her a plate of the barbeque from the Company picnic outside. “Mostly by signing agreements that they’d be evicted and lose their deposit if they hunted down any of his test subjects. Long contract, nda….funny how often those get thrown around since that time you brought the boys to heel…”
“Can…can we please not bring up what a shit I was in my twenties any more?” George asked, dropping into the chair next to hers. “I was stupid, I almost got us all bankrupted. I’m banned from owning any registered breeding stock.”
“You can have a few fixed culls, sweetie. But if we left one intact, it’s because we have plans for them in the lines, and we’d prefer they stay intact until they prove out one way or another.” She patted his knee, chuckling as a pile of collar wearing,sheltie sized pegasi ran past the glass doors after a ball.
“Sure. Thanks ever so for your faith in my improved abilities.” He leaned over to kiss Katie anyway. “Also some of them earn extra money by planting gardens at certain points of the year. Tenants can kill problem fluffies who have caused documented issues, they just aren’t allowed to go hunting the actual herds without cause. Bill takes his current behavioral studies seriously. How many herds did he start that out with?”
Katie, clearly reading the expression on Shadow’s face, shrugged. “There are trail cams everywhere out there, especially on the boundaries. I’m aware the likelihood Demonfluffs would wander far more than the established groups is there- which is why he’s taking some precautions on that as well. Controlled studies say the older one of our predators will train younger ones in hazards…”
“Which I could have told you by the end of that first year, Katie. They’re…very corvid, in that sense. Largely thanks to Mr. ‘I’m so very well behaved if you ignore the fact I’m possessive as fuck over my human” here.” She laughed. “Not that that isn’t an asset trait for some buyers, the fact they’ll go for any fluffy encroaching on their person unless ordered otherwise. And most of his mainline at least tolerate their mates and offspring having near equal attention paid to them.”
“Handler focus like hell, at least.” The blonde dropped into the chair near Shadow’s, a younger black and red alicorn waiting just until he was settled before giving a gentle nudge at his knee. “Yeah, come here, Magpie” He picked her up,settling her over his lap. “There’s a reason most herding dogs are known for both being velcro dogs and easily trained, and NOT known for being friends with every single other dog ever.”
“True enough.” Shadow was still watching Katie. “So. What does that detail have to do with Bill’s latest experiment?”
“Invisible fence with a marked boundary line, cranked up to the maximum non- debilitating level with no beep or lights as warning. The theory is that the first gen tagged that way will teach those born out there that the markings on that outer boundary mean pain and bad things. Again, there are camera’s everywhere, so if any of that second generation test it, we can collect them before they get all the way off our property and move to plan b, which is basically sneaking in, trankgunning and chipping new generations until the study finishes. Which Bill bewails as affecting his results, since all human interference needs to be accounted for.” Katie leaned back again. “He already has his first test groups prepping. And the area and the precautions already in place have kept the normal fluffy herds in the area contained. We’ve even managed to keep what ferals and dumped strays show up contained once they get in. Bill bitched about it to begin with, then just established it as a variable to mark.”
“I don’t like this idea. I want that on the record.” She sighed. “I assume given the word generations being thrown out, that these will be intact breeding stock?”
“In established hunting packs, to start with. Two of them with completely different structures, then eventually unrelated single ones of the age they would theoretically be establishing themselves. He wants to see how they interact, how they maintain behavior, what the ideal pack territory size is, ….and how their presence affects the established population of fluffies.”
“They’re up to about ten to fifteen herds averaging about twenty to fifty fluffies at last estimate, over a nearly 10 mile square area. Most of it scrub woods, abandoned farm fields and pastures. Everyone’s moving to the cities, these days.” George handed Katie a soda before he opened his bottle.
Shadow gently moved Rook off her lap onto the chair as she got up to get herself a drink. “Great. Which ones is he planning to dump in the wild for shits and giggles?” Before either could counter the last part of her statement, she raised one finger. “Don’t tell me that isn’t why he’s doing it. When you strip out the justifications and the science, that’s why he’s still doing the experiments.”
“Uh,the Mayfair and the Seven sisters packs.” Katie took the mixer from George, sipping at it before she handed it back.
“That’s, uh…the ones Kal started naming after that book with the witches and the Amazons, right?” George asked, going back to his drink when he realized the girls were ignoring him.
“Well, if he’s going for different hierarchies, that’s one way to do it. Seven Sisters is the one that got taken back when the would be subcontractor breeding sheds flunked inspection, right? The mares that were raising their foals pretty much communally and kicking out any males that didn’t follow their rules? And the Mayfairs…They’re down to a pair of brothers, weren’t they? And some of their colts?” Shadow carefully settled back into her chair, letting a barely waking up Rook curl more into her lap when she moved him back.
“Julian and Rowan. They’ve still got Leon and Calixte from Julian’s first litter, Geroud and Sylvin from the second, Valere from Rowan’s. And…” Katie was explaining.
“Wait, that/s…. Julian sired Angelique, right? She was one of the brightest fluffs I’ve ever dealt with, even by Demonfluff standards. I was pretty disappointed when I heard the last litter killed her.” Asher lifted his glass. “Wasn’t that supposed to be an experimental thing from Bill anyways?”
“Something about possibilities, yes.” Katie shrugged. “They did get one survivor from that litter, Julian’s been raising her with help from milkboxes and the colts, she’s just about ready to wean now.”
“Well, that will be something to watch, then. Bill is going to put this up on the server, right? I’d like watching how this goes.” Asher patted Shadow’s leg before she could respond herself.
Original Story- The Pack- because what we need is more fluffies bred to eat other fluffies. (1) by :Shadowfox
Still almost Relevant character guide- The Pack- Character Reference Guide (ShadowFox)
Mayfair chapter 1- A new Pack- chapter the first. Mayfair (Shadowfox)
2-The Mayfair pack, part 2. (Shadowfox)
Seven sisters 1-A new Pack- chapter 2. The Seven sister's pack (Shadowfox)
2-A New Pack- Seven sister's pack, part 2 (Shadowfox)
