The Story of Tiberius

Chapter 7

It was very late at night when Thunder woke up. Hearing his parents talking though, he didn't lift his head. Instead, he listened very quietly to their conversation. Most of what they were saying were words he didn't yet understand but based on the ones he could and the tones in his parents' voices, he could infer that it was probably serious.

"Are you sure that's what you saw?" Ellie asked, her gentle voice filled with worry and concern.

"Yes, I'm a hundred percent certain," Austin replied with a heavy sigh.

"But why? I understand that they've come here in the past but with guns?!"

"I know, surprised me too."

"The only ones with guns are the ones with those weird shiny things..."

"Badges?"

"Yeah."

"Like I said, I don't know what they're up to."

"Maybe they have something to do with the coyote uprising."

"Like what?"

"Like they're helping us?"

"I don't think that's possible."

"Why not?"

"The coyotes are about eighty miles north of here."

"Let me guess, the humans were south."

"Southwest actually."

"Do you think they'll come here?" Thunder's heart lurched when he heard his mother ask that.

"I don't think so. They're over a hundred miles away from us."

"Oh thank the Tribe of the Heavenly Stars."

"Besides, they're not allowed to shoot here unless they have those badges and uniforms."

"They're not?"

"You realize you're on protected land near Albany, right Ellie?"

"Who's Albany?"

"Al- nevermind, let's just go to bed."

Hearing his mother come over to check on him and his sister, Thunder quickly shut his eyes. He smiled softly when he felt his mom nuzzle him lovingly. Purring quietly, he fell asleep.