Free Love Is Always Write Volume 4 by Various Authors Page A

little lower.
    Rodney. Mama used to call me Roddie. She's with the angels now.
    "So I've heard. Well Rodney, you need to go back home with your uncle."
    No! The cub squirmed out of Travis's lap and launched himself at Rod. The heat of the growing little body warmed Rod's hands as the cub clambered to him. Mama said to find Daddy.
    "This city isn't a place for a growing cub."
    Then come home.
    Rod felt his heart clench. How often had he thought of returning to the mountains, of returning to the place of his cubhood when he had a family? Those days of running the game trails in the warmth of the summer sun at the side of a younger brother and sister under the watchful eye of a gruff but kind grizzly bear were gone. That dream was over. The bear was dead. The family was just a wish. This dirty smelly place was now home.
    Travis reached out unclipping the leash from the harness. "Yeah, come home."
    "That's the last thing I ever expected to hear from you."
    "You need to come home now. We need you more than ever."
    Yeah Daddy. Come home. Come home . Roddie bounced up and down.
    Rod caught the cub by the harness and lifted him up. The cub's legs curled up as if he was being carried by the scruff of the neck. "You need to be hairless. Too many are looking for you."
    "He hasn't changed." Travis warned
    "Ever? How old is he? Can he change?"
    "He wouldn't try. Lisa Marie couldn't get him to attempt it."
    Rod turned his hand until he could stare the little cub in the face. "We are weres. We are not human. We are not animal. We walk in both worlds and to do that you have to be able to go hairless. If you cannot blend with the humans you will never be able to come to the city."
    I can do it. I'm not a suckling cub . The pure indignation of youth came through loud and clear.
    "Then why haven't you done it when your mother asked you."
    I didn't want to be the only black cat on the mountain.
    "Roddie."
    Rod set the cub down and unbuckled the harness. "Over there is a bathroom. The first time is messy. You show me you can go hairless and we will talk about home."
    The little jaguar tore off towards the bathroom his tail a stiffened sign of determination.
    "Like father, like son." Travis whispered.
    "Your sister raped me to get that cub." Rod snarled back lowly.
    "I know." Travis ran his hand through his tawny brown hair. He reached into his front shirt pocket and pulled out a leather bi-fold. "She had this hidden in her room. I found it after she died."
    Rod stared at the leather for a moment before turning his face away, listening for any signs of distress from the bathroom. "Don't blame Rodney for any of this. It's not his fault. If you're going to place blame, give it to me."
    "You really think I'm an ass, don't you, if you think I would hold any of this against a cub?"
    "You've changed so much since the last time I saw you."
    "If I didn't, I wouldn't have survived. Silas kept us too innocent up there in the sanctuary."
    "Lisa Marie never wanted this." Travis pushed himself to his feet. "She loved you more than either of us knew."
    Travis opened the bi-fold and pulled out the old Polaroid picture of those halcyon days. Both of them were in hairless form sunning themselves out on the marsh dock when Lisa Marie snapped the photo. Rod narrowed his eyes. Even his cubhood memories were being destroyed by that bitch of a werecougar. Travis flipped it over revealing writing in silver marker.
    I'm sorry Rowdie. I just wanted some little bit of you. When Trav found us, he was so mad I panicked and told a lie. I didn't want to break you two up. I knew you were happy with my brother. Don't hate Rodney. He is your son.
    "This is supposed to make it all better? Sorry I took you against your will, here's your son?" Bitterness was burning in Rod's throat.
    "Rowdie…" Travis's words stumbled to a halt as a partially transformed palm halted mere inches from his throat.
    "I loved you, Travis. I loved you and I loved your sister and when the times got tough